USAID CATALYZE Market Systems for Growth (MS4G) is designed to strengthen and mobilize the private sector to deliver improved food security and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) outcomes for the Ethiopian people: Improved MSME, coop, and  smallholder access to finance, Increased productivity and sales by farmers and agri-business and WASH MSMEs and Improved smallholder access to fertilizer.

Through public local and regional ecosystem convening events, ANDE will facilitate connections and collaboration on topics affecting the ecosystem (e.g. access to finance, access to markets, business support best practices, digitalization, talent development, resilient food systems, youth entrepreneurship, and other relevant topics)

Cultivate trust and coordinate action, facilitate knowledge sharing connection and collaboration through ecosystem convenings

ANDE will facilitate connection and collaboration through 3  regional ecosystem convenings to cultivate trust and coordinate action, facilitate connection and collaboration, including thematic roundtable discussions, and develop learning communities on such topics as:

• The efficiency of Entrepreneur Support Providers. 

ANDE proposes to engage, mobilize and increase the capacity of key ecosystem stakeholders such as private sector partner and  business advisory service providers to increase the availability and effectiveness of business support services according to international best practices. ANDE will leverage it’s  unique position in the global entrepreneurship sector to convene and mobilize actors with a global-to-local approach that elevates local voices to inform global action, and also brings global ecosystem learning back to the local level i.e. best practices, business models,  lessons learned, mentorship.

• Enhancing Access to Finance

Research shows that interventions like access to credit and training have a positive impact on the monthly revenues of male-owned firms, while female-owned firms do not experience similar benefits. This gender gap is consistent with findings from GALI, a project by ANDE and Emory University, which highlights unintentional gender disparities in access to finance, particularly in securing equity investment for female-led Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs).

ANDE will help to  mobilize investment linkages into proven business models and women and youth-led businesses, and ultimately (in the long-term)  support the growth, and jobs generation potential – focused where possible on supporting formalization of the informal sector, since job quality improves with business formalization,  and strengthen the resilience of Ethiopian SGBs.

• Increased productivity through Digitalization inclusion

Ethiopia is gradually improving its connectivity within the entrepreneurship ecosystem. The establishment of technology hubs and innovation centers aimed to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and innovators. ESOs act as enablers for digital divide barriers for SGBs. Sophisticated entrepreneurial approaches rise due to digital solutions and technology, the opportunities that arise to support entrepreneurs who face digital divide challenges escalate more and more, such as:

• • • Digital literacy
    • Increased access due to technology-enabled solutions
    • Operational efficiency due to the automation of processes
    • Expanded access to markets through e-commerce
    • Increased safety and security through IP

Target Audience

The convenings will host  50 entrepreneurship support organizations in Addis Ababa. These will include investors, researchers and academia, INGOs, Business Development/Support Associations, accelerators, consulting and advisory firms, corporate and corporate foundations.

Ecosystem Players to be considered for the Convenings.