The Business Forum is a very important part of the GBDI's training course
The first Forum took place on September 6, 2000 during the GBDI Southern African Training Course in Gaborone, Botswana.

The Business Forum serves two purposes:

(1). It provides a forum for consultations and an exchange of views among the private sector, public sector, legal establishment, scientists and science policymakers at different levels about how best to develop private-public sector partnerships on biodiversity, biotechnology and law (e.g., intellectual property rights and trade regimes).

(2). It promotes private sector development and encourages the entrepreneurial spirit in developing countries.

At the first GBDI Business Forum in Gaborone, representatives from multinational corporations (Syngenta/Novartis, DuPont/Pioneer, Monsanto, and Hoffman LaRoche) along with public sector (U.S.A.I.D, EnterpriseWorks,and Africabio) participated.