Micro and small businesses can act as peace builders
In an international context where conflicts have reached their highest level since the Second World War, what role can micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play in fragile and conflict-affected settings? Two sessions at the fourth edition of...
Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs: Key Insights from GEM Research
According to the GEM 2024/2025 Global Report entitled Entrepreneurship Reality Check, far too many women entrepreneurs are still seen by national experts as not getting equal access to resources essential to entrepreneurial success. Women’s relative acc...
SME Digitalisation to manage shocks and transitions
Although uptake of digital practices by SMEs continues to increase, so too has the “digital gap” with larger firms. Understanding the drivers and persisting bottlenecks of SME digitalisation as well as gaining a deeper understanding of their practices...
Fostering convergence in SME sustainability reporting
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a pivotal role in driving sustainable economic growth. Representing over 90% of businesses globally, SMEs collectively have a significant impact on resource use, emissions, and supply chains. According to rec...
Advancing gender parity in entrepreneurship: strategies for a more equitable future
Gender parity in entrepreneurship is not just a moral imperative but a crucial driver of economic growth and innovation. Closing the gender gap in employment and entrepreneurship could boost global GDP by 20%, according to the World Bank. Women-led busine...
Entrepreneurship, skills training and impact work to tackle unemployment and build a resilient workforce
Nearly 65 million youth worldwide are unemployed, with many young people at the start of their work life having been impacted by the pandemic. The Global South, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, is particularly affected – with just three new jobs created f...
Small business, big impact: the transformative power of women-led enterprises
Small businesses are the hearts and souls of communities. Your local barber and corner stores offer more than just transactional interactions for essential products and services. They are places where people listen to your everyday problems and foster a s...
2024 SME Assembly – Europe’s flagship event for small and medium-sized enterprises
‘SMEs: Shaping Europe’s Future‘ is the tagline of this year’s SME Assembly, which took place in Budapest, Hungary, from 18 to 20 November 2024. The selected tagline reflects the pivotal role that small and medium-sized enterprises ...
COP29 can ensure SMEs thrive in the net-zero transition – here’s how
The transition to a just, resilient, net-zero future is not possible without small and medium-sized businesses, known as SMEs. They are the engine of today’s economy and the backbone of global supply chains, accounting for about 90% of all businesses an...
Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2024
Since 2020, a series of shocks to the global economy has had significant impacts on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs and their access to finance. Most recently, significant inflationary pressures have led to tighter lending cond...
