MAP (Micro-enterprise Acceleration Program)

The Micro-enterprise Acceleration Program (MAP) is a program that enables non-profit organizations and for-profit companies (namely HP Partners) to become certified training centers that train micro and small entrepreneurs on a technology-for-business curriculum. MAP is aimed at micro and small entrepreneurs, their employees and would-be employees. MAP teaches them how to use IT technology for business purposes.

MAP is a program developed by MEA-I (the Micro-Enterprise Acceleration Institute), based in Geneva, Switzerland, and sponsored by HP. MAP is available free of charge to qualified non-profit organizations and HP Partners. Non-profit organizations and HP Partners collaborate with MEA-I and HP to open training centers where they deliver the MAP curriculum to small and micro-entrepreneurs.

MAP’s goal is to foster economic growth around the world by helping grow the smallest of small businesses. The official website of the MAP program is http://www.becomeMAP.org

MAP program components

MAP Curriculum is an IT technology-for-business curriculum that covers those business challenges most commonly encountered by micro-entrepreneurs around the world. It proposes technological solutions to these business challenges. The MAP Curriculum covers operations and management, finance, communication, marketing, and technology management.

MAP Curriculum matrix.

MAP Training of Trainers is a five-day course through which participants from selected non-profit organizations and HP Partner companies can become certified MAP trainers. They learn how to deliver the MAP curriculum to their micro-entrepreneur customers.

MAP Centers are training centers opened by non-profit organizations and HP Partners in collaboration with HP and MEA-I. MAP centers are classrooms that have all the necessary IT equipment for the delivery of MAP courses to micro-entrepreneurs and their employees. (MAP does not, however, understand a donation of such equipment for MAP training centers.)

MAP Network is the network of established MAP centers, MAP trainers, and MAP participants, across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific Region. Currently there are about 50 MAP centers in 25 countries, and 200 MAP trainers. Since 2006, these trainers have reached around 20,000 entrepreneurs and their employees. All these people make up the MAP Network.

Knowledge City (www.knowledge-city.net) is the MAP program’s interactive online portal for small and micro-entrepreneurs and their staff. It includes serious games on the use of technology for business purposes (such as the Blossom game), interactive and animated presentations about technological tools used for marketing, finances, operations and management, and communications, and other resources.

The Micro-enterprise Acceleration Institute

The Micro-Enterprise Acceleration Institute is an international, non-profit organization that facilitates knowledge and access to IT by designing, implementing, and deploying digital acceleration centers, student-centered teaching and innovative learning programs through widely available technology. MEA-I collaborates with local business development agencies to help advance teaching and learning programs using personalized technology and curricula for entrepreneurs and small business owners. As such, MEA-I provides services for city councils, local authorities and business associations. Its activities are focused on Europe, the Middle-East and Africa, as well as the Asia Pacific region. MEA-I’s mission is to develop and implement worldwide innovative immersive training programs to improve ICT-business skills to create job opportunities. MEA-I is sponsored by HP and MINDONSITE