Entrepreneurship

Business Women Connect was born out of research showing that micro-savings products are one of the most impactful tools for women entrepreneurs to access in order to grow their businesses.

"Mom and pop” shops play a critical role in developing economies around the world. In partnership with the elea Foundation and Citi Foundation, TechnoServe is working to increase the profitability of 840 high-potential shops in Nairobi, the majority of which are women-operated or women-owned.

A three-year program funded by the EU addressed food security in a holistic manner by focusing on capacity building at the household level specifically targeted improved farm and business management by program participants.

TechnoServe partnered with Montigny Investments on an Energy and Environment Partnership grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland to investigate the best uses for biomass available in the 55,000 hectare Forest Stewardship Council Certified Usutu Forest.

TechnoServe is working with five Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) in the districts of Guna, Narsinghpur, Vidisha, Sheopur and Dindori in Madhya Pradesh in the wheat and maize value chains, helping to build them into sustainable businesses that work to the benefit of their member farmers.

As diamond reserves in Botswana dwindle, the country's entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly leading role in creating new jobs and diversifying the economy. Tokafala, an enterprise development program, is helping entrepreneurs develop the business, financial management and marketing skills they need to build successful and sustainable businesses.

The Partners in Food Solutions (PFS)-TechnoServe Alliance matches the expertise of leading global food companies with the needs of African-based food processing companies in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.

This program targets growth-constrained, women-led small and microenterprises, operating in the unorganized or informal sector in the Mumbai urban area.

Substantial research highlights a critical need for business skills training among owners of "mom and pop" shops in urban areas. Launched in July 2015, the Digitizing Mom and Pop Shops program was a two-year partnership between Citi Foundation and TechnoServe to increase the financial return and growth of small retail shops in Abuja, Nigeria.

Through a $1 million grant from the Walmart Foundation, TechnoServe helped raise the incomes of 6,000 Nigerian cashew farmers through training on good agronomic practices, farming as a business, and improved methods for harvest and post-harvest handling.