NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

An event hosted by the Digital Equity Accelerator and the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)

Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Digital Divide

Small and growing businesses (SGBs) are an engine of growth in developing countries’ economies. They are job creators, drivers of economic growth, and are changing the nature of work. COVID-19 has taken a painful toll on the SGB sector, and though virtual programming has been a means for entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) to support SGBs, entrepreneurs are disproportionately left behind in terms of access, inclusion, and engagement in digital economies.

On Wednesday, 30 August 2023, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) and the Digital Equity Accelerator will host a conversation exploring the state of digital inclusion for entrepreneurs, opportunities for increasing momentum on the Global Goals, and to hear from innovative leaders around the world that are building the next generation of leaders in digital equity. In conversation with the Director of the Digital Equity Accelerator, Hazami Barmada, we’ll discuss:

• What needs to be done to remove barriers to digital inclusion for entrepreneurs?
• How do we innovate and design in ways that move entrepreneurial support systems?
• What are small and growing business leaders themselves saying are the most pressing digital needs?

Relevant Research:

• Going Digital: Exploring the Value of Virtual Entrepreneurship Support in Africa
• Decent Work and Economic Growth in the SGB Sector, an ANDE Issue Brief

The Digital Equity Accelerator, an initiative of the Aspen Institute in collaboration with HP Inc., fuels social innovation by investing in local NGOs working to address social and economic injustices that are exacerbated by unequal technology access and use around the world.

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is an entrepreneurship ecosystem builder and a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in developing economies. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses (SGBs). Since 2021 ANDE has supported the digitalization of its members through different resources.

Time: 10:00 ET – 11:00 AM ET