The ICSB Lighthouse Awards celebrate extraordinary organizations, multilateral institutions, NGOs, and even cities, whose work is devoted to advancing MSMEs and entrepreneurs, the builders of economies, the carriers of hope, and the engines of human progress. These remarkable leaders do far more than design programs; they shape futures. They influence policy, ignite innovation, and cultivate ecosystems where ideas take flight and communities rise.
The Award itself is a Lighthouse, a timeless symbol of guidance and resolve. In moments of uncertainty and storm, it stands unwavering, casting light across dark waters, offering direction, safety, and promise. So too do these honorees steady the journey of entrepreneurs, helping them navigate risk, embrace possibility, and sail toward growth, resilience, and shared prosperity.
Each recipient is chosen with great care by ICSB and honored with a personal Presidential citation, a tribute to their courage, leadership, and enduring contribution to the global story of entrepreneurship.
To View the 2024-2025 Lighthouse Award Recipients (Click Here)
The Women Presidents Organization (WPO), established in 1997, is a global peer community of accomplished women business leaders who come together to share insight, support, and collective wisdom in professionally facilitated, confidential settings. Designed for women entrepreneurs leading successful companies, WPO provides an environment where members can validate their experiences, tackle growth challenges, exchange strategic perspectives, and fuel game-changing breakthroughs with trusted peers. The organization spans 2,000+ members and 145+ chapters across more than 10 countries, helping women leaders grow their businesses, expand their influence, and elevate impact through connection, collaboration, and shared experience.
President Review:
For more than two decades, the Women Presidents Organization (WPO) has been a defining force in advancing women’s leadership in entrepreneurship. At a time when women CEOs lacked access to trusted peer communities and tailored leadership support, WPO recognized the need for a new kind of institution built on connection, candor, and collective wisdom, a vision ICSB proudly honors.
What sets WPO apart is the strength of its model and the consistency of its impact. Under the leadership of Camille Burns, WPO’s global peer advisory network offers women business leaders a rare environment of trust, challenge, and mutual accountability, truly serving as a Lighthouse for women entrepreneurs navigating growth and complexity.
This commitment was powerfully demonstrated at the ICSB Signature Event in Paris, where WPO stood as ICSB’s strongest partner, helping shape one of the most impactful global conversations on women’s entrepreneurship in recent years. WPO’s influence extends far beyond individual enterprises, strengthening entire ecosystems and advancing economic inclusion worldwide, making it a most deserving recipient of the ICSB Lighthouse Award for 2025–2026.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) in Egypt is a driving force for social justice, decent work, and inclusive growth. A member since 1936, with its Cairo office established in 1959, Egypt serves as a regional hub for North Africa. Working with government and social partners, the ILO is advancing Egypt Vision 2030, strengthening labour markets and social protection, and shaping the future of work through its leadership on Egypt’s first National Employment Strategy.
On the ground, the ILO boosts productivity, elevates labour standards, expands social protection for informal workers, and promotes fair recruitment, refugee inclusion, and resilient workplace ecosystems, reinforcing Egypt’s role as a regional leader in sustainable, human-centered development.
President Review:
The partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Egypt and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) spans more than a decade, dating back to 2010, and stands as one of the most impactful and enduring collaborations in our organization’s history. From the earliest days, the ILO Egypt team has been a steadfast supporter of ICSB’s mission and leadership, playing a pivotal role in advancing entrepreneurship, decent work, and inclusive economic development across the region.
Together, ILO Egypt and ICSB helped pioneer the regional movement for Social Entrepreneurship, launching landmark initiatives in Cairo, hosting ICSB on multiple occasions, and working side-by-side on a wide range of on-the-ground projects that strengthened MSME ecosystems and expanded opportunity for entrepreneurs, youth, and vulnerable communities. This foundation of excellence was shaped by an extraordinary team, including the late Magdi Wahba, alongside Amal Mowafi and Peter van Rooij, whose leadership and partnership laid enduring institutional roots.
Today, that legacy continues with renewed energy and the same unwavering standard of excellence under the leadership of Eric Oechslin, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team for North Africa and the Country Office for Egypt and Eritrea, and with the continued dedication of Perihan Tawfik, who has worked closely with ICSB since 2010 and was proudly inducted as an ICSB Fellow in 2025. Their collective commitment exemplifies what true partnership looks like — built on trust, shared purpose, and a deep belief in the power of entrepreneurship to advance human dignity and sustainable prosperity.
Station F in Paris stands as a global engine for innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup growth. Since its launch in 2017, Station F has become the world’s largest startup campus, serving as a powerful hub where founders, investors, corporations, and public institutions converge to accelerate the future of business. Working closely with the French government, global partners, and the international startup community, Station F strengthens innovation ecosystems, fuels venture creation, and positions Paris at the center of Europe’s entrepreneurial transformation.
On the ground, Station F empowers thousands of startups through world-class acceleration programs, access to venture capital, corporate partnerships, and deep technical support — fostering breakthrough technologies, inclusive entrepreneurship, and resilient innovation communities. By cultivating collaboration at scale, Station F continues to shape a new generation of founders and reinforces France’s role as a global leader in sustainable, future-driven innovation.
President Review:
Station F represents the very best of what a modern entrepreneurship ecosystem can be — bold in vision, disciplined in execution, and unwavering in its commitment to impact. Since its founding, Station F has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the responsibility it carries as a global platform for innovation and startup growth.
This commitment has been powerfully reflected in its partnership with the International Council for Small Business (ICSB). In 2021, Station F proudly hosted the Opening of the ICSB World Congress, setting the stage for one of the most dynamic global entrepreneurship gatherings in our history. In 2025, Station F once again stood at the center of global dialogue by hosting the ICSB Signature Event in partnership with the OECD on Removing Barriers to Women Entrepreneurs — a landmark convening that advanced both policy and practice on one of the most critical challenges facing the global economy.
What distinguishes Station F is its remarkable consistency of purpose. It does not simply host events; it advances movements. Its leadership understands the scale of influence it holds and applies it with intention, integrity, and long-term commitment. For ICSB, this partnership reflects a shared DNA of excellence — one grounded in collaboration, inclusion, and a belief that entrepreneurship is a cornerstone of sustainable development.
Station F is not only a partner of ICSB. It is a trusted ally in shaping the future of global entrepreneurship.
The AAST Entrepreneurship Center, established in 2015 by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), stands as one of the most dynamic university-based entrepreneurship hubs in the Arab world and across Africa. Built within one of the region’s most respected academic institutions, the Center serves as a powerful engine for innovation, venture creation, and youth empowerment, connecting education, enterprise, and ecosystem development at scale.
Through a comprehensive portfolio of programs — including startup incubation, acceleration, training, mentorship, competitions, and global partnerships — the AAST Entrepreneurship Center cultivates entrepreneurial talent at every stage of the journey. Its flagship national platform, Rally Egypt, has become one of the country’s most influential entrepreneurship movements, engaging thousands of students and founders each year and accelerating ideas into viable ventures. Together, these efforts have fueled hundreds of startups, inspired countless young entrepreneurs, and helped shape inclusive, resilient ecosystems across Egypt, the Arab region, and Africa.
President Review:
The International Council for Small Business (ICSB) first became aware of the AAST Entrepreneurship Center in 2015, but what followed was nothing short of breathtaking. AAST did not grow incrementally — it burst onto the global stage with clarity, purpose, and scale, advancing entrepreneurship across Egypt, the Arab region, and Africa with extraordinary speed and impact.
From the beginning, AAST approached partnership with a spirit of genuine collaboration, hosting ICSB events multiple times with generosity and shared vision. Their team — including leaders such as Dr. Heba El-Ashry and Dr. Wael Bedda — demonstrated deep commitment not only to program success but to long-term ecosystem transformation. At the helm of the broader institution, Prof. Ismail Abdel Ghafar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, has also been a steadfast supporter of entrepreneurship development and global collaboration.
AAST did not knock politely on the door of the global entrepreneurship community — they broke it down and announced their intentions to make a difference. ICSB took notice. That recognition culminated in AAST winning the prestigious ICSB 2025 Entrepreneurship Center Global Impact Award for its exceptional contributions and transformational role in shaping regional and international entrepreneurship ecosystems. Their rise reflects not only remarkable speed and scale, but a rare alignment with ICSB’s mission — excellence without ego, impact without compromise, and partnership rooted in purpose.
AAST is not simply part of the entrepreneurship movement.
It is helping to lead it.
Jinju City, whose name means “true pearl,” is a city of profound historical significance and modern entrepreneurial ambition. With more than a thousand years of cultural heritage, Jinju is widely recognized as the birthplace of Korean Entrepreneurship (K-Entrepreneurship) — a legacy deeply connected to the pioneering spirit of Jo-Shik, whose leadership and philosophy helped shape Korea’s earliest foundations of enterprise, education, and civic responsibility. Today, under the leadership of Mayor Cho Kyoo-il, Jinju is transforming this extraordinary heritage into a living engine of innovation, growth, and global engagement, positioning the city as a rising hub for startups, cultural industries, and entrepreneurial leadership grounded in Human-Centered Entrepreneurship.
At the heart of Jinju’s evolution is the distinctive model of K-Entrepreneurship — disciplined yet bold, community-driven yet globally ambitious, and rooted in long-term thinking, resilience, and human dignity. Jinju embodies this philosophy through a dynamic ecosystem where universities, entrepreneurs, investors, and civic leaders collaborate to convert ideas into enterprises and challenges into opportunity. By integrating Human-Centered Entrepreneurship into policy, education, and ecosystem development, Jinju not only preserves the origins of Korean entrepreneurship but actively propels its future, reinforcing Korea’s expanding influence in the global innovation economy and affirming Jinju’s role as a beacon of entrepreneurial leadership.
President Review:
Jinju City is, in every sense of the word, a genuine pearl — polished by history, illuminated by vision, and brought to life through the inspired leadership of Mayor Cho Kyoo-il and his remarkable team. What makes Jinju extraordinary is not only where it comes from, but how beautifully it moves forward. The city lives by a guiding principle, both simple and profound: “Respect the past, live in the present, and plan the future wisely.” In Jinju, this is not a slogan. It is a way of being. It is how centuries of heritage are transformed into momentum, and how memory becomes a blueprint for tomorrow.
This renaissance has been lifted to the world stage through the global stewardship of Ambassador Oh Joon and the intellectual leadership of Dr. Ki-Chan Kim, whose work has helped ignite K-Entrepreneurship as a worldwide movement. At the heart of this awakening stands the Jinju K-Entrepreneurship Forum, now emerging as a global powerhouse, a gathering place for the boldest thinkers, builders, and dreamers from every corner of the world. And yet, this is only the opening act. Jinju’s leadership carries big dreams and even bigger plans, moving with rare speed, selecting the very best ideas and partners, and turning vision into living, breathing impact. Here, history is not preserved behind glass; it is woven into the present and launched toward the future with grace, courage, and unmistakable purpose.
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