Sustainable value chains and thriving communities in Guatemala's western highlands

Entrepreneurship ecosystems are complex networks of cultural, political, and economic institutions that allow entrepreneurs to start, maintain, and scale a new business. The operation of that system is often facilitated by hubs of activity, such as accelerator programs or coworking spaces where a wide range of actors interact with entrepreneurs with each other, making it easier for companies to identify the right resources for the business challenges they face. Guatemala is a growing ecosystem, which has begun its expansion outside of large cities, but the supply of capacity building and financing is still dominated by urban centers. This project addressed these deficits by coordinating a core set of activities among partners recruited from the ANDE network with an established local footprint to expand existing services or develop new ones that meet the needs of these overlooked entrepreneurs.