Mark Marich is the executive vice president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network where he provides strategic input and tactical direction for all aspects of the organization while directly leading its strategic communications operations. Marich was part of the core leadership team that launched Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2008 and helped guide the evolution and growth of the organization to its current footprint in 180 countries -- with programming aimed at entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers, mentors and entrepreneurial support organizations.  In 2019, Marich designed the Entrepreneurship World Cup, a global startup pitch competition now with 175,000 applicants from 200 countries. Beyond just a pitch competition with $1 million in cash prizes, the program offers all who enter free training resources and mentorship to help them start and scale.  Over the years, Marich has also helped turn the organization's Global Entrepreneurship Congress from an internal planning conference of volunteer organizations into a massive annual gathering of up to 5,000 startup champions from ecosystems all around the world. In support of all of GEN’s efforts, Marich has led the creation of a massive, proprietary online platform with 200 microsites and more than 50,000 users. He also guides the organization’s use of partner technology platforms to achieve programmatic objectives. Prior to his work in the field of entrepreneurship, Marich provided communications leadership on multiple national U.S. citizen engagement initiatives and more than 100 public forums with members of the U.S. Congress and other public and private sector leaders on a wide range of policy issues, including: technology and innovation; economic development; renewable energy; health care reform; retirement security; genetic policy and more.