Community members collaborating around a table
03 · Enterprise / Community / Sustainability

Co-Emprende

A community-led approach to building sustainable enterprises, practical skills, and more resilient local economies across Ecuador.

The context

Entrepreneurship is strongest when it belongs to the place.

Co-Emprende strengthens sustainable entrepreneurship in Indigenous and rural communities across Ecuador. We provide training, mentorship, and tools for community leaders and youth to turn ideas into environmentally responsible, socially meaningful projects.

Young people learning together in an Amazonian community space
01 · What we do

Skills that stay in the community.

We deliver workshops and practical training on eco-business models, sustainable development, and entrepreneurship. The goal is not to import a template, but to help local leaders shape projects that make sense for their resources, culture, and ambitions.

Community learning and collaboration in a rural setting
02 · Community-led

People are not beneficiaries. They are co-authors.

We connect local entrepreneurs with national and international mentors, foster collaboration, and support the design and launch of community-led initiatives in agri-tech, eco-tourism, renewable energy, and cultural heritage products.

Our focus includes Indigenous artisans and farmers, young community leaders, women-led initiatives, and environmentally conscious startups in rural areas.

03 · A program in motion

Four ways to
move forward.

Co-Emprende links knowledge, networks, and local opportunity so an idea can move from a conversation to a durable initiative.

01Workshops and practical training on eco-business models and sustainable development.
02Mentorship and networking with people who can open doors, share knowledge, and strengthen a plan.
03Project development in agri-tech, eco-tourism, renewable energy, and cultural heritage products.

Begin with local strengths, community knowledge, and the environmental realities of the territory.

Translate ideas into practical green enterprises with clear social and environmental value.

Build relationships with mentors, universities, public programs, and other communities.

Create income-generating initiatives that preserve cultural identity and strengthen local resilience.

04 · Recognition

When local ideas
travel well.

Co-Emprende has been recognized for its potential to connect sustainable enterprise with social impact and community ownership.

U.S. Department of State — SUSI Alumni ProgramGrant support for scaling Indigenous green entrepreneurship in Ecuador.
Hult Prize Accelerator — 2021Recognition and accelerator support for the program’s innovation potential.
MIT Innovators Under 35 LATAM — 2022A wider network of innovation and impact connected to the Institute’s work.
Long-term impactBuild local resilience through income-generating initiatives, preserve cultural identity, and encourage youth to become eco-entrepreneurs and changemakers.
05 · Keep building

Support the next community-led idea.

Co-Emprende grows through partners who believe that sustainable development is strongest when communities lead the design.

Collaborate with us ↗
Students working with scientific equipment