Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses (SGBs) based on the conviction that SGBs will create jobs, stimulate long-term economic growth, and produce environmental and social benefits. Ultimately, we believe that SGBs can help lift countries out of poverty.

ANDE’S SPECIFIC PROGRAM AREAS INCLUDE:

• ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION
• FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
• KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND NETWORKING
• METRICS AND EVALUATION
• RESEARCH
• TRAINING AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT

THE STRATEGY FOR ANDE’S NEXT DECADE

Since 2009, ANDE has grown into a trusted network of 300 collaborative members that operate in nearly every emerging market. Our members represent the leading entrepreneurial support organizations in the world and have been innovating in the fields of impact investment, business development services, and entrepreneurship training. We are proud of ANDE’ s role in supporting our members while leading the effort define and build the Small and Growing Business (SGB) Sector in emerging markets. Monitor Deloitte completed an assessment of our impact in our first decade.

ANDE’S UPDATED STRATEGY

Over the past year, ANDE undertook a comprehensive strategy review process and has developed an updated strategy to carry us into our second decade. The new strategy builds upon ANDE’s core competencies and aligns with key international development goals.

Under the strategy, ANDE will continue to serve as the leading champion for the SGB Sector and help its members develop and implement high quality programs. We will focus on key sector challenges around talent development, SGB investing, and impact management.

ANDE will catalyze and implement new research that quantifies the impact of small and growing businesses on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and identifies interventions that help SGBs maximize their social, environmental, and economic impact.

We will leverage these insights to promote the SGB sector to major stakeholders in the international development arena, with the intent of driving significant additional philanthropic and investment capital to effective SGB support activities in developing economies.

In our efforts, we will prioritize three urgent issues where SGBs can help emerging markets attain Sustainable Development Goals: decent job creation, gender equality, and environmental action. We believe that entrepreneurship has been underappreciated as a tool in addressing critical environmental challenges and addressing issues related to climate change and that women are underrepresented as entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders. We know that SGBs are a critical piece of the solution for creating the millions of jobs needed in emerging markets. We invite you to read a summary of our updated strategy. ANDE Executive Director Randall Kempner provides a deeper explanation of the strategy in this NextBillion interview.

URGENT ISSUE BRIEFS

As part of the strategy development process, we conducted research to better understand how SGBs can contribute towards these global development goals. This research has been summarized in our three urgent issue briefs.