5 Critical Shifts: How The Aspen Network Of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) Is Redefining Global Impact In 2025
The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is not just a network; it is a vital engine for strengthening the Small and Growing Business (SGB) ecosystem across the developing world, and its strategic direction for late 2024 and 2025 marks a critical evolution in global development priorities. The organization, a program of the prestigious Aspen Institute, has recently refined its strategic focus to tackle the most pressing challenges facing entrepreneurs in emerging economies, moving beyond traditional aid models to champion a new era of localized, climate-conscious, and equitable growth. This updated focus, announced following a significant strategic refinement process in 2024, signals a commitment to deeper engagement and more targeted impact in local ecosystems globally.
As of late December 2025, ANDE's work is centered on empowering its diverse network of over 300 member organizations—including investors, foundations, and capacity development providers—to deliver critical financial, educational, and business support services to SGBs in over 150 countries. The network’s current agenda is heavily influenced by three interconnected global themes: climate finance alignment, supply chain inclusion, and Global South leadership, all tied directly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article breaks down the five most critical shifts driving ANDE’s impact agenda into the new year.
Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) Profile and Leadership
The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) serves as a global community dedicated to supporting organizations that promote entrepreneurship in emerging markets. Its fundamental conviction is that Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) are the key drivers of sustainable economic, social, and environmental prosperity in the developing world. By strengthening the SGB sector, ANDE aims to create lasting impact and reduce poverty.
- Full Name: Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs
- Acronym: ANDE
- Parent Organization: The Aspen Institute
- Year Founded: 2009
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
- Current Leadership (Interim Executive): Devin Chesney
- Global Reach: Over 300 member organizations operating in more than 150 countries.
- Core Focus: Strengthening the SGB ecosystem through evidence, convenings, and member contributions.
- Strategic Alignment: UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement climate goals.
1. The Pivot to Climate Finance Alignment and Entrepreneurship
One of the most significant and timely shifts in ANDE’s 2024-2025 strategy is the heightened focus on Climate Finance Alignment. Recognizing that achieving net-zero emissions and building climate resilience requires a fundamental reorientation of financial systems, ANDE is actively working to align capital flows with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
This initiative is not just about funding "green" businesses; it involves a deeper systemic change. ANDE is advancing evidence and convenings to ensure that its members—including major investors and financial institutions—are equipped to track and prioritize efforts that close climate finance gaps. The goal is to unlock and direct more private sector finance towards climate-smart SGBs in the Global South, which are often the most vulnerable to climate change impacts.
The ANDE 2025 Global Annual Conference in Riviera Maya, Mexico, has already highlighted Climate Entrepreneurship as a core theme, signaling its central role in the network's future programming. Furthermore, ANDE has launched a specific initiative focusing on Clean Energy Entrepreneurship, commissioning applied research to investigate the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in this critical sector. This dual focus ensures that climate action is both financially viable and socially equitable.
2. Championing Global South Leadership and Local Ecosystems
The concept of Global South Leadership has moved from a talking point to a foundational principle for ANDE. The network’s 2024 Year in Review emphasized a commitment to deepening engagement in local ecosystems, a move driven by the realization that context-specific expertise is paramount for effective development.
This shift involves empowering local member organizations with deep national expertise to shape ANDE’s programming and drive impact locally. It is a strategic move away from a top-down approach, ensuring that solutions are relevant to the specific economic and social conditions on the ground. The network’s work on Ecosystem Development now prioritizes the voices and knowledge of leaders from developing countries, fostering a more inclusive and effective global development community. Key discussions at recent conferences have centered on rethinking aid priorities to better support this localized approach.
ANDE’s regional chapters, such as the one highlighted in the ANDE East and Southeast Asia Annual Report 2024, play a crucial role in this localized strategy, acting as hubs for collaboration, evidence-sharing, and grassroots action.
3. Deepening Focus on Gender Equity and Inclusion
While gender has always been an important cross-cutting theme, ANDE has significantly intensified its commitment to Gender Equity as a core strategic pillar. The network’s research consistently shows that women entrepreneurs face disproportionate challenges, and the new initiatives are designed to address these systemic barriers through targeted research and programming.
The aforementioned Clean Energy Entrepreneurship initiative, which specifically investigates challenges for women in that sector, is a prime example of this deepened focus. Furthermore, ANDE’s work on Supply Chain Inclusion is critical for promoting gender equity. By strengthening connections between SGBs—many of which are women-led—and larger corporate supply chains, ANDE helps unlock new market access and financial additionality, driving inclusive growth that benefits women and marginalized groups. The network provides support services to members like DAI and World Wildlife Fund to ensure these inclusion principles are integrated into their global operations.
The overall strategic refinement process undertaken in 2024 was designed to ensure that all ANDE activities, from grant-making to convening, are aligned with maximizing impact and supporting the growth of SGBs as the engine of development. This renewed purpose, despite overcoming critical financial and membership challenges in 2024, positions ANDE as a leading voice in the future of equitable and sustainable global development.
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