GlobalWelsh is set to hold an online event designed to inspire Welsh entrepreneurs and business leaders around the world to invest and establish operations in Wales.
Following the findings of GlobalWelsh’s ‘Brain Drain to Brain Gain’ research, conducted in partnership with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, the organisation said the event aimed to harness the “significant potential of the Welsh diaspora for economic development and job creation across Wales”.
The research identified nearly 500 entrepreneurs and business leaders with a keen interest in investing in Wales, either by starting new businesses or expanding existing operations.
The ‘Connect to Cymru’ event, set to be held on September 18 in partnership with Hugh James, will provide a platform for Welsh entrepreneurs and business leaders based outside Wales to explore the opportunities available for starting or scaling their businesses in Wales.
Attendees will gain insights into:
- The business support, soft landing spaces, skilled workforce, professional services, and public sector growth initiatives designed to accelerate business growth in Wales
- Stories from entrepreneurs who have successfully established and grown their businesses in Wales
- Direct access to key Welsh stakeholders, including government representatives, universities, and accelerators, to address pressing questions about returning to Wales with a business
Walter May, GlobalWelsh founder & CEO, said:
“Traditional Foreign Direct Investment often comes with inherent risks and can be transient. Our ‘Brain Drain to Brain Gain’ research clearly demonstrates the immense and stable potential of Diaspora Direct Investment. This event is a significant step towards unlocking that potential, showcasing Wales as a vibrant, supportive, and opportunity-rich location for businesses rooted in our global Welsh community.
“Looking to the future, we believe that by combining our GlobalWelsh Connect community engagement platform together with growing AI capability we can develop an efficient, data-driven engagement process that can automate matching diaspora businesses with relevant Welsh regions, sectors, and resources. This approach would massively increase Wales’ inward investment successes and create jobs across all regions of Wales.”
Speakers will include Welsh Government, Development Bank of Wales, M-SParc, Gwagle, Ogi, Delineate, Mountain Trike and Hugh James.
As a follow-up to this online event, GlobalWelsh plans to host an in-person event on December 2 at Hugh James’ offices in central Cardiff, following the Welsh Government’s investment summit in Newport on December 1.