Tag Archives: SME

eC2: Madagascar: Off-Grid Solar Market Assessment and Design Options

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Deadline: 12-Jul-2017 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) scaling+solar+main+banner

(i) Projecting likely grid access rates over the medium-term (by leveraging information on current and expected electric grid coverage), and subsequently mapping out areas that will need to be served by off-grid solutions; (ii) Estimating the size of the potential commercial off-grid market through countrywide household and SME surveying focused on ability and willingness to pay for electricity service and/or off-grid solar products; (iii) Stocktaking on institutional electricity access, including the number, variety, and location of institutions that are off the grid and their likely electricity needs going forward; and (iv) Identification of barriers/risks across the local off-grid solar value chain, and a review of the regulatory structure as it pertains to the products and range of distribution models.

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A new role for development banks?

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Earlier this month, development banks from around the world took stock of where they infrastructure2stand and where they see their efforts having the greatest impact at a meeting organized by the World Bank and Brazil’s development bank, BNDES.

As the world struggles to find funds to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, development banks can be instrumental in narrowing that gap. They can help to crowd-in the private sector and anchor private-public sector partnerships, particularly for infrastructure financing.

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eC2:Mapping of SMEs in Central African Republic Conflict Affected States

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Deadline: 23-Jan-2017 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.)

The objective of the assignment includes:
– Mapping Central African Republic’s SMEs working in different sectors such as agriculture, mining, trade, forestry, construction, telecommunications, tourism, crafts or any other potential sector for the development of the Central African economy;
– Establishing the obstacles to SME development and growth;
– Making concrete recommendations to improve the business and investment climate.

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Event Nov8 :Policies for SME Growth: What Works, What Doesn’t?

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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) employ about half of the workforce in developing countries. SME growth may thus raise incomes for many low-income households. But SMEs often face significant constraints to growth relative to large firms ranging from excessive red tape to limited access to finance.

In this talk, Miriam Bruhn will discuss empirical evidence on commonly used policies for SME growth. Miriam will cover policies that work and policies that don’t in the areas of regulation, access to finance, and business practices. Encouragingly, evidence from Mexico, Georgia, Peru, and elsewhere shows that there are a number of programs that governments can implement to support SME growth. She will also highlight implementation challenges and caveats for some of these policies.

How to join! 12:30 – 2:00 PM, November 8, 2016

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Save money using Vouchers!

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The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has introduced a new tool for small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s): business vouchers. Dutch SME’s can apply for a voucher, which they can use to purchase specific services from experienced consultants. It is a pilot project of the Dutch government, meant to complement the services the government already provides and to increase the competitiviness of Dutch SME’s when doing business with international organizations. The pilot runs until the end of 2016.

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eC2:Training materials and tools for design and execution of agribusiness SME development projects.

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Deadline: 07-Jul-2016 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.)

T&C is currently in the process of developing a set of learning materials and tools that willAgrabusiness-Story-Banner help World Bank Task Team Leaders (TTLs) with designing and implementing agribusiness SME projects. Over the past few years, key insights on the topic have been gained from field-based implementations, research and dialogue internally and externally to the WBG. T&C is therefore currently seeking to develop 1) a diagnostic framework to identify the opportunities for- , and challenges and needs of SMEs in the agribusiness sector; 2) a training module on agribusiness SME development, 3) a business modeling toolkit for Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Centers (AECs); and 4) an Operational Manual for AECs. While deliverables 1 and 2 will focus broadly on agribusiness SMEs outside the farm gate, deliverables 3 and 4 will focus on agro-processing primarily food processing SMEs specifically.

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eConsultant2:Kenya Local Content Development Project

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Deadline: 17-Mar-2016 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.)

The WBG is hiring an individual consultant as a project coordinator and technical lead with experience Free-BRT-Bus-rides-in-LAgosin developing and managing SME capacity development and local content projects. This individual will manage the project from the start, setting up a public-private oversight committee, undertaking stakeholder outreach, as well as designing, running, and monitoring the projects technical work.
 

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IFC, Netherlands Boost Support to Emerging Market SMEs

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IFC Press Release
by John McNally

Antalya, Turkey DC November 24, 2015— IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and IFC and the Dutchthe Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced an initiative to provide much needed financing and advice to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially to those in difficult to reach segments and in fragile markets, by lending through emerging market banks and other financial intermediaries.

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