ABOUT TECHNOSERVE: TechnoServe, Inc. is an international nonprofit development organization founded in 1968. Its mission is to help entrepreneurial men and women in poor areas of the developing world to build businesses that create jobs, income and economic opportunity for their families, their communities and their countries. Our strategies are based on a market-driven, business-oriented approach employed and refined over the past 40 years. Roughly 600 employees are at work developing businesses across 20+ countries in Africa and Latin America, with a future view of expanding into new regions. For more information visit
TechnoServe Volunteer Consultants (VolCons) engage with entrepreneurs, industry experts and TechnoServe field staff on assignments in developing countries in Africa and Latin America and in India. VolCons lead projects in areas such as business plan development, industry analysis, government policy, financial analysis and capital-raising.
- “The best experience of my life . . . and the most meaningful”
- "After volunteering with TechnoServe, I have found a lifelong calling in pragmatic, business-driven approaches to economic development that I believe can change the world."
- “When I worked as a consultant, I worked hard because I wanted to support my client. At TechnoServe, I worked hard because I knew that I had a chance to make a real difference in the lives of thousands of farmers. It’s hard to not be motivated by that.”
- "The VolCons I lived and worked with here were in a class of their own in their depth, intellectual curiosity and ability to think outside the box."
Program Length
Project length varies from anywhere between 3-12 months. For graduate school summer internships, projects may be 10 weeks in length, and require some remote work.
Skills Required
General skills required of all program participants include:
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills (previous experience in management consulting or investment banking highly valued)
- Independent/Self-starter
- Flexibility – willingness and ability to work in unstructured environments
- Diligent/hard-working
- Spanish proficiency for projects in Latin America
Fees and Expenses
As this is a volunteer position, TechnoServe will not provide fees for the services rendered. For most projects, TechnoServe will cover work-related costs of the foreign travel, including airfare, accommodation, and per diems. Some projects require supplemental funding from other sources (including business school funding options)
HOW TO APPLY: To apply for a VolCon position, please visit our website at Submit your application materials to: .
For more information on TechnoServe, visit 1