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Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Digital Divide

Note: This is a past event, additional resources may be available below.

Wed Aug 30, 2023
Washington, DC
Hispanic man looks at his phone, purple text on yellow background announcing 30 August 2023 event on Entrepreneurship and Digital Divide.

Date

Wed Aug 30, 2023
10:00am – 11:00am EDT

Location

Washington, DC
Virtual

Contact

    [email protected]

Hosts

  1. Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs
  2. Aspen Digital
  3. Digital Equity Accelerator

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 hosted 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.

Speakers: 

  • Hazami Barmada, Director/Lead, Digital Equity Accelerator, Aspen Institute
  • Carmen Correa, CEO, Pro Mujer
  • Juan Navarrete, Vice President, Fundación Capital
  • Richenda Van Leeuwen, Executive Director, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)
  • Juan Carlos Thomas, Head of Entrepreneurship, TechnoServe

Related Research: 

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.

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.

Hosted by Hazami Barmada, Director of the Digital Equity Accelerator, an initiative of Aspen Institute and HP Inc., and moderated by Richenda Van Leeuwen, Executive Director of Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), we will 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? 

REGISTER TODAY

Speakers: 

  • Hazami Barmada, Director/Lead, Digital Equity Accelerator, Aspen Institute
  • Carmen Correa, CEO, Pro Mujer
  • Juan Navarrete, Vice President, Fundación Capital
  • Richenda Van Leeuwen, Executive Director, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)
  • Juan Carlos Thomas, Head of Entrepreneurship, TechnoServe

Related Research: 

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.

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