"We believe that global prosperity depends on empowering entrepreneurs and innovators. By representing your country at the WBAF Grand Assembly, you become part of a trusted global leadership network dedicated to building inclusive and innovation-driven economies."
Baybars Altuntas
Executive Chairman, World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF)
An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI)
As an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion, the World Business Angels Investment Forum interacts with leaders in all areas of society — first and foremost in business and political spheres — to help assess needs and establish goals, bearing in mind that the public interest is of paramount importance. WBAF engages with a wide range of institutions — public and private, local and international, commercial and academic — to help shape the global agenda of early and post-early stage equity markets and global startup economy. WBAF holds that, with the participation of individuals and institutions from multiple sectors and from all parts of society, real progress can be achieved.
WBAF reaches its goals to empower the world economy through innovation, startups and qualified investors by developing co-operations at the individual level and at the institutional level. Thus WBAF has developed a World Leaders Programme for individuals who want to engage with WBAF’s world vision and Membership Programme for institutions who want to engage with WBAF’s world vision.
WBAF holds that, with the participation of individuals and institutions from multiple sectors and from all parts of society, real progress can be achieved. One way WBAF does this is through its High Commissioners, Senior Senators and International Partners. Becoming a WBAF High Commissioner, Senior Senators, Senator or International Partner involves embracing activities that are designed to serve the global community.
Including top global innovators and disruptors and ranging from niche market leaders to regional champions, these individuals collaborate to address key issues, identify emerging trends and further the Forum’s mission of easing access to finance globally.
WBAF believes that by combining regular, small contributions from many dynamic High Commissioners, Senior Senators, Senators and International Partners around the world, we all benefit from shared learning, better networks and increased exposure.
The World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) — an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) — invites distinguished leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and ecosystem builders to apply to represent their countries as International Partners or Senators at the WBAF Grand Assembly.
If you are ready to represent your country and contribute to global entrepreneurship development, we invite you to submit your application.
Kind regards,
Christina McGimpsey
Secretary General, World Business Angels Investment Forum
An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI)
Christina.McGimpsey@wbaforum.org
As a WBAF International Partner or Senator, you will become part of a globally respected leadership network committed to enabling access to finance and fostering innovation-driven economic growth.
You will have the opportunity to:
Applications are welcomed from distinguished individuals including:
Senators and International Partners are responsible for maintaining active engagement with the organisation through the following commitment:
Online Access Ticket – WBAF Financial Inclusion Center (€500)
This annual ticket provides online access to the WBAF Financial Inclusion Center, enabling participation in its knowledge resources, programmes, and global activities.
The ticket remains valid until end of each year 31 December. To maintain your official position as an International Partner or Senator and to continue active involvement within WBAF, renewal of the Online Access Ticket is required each year in December, at a fee of €500.
International Partners and Senators contribute to global initiatives aimed at:
The World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) offers a distinguished leadership career path for its International Partners and Senators, recognising commitment, service, and active participation within the global entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Advancement within the WBAF Grand Assembly reflects long-term dedication, international engagement, and contribution to global initiatives supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and financial inclusion.
International Partners are active at local, regional and global levels, working to develop insights which will inform strategic decision-making on issues that are critical to their own industry and to cross-border investments. Interaction between International Partners and the Forum’s High Commissioners, Senior Senators, Senators and area experts and various networks drives positive change.
Profile: WBAF International Partners are potential Senators, people who want to engage with WBAF to expand its mission and who are able to contribute to the WBAF community.
International Partners are expected to:
Senators are actively engaged in carrying out the Forum’s mission in their countries. Their status affords them privileged access to multi-stakeholder networks of the Forum and its experts, providing visibility and strategic insights into the decision-making processes related to some of the most significant cross-border investment issues. It also allows them to contribute to positive change and to engage in initiatives that support economic development in their home countries.
Profile: WBAF Senators are the movers and shakers of their country’s ecosystem. They may be, for example, academicians, members of their country’s stock exchange, technopark members, active in country-specific angel networks and/or the chamber of commerce, professionals of global corporates or involved in policymaking.
WBAF Senators are expected to:
High Commissioners and Senior Senators represent businesses with a strong regional presence or a strategic interest in a particular region. Each is committed to promoting economic and social development at various levels. Their access to the Forum’s multi-stakeholder network and experts provides visibility and offers insights into strategic decision-making on important regional and global issues.
Profile: WBAF High Commissioners and Senior Senators are typically individuals who hold high-level positions of responsibility or who are known as influencers or thought leaders. These may include respected members of the country's business community.
WBAF High Commissioners and Senior Senators are expected to:
Please note that there is no application process for becoming a High Commissioner or Senior Senator. It is by invitation or nomination only.
Upon appointment, International Partners and Senators may join one of the following global committees:
Committee members work in close cooperation with each other to help shape regional and global agendas in the global and regional investment markets. Through this cooperation, they all contribute to the global knowledge base and benefit from it as they develop the focus of Forum initiatives.
By contributing to better policymaking, sharing best practices, and engaging stakeholders beyond commercial objectives, the committees of the World Business Angels Investment Forum do have a real impact on issues of worldwide concern.
You are invited to visit the following link to know current board members of the Committees: World Business Angel Investment Forum (wbaforum.org)
Global Women Leaders Committee
WBAF convenes a Global Women Leaders Committee, an international gathering of women founders, leaders, and mentors for learning, connecting and innovating. It is the first WBAF committee dedicated to women, and its focus is on propelling women-led startups, scaleups, SMEs and high-growth businesses. A global group of luminaries from the realms of business, art, politics, and philanthropy come together to shape and shake the future.
Mission statement: The Global Women Leaders Committee of the World Business Angels Investment Forum is committed to leveraging unique access to the world’s most influential woman leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and artists—uniting these global forces to harness their collective knowledge, address today’s critical issues, and generate innovative solutions.
Global Startup Committee
The Global Startup Committee of the World Business Angels Investment Forum gathers the most influential pipeline managers, deal flow experts, business angel network managers, fund managers and qualified mentors to find innovative solutions that provide entrepreneurs easy access to smart finance.
Mission statement: The Global Startup Committee of the World Business Angels Investment Forum is committed to helping the next generation of great companies move forward and to showcase the world’s top startups and scaleups (typically, funded companies in the process of raising €50K–€1M) at the Global Fundraising Stage (GFRS),* establishing a superior deal flow pipeline that connects investors with superior startups, and through training and mentorship, to help the next generation of companies that are seeking to raise funding in order to grow and scale their businesses, bridging qualified investors and entrepreneurs and creating a global community that attracts the best deal flow, the most knowledgeable experts and fosters continuous and evolving interactions amongst community members.
*The Global Fundraising Stage (GFRS) is an international co-investment platform for angel investors, startups, scaleups and high-growth businesses.
Global Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Committee
With advancements in digital transformation, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and more, there has never been a better or more challenging time for leaders of the global innovation and technology ecosystem. The Global Innovation and Technology Leaders Committee of the World Business Angels Investment Forum gathers some of the world’s most influential of these leaders to explore today’s biggest technological challenges, foster deep collaboration, and generate new ideas.
Mission statement: The Global Innovation and Technology Leaders Committee of the World Business Angels Investment Forum is committed to connecting innovators with smart finance, creating a better environment for innovation, helping inventors commercialise their inventions, fostering the kind of creative thinking that leads to innovation by open learning and skill development, and accelerating technology transfer around the world.
Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence and Quality Leadership Committee
WBAF convenes an Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence, and Quality Leadership Committee, an international gathering of thought leaders, policymakers, founders, leaders, and mentors for learning, connecting and innovating. This group includes global luminaries from the realms of business, art, politics, and philanthropy whose mission is to encourage the universal entrepreneurship ecosystem to endorse essential standards for ethical governance, standards of excellence, and quality leadership.
Mission statement: The Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence, and Quality Leadership Committee of the World Business Angels Investment Forum aims to strategically position WBAF’s wide spectrum of tasks to (a) Promote WBAF corporate culture ideologies within a robust Circle of Trust that encompasses good individual and communal conduct, (b) contribute and enhance the focal principles of a superior Code of Conduct, Core Values, and Behaviour Drivers, (c) support the active engagement of all stakeholders by facilitating access to necessary resources so as to enable proper multi-dimensional adherence and (d) encourage the universal entrepreneurship ecosystem to endorse these essential standards and adopt a practical path for their successful global implementation.
Expectation 1: Develop a National WBAF Ecosystem in Your Home Country
High Commissioners, Senior Senators and Senators are expected to develop a national WBAF ecosystem to connect all players of the early and post-early stage equity market. They will promote WBAF activities and develop relationships with a range of institutions in their own country to the best of their ability. As internationally recognised influential individuals who are active players in capital markets, they are expected to use their networking skills. Each WBAF High Commissioner, Senior Senator and Senator will be a key contact person for various institutions in their national WBAF ecosystem, for example:
Expectation 2: Make Efforts to Open a WBAF Country Office
The World Business Angels Investment Forum interacts with leaders in all areas of society, first and foremost in business and political spheres, to help assess needs and establish goals, bearing in mind that the public interest is of paramount importance. WBAF engages a wide range of institutions – public and private, local and international, commercial and academic – to help shape the global agenda of early-stage equity and capital markets.
WBAF country offices are one vehicle for doing this. Launching a country office involves embracing activities that are designed to serve the global community of startups, angel investors, innovators, SMEs and entrepreneurs. With the combined contributions from the dynamic WBAF country offices around the world, all of us benefit from shared learning, better networks and increased exposure.
Expectation 3: Become your country’s global voice on entrepreneurship
As the global voice, WBAF High Commissioners and Senior Senators are expected to be available from time to time for media interviews, to promote WBAF initiatives through their personal networks, and to encourage appropriate organisations, government departments and individuals in their country and the national WBAF ecosystem to participate in the WBAF Annual World Congress, WBAF initiatives and membership programmes.
WBAF High Commissioners, Senior Senators, Senators and International Partners are expected to be highly active on social media. They are encouraged to share comments, notices, and articles on the WBAF LinkedIn page, the WBAF LinkedIn Group and the WBAF Facebook page.
WBAF has special WhatsApp closed groups for WBAF High Commissioners, Senior Senators, Senators and International Partners. This facilitates communication and ensures a good flow of information.
Expectation 4: Attract new members to WBAF
Senior Senators, Senators and International Partners are expected to attract new members to the global efforts of WBAF to foster economic development worldwide.
The WBAF membership program addresses some of the world’s top companies, corporate ventures, stock exchanges, chambers of commerce and industry, technoparks, technology transfer offices, SME agencies, innovation centres, banks, regional development agencies, incubation centres, acceleration centres, crowd-funding platforms, VCs, business angel networks and entrepreneurs (startups, scaleups, high-growth businesses and SMEs), each of which plays a key role in shaping the future of their particular industry as well as the future of their respective investment markets. Many members participate in the Forum’s various communities, strengthening their engagement with the Forum’s various events and special projects.
As a member of the WBAF global community, you gain direct access to a distinguished network of international institutes designed to support entrepreneurship, investment, education, and financial inclusion. These institutes serve as global platforms for knowledge sharing, capacity building, investment readiness, and cross-border collaboration—empowering leaders to contribute meaningfully to the growth of innovation-driven economies worldwide.
World Business Angel Investors Week (WBAW)
World Business Angel Investors Week (WBAW) is a global initiative of WBAF designed to celebrate and strengthen the role of angel investors in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation worldwide. Held annually across multiple countries, WBAW brings together investors, policymakers, startup founders, universities, and ecosystem leaders through conferences, workshops, and networking events. The initiative promotes the development of early-stage investment ecosystems, encourages cross-border collaboration, and raises global awareness of the vital role angel investment plays in driving economic growth and job creation.
WenCHAM – World Chamber of Entrepreneurs for Economic Development
WenCHAM (World Chamber of Entrepreneurs for Economic Development) is a global movement designed to empower entrepreneurs and strengthen national ecosystems through entrepreneurship diplomacy. By establishing national chambers and connecting business leaders across borders, WenCHAM enables entrepreneurs to access international markets, partnerships, and trusted global networks.
As a member of the WBAF global community, you gain direct access to a series of prestigious global events that bring together world leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. With special advantages and exclusive participation fees, WBAF World Leaders benefit from priority engagement in high-level forums, congresses, and international gatherings that foster collaboration, investment opportunities, and global visibility.
Global Fundraising Stage (GFRS)
The Global Fundraising Stage (GFRS) is a premier international platform where selected startups present their ventures to a global audience of angel investors, venture capitalists, and institutional partners. It creates meaningful opportunities for entrepreneurs to secure investment, build partnerships, and accelerate their growth on the global stage.
World Excellence Awards
The World Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding leaders, institutions, and innovators who demonstrate exceptional commitment to entrepreneurship, investment, and economic development. These prestigious awards recognize visionary achievements and inspire global best practices that strengthen the future of the startup economy.
World Congress of Angel Investors
The World Congress of Angel Investors is the flagship annual gathering of the global angel investment community. It brings together investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders from around the world to exchange insights, build partnerships, and shape the future of early-stage investment and innovation ecosystems.
WBAF Financial Inclusion Conference
The WBAF Financial Inclusion Conference provides a global platform for dialogue among governments, financial institutions, development organizations, and private sector leaders. The conference focuses on innovative strategies to expand access to finance, strengthen financial literacy, and create inclusive opportunities for entrepreneurs worldwide.
The application and appointment process includes the following steps:
Step 1: Submission of an Online Application
Applicants complete and submit the official online application form, providing professional background details and motivation to represent their country.
Step 2: Review by the WBAF Secretariat
The WBAF Secretariat reviews the application to ensure completeness and alignment with WBAF’s mission, values, and eligibility criteria.
Step 3: Evaluation by the Relevant Steering Committee
The application is evaluated by the relevant Steering Committee, which assesses the applicant’s professional background, leadership profile, and potential contribution to the national and global entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Step 4: Issuance of Draft Agreement and Payment Link
Following a positive evaluation by the Steering Committee, the applicant receives:
• A Draft Appointment Agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities
• An official Payment Link to complete the membership and appointment formalities
Step 5: Completion of Payment Process
Upon successful completion of the payment process, the appointment procedure moves to the finalisation stage.
Step 6: Final Appointment Approval by the WBAF Board of Directors
The WBAF Board of Directors provides final approval of the appointment in accordance with WBAF governance procedures.
Step 7: Official Announcement and Global Promotion
Newly appointed International Partners or Senators are officially announced through WBAF global communication channels, including website and international outreach platforms.
Step 8: Onboarding and Integration into the Global Network
After appointment, members are:
• Added to relevant WhatsApp and communication groups
• Introduced to global committees and programmes
• Provided onboarding guidance and engagement opportunities
• Invited to actively participate in WBAF global initiatives
As a member of the WBAF Grand Assembly, you may also:
These roles position International Partners and Senators as key enablers of national entrepreneurship ecosystems.