A Rough Guide to Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development

There is a growing recognition that any entrepreneurs’ ability to succeed and thrive depends on a complex web of interrelated factors – including the overall business and policy environment, the availability of finance and required business development services (BDS), the level of human capital, the prevailing entrepreneurial culture, and the accessibility and functioning of markets. Helping entrepreneurs to thrive and create jobs therefore requires tailor-made and holistic strategies to sustainably improve the overall ecosystems in which entrepreneurs operate.

This document represents a first ‘rough guide’ to the ILO’s approach to Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems Development. It seeks to provide guidance to practitioners and project teams on how to design and implement inclusive and holistic entrepreneurship programmes that will catalyze change in the overall entrepreneurship ecosystem and encourage sustainable and large-scale growth and job creation.