Driving innovative solutions for small businesses: Reflections from our first Strive Innovation Fund
Digital technology plays a big role in supporting the resilience and growth of small businesses around the world.
Articles (37)
Designing, activating, and empowering a digital community of informal micro-entrepreneurs
For the past decade, Kenya like many other African countries has grappled with a phenomenon typically referred to as a building youth population.
How to show your authentic self in your innovation fund application
This blog post was written by Rosie Afia-Ford, Senior Innovation Fund Manager, and co-created with Janet Shulist, Senior Insights Manager for Mastercard Strive.
Cracking the code: The game-changing impact of digital upskilling on small enterprises
This post is part of a series on our findings from Mastercard Strives Small Business Digital Evidence Map.
Partnerships, policy & platforms: How the community development finance sector is supporting historic entrepreneurship growth in the U.S.
New technologies, a surge in federal funding, and strategic partnerships are driving rapid growth of the community development finance sector and bolstering resilience.
Empowering women entrepreneurs: Navigating challenges and seizing opportunities for gender intentional programs
This post is part of a series on our findings from Strive Communitys Small Business Digital Evidence Map.
Strive Community is two: Reflecting on another year of meaningful progress
Strive Community celebrates two years of impact, reaching 7.2 million small businesses with digital tools, expanding global partnerships and launching new innovation funds.
Strive USA’s inaugural year: Billions deployed, tens of thousands of small businesses supported, and a growing coalition of impact-focused partners
This post is part of a series on our findings from Strive Communitys Small Business Digital Evidence Map.
Introducing the Mastercard Strive Small Business Evidence Map
Designing and implementing impactful small business support programs requires thoughtful consideration of the decision-making process.
Partners in impact: Learnings from the digitalization of artisans in Mexico
The following is a guest post written by Gina Hollenbach from FUNDES Catalyst, an impact venture studio.
Using human-centered design to recover a use(r)less case
The following is a guest post written by Gina Hollenbach from FUNDES Catalyst, an impact venture studio that aims to unleash the sustainable development of Latin America.
Reimagining learning for small businesses in emerging markets: The opportunity for virtual reality
The following is a guest post written by Natalie Miller from XRGlobal, a company that builds virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality solutions.
Artisans will not go digital unless they become creative participants in the process
The following is a guest post written by Gina Hollenbach from FUNDES Catalyst.
Using behavioral science, gamification, and data science to enable micro-entrepreneurs to flourish across Latin America
The following is a guest post written by Flourish Fi, an organization whose mission is to empower all people to build positive money habits and achieve financial security.
Three tips for designing digital tools for micro-entrepreneurs in the informal economy
The following guest article by Shujaaz Inc, a network of social ventures based in Nairobi, offers practical insights on designing digital tools for micro-entrepreneurs.
Small business support goes online
New online platforms and toolkits show how step-by-step digital programs are transforming small business support and scaling training worldwide.
Why creativity and play are key to understanding the real needs of micro-entrepreneurs
The following is a guest post by Shujaaz Inc, an organization that offers practical insights on designing research approaches.
Strive Community is one year old: Here’s what we have accomplished in the last year
Its been a year since the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Caribou Digital launched Strive Community.
Expanding customer base a key training priority for Grab merchants in Southeast Asia
The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly accelerated the digitization of economies across the world.
New program addresses Grab driver partners’ high demand for business training
Southeast Asias leading superapp, Grab, has become central to life across the region.
Looking closer at outsourcing platforms for small businesses: A global landscape
For small businesses who want to increase their productivity, acquire expertise, save time, and grow, hiring new in-house staff is not the only option.
Innovation to support digitalization of vulnerable small businesses in Brazilian favelas
Strive Community recently announced a program to support the digitalization of 500,000 small businesses across up to 5,000 favelas in Brazil.
New evidence on the effectiveness of SMS training for micro-retailers
Improving business practices by learning new skills is a key way to enable micro and small entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
Digitalizing rural small businesses in agriculture and tourism: Policy strategies from a case study of Thailand
Thailand’s case study highlights how training, data sharing, partnerships, and better connectivity can accelerate digital adoption for rural small businesses.