Project Background 

The Bougainville innovation hub are core part of the economic outcomes associated with the sustaining peace through economic empowerment project. This project is funded by the Government of Japan and has triparty agreement between government of PNG, UNDP and ABG.  The innovation hubs will support early-stage entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, and infrastructure to help accelerate the business idea and establish a viable business entity that then becomes Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).  The planned innovation hubs will deliver services and activities related to the betterment and economic empowerment of the Bougainville community.

The Bougainville innovation hubs will be built in three towns in Bougainville: Buka, Arawa and Buin. The innovation hubs are focused on allowing women, youth, students and others to have access to vocational and skills related training skills focused on digital and technological curriculums. While construction of the innovation hubs is on-going, there is an opportunity to deliver and provide education and training activities aligned to the needs of the Bougainville community.

Project objectives

Bougainville innovation hubs will deliver services and activities related to the betterment and economic empowerment of the Bougainville community including: 

1. Entrepreneurship training and services related to business set up, local laws, finance, bank services, industry specific insights like trade finance, supply chain and others;
2. Provision of advisory services through either an inhouse business advisor or a roaming one that could deliver basic services, such as secretarial services, administration, accounting and library and internet services;
3. Placement and mentorships focused program to support budding entrepreneurs graduating from this program 
4. Organising thematic seminars and workshops focussed on specific audience (youth, women) or industry sectors (fishing, cocoa, tourism and others);
5. Working space equipped with furniture, computers, communications, and office equipment.
6. Multi-purpose exhibition areas and seminar rooms catering for diverse stakeholders 

Project Outputs

Output 1: Development of Bougainville Socioeconomic Baseline Survey (BSEBS) to better understand the current economic and social conditions
Output 2: Education and training for upto 300 entrepreneurs in the three hubs: Buka, Arawa and Buin. Additional 50 industry focussed training on five identified industries identified within the BSEBS.  
Output 3: Building of three innovation hubs in Buka, Arawa and Buin
Output 4: Start up funding to support and boost entrepreneurship and innovation across the region 

Expected Results (in 2022 and 2023):

• Education and training in entrepreneurship, innovation, and financial literacy for upto 300 Bougainville residents
• Completed innovation hubs to help assist with information dissemination, hosting of an incubator for start-ups, common facilities related to women, youth, and others 
• Availability of start-up funding to assist Bougainville entrepreneurs get access to grants, co-financing and access to industry networks

Status:
Active
Time Frame: 
- Project start date: 1 Jan 2021
- Project end date: 31 Dec 2022
Location: Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Focus Area: Economic Development
Beneficiaries:
Bougainville Community (women, youth, students, entrepreneurs, and others)
Partners:
Government of PNG 
Autonomous Bougainville Government  
Donor(s):
Government of Japan
Budget:
USD$ 2.8 mil
Contact: 
Ahmed Awil 
Private Sector Development Specialist & Bougainville Team Leader (a.i.)
Email: ahmed.awil1@undp.org
Tel: 321 2877