The Legatum Center is pleased to announce its second annual conference, to be held on October 2nd, 2009 at MIT's Morss Hall. The Center's annual conference provides a forum for discussion of issues relating to entrepreneurship and international development. In 2008, the conference featured an unprecedented gathering of 5 Nobel Laureates in Economics, as well as entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world. 

The Legatum Center is honored to host an address by Esko Aho, Prime Minister of Finland from 1991-1995 and Board Member and Executive Vice President of Nokia. The conference will also include special guests and presentations by MIT faculty. In addition, our 2009 conference will feature three panels:

1) Entrepreneurship: bottom-up development in low-income countries
This panel will include entrepreneurs from Africa and Asia, who will discuss their own enterprises and ways to promote entrepreneurship to further economic, social and political development. In addition, a senior economist will provide an overview of entrepreneurship trends across the globe and the effects that new governmental policies can have on encouraging or hindering entrepreneurial efforts.

2) Internet innovation: empowering citizens in the developing world

This year's technology focus is the Internet. With a special kick-off keynote by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, this panel will look at specific internet-based services that have empowered entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens in low-income countries. Speakers include the past president of Skype, a director from Cisco's Emerging Markets division, and a social entrepreneur who has leveraged the web to create job opportunities for people in the poorest countries of the world. This panel will be preceded by an overview of internet-innovations across the developing world.

3) Investment: funding ventures in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

The conference's third panel will begin with keynote remarks by Gururaj "Desh" Deshpande, founder and chairman of several prominent companies including Sycamore Networks, and a supporter of innovation and enterprise, especially in India.  The session will include a detailed discussion with investors who lead some of the most innovative funds that support Small- and Medium- size Enterprises (SMEs) in low-income countries. Moderated by an African entrepreneur, this panel will explore the risks and rewards to these types of investments, what investors look for in a business plan, and how, given the financial crisis in the West, investing in the poorest countries in the world is now more appealing than ever.

 ** This website is being updated as new speakers are confirmed **

 

 

 

 

Venue Street Address

Morss Hall (The Walker Memorial Building)
142 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02142
Google Map, MIT Map

By Subway

Subway Map
Take the Red Line to the Kendall/MIT Station. Walk towards the Charles River and take a right on Memorial Drive to 142 Memorial Drive.

From Logan International Airport (BOS) by Car

Google Map
1. Head southeast for 0.2 miles
2. Slight right (signs for Departures) for 0.8 mi
3. Slight right toward RT-1A S/William F McClellan Hwy (signs for I-93/RT-1A N/Boston/Sumner Tunnel/Revere/1A S) for 0.6 mi
4. Take the ramp onto RT-1A S/William F McClellan Hwy
Partial toll road for 1.7 mi
5. Merge onto RT-28 S/RT-3 N/Storrow Dr via the ramp to Storrow Dr. for 1.1 mi
6. Take the RT-3 N ramp on the left to Kendall Sq./Gov't Center for 0.2 mi
7. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Cambridge/Memorial Dr. for 59 ft
8. Turn right at Cambridge St/RT-3 N and Continue to follow RT-3 N for 0.4 mi
9. Turn right onto the RT-3 N ramp for 223 ft
10. Turn right at RT-3 N for 0.5 mi

From Logan International Airport (BOS) by Subway

Subway Map
1. Take SL1 Silver Line (South Station- Inbound) from airport terminal to South Station
2. Transfer to Red Line (Alewife- Inbound) at South Station
3. Arrive at Kendall/MIT Station
4. Walk towards the Charles River and take a right on Memorial Drive to 142 Memorial Drive.

Parking Information

Street Parking
Street parking on Memorial Drive is free on both sides. On Mass Ave, parking is free after 6pm. Parking is also available on Ames Street or Vassar Street. Street parking may not always be available, but is more likely if you arrive early.

MIT Parking Lots
An MIT parking permit is required for all vehicles on MIT property between 7:30am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. From 5:00pm to 7:30am and on weekends and holidays permits are not required for MIT-affiliated people in the following lots: Hayward Lot, N10 Lot (the one behind the Bank of America ATM), East Lot/East Garage Annex, Pacific Lot, Sloan Lot, Windsor Lot, Tang Center Lot. Vehicles without permits parked during this time in any other MIT parking area will be subject to ticketing or towing.

Public Parking Facilities
The following public parking facilities are in the MIT Sloan area and may be used by visitors who do not have an MIT parking permit. These parking facilities are not operated by MIT and rates are subject to change without notice, so please call for current rates.

4 Cambridge Center, Entrance on Ames St. or Broadway (617-225-0830)
1 hour: $8
1-3 hours: $15
3-24 hours: $20
Open 24 hours

5 Cambridge Center, East Garage (Ames St. /Broadway)
7 Cambridge Center, West Garage (Ames St. /Galileo Way)
10 Cambridge Center, North Garage (Binney St. off Broadway) (617-621-3115)
1 hour: $8
1-3 hours: $15
3-24 hours: $20
Open 24 hours

Kendall Sq. South Garage, 350 Kendall St. (617-723-1488)
1 hour: $6
1.5 - 2 hours: $12
2-10 hours: $15
Open 24 hours

Download Conference Agenda (PDF)