Between 2011 and 2015, as Senior Innovation Manager with CRDF Global, Ovidiu designed and implemented The GIST Initiative, a global enterprise that builds dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystems in 135 countries across all the continents. Ovidiu and his team architected a global entrepreneurship support organization that built an online global community of 250k entrepreneurs, trained more than 3k entrepreneurs, vetted and mentored fast-growing tech entrepreneurs who raised $32M+ in funding and generated 2,000 jobs and $300M in annual revenue.

Today, The GIST Initiative is the signature entrepreneurship program of the US Department of State supporting entrepreneurs in more than 135 countries, a living example of “Entrepreneurship Diplomacy in action”. The initiative was recognized by both Secretary Clinton (letter below) and Secretary Kerry.