WHAT IS THE AL-INVEST NETWORK?

The AL-INVEST Network is a social business network dedicated to improving the productivity and competitiveness of micro, small, and medium sized companies (MSMEs) in Latin America, facilitate business connections, and promote business support services in the region.

WHAT IS THE AL-INVEST NETWORK FOR?

The AL-INVEST Network helps MSMEs to grow and strengthen their businesses, offering access to purchasing announcements from private companies and governments, a database of companies with which users can contact through the Network, business communities where they’ll find clients, suppliers, investors, and investment opportunities in the region and the world, information on business support services in their countries, and free, online courses and practical educational content oriented towards improving the productivity levels and competitiveness of these companies. It also offers information on financing opportunities in countries that participate in the AL-INVEST 5.0 Program.

WHO CREATED IT AND WHY IS THE IDB INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC?

The AL-INVEST Network is a “White label” version of the website Connectamericas.com, a social business website created by the IDB. This means that the AL-INVEST Network uses ConnectAmericas.com technology and content, but it prioritizes content relevant to the Al-Invest 5.0 Program audience, and those generated by the entities in the executing consortium of the Program and organizations that receive financial support from it.

 

This way, the AL-INVEST Network aims to create a trustworthy environment to do business, where the identity of the companies is verified and they are submitted to evaluations and comments from other users. The AL-INVEST Network also provides up to date, practical and simple information about the main aspects related to productivity and competitiveness of MSMEs through videos, articles, online courses and interactive learning tools. Finally, the AL-INVEST Network aims to provide financing opportunities to MSMEs by providing information about financial products and technical assistance available to MSMEs in each member country of the AL-INVEST 5.0 Program.

HOW DOES THE AL-INVEST NETWORK PROMOTE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN COMPANIES AND BUSINESS PEOPLE IN THE AMERICAS?

The AL-INVEST Network connects business people and entrepreneurs to potential clients, suppliers, or investors through purchasing announcements from private companies and governments, a database of companies with which users can contact through the Network, business communities where they’ll find clients, suppliers, investors, and investment opportunities in the region and the world. When users sign up and register the company they work at, the AL-INVEST Network will invite them to indicate their business preferences, such as their industry and objectives in joining the platform (meet clients, suppliers, investors, etc.). Based on these preferences, the AL-INVEST Network recommends users to join one or more professional communities, and to view profiles of other users with compatible or similar interests, with whom they can contact directly or through an internal messaging service. The system also allows users to comment on and rate other users they know or with whom they have done business to generate more trust in the community.

 

WHAT INDUSTRIES DOES THE AL-INVEST NETWORK COVER?

The AL-INVEST Network aims to promote international business in all aspects. For this, the didactic products it offers covers general topics, such as preparation of business plans, internationalization strategy, etc.… Likewise, the financial and technical assistance products it offers are designed for any SME interested in expanding their business. The business communities have been created based on pilot communities, from which ConnectAmericas will begin to grow organically: Global Services, Food & Beverage, Creative & Cultural Industries, Textiles, Apparel and Fashion, Global Health, and Handcrafts. This selection will grow with time. It is important to clarify, however, that users from other industries are welcome to join the AL-INVEST Network community, a community dedicated to cover competitiveness and productivity topics in general. Likewise, users will be able to create their own groups in other sectors of interest.

WHAT CAN USERS LEARN FROM THE AL-INVEST NETWORK?

In the AL-INVEST Network users will be able to Access many useful sources of information. Firstly, there is a repository of original editorial content created by the AL-INVEST Network team, ConnectAmericas.com and business support organizations in the region and the world already affiliated with ConnectAmericas, which contains simple and practical information on key administrative, productive, and commercial aspects, and includes regulatory, strategic, financial, and cultural topics. It also offers MOOCs, which any user can Access at any time. These courses contain audiovisual and written lectures, and at the end of each module, self-evaluation tools are available to allow each user to advance at their own pace. Finally, the AL-INVEST Network offers access to a complete database (INTRADE) of trade statistics, which contains information about tariffs and non-tariff measures, such as sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

HOW DOES THE AL-INVEST NETWORK HELP FIND FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS?

The AL-INVEST Network offers its users a consolidated and easy to use tool with different financing opportunities available in countries of your interest. This tool includes information about financial products and services offered by banks in the region.

WHAT PROTECTION OF INFORMATION AND PERSONAL USER DATA DOES THE AL-INVEST NETWORK PROVIDE?

The IDB has developed the AL-INVEST Network as an instrument to support improvements in productivity and competitiveness of MSMEs with no lucrative interests. In this sense, the IDB is committed to the respect of their users’ privacy, and their information will in no form be used for commercial reasons. Likewise, the AL-INVEST Network will carry out its best efforts to maintain the highest information security standards to protect their users’ information.