Entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) are under increasing pressure to do more with less. As demand for accelerator programs grows, many organizations still rely on spreadsheets, disconnected learning platforms, and manual reporting processes that consume staff time and make it harder to track entrepreneur progress or demonstrate impact to funders and investors.
These operational challenges were at the heart of a webinar hosted by Accelerate Prosperity in partnership with ANDE. Rather than focusing solely on technology, the discussion explored how digital infrastructure can help ESOs deliver higher-quality support, generate better data, and build stronger connections with investors.
The challenge: fragmented program management
Running an accelerator involves far more than recruiting entrepreneurs. ESOs must manage applications, coordinate mentors, deliver training, monitor business performance, and report outcomes to multiple stakeholders. As programs expand across regions and languages, these tasks become increasingly difficult to manage through disconnected systems.
The webinar demonstrated how Virtual Accelerate (VA), developed by Accelerate Prosperity with Codify Lab, brings these functions together on a single platform. Since its launch in 2022, VA has supported more than 4,000 entrepreneurs across 204 programs in nine countries, including Afghanistan, Jordan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Syria, and several East African markets.
Reducing administrative burden
A recurring theme during the session was the need to free program teams from administrative work so they can focus on entrepreneurs.
The platform combines cohort management, online learning, mentor engagement, and performance analytics in one place. Program managers can review applications, monitor participant progress, communicate with cohorts, and generate real-time reporting. Entrepreneurs access structured learning content and securely share business documents, while mentors can record feedback and monitor progress throughout the program.
Participants also discussed how consolidated data and document management could simplify due diligence for investors by providing a clearer picture of startup performance over time.
Built for emerging markets
Many ESOs operate in environments where unreliable internet access remains a constraint. The webinar highlighted how VA has been designed to function in low-bandwidth settings, reflecting Accelerate Prosperity’s experience delivering programs in countries such as Afghanistan and Syria.
The platform is also adaptable. Organizations can customize workflows, localize content into different languages, and build their own learning curriculum alongside existing materials. This flexibility allows different organizations to tailor programs without building new systems from scratch.
Looking beyond project funding
The conversation also addressed a broader question facing the sector: how can ESOs build operational systems that remain sustainable after grant funding ends?
Rather than creating bespoke technology for individual projects, platforms such as VA aim to provide shared infrastructure that organizations can continue using as they grow. By reducing operational complexity and improving data quality, digital tools can help ESOs strengthen both program delivery and long-term organizational resilience.
As entrepreneurship ecosystems continue to mature across Asia, Africa, and other emerging markets, the discussion suggested that scaling support will depend not only on funding more entrepreneurs, but also on equipping the organizations behind them with better systems to deliver that support.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re an ESO, investor network, or development organisation interested in exploring Virtual Accelerate, we’d love to connect. You can book a 1-1 demo or reach out directly to the team:
- Bibinur Alibaeva — bubunur.alibaeva@akdn.org
- Aidana Zhenishbekova — aidana.zhenishbekova@akdn.org