Dear ANDE Members,

In 2009, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) was founded around a simple idea: small and growing businesses can be powerful engines of economic opportunity, job creation, and sustainable growth—and entrepreneurs need strong ecosystems around them to thrive. What began with 34 founding organizations grew into a network of more than 300 members, collectively supporting hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs across the Global South. Through research, convening, and innovative capital investments, ANDE members established SGBs as a vital asset class for inclusive economic growth.

Perhaps ANDE’s greatest accomplishment is that the ecosystem it set out to strengthen has matured. Today, local institutions, ESOs, and investors are more established, better connected, and increasingly locally led. The field is fundamentally more resilient than it was 17 years ago.

It is within this context—and acknowledging the unprecedented contractions in global development funding over the past year—that we have made the difficult decision to wind down ANDE’s operations and sunset the network by November 2026. In recognition of this shifting landscape and the growing strength of local ecosystems, we determined that continuing ANDE’s operations is no longer sustainable.

As we navigate this transition over the coming months, our priorities are focused on four key areas:

• Supporting Our Team: We are deeply focused on supporting ANDE staff as they transition to their next professional chapters.
• Identifying Opportunities for Members: We will connect ANDE members with related Aspen programs and identify additional opportunities in the broader ecosystem for ANDE.
• Preserving Our Knowledge: We will find custodial homes for ANDE’s extensive body of research to ensure these insights remain accessible to the field.
• Honoring Our Legacy: We will take time to reflect on and celebrate the evolution of the entrepreneurship support sector, whose successes are due in large part to the efforts of ANDE members.

The Aspen Institute is committed to maintaining relationships with ANDE members and integrating you into broader Aspen programming, including via digital offerings for information sharing and networking, and Aspen-hosted events. We will share specific details regarding transition resources, research repositories, and Aspen programming in the coming weeks.

This network’s profound achievements are a direct testament to the vision, dedication, and persistence of ANDE staff, leaders, members, and partners, past and present. The Aspen Institute is deeply grateful for everything you have contributed over the past 17 years. We are proud to have played a role in building a stronger, more connected, and locally led entrepreneurial ecosystem—a community that will continue to evolve and thrive in the years ahead.