The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), a global network of almost 300 organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets, Social Enterprise Thailand Association (SE Thailand), the British Council – the UK’s cultural relations organization – the United Nations Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) today co-launched two new reports: Bangkok Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Snapshot and The State of Social Enterprise in Thailand.

In May, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs announced that its new Advancing Women’s Empowerment Fund will offer grants to eight organizations. With support from the US Agency for International Development and the Visa Foundation, the $1.2 million fund will target the finance gap for women-led small and growing businesses in South and Southeast Asia.

Fund will distribute up to $1.2 million in grant capital across eight winning proposals out of a pool of more than 180 total applications.

Ross Baird of Village Capital and Dave Kim of the Gates Foundation address the the Silicon Valley model of investing, arguing that there is a "fundamental disconnect between entrepreneurs and (often foreign) investors in East Africa and India." They cite ANDE in reference to their discussion of human capital.

A new partnership announced in April will see the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Rockefeller Foundation join forces to boost entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia. Devex spoke with Jenny Everett, managing director of ANDE, about the impact and and goals of the new partnership.