Our mission is to end joblessness and reduce migration — by empowering small businesses in rural regions to scale with technology and create skilled jobs.
We work with entrepreneurs and artisans who already manufacture value-added products by helping them scale with technology. Most initiatives focus on microfinance for individuals to start small shops or farms—but studies show these businesses rarely grow beyond the owner's family. Nobel Prize-winning economist Esther Duflo found that most people don't want to be entrepreneurs, they want stable jobs. That's why Spark Economics focuses on job creation, not new business creation.
We target existing manufacturers with demonstrated demand to maximize impact and minimize risk of failure.
We provide the specific industrial machine each entrepreneur needs to break through their bottleneck.
In early 2026, we scouted Talanga and its surrounding region to identify entrepreneurs with existing businesses—particularly those manufacturing or processing products but lacking the technology to scale. We selected four entrepreneurs, fundraised $7,000, and donated four industrial machines to help them grow. Over the next 12 months, these businesses will report monthly on sales, costs, and job creation as part of our research on the Spark Economics model.
Selected in Talanga for their skills and customer demand
Working for these four businesses right now
In partnership with NGOs Vamos Honduras and Pathways to New Futures
Four entrepreneurs in Talanga, Honduras receiving industrial machinery to scale.
Edwin builds agricultural and brick-making machinery, self-taught through YouTube. His team cuts every metal piece by hand — a slow, manual process that forces customers to wait weeks. A plasma cutter is being set up in his workshop to automate cutting and free his team for higher-skill assembly work.
Larissa and Catherine craft personalized wood, acrylic, and cardboard products for weddings and corporate events. They previously subcontracted all engraving, eating into margins. With a new laser engraver they bring production in-house, handle large orders, and offer entirely new product lines.
Felipe began shoemaking as a teenager and now runs his workshop with six employees. His outdated machines struggle with sewing leather boots, taking 30 minutes per pair just for sewing. A new industrial sewing machine cuts that to just 5 minutes per pair.
Antonio has spent over a decade building a cheese business with 13 employees and four retail shops. His current bagging method limits shelf life and selling to larger supermarket chains. A new vacuum sealing machine extends shelf life and unlocks distribution to supermarkets nationwide.
We're opening a call for a second round of entrepreneurs to receive a machine to scale their business.
You can donate via our partner NGO, Vamos Honduras — a 501(c)(3) U.S.-registered organization. U.S. tax residents may qualify for tax deductions.
Donate via Vamos HondurasThank you