Startup Finance: Woori Financial Group unveiled a 7 trillion won ($4.5B) roadmap to fund startups end-to-end, from incubation to IPOs, using units across banking, securities and venture capital. SME Lending: Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz directed SMEDA and banks to expand SME loan access and support feasibility work, with a focus on processing agricultural produce. Regional SME Credit: The ADB approved a $40M loan to Bank Respublika to expand MSME financing across Azerbaijan’s regions. AI for Small Teams: Jio Haptik launched “SOLO” to give solopreneurs and small businesses an AI-driven marketing, sales and support team, aiming to reach 2M+ businesses in three years. Agentic Commerce: Excellent Webworld and Shoppinggate built an AI-native multi-vendor super app for Saudi Arabia, targeting agentic commerce and a unified merchant/customer journey. Inclusive Entrepreneurship: JICA’s Tanzania program is training women and youth in skills like soap-making and recycling to help them start small businesses. Business Growth Beyond Startups: A Europe-wide discussion argues the real challenge isn’t creating more startups—it’s helping more businesses succeed long-term. Energy & Jobs: South Africa’s renewables sector is creating jobs, but many fade after construction, raising the stakes for small, ongoing green livelihoods. Tech & Manufacturing: AM Technical Solutions acquired Sequence to strengthen engineering and CQV capabilities for life sciences projects. Policy Watch: Michigan expanded its Work Share options, letting employers cut hours more broadly to avoid layoffs.