Following its launch in Birmingham, UK in 2000, IEF organized its first conference in Naples, Italy in June 2001 on the theme of “Entrepreneurship and Learning”.

The second conference with the theme of “Entrepreneurship and Regional Development” was held in Beijing during 5-7 September 2002, and this was followed by the third conference with its theme of “Entrepreneurial Innovation” in Bangalore, India, in 2003.

Each of these highly successful and distinctive events was organized in partnership with leading institutions in host countries, including Federico II University of Naples in Italy, the Academy of Management Sciences, Sino Monitor Ltd and the Academy of management Sciences in China, and the NS Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL), Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India.