Entrepreneurship

A New Boost for Entrepreneurs in Central America and Africa

In 2010, university student Julio Baltodano surveyed the local apparel industry in Managua, Nicaragua, and devised a clever business idea. Together with his friend Verónica Bucardo, Julio envisioned IKO Imagen as a leather and textile manufacturer that would specialize in handbags and brand merchandising, or placing company logos on t-shirts…

Two people working on laptop

Impulsa Tu Empresa

Impulsa Tu Empresa aims to help small and growing businesses boost their growth through mentoring and business training. Since its launch in 2012, the program has increased the sales of over 1,500 businesses and helped create 1,600 new jobs in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Burkina Faso.

Entrepreneurship
Argidius Foundation, Citi Foundation, Inter-American Development Bank, Multilateral Investment Fund, PIMCO Foundation, Visa, Walmart Foundation
Woman standing by counter working hard

Strengthening Rural Youth Development through Enterprise

TechnoServe partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to help rural youth in East Africa transition to economic independence. The Strengthening Rural Youth Development through Enterprise (STRYDE) program delivered a comprehensive package of services including skills training, business development and mentoring to young people ages 18 to 30 in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, Youth Economic Opportunity
MasterCard Foundation
Farmers working at a technical assistance facility

Technical Assistance Facility

TechnoServe serves as the manager of the Technical Assistance Facility (TAF), which supports the African Agriculture Fund, a private equity fund, to address food security challenges across Africa. TAF provided technical assistance to small and growing businesses (SGBs) invested in by the African Agriculture Fund, and improved linkages between enterprises and smallholder outgrowers.

Entrepreneurship
African Agriculture Fund, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, European Commission, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Italian Development Cooperation, United Nations Industrial Development Organization