AI-based Entrepreneurship Training Pilot

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) represent about 90 percent of businesses worldwide and generate a significant portion of jobs and economic output, especially in developing countries.

Research has shown that certain business and management practices are associated with higher rates of enterprise survival and sales growth. Governments and donors spend significant resources to provide training to help entrepreneurs implement these practices. While such training can be effective, it is often also intensive and expensive, and therefore limited in scale.

Leveraging recent advances in large language models, Hacer Peru has developed a training, mentoring, and consulting tool called MAIA that aims to provide guidance on leading business and management practices to small business owners at a fraction of the cost.

Delivered via WhatsApp, MAIA draws on information specific to the needs of MSMEs in Peru and responds in real-time to questions and challenges faced by entrepreneurs.

With the support of Development Innovation Ventures (DIV), Hacer Peru will build on an initial pilot of the MAIA platform to reach 4,000 bodegueros (convenience store owners) and expand into a second sector.

Hacer Peru will conduct testing, such as changing the models emphasis and the frequency and type of notifications, to determine the best ways to encourage engagement and learning among entrepreneurs.

Hacer Peru will also use the DIV award to develop additional modules to make the platform more useful for various industries.

The steps taken by Hacer Peru could help identify a substantially more affordable way to deliver entrepreneurship training and consulting services to MSMEs in Peru and around the world.