The Center for Women's Development (CWD) together with The Asia Foundation (TAF), Visa and a network of local microfinance institutions, has successfully concluded the Accelerate My Business (AMB) program. The three-year program helped more than 27,000 women-led micro and small businesses strengthen their digital, financial and business capabilities.

The program delivered measurable business outcomes, with more than 94% of participants who adopted digital solutions in their day-to-day operations, while 75% expanded into online selling channels, enabling them to reach new customers and unlock additional sources of income.

Through collaboration with development organizations, financial institutions and government stakeholders, Accelerate My Business has established a scalable model for supporting underserved entrepreneurs across both urban and rural communities.

“Shared prosperity is about making sure opportunity reaches everyone. When women entrepreneurs have access to practical business skills and digital tools, the benefits extend beyond individual businesses. They create jobs, strengthen local supply chains and contribute to more resilient communities. Through Accelerate My Business, we have seen how digital and financial inclusion can unlock growth opportunities for women entrepreneurs and the communities they support,” said Mr. Linh Le, Senior Director, Head of Social Impact & Sustainability, Asia Pacific, Visa.

Paving the Way for Inclusive Business Growth

Throughout the initiative, insights from the field underscored three critical pillars necessary for driving sustainable economic empowerment among micro and small enterprises in Vietnam:

1. Aligning training with Vietnam's digital transformation goals

Accelerate My Business was designed to support Vietnam's National Digital Transformation Program and Financial Inclusion Strategy. Using a blended learning model that combined self-paced online learning, mentoring and networking opportunities, the program delivered practical skills that participants could immediately apply to their businesses while enabling training to scale efficiently across the country.

2. Turning digital skills into business growth

The program focused on helping entrepreneurs apply new skills directly to everyday business operations. More than 97% of AMB participants reported stronger business capabilities, with 94% expanding their customer base and 95% increasing customer interactions through digital platforms.

3. Building local support networks for long-term impact

Recognizing that lasting impact requires continuous support, the initiative invested heavily in public-private partnerships. AMB trained 480 mentors from partner microfinance institutions, including TYM, Thanh Hoa MFI, and VietED, helping embed business coaching and support within local communities. The program also provided catalytic funding to 100 women-led businesses through a Challenge Fund to support growth and innovation.

The outcomes highlight the growing role that digital and financial inclusion can play in strengthening the resilience, competitiveness and long-term growth of small businesses.

Scaling Impact Through Partnerships

Reflecting the importance of cross-sector collaboration, AMB is part of Visa's broader ecosystem approach in Vietnam, which brings together development organizations, financial institutions and government stakeholders, including the State Bank of Vietnam and the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, to advance broader efforts in digital adoption and empower underserved ethnic communities.

Complementing these efforts, Visa also developed the Practical Business Skills platform, which provides free educational resources on financial management, business planning and operations to help small business owners strengthen their capabilities.

"Women are increasingly asserting their crucial role in the economic development of both their families and society. Supporting women entrepreneurs to strengthen business management capabilities, adopt digital technologies and access new markets creates lasting benefits not only for their businesses, but also for their families and communities,” said Ms. Duong Thi Ngoc Linh, Director of the Center for Women's Development. 

“Experience from the Accelerate My Business initiative shows that when practical support is combined with an approach tailored to women, it creates more accessible learning opportunities and stronger networks for women-led businesses. Strong local partnerships and support networks help women entrepreneurs adopt new skills with confidence, apply them to their businesses and contribute more meaningfully to inclusive economic growth, said Ms. Erin Steinhauer, Country Representative for The Asia Foundation in Vietnam. 

“At Visa, our goal is to help create the connections that enable growth to be shared by all. The success of Accelerate My Business demonstrates what is possible when the public, private and development sectors work together toward a common goal. By helping women entrepreneurs strengthen their capabilities and participate more fully in the digital economy, we can support broader efforts to create more inclusive growth across Vietnam," said Ms. Dung Dang, Visa Country Manager for Vietnam and Laos.