2022 is a special year for SEED, not only celebrating 20 years but also drawing lessons from activities and various projects, initiating new collaborations while looking forward to 2023 and beyond, being better informed and equipped to contribute to urgent transformative change with and through SMEs. The 2022 Annual Report highlights SEED activities and achievements in terms of enterprise support, ecosystem building and advocacy.

This year we implemented a partnership with UNEP-GO4SDGs through a series of Regional Multi-stakeholder Innovation and Policy Labs to scale up future-proof solutions for green-circular SMEs. We also had the opportunity to initiate a collaboration with FAO-Office of SDGs, to provide support to agrifood start-ups for SDGs acceleration through agrifood system transformations. SEED is also launching new activities in Morocco.

From lessons to future actions, we published various reports, in particular the From Impact to Scale and Sustainable SME Action Agenda. With the aim to further consolidate and scale up SEED activities for a more impactful delivery, together with various partners, SEED initiated a “Coalition for Innovation, Circularity and Entrepreneurship (CICE): A Collective Action Catalyst for an SME-led Circular Low-Carbon Transition”. CICE was launched at the occasion of COP27, together with various partners such as UNEP, UNDP, ILO, FAO, UNWTO, UNIDO, IFDD and the European Commission.

In addition, the 20 years celebrations in various countries reflected on the commitments from various partners and highlights joint achievements, partnerships and success stories of the eco-inclusive ecosystem.

We look forward to your continuous interest in SEED activities, to partnering in entrepreneurship projects, and to joining the movement of the Coalition to further support and enable SMEs and entrepreneurship for an impactful transition to circular economy and sustainable development.