OREANDA-NEWS. June 27, 2016. Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) Fellows recently arrived in the United States for a three-week professional program highlighting entrepreneurship and innovation in America. This pilot phase of YTILI, the Department of State’s signature initiative to bring entrepreneurs from Europe together with American entrepreneurs, small business managers, and other innovative leaders and investors, is designed to create long-term, one-on-one relationships that strengthen the transatlantic relationship and support the overall global entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As part of the program, YTILI Fellows are attending the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) at Stanford University hosted by President Obama, where they are meeting with entrepreneurs, investors, educators, government officials, and professionals representing the full measure of entrepreneurial talent from diverse backgrounds all over the world. Before attending GES, the Fellows spent two weeks working directly with American counterparts in private sector offices, non-profit organizations and local government agencies in one of eight U.S. cities – Charlotte, NC; Huntsville, AL; Pittsburg, PA; Albany, NY; Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; Albuquerque, NM; and Seattle, WA.

YTILI Fellows are mid-career professionals from over 40 countries in Europe with successful entrepreneurial ventures. The inaugural 2016 cohort represents a range of endeavors, such as developing mobile apps to transform local industries; engaging youth in their communities; and supporting fellow entrepreneurs through shared spaces, networks, and trainings. Upon returning home at the conclusion of their program, the Fellows will stay connected to their peers from across Europe, build on their experience in the United States, and create new opportunities for innovation and collaboration across borders.