The Entrepreneurship Mentor Development Program (EMD) was designed in response to evidence from the Social Network Analysis (SNA) studies and the Gender Lens Investing (GLI) Landscape Study, which highlighted gaps in mentorship quality, consistency, and accessibility within Cambodia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The SNA findings showed that while mentors are generally well connected, many lack formal mentoring training and structured support, while the GLI Study, conducted by Swisscontact in collaboration with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), identified mentorship as a critical enabler for women‑led enterprises and investment readiness, alongside gaps in the availability of qualified and gender‑sensitive mentors.
Building on these insights, the Inclusive Mentoring Network for Entrepreneurs (IMNEt) was implemented under the Mentorship Pillar of the 3Ei initiative to pilot structured and gender‑sensitive mentorship support in Battambang and Siem Reap. Drawing on the lessons from IMNEt, the Entrepreneurship Mentor Development Program (EMD) was launched in 2026 as a national‑level initiative, implemented by the AUPP Technology Centre in partnership with Swisscontact and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, supported by the Ministry of Post and telecommunication (MPTC) and The Capacity Building Research and Development (CBRD) Fund to strengthen mentor capacity, introduce standardized mentor development and certification, and establish a recognized national mentor pool to support entrepreneurs across Cambodia.
Strengthening Mentor Quality and Consistency: EMD aims to enhance mentors’ capacity to provide structured, practical, and relevant support to early stage entrepreneurs through targeted training, applied mentoring practice, and guided networking.
Developing a National Mentor Pool: The program seeks to establish a recognized and standardized pool of qualified mentors who can support startups and MSMEs across Cambodia, enabling broader and more equitable access to quality mentorship services.
Scaling Mentorship Impact Across the Ecosystem: By strengthening mentor capability and fostering continued engagement through alumni and networking mechanisms, EMD contributes to a more inclusive, sustainable, and well coordinated entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The vision of the Entrepreneurship Mentor Development Program (EMD) is to build a strong, high quality mentorship ecosystem that empowers Cambodian mentors and entrepreneurs to thrive and compete at national, regional, and global levels. Through professionalized mentorship and ecosystem engagement, the program aims to support sustained entrepreneurial growth and innovation.