AURORA & CO.

An SME Think Tank

AURORA & CO. has been working on building competitiveness and sustainability of small, micro and cottage enterprises (SMCEs) and Farmers since 2001. AURORA has established a network of sponsors, policy makers, bankers, consultants, trainers and researchers aiming towards providing innovative ideas and solutions to overcome challenges face by SMCEs and Farmers in the areas of market/ business linkage, marketing & promotion, managerial, technical and financial constraints.

In all of its activities, Aurora seeks to work with other organizations, markets, and individuals in order to achieve a sustainable solution.

AURORA has developed a strong network of organisations and resource pool while working on Agro-Based SME Cluster and Value Chain Development project under the program of Bangladesh INSPIRED, an SME Competitiveness Grant Scheme funded by the European Union and Government of Bangladesh (Ministry of Industries), which was implemented in the north-western region of Bangladesh.

Under the project, AURORA has done the following activities i) organized workshops on team building and linkage with public and private service providers, private companies, banks, micro-finance institutes, equipment and input sellers; ii) conducted SMCE value chain studies (potato and maize sub-sectors); iii) established a one-stop SME/ agribusiness service centre; iv) conducted baseline survey; v) developed 9 types of skil training modules on SMCE promotion and business planning, market extension and marketing strategy, training for the SMCEs and farmers on use of quality inputs, post-harvest technologies of maize, potato, wheat and rice, adoption of appropriate technologies, and training for SMCEs and farmers on mechanized farming. By this time AURORA has developed a database of SMEs, market actors and farmers.

AURORA is building blocks on its past experience working with small, micro and cottage enterprise owners, particularly in maize, potato, wheat and rice production and marketing to help resource poor, rural producers to meet its goals of self employment & socio economic development. Presently, AURORA is focusing on SMEs, agro-based and non agricultural enterprises development, and smallholder agriculture.

AURORA is celebrating success of its 15 years of dedicated work for capacity building of small, micro and cottage enterprise owners and resource poor smallholding farmers who are now capable of generating additional income.

Objectives: To enhance effectiveness and sustainability of small, micro and cottage enterprises through developing managerial capacity and skills of entrepreneurs, market actors, farmers and workers, replicating different solutions to address market gaps for smallholder farmers, and increase employability of rural workers to ensure food security and reduce poverty in Bangladesh.

 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

1. To develop small business ecosystem
2. To uphold and strengthen on- going operations
3. To develop managerial capacity of small, micro and cottage enterprise owners, including women and youth entrepreneurs
4. To strengthen small, micro and cottage enterprises backward and forward linkages
5. To develop skill for workers
6. To ease access to finance for entrepreneurs and farmers

PILOT PROJECTS:

• Commodity Trade
• Uttaron – SME & Startup Services

MAIN ACTIVITIES:

–      Provide SME Service

–      Develop trade centers

–      Develop better storage facility

–      Develop Media linkage, undertake Branding/ Promotional work

–      Set up studio for video conferencing facilities

–      Skills and Vocational training

–      Develop SME/ Farmer database

–      Organize matchmaking/ linkage workshops between

bankers, technologists, media persons, policy makers, buyers and sellers

–      Ensure market led production and establish demo plots,

–      Facilitate Formation of Farmers Hubs in the Project areas

–      Organize field days and exposure visits

–      Develop linkage with Common Interest Groups, IPM clubs, etc.

–      Organize study tours, Promote good agricultural practice