"During the five-year period 2012-2017 we ran the Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator at Duke (SEAD), we learned many lessons that we hope other accelerators can benefit from to increase their own effectiveness. This paper describes that learning journey through our top ten lessons."

"Historically, small enterprises have played an important role in technological innovation, often leading to the introduction of paradigm-shifting technologies and changes in the way we live. However, they face many challenges in maturing to a point where they survive and have positive social, environmental and economic impacts. They often have weak entrepreneurial support systems, fragmented linkages to climate technology markets and a lack of finance for entrepreneurial activities. These challenges are exacerbated in developing countries.

This paper identifies the challenges and opportunities for strengthening climate technology incubators and accelerators in developing countries."

"The recent emergence of business accelerators around the world has positioned them as a key player in many regional innovation ecosystems. However, significant confusion exists among academics, industry practitioners and policy-makers about what these organizations are. The confusion stems from their association with incubators and from a lack of differentiation among accelerators. As a result of such lack of clear conceptualization academic and other stakeholders risk drawing false conclusions regarding how these organizations fit into different aspects of the regional innovation ecosystem. In this study we use archival and interview data from the Australian context to differentiate accelerators. While we find accelerators that fit the emerging definition of the concept, we also find several that stretch the definition and meaning of 'accelerator'."

"Recent research has shed light on the different types of small and growing business (SGBs) in emerging markets and on the new and alternative financial products and business models that serve them. However, the connections between the financial needs of the different SGBs and the alternative approaches used by SGB finance providers often remain unclear. This report aims to increase awareness about the approaches that appear to be working best to address SGB finance gaps and to explore what additional support is needed to help scale them and drive the emergence of new ones."

"Safi Organics is an eco-inclusive enterprise that aims to reverse declining agricultural yields, improve the income and food security of local farmers, and provide opportunities for local youth. Safi Organics has created an agricultural value chain from the local organic waste stream. Using open source technology, the enterprise produces valuable agricultural inputs such as fertiliser and soil treatments designed to meet local conditions.Safi Organics has created a local circular economy that enables farmers to exploit the value of their waste in an environmentally friendly manner, as well as gain access to cheaper fertilisers and soils treatments. Safi Organics also employs a number of local youths, providing them with an income stream, and access to valuable training and experience. This case study is enhanced with short multimedia features that showcase the innovation, the partnership, the support from SEED and the overall impact of the enterprise. It is part of the SEED 2018 Case Study Series, which emanated from the SWITCH Africa Green project "Promoting Eco-Entrepreneurship in Africa", implemented by SEED. This Case Study Series showcases locally-driven, innovative eco-inclusive enterprises which are demonstrating sustainable development on the ground across Africa."

"This publication identifies ways to catalyse finance for climate technology incubators and accelerators in developing countries. It aims to inform the Green Climate Fund as it develops a request for proposals on climate technology incubators and accelerators. It also aims to inform other financiers and policymakers on opportunities for catalysing financing in this area. It is based on the outputs of a thematic dialogue on incubators and accelerators held in March 2018. It also draws upon an extensive literature review undertaken by these bodies."

"TechnoServe works in 29 countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia to assist enterprising people to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. As part of its efforts, TechnoServe partnered with Citi Foundation to implement four pilot projects that aim to address unemployment among women and youth in Africa. This report analyzes the four projects, detailing the lessons learned from each."

"Smallholder farmers occupy an increasingly important segment of the global agricultural value chain... These smallholders also represent stewards of natural resources that are in need of sustainable management to prevent deforestation and degradation of ecosystems.

This report identifies five primary growth pathways for deploying investment to address smallholder finance demand: (i) replicate and scale existing financing models, such as the one proven by social lenders; (ii) innovate new financial products beyond short-term export trade finance; (iii) finance out-grower schemes of multinational buyers in captive value chains; (iv) finance through alternate points of aggregation in the value chain; and (v) finance directly to farmers."

"This report depicts the landscape of development organizations that fund and support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries: 1) multilateral development banks, 2) bilateral government donor agencies, and 3) development finance institutions (DFIs). The report is a new contribution to both the development community, as well as the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE). Advocacy and policy work is a strategic priority for ANDE, and the report's findings will enable the Network to understand the international development community and to be more strategic in its approach as it seeks to influence and shape the international development SME agenda."

"Commercial agriculture in Mozambique remains underdeveloped and successful cases of smallholder inclusive business models are rare. In addition to “doing business” constraints at a macro level, smallholder inclusive business models – whether in “outgrower” schemes or other arrangements – pose additional challenges to competitiveness. Low-quality product, insufficient and inconsistent supply, mutual issues of mistrust and a post-war culture of hand-outs can make it more profitable for some companies to import primary produce or work with large-scale farmers. CB Farm Fresh is a smallholder-inclusive vegetable processor and distributor serving the extractives industry in Tete. This case study aims to understand how smallholder-inclusive business models can be successfully implemented by assessing CB Farm Fresh’s end-to-end model."