HP Microenterprise Acceleration Program (MAP)

The HP Microenterprise Acceleration Program (MAP) – in partnership with local nonprofit training and business development service providers – is a philanthropic e-inclusion program for microenterprises in underserved communities. The program gives microenterprises access to technology and training to accelerate and sustain business growth and economic opportunity.

Q: Why is HP focusing on microenterprises?

A: Microenterprises represent a powerful engine for both developing and developed economies. Supporting entrepreneurship in local communities is a proven, sustainable economic development strategy.

According to the International Labor Organization’s 2004-2005 World Employment Report, 50 percent of the world’s labor force is unemployed or underemployed.

Microenterprises are the biggest source of new jobs globally, presenting one of the best ways to positively impact the lives of millions of people. However, microenterprise growth is constrained by lack of competitiveness, low productivity, and low owner and worker skills.

Information and communications technology (ICT) can significantly help microenterprises be more productive, improve their competitiveness and reach markets so that they grow and create more jobs in their communities.

By partnering with local training and business development service providers already working with microenterprises, HP can effectively reach microenterprises around the world to provide them access to technology and ICT training to help them grow their businesses and sustain that growth over time.

Q: What is a microenterprise?

A: Microenterprises are businesses with up to 10 employees, minimal start-up costs, and limited access to the traditional commercial banking sector.

Q: Who is the target audience for this program?

A: Although many microenterprises and entrepreneurs working with local training and business development service providers may benefit from this program, HP designed this program with the following target audience in mind:

• Microenterprise development training centers and business development service providers

• Regional non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the microenterprise and/or economic development industry

• Microenterprise owners/entrepreneurs in underserved communities around the world who are interested in growing their business, but may not have access to or knowledge of how to use information and communications technology for their business. These are entrepreneurs who have basic needs met (food, shelter and so on) for themselves and their families and are literate and may have a basic education.

Q: What are the key benefits of HP MAP for microenterprises in underserved communities?

A: With the partnership of local nonprofit training and business development service providers, HP MAP has offered microenterprises:

• Access to state-of-the-art HP technology at HP MAP centers managed and staffed by local training and business development service providers

• Practical, hands-on training in how to use information and communications technology to be more productive and grow their businesses faster

Q: What are the benefits for local nonprofit training and business development service providers?

A: Service providers must met HP criteria as follows:

• Participate in a thorough technology assessment to identify the best technology solutions to support training and technology access for their microenterprise clients

• Receive HP contributions of equipment, funding, services and support

• Become an HP MAP center –a showcase for HP technology solutions. HP solutions provide microenterprises access to technology as well as hands-on training in applying technology to help their business grow and thrive

• Receive HP-branded training materials to teach microentrepreneurs how to use technology to accelerate business growth and sustain their success

• Receive HP MAP instructor training

Q: How have HP MAP partners been selected?

A: HP identified international, regional and national nonprofit organizations and NGOs that have expertise in increasing economic development through training and business development services in underserved communities throughout the world. We then worked in conjunction with those partners to select local, nonprofit training and business development service providers and develop a plan to work together to deploy HP MAP in partnership with these local organizations.

Q: What are HP MAP centers?

A: Local training and business development service providers who are selected to work with HP will manage and staff HP MAP centers. At these locations, microenterprises will have access to state-of-the-art HP information and communications technology and training in how they can use that technology to build and grow their businesses.

Q: How does one become a MAP center?

 A: HP has completed the selection of microenterprise development organizations to receive grants for HP MAP centers in 2005. For those organizations, HP will provide grants of equipment and contributions to open 41 HP MAP centers around the world. At this time, HP has chosen to focus its support for microenterprise development with these organizations to ensure the positive impact and effectiveness of these centers for the local microenterprise development organizations and their surrounding communities.