SEED Learning Summit 2026 Held: Driving Entrepreneurship for Enterprise Development and Employment

The Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and SEED consortium partners, successfully hosted the SEED Learning Summit 2026 from May 7–8 at the Haile Grand Hotel in Addis Ababa. Under the theme “Driving Entrepreneurship for Enterprise Development and Employment,” the summit served as a critical platform to celebrate the significant achievements of the Sustainable Employment through Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (SEED) program—a coordinated initiative designed to support young people in accessing opportunities within Ethiopia's growing private sector.

Welcoming the attendees, Dr. Hassan Hussein, CEO of EDI, emphasized that Ethiopia stands at a historic crossroads. With millions of citizens reaching working age, he noted that this demographic represents a tremendous national asset that must be harnessed to avoid an unemployment crisis. Dr. Hassan highlighted that SEED, implemented through a partnership between EDI and the Mastercard Foundation, has demonstrated significant impact over the past two and a half years, reaching more than 1.3 million young people through training and modern skill development. He underscored that the initiative is a vital national partnership aimed at shaping a brighter future where young people become productive innovators within their own borders.

Mrs. Mefthe Tadesse, Country Director of the Mastercard Foundation Ethiopia, delivered the opening remarks, describing the summit as both a celebration of progress and a reaffirmation of the Foundation's commitment to the future. She noted that the success of the SEED program is evident in its reach, having already enabled over 457,000 young people to secure dignified and fulfilling work and supported 100+ TVT institutions in their transition into centers of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Mrs. Mefthe particularly emphasized the progress made in intentionality, specifically regarding the inclusion of disadvantaged groups and expanded financial access. She highlighted the achievement of unlocking over 5 billion ETB in uncollateralized loans through the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, ensuring that financial barriers do not stand in the way of innovation for young women and men. Furthermore, she reaffirmed that Ethiopia accounts for a significant one-third of the Mastercard Foundation’s overall Young Africa Works strategy target, which aims to enable 10 million young Ethiopians to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

The summit also functioned as a strategic workshop for policy reform. Participants engaged in deep-dive sessions regarding the recently approved National Entrepreneurship Development Policy and the upcoming Entrepreneurship Proclamation. Through breakout sessions, stakeholders provided valuable input to ensure future legal frameworks effectively reduce bureaucratic barriers and work alongside entrepreneurs to foster growth. Research presentations also shed light on innovative financing for MSMEs and identified current bottlenecks to entrepreneurial sustainability in Ethiopia.

The two-day program concluded with an exhibition showcasing the success journeys of entrepreneurs and panel discussions featuring consortium partners. The event brought together over 300 diverse participants, including high-ranking government officials, regional leaders, TVT leaders, young innovators, program participants, and representatives from the private sector and development partners. Together, they reinforced a collective vision of driving Ethiopia toward a more inclusive, entrepreneurial, and prosperous future.