Curriculum Developer for the Incubator and Accelerator Streams

Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress

TERMS OF REFERENCE

TRAVEL

Travel in selected districts of province of Sindh and other cities of Pakistan may be required

BACKGROUND

Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP), an European Union (EU) funded project for poverty reduction and sustainable inclusive economic growth in rural Pakistan. Focused on selected districts of Balochistan & Sindh, ITC and its implementing partners are providing technical assistance in horticulture, livestock and dairy sectors for improving commercial viability of MSMEs and for a conducive policy regime. The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN). It is fully dedicated to supporting the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

This assignment is part of Output 1.3 of the GRASP project: Enhanced capacities of commercially operating SMEs, particularly women owned and farmer organizations in agribusiness management and marketing. Under this Output, the project is providing capacity building and handholding support to startups and existing businesses through incubation and acceleration services and mentorship – this specific work will directly contribute to sub-output 1.3.4 i.e. Number of stakeholders benefitted from agro-entrepreneurship trainings and incubation and accelerator support for businesses (disaggregated by sex, stakeholder, type of support and province).  

This project is a second phase of a specialized training program aimed at strengthening both established agricultural businesses and startups through enhanced market access and export capabilities, fostering a comprehensive agricultural business ecosystem. The program aims to equip MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) and startups with the skills, tools, and strategies they need to thrive in a competitive, innovation-driven economy. Through a hybrid model combining in-person and digital learning and training, the initiative ensures accessibility and engagement while addressing the diverse needs of participants

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The project aims to enhance export readiness and market access capabilities for 35 agricultural enterprises, encompassing both MSMEs and startups. Additionally, the program is aimed to build the capacity of 5 trainers, equipping them to become future domain leaders in the agricultural innovation sector. The project mainly focuses on, but not limited to the following;

1. Develop and adapt training materials with a localised focus.
2. Provide structured and impactful training to 22 MSMEs to prepare them for e-commerce readiness
3. Enhance value addition of 10 startups for incubation stream 3 startups for the acceleration stream employing a hybrid model of training delivery
4. Develop export market readiness and compliance understanding to provide information for establishing new marketing channels and distribution networks
5. Bridge the gap between traditional agricultural businesses and innovative startup approaches by creating awareness and integration into  the agriculture innovation ecosystem
6. Enhance E-commerce preparedness to enable MSMEs to build a strong digital presence, navigate e-commerce platforms effectively, and capitalize on online market opportunities.
7. Support startups for Incubation or Acceleration with tailored resources and guidance to refine business models, develop minimum viable products (MVPs), and prepare for scaling and fundraising.
8. Ensure the sustainability of all training materials by developing reusable, accessible training content that participants can leverage beyond the program to ensure long-term learning and application.

METHODOLOGY AND OVERALL DESIGN

The program is aimed to be delivered by the team of 3 consultants (national and international), who will work together to complement each others activities based on their different required expertise and experience. The consultants will ensure to deliver following deliverables jointly while contributing to their specific deliverables which will be published separately with the respective ToRs.

1.       Deliverable 1: Submit an Integrated Program Blueprint including training delivery and project plan. Onboard 35 participants and 5 trainers.

2.       Deliverable 2: 8 training sessions, 3 masterclasses and 20 coaching are delivered across 3 Streams. Submit the training materials  for the remaining 2 months along with the assessment criteria and learning pathways

3.       Deliverable 3: 15 Training sessions, 3 masterclasses and 20 coaching are delivered to participants across 3 streams

4.       Deliverable 4: Provide complete project completion report for all 3 Streams along with list of participants for ToT program, including photos, attendance sheets and pre and post-assessments

Details of the activities required to contribute to the mentioned deliverables include but not limited to the following;

Develop modular training materials for 3 streams: E-commerce, Incubation program and accelerator program: Create comprehensive and adaptable training materials for the e-commerce stream (covering digital marketing, online storefronts, content creation), the incubation stream (focusing on product-market fit, MVP development, business model validation), and the acceleration stream (addressing investment readiness, operational scaling, and strategic partnerships), with each module including presentation slides, practical worksheets, case studies, and assessment tools.

Delivery of Training for 35 trainees across 3 streams:

E-commerce Stream: Develop participants’ understanding of digital marketing fundamentals, establishing online storefronts, digital content creation, product photography and product presentation

Incubation Stream: Develop participants’ understanding of product-market fit, developing minimal viable products that address real agricultural challenges, problem validation and business model refinement

Acceleration Stream: Develop participants’ understanding of investment readiness, strengthen operational systems, and develop strategic partnerships and processes for scaling and global market entry align with setting up performance metrics

Delivery of Training of Trainers for 5 trainers across 3 streams: Conduct specialized Training of Trainers (TOT) sessions for 5 selected trainers, equipping them with the methodologies, facilitation techniques and content knowledge  required to effectively deliver the e-commerce, incubation, and acceleration programs. This engagement would include hands-on practice sessions, observation opportunities, feedback mechanisms, and certification of their readiness to independently facilitate future cohorts.

Live Interpretation and Translation of core training sessions and materials: All group training and coaching sessions will be transcribed live in Urdu to support participants' understanding of core concepts. Training materials from consultants will also include Urdu translations to ensure comprehension. ITC will separately engage service providers to facilitate this translation process, however the consultants will be required to support these efforts for their respective Streams.

Ecosystem Integration activities: This component will facilitate exploratory visits/sessions with agri-tech innovation hubs and key stakeholders providing participants with practical insights into operational models, technology applications and fundraising opportunities.

Terms of Reference for Consultant : Curriculum Developer for the Incubator and Accelerator Streams

The consultant will design a tailored training program for streams 2 and 3, ensuring milestones are met through collaboration with the trainers, external coaches and speakers. He/She will ensure to bring in the international experience and success stories, best practices in the domain of agritech incubation, acceleration and e-commerce. He/she will oversee the creation of core training materials, adapt content to the local context, and onboard trainers and coaches where needed. To ensure sustainability of the program, the consultant will provide support to Consultant-1 to host materials on a dedicated platform for continued access to anyone beyond the life of the program. The consultant will be responsible for:

1. Working closely with Consultant-1 to develop locally relevant case studies. Document success stories and learning experiences from regional businesses in emerging economies.
2. Supplication of diagnostic framework(s), specialized worksheets and assessment tools
3. Provide support to structure and hair content on an online LMSProvide structured cedfor the LMS
4. Onboarding trainers and coaches for Stream 1
5. Design ToT materials for Streams 2 and 3

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND TIMELINES

Deliverable 1: Provide training modules for initial 2 months along with assessment criteria to select participants for Streams 2 and 3

Deliverable 2: Submit training modules for the remaining 2 months for Streams 2 and 3. Aid the translation of the training materials for their adaptation in Urdu language

Deliverable 3: Deliver 5 coaching sessions to participants in Streams 2 and 3. Provide at least 3 toolkits or knowledge products that can be hosted online.

Deliverable 4: Provide assessment reports for Streams 2 and 3 and future recommendations. Facilitate ToT of 1 trainer in Stream 3 (Accelerator).

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

SKILLS

• MS office
• E-commerce platforms

EDUCATION

• Minimum master’s degree in business, Economics, or related discipline

EXPERIENCE

Proven experience of 7 years with business, entrepreneurship trainings and capacity building, program management, agritech, incubation and acceleration support. Other expertise including following will be preferred;

a)       Advanced instructional design experience in entrepreneurship education with proven ability to develop modular learning programs for startups in AgriTech domain

b)      Demonstrated skills in developing specialized assessment tools, worksheets, and reflection methodologies for tracking entrepreneurial progress.

c)       Experience in adapting global business concepts to local agricultural contexts and creating culturally relevant case studies.

d)      Proficiency in designing pitch preparation materials and investor readiness training specifically for agricultural startups.

e)      Strong background in ToT methodologies and knowledge transfer techniques for entrepreneurship education.

LANGUAGE

• Advance level of English (speaking, writing and listening)