Private Sector &
Enterprise Development
Designing programs and building the operational infrastructure for sustainable private sector growth, from MSME incubation and Islamic finance advisory to enterprise acceleration and digital financial inclusion across fragile and frontier markets.
Discuss Your ProjectBuilding resilient economies from the ground up
HBC’s Private Sector & Enterprise Development practice brings together our deep market intelligence, on the ground operational capacity, and technical advisory expertise to catalyze sustainable economic growth in Afghanistan and across fragile markets.
We work across the full lifecycle of private sector programming: from upstream program design and strategic advisory for donors and development finance institutions, through to field level implementation, enterprise incubation, and independent assessment of outcomes. Where others deliver reports, we deliver operational infrastructure that moves MSMEs from survival to investment readiness.
This practice integrates capabilities from across HBC, bringing together our technology, sustainability, and digital advisory teams to connect enterprise growth with digital access and climate resilience. It draws on our firm’s full technical depth while staying focused on the specific challenge of building resilient private sectors in fragile settings.
With 500+ consultants and partners, field presence across all 34 Afghan provinces, and proprietary primary research on the country’s private sector landscape, we operate at a scale and depth that is simply unmatched in this market.
What we deliver
End to end program design, advisory, and implementation services for private sector growth in fragile and frontier markets.
Program Design & Strategic Advisory
Upstream program design for donors and DFIs, sector strategies, theory of change development, private sector assessments, and investment case formulation for enterprise development and financial inclusion programming in fragile markets.
MSME Business Development Services
Incubation level technical assistance, business plan development, credit readiness coaching, matching grant program design and management, and value chain integration for micro, small, and medium enterprises.
Islamic Finance & Financial Inclusion
Sharia compliant product design advisory, microfinance sector strengthening, credit guarantee program support, and financial literacy training for underserved populations including returnees and rural communities.
Inclusive Enterprise Acceleration
Enterprise support designed to ensure equitable access to markets and finance. Includes business training, mentorship programs, savings group formalization, market access facilitation, and targeted interventions for underserved entrepreneurs across all demographics.
Digital Financial Services
Digital banking channel expansion, mobile money integration, process automation for financial institutions, and fintech advisory powered by our in house technology team and dedicated digital advisory practice.
Agricultural Value Chains & Green Enterprise
Agri MSME development, climate smart agriculture advisory, green and climate finance facilitation, and agricultural value chain assessment and strengthening for resilient rural economies.
Private Sector Research & Mapping
Stakeholder and sector mapping, market system assessments, 4Ws databases, private sector rapid surveys, and evidence based advocacy strategies for ecosystem development and donor programming.
Resilient Economy Program Evaluation
Independent evaluation of private sector, livelihood, and enterprise development programs. Assessing what works, identifying scale up pathways, and producing actionable recommendations that inform the next generation of programming.
Capacity Building & Institutional Strengthening
Building the capacity of local institutions, government agencies, and private sector associations to sustain economic development outcomes beyond project timelines. Technical training, organizational development, and knowledge transfer.
Enterprise development in practice
Afghan Digital Commerce Ecosystem Study
Comprehensive primary research mapping Afghanistan’s emerging digital economy. Interviewed 70 entrepreneurs and mapped 82 online businesses across fashion, food, education, and professional services, revealing strategic adaptation patterns, specific skill gaps, and targeted intervention frameworks for development partners and financial institutions.
Business Start up Grant Program for Graduates
End to end implementation of a business startup program, from beneficiary selection using a 100 point innovation focused scoring rubric through four weeks of practical business training and milestone based grant disbursement to mentorship matching for 45 entrepreneurs launching enterprises across diverse sectors.
Socio Economic Empowerment Stakeholder & MSME Ecosystem Mapping
Comprehensive 4Ws mapping of the MSME and civil society ecosystem in Afghanistan. Identified programs and actors supporting socio economic empowerment, conducted gap analysis across service delivery, and developed coordination frameworks targeting 30+ CSOs working with MSMEs across multiple provinces.
MSME Support & Livelihood Resilience Assessment (PEARL/REACH)
Field level assessment of MSME support outcomes, agricultural enterprise development, farmer field schools, and livelihood interventions across four eastern provinces. Assessed greenhouse enterprises, value chain recognition among MSMEs, and market linkage effectiveness, informing UNDP ABADEI program scale up decisions.
Market Systems Assessment & Value Chain Analysis
Mixed methods market systems and value chain assessment across four provinces (Jawzjan, Samangan, Balkh, Kabul) identifying on farm, off farm, and non farm livelihood options for 1,350 vulnerable households. Produced actionable value chain analysis with specific interventions for meaningful market participation under current operating constraints.
USAID Livelihood & Private Sector Program Monitoring
Independent third party monitoring for USAID funded livelihood, agriculture value chain, and SME development activities across Afghanistan. Verified program delivery across enterprise development and economic participation interventions, including assessment of MSME business advisory services, vocational training outcomes, and agricultural value chain strengthening in conflict affected areas.
SME Productivity & Economic Empowerment Assessment
Multi province assessment of SME productivity improvement programs and economic empowerment initiatives funded by USAID and bilateral donors. Evaluated public private alliance models, innovation grant outcomes, entrepreneurship training effectiveness, and alternative enterprise models, producing recommendations for program scale up and donor investment prioritization.
Agricultural Value Chain & Agribusiness Development Evaluation
Comprehensive evaluation of regional agricultural development and value chain programs covering wheat, high value crops, and livestock sectors. Assessed farmer productivity improvements, agribusiness management practices, post harvest technology adoption, and market linkages for rural smallholder farmers across multiple provinces and value chain segments.
What we bring that others cannot
In fragile market private sector development, the gap between strategy and delivery is where projects fail. We bridge that gap with infrastructure, people, and intelligence that no other firm in this market can match.
Nationwide field infrastructure
500+ consultants with operational reach across all 34 Afghan provinces. We maintain field teams in the districts where MSMEs and financial institutions operate, including remote areas that other firms simply cannot access.
Inclusive delivery at scale
70% female workforce in Afghanistan enables gender responsive programming as a standard, not an add on. When projects require nuanced community engagement, culturally appropriate data collection, or inclusive enterprise support, our teams deliver.
Proprietary market intelligence
Original primary research on Afghanistan’s digital economy, MSME ecosystem mapping, and agricultural value chains. Our insights are built on data we collected ourselves, not recycled from secondary sources or outdated baselines.
Integrated digital and enterprise capability
Our firm’s technology advisory and fintech practices work hand in hand with our enterprise development teams, bringing process automation, digital banking expertise, and mobile money integration directly into programming.
Full donor ecosystem registration
Pre qualified across World Bank, UNGM, EU Database, and ADB procurement systems. We operate as a prime contractor with 15 years of institutional track record and 360+ completed projects, not as a local subcontractor filling gaps for international firms.
Ready to design the next generation
of enterprise programming?
Whether you are designing MSME technical assistance, seeking a field implementation partner, or need Afghan market intelligence for your private sector strategy, our team is ready.
Contact Our Team