Resources
Supporting the growth and development of the SGB sector

ANDE provides its members with a wide range of resources to support Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs), including training and workshops, a library of evidence and guidance, convening spaces for practitioners, and funding opportunities.

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Research

Ande conducts and supports research to answer crucial questions for practitioners and funders in the SGB sector. Our research activities, including the Global Accelerator Learning Initiative, Knowledge Hub, SGB Evidence Fund, and flagship publications such as the State of the Sector reports and ecosystem snapshots, help bridge the knowledge gap for SGB support organizations.

Funding

ANDE partners with donors to fund organizations supporting SGBs in developing economies. The funding encourages innovative investments and explores how small businesses can contribute to the sustainable development goals.

Groups

ANDE’s groups, including Learning Labs and Action Labs, are neutral convening spaces for diverse practitioners to share best practices and new research, discuss hot topics, and learn from one another. They also offer a venue for joint research or action on key issues. Most are open only to ANDE members.

Recent Publications

South African politicians frequently refer to entrepreneurship as a potential solution to the economy’s significant unemployment problem. In reality, many entrepreneurs need to come from townships. Numerous reports address challenges faced by South African entrepreneurs. What distinguishes this report from extant studies is that this report features the voices of entrepreneurs and entrepreneur support organisations (ESO) to vividly portray township entrepreneurs’ challenges through in-depth interviews. This report also aims to elucidate the factors that contributed to the success of exemplary township entrepreneurs despite existing challenges and other strategies that ESOs can employ to guide more entrepreneurs to emulate these success stories.

India needs a significant capital injection to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target by 2030 and deal with climate change. Impact investing, catalysing philanthropic and commercial capital, offers promise in addressing critical social challenges. Initiatives like the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) and regulatory amendments aim to increase and broaden the pooled funds available to social enterprises and help them scale. Given this context, ANDE South Asia produced this explainer in collaboration with TrustLaw to provide focused guidance on how local and foreign impact investors can leverage the SSE to make investments in social enterprises in India.

Since its founding in 2009, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) has tracked the state of the small and growing business (SGB) sector globally through its bi-annual State of the Sector reports.  One of the most dynamic markets for small business growth is South Africa. The South African entrepreneurial ecosystem requires innovative solutions to increase the available finance, improve access to markets, reduce bureaucratic burdens, and strengthen the capacity of small businesses and start-ups. This report examines the state of the SGB sector in South Africa as of 2023 by assessing the amount and type of financial support available to enterprises, the type of capacity development offered, and trends in the policy landscape that affect the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The report concludes by highlighting the activity of ANDE and its member

The Global Newsletter

The global newsletter in a mobile phone.

ANDE sends out the Global Newsletter on the first Monday of every month to thousands of organizations and practitioners worldwide. This specialized channel is a valuable resource that keeps our subscribers updated on the work ANDE’s members do to promote entrepreneurship ecosystems, new sector opportunities, upcoming events, job postings in the development sector, and essential new resources. ANDE members can access our archive of recent editions on our dedicated webpage. If you’re not subscribed yet, sign up to stay well-informed and connected.

Career Center

ANDE’s Career Center features job postings from ANDE members.

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