The unsustainable use of natural resources and inequity continues to parallel economic development in emerging economies. New Ventures is promoting business solutions that align the need for sound financial returns with environmental and social goals. We have chosen small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as our target group, as they are the engines of durable, equitable, economic growth in emerging markets. Accounting for an average of 50% of the GDP and employing 60% of the labor force, these SMEs are great sources of innovation and often provide strong linkages to poor communities. They have the capacity to transform the economic development paradigm by delivering business models that are pro-poor and pro-environment.

We work in five of the world`s largest emerging economies, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and Mexico. These five countries represent 45% of the world’s population, 68% of the world’s population of people living on less that $1 per day, and 10 of the 33 global biodiversity hotspots. The growing threats to biodiversity in these areas and the need for economic growth continue to drive the demand for an alternative development model. New Ventures provides a path to help these countries develop economies based on respect for social conditions and the environment.

SMEs in these countries face several challenges that impede their chances for success and growth. These include financial and non-financial challenges.

New Ventures is helping entrepreneurs address these challenges through two approaches: 1) Direct intervention with individual enterprises and 2) Building the intellectual capital to provide investors and enterprise development organizations with the tools and information needed to replicate our work and our impacts.