ILO's SIYB training in Trinidad and Tobago. © ILO
According to a recent study conducted by the ILO, an estimated 70% of all jobs are created by micro and small enterprises. As such, supporting aspiring entrepreneurs is key in creating more and better jobs. The ILO’s Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) entrepreneurship training programme was designed as a set of inter-related training packages to support micro and small enterprises throughout the different phases of business development, from business creation to growth and expansion.
First developed in the 1970s, SIYB has continuously been growing and expanding. With a network of over 400 certified master trainers, 55,000 trainers and 10,000 partner organizations working in more than 100 countries, SIYB today is one of the largest and most well-tested business management programmes worldwide. With approximately more than 23.7 million entrepreneurs trained globally every year, we estimate that more than 5.4 million new businesses and 10.4 million new jobs were created following SIYB training.
Over the years, the programme has continuously been updated to adapt to new trends and developments as well as specific sectors and target groups. Most recent additions to the SIYB family include: thee-SIYB modules for online trainings, the ‘Green Business Booklet’ to mainstream environmental issues into SIYB trainings and the ‘Digitalize your Business’ module to help entrepreneurs make the best use of digital tools.
© ILO
SIYB at a glance
100+
SIYB trainings are used in more than 100 countries (see the map above).
10,900+
We have over 10,900 partner organizations.
23.7 million+
Over the years, more than 23.7 million people participated in the SIYB training, 45 per cent of whom are women.
55,000+
There are over 55,000 SIYB trainers worldwide, of whom 400 are master trainers. Forty per cent of the trainers are women.
10.4 million+
An estimated 10.4 million jobs are created through the SIYB programme.
SIYB resources
- Training packages
- Publications
- News and events
- Impact and sustainability
The SIYB core programme is structured into four separate training packages which are designed to respond to the progressive stages of business development. These include Generate Your Business Idea (GYB), Start Your Business (SYB), Improve Your Business (IYB) and Expand Your Business (EYB).
Generate Your Business Idea (GYB) is intended for people who would like to start a business, and who, through the training, develop a concrete business idea ready for implementation.
Start Your Business (SYB) is for potential entrepreneurs who want to start a small business and already have a concrete business idea. The programme is a combination of training, field work and after-training support, and helps participants assess their readiness to start a business and to prepare a business plan and evaluate its viability.
Improve Your Business (IYB) introduces already practising entrepreneurs to good principles of business management. Its six modules (marketing, costing, buying and stock control, record keeping, planning for your business, and people and productivity) can be taught individually or all combined in a full course.
Expand Your Business (EYB) enables growth-oriented small enterprises to develop a business growth strategy through training interventions.
The SYB and IYB packages also include the SIYB Business Game, a practical simulation tool to help participants understand the realities of starting and running a business. The EYB Business Game simulates an expanding business during training to help participants experience the impact of strategic decisions on their business operations.
For more information, please refer to the SIYB Implementation Guide
- Global Tracer Studies
- Success stories
- Updates and newsletters
- Guides and other publications
- See all
- ILO Organizes Event to discuss entrepreneurship promotion and the development of an inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem in Sarajevo
- Launch Webinar | Digitalise your Business guide
- Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) Global Tracer Study 2016–2020
- What works for sustainability in entrepreneurship training delivery?
- Effectiveness of Business Training: how can we design, implement and measure better?
- ILO Entrepreneurship Trainers Academy
SIYB has made a profound impact on entrepreneurship worldwide, with a remarkable outreach that has empowered over 23 million entrepreneurs since the 1980s across more than 100 countries. Through comprehensive training and robust support systems, SIYB has nurtured a diverse array of businesses, from small start-ups to established enterprises, fostering economic growth and sustainable development. The program's success is exemplified by numerous impactful stories of individuals and communities transformed by newfound skills and opportunities. These success stories serve as powerful testimonials to the enduring impact SIYB, showcasing its ability to catalyse positive change on a global scale.
The sustainability of SIYB beyond its initial introduction is key to ensuring that its benefits can reach more people over a longer time frame. The sustainability of SIYB refers to its continued implementation in a country beyond the period of ILO or other external support. The aim of projects should not be to replace local organizations by delivering goods and services on their behalf. Instead, the focus should be on building the capacity of local organizations to help them play a more effective role in providing required services to different target groups.
To make this possible, the following guides have been published and are widely used:
- SIYB Implementation Guide
- SIYB Sustainability Guide
The SIYB gateway is a fundamental part of the programme’s monitoring system. It works as a database of SIYB activities worldwide and helps strengthen the network.
