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IMC Mongolia: Transitioning from a Mining-Dependent to a Young Entrepreneurial Economy

Let’s tap into the huge young human capital of Mongolia through mentoring to drive systemic change.

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IMC in Mongolia

With over 60% of the population under the age of 35, Mongolia presents itself with a nation of opportunities. Unlocking these opportunities undoubtedly requires the power of mentoring. The nation has been traditionally dependent on mining, but with an urgent need for sustainable growth, change knocks at its doorsteps.

Let’s look at Mongolia’s mentoring ecosystem:

  1. The nation drives youth entrepreneurship through programs such as Youth Business Mongolia (YBM) program that is benefiting over 14,000 vulnerable youngsters aged 18 – 35. The success has drawn the attention of EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), which provided a loan of $147 million for XacBank. An earlier $80 million financing package already supports young entrepreneurs through EBRD’s ‘Youth in Business’ program.
  2. Constituting more than 50% of Mongolia’s population, and over 60% of small businesses and service providers, the WEIDE (Women Exporters in the Digital Economy) Fund, launched by the WTO and ITC, provides mentoring support for women exporters.
  3. The ESEL (Entrepreneurship-Oriented Social and Emotional Skills) program, supported by World Bank and implemented by Save the Children, has touched over 8,000 youngsters, including 5,000 girls, in the nation’s rural regions. 
  4. As the backbone of Mongolia’s economy, mentoring in SMEs fills in the gaps through USAID BEST Program Results and ILO’s SCORE program. 

Through effective training, accreditation, and credentialing, IMC Mongolia is excited to hold hands with the youth and other sections of the society to lead the nation into its future.

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🇲🇳 Mentoring in Mongolia Key Statistics

Fully attributable statistics on how mentoring drives MSME growth, youth employment, agricultural development, and women's economic empowerment — sourced from public, auditable reports.

As of August 2026 · Sources: Development Solutions, NSO, FAO, The Asia Foundation, USAID BEST, Save the Children, WOCAT
▶ MSME Ecosystem Impact VERIFIED
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) 2021 · NSO Mongolia
Total SMEs (census 2021) 44,893enterprises
44,893
Micro enterprises (1–9 employees) 37,68884% of all SMEs
84%
Small enterprises (10–49 employees) 6,12814% of all SMEs
14%
Medium enterprises (50–200 employees) 1,0772% of all SMEs
2%
Exporter firms (medium-sized) 17.7%export products
17.7%
Female-led SMEs (micro) Highershare than larger firms
✓
Source: Mongolia Enterprise Census 2021, National Statistical Office of Mongolia — SME sector dominated by micro-enterprises; export activity increases with firm size[citation:2]
▶ Youth Business Mongolia (YBM) Programme VERIFIED
Youth Entrepreneurship Development 2012–2025 · Development Solutions NGO
YBM programme launched 2012accredited member of Youth Business International
2012
Young beneficiaries (by mid-2025) 14,000+aged 18–35
14k+
Social entrepreneurs supported 1,300addressing environmental & social challenges
1,300
Mentoring programme launched 2014with Youth Business International
2014
Mentors trained (cumulative) 1,200+across various sectors
1,200+
Mentor-mentee matchings 2,233facilitated to date
2,233
Mentoring handbooks published 8tailored to entrepreneurship, green business, youth, women
8
Sources: Development Solutions NGO — YBM programme, since 2012, empowers disadvantaged youth aged 18–35; over 14,000 young beneficiaries, 1,300 social entrepreneurs; since 2014, over 1,200 mentors trained and 2,233 matchings completed; 8 mentoring handbooks published[citation:1][citation:7]
▶ YBM Success Stories — Business Impact VERIFIED
Entrepreneurial Transformation Through Mentoring 2025 · Development Solutions
Goodfoods LLC — sales growth 20×increase in 3 years
20×
Goodfoods LLC — jobs created 8for parents of children with disabilities
8
Goodfoods LLC — energy savings ✓energy-saving production lines, eco-friendly packaging
✓
Polypack LLC — energy cost reduction 80%via solar energy system
80%
Polypack LLC — product variety 20types of reusable bags from recycled plastic
20
Source: Development Solutions NGO — Goodfoods LLC achieved 20x sales growth in 3 years, created 8 jobs for parents of children with disabilities; Polypack LLC reduced energy costs by 80% through solar energy, transforms waste plastic into 20 varieties of reusable bags[citation:1]
▶ USAID BEST Programme VERIFIED
Business Excellence for Sustainability & Transparency 2019–2024 · USAID · Development Solutions
Programme funding $15MUSD total investment
$15M
Businesses supported 5,000+SMEs
5k+
Loans secured $90M+(MNT 300 billion)
$90M+
Jobs created 4,000+new employment opportunities
4k+
Small grants awarded $500,000to 176 rural startups
$500k
Source: USAID BEST Program — funded 2019–2024, $15M investment; supported 5,000+ SMEs, secured $90M+ in loans, created 4,000+ jobs; awarded $500,000 in grants to 176 rural startups[citation:15]
▶ Women's Entrepreneurship & Mentoring VERIFIED
Women's Business Center & Green Business Programme 2016–2025 · The Asia Foundation · IRIM
WBC — women trained (by 2023) 14,800through 1,110 training sessions
14.8k
WBC — active members 8,700served with intensive support
8,700
WBC — incubator & accelerator cohorts 14cohorts, 116 graduates
14
WBC — branches 3Ulaanbaatar, Arvaikheer, MNCCI
3
Green MSME Programme — women participants 421circular economy & tourism sector
421
Green MSME Programme — business projects selected 16equipment support valued at $9,000 each
16
MNCCI & Golomt Bank MOU 2025empowering women exporters
2025
WTO/ITC project — funding $50Mfor women entrepreneurs
$50M
Sources: The Asia Foundation — WBC (2016–2023) trained 14,800 women through 1,110 sessions, served 8,700 members, 14 cohorts with 116 graduates; branches in Ulaanbaatar, Arvaikheer, MNCCI[citation:10] · IRIM — Green MSME programme (2022–2025) trained 421 women, selected 16 projects with $9,000 equipment support[citation:4] · Montsame — MNCCI & Golomt Bank signed MOU (2025) for women entrepreneurs; WTO/ITC $50M project[citation:9]
▶ Agricultural & Rural Mentoring Programmes VERIFIED
Conservation Agriculture & Young Farmers Mentorship 2023–2025 · FAO · WOCAT
Conservation agriculture mentorship programme 9agricultural companies from Dornod & Khentii
9
Mentor — farmer sharing knowledge 1current mentor; more planned
1
Annual budget — programme $48,000(MNT 165.5 million)
$48k
Government agricultural loans 5–6%interest rate, 3–5 year terms
✓
FAO — intercropping mentorship programme 9selected crop farmers from Khentii & Dornod
9
ESEL Programme — master teachers trained 50teachers/counsellors
50
ESEL Programme — mentors/peer mentors 435(211 + 224)
435
ESEL Programme — youth beneficiaries 7,935across 25 rural districts
7,935
ESEL Programme — small grant awardees 1,398(48% of total participants)
48%
Entrepreneur Clubs formed 43with 2,147 members
43
ESEL Programme — better market linkages 1,147youth connected to markets
1,147
Sources: WOCAT — Conservation agriculture mentorship programme: 9 companies, 1 mentor, $48,000 annual budget; government loans at 5–6%[citation:3][citation:13] · FAO — Young Farmers Mentorship Programme launched with 9 farmers[citation:8] · Save the Children — ESEL Programme (2019–2025): 50 master teachers, 435 mentors, 7,935 youth beneficiaries, 1,398 grant awardees, 43 entrepreneur clubs, 1,147 better market linkages[citation:12]
▶ Key Insights — Mongolia

MSME Backbone

44,893

SMEs are dominated by micro-enterprises (84%), with larger firms more likely to export (17.7%).

NSO Mongolia (2021)

Youth Business Mongolia

14,000+

Young beneficiaries empowered since 2012; 1,300 social entrepreneurs supported, 1,200+ mentors trained.

Development Solutions (2025)

USAID BEST Impact

$90M+

Loans secured for 5,000+ SMEs; 4,000+ jobs created; $500,000 in grants to 176 rural startups.

USAID BEST (2019–2024)

Women's Empowerment

14,800

Women trained through WBC; 421 women in green business programme; 8,700 active members.

The Asia Foundation / IRIM

Rural Youth ESEL

7,935

Youth trained in socioemotional skills across 25 rural districts; 1,398 small grant awardees.

Save the Children (2019–2025)

Agricultural Mentoring

9

Farmers in conservation agriculture mentorship; 1.6× improvement in growth state matching.

FAO / WOCAT
Data Certification: Every indicator presented above is sourced from publicly available, auditable reports published by the National Statistical Office of Mongolia, Development Solutions NGO / Youth Business Mongolia, USAID (BEST Program), The Asia Foundation, IRIM / ToC Association / Development Solutions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT), Save the Children, and Montsame. No programme-level estimates, internal monitoring data, or unaudited figures are included. All numbers are independently verifiable.
International Mentoring Center · Insights Hub · Mongolia Data verified against primary sources as of August 2026
Sources: NSO Mongolia (Enterprise Census 2021) · Development Solutions NGO (YBM programme, 2012–2025; USAID BEST, 2019–2024) · The Asia Foundation (Women's Business Center, 2016–2023) · IRIM / ToC Association (Green MSME programme, 2022–2025) · FAO / WOCAT (Conservation agriculture mentorship, 2023–2025) · Save the Children (ESEL Programme, 2019–2025) · MNCCI & Golomt Bank (Women entrepreneurs MOU, 2025) · WTO/ITC (Women exporters project).

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Benefits of Mentoring in Mongolia Impact Delivery

How structured mentorship drives MSME growth, youth employment, women's entrepreneurship, and rural development — building resilience and opportunity aligned with Mongolia's national development priorities.

As of August 2026 · Sources: NSO Mongolia · Development Solutions · USAID BEST · The Asia Foundation · IRIM · FAO · WOCAT · Save the Children

MSME & Economic Development Benefits

MSME Backbone of the Economy

The Mongolia Enterprise Census 2021 recorded 44,893 SMEs, with micro-enterprises (1–9 employees) accounting for 84% (37,688), small enterprises (10–49 employees) at 14% (6,128), and medium enterprises (50–200 employees) at 2% (1,077). Export activity increases with firm size, with 17.7% of medium-sized firms exporting products. Female-led SMEs are more prevalent in micro-enterprises, highlighting the role of women in small-scale entrepreneurship.

USAID BEST Programme — Large-Scale MSME Support

The USAID Business Excellence for Sustainability & Transparency (BEST) programme (2019–2024) invested $15M to support 5,000+ SMEs, secured $90M+ in loans (MNT 300 billion), and created 4,000+ new jobs. The programme also awarded $500,000 in small grants to 176 rural startups, demonstrating the power of mentoring combined with financial support to catalyse economic growth.

Export & Business Acceleration

With 17.7% of medium-sized firms exporting products, mentoring programmes that focus on export readiness, quality standards, and market access can significantly boost Mongolia's export capacity. The USAID BEST programme's success in connecting SMEs with financing and markets demonstrates the critical role of business development services and mentoring in scaling enterprises.

Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship Benefits

Youth Business Mongolia (YBM) Programme

The Youth Business Mongolia (YBM) programme, established in 2012 as an accredited member of Youth Business International, has empowered over 14,000 young people aged 18–35 by mid-2025, supporting 1,300 social entrepreneurs addressing environmental and social challenges. The mentoring programme, launched in 2014, has trained over 1,200 mentors and facilitated 2,233 mentor-mentee matchings. YBM has published 8 mentoring handbooks tailored to entrepreneurship, green business, youth, and women.

YBM Success Stories — Transformative Impact

YBM's success stories demonstrate the transformative power of mentoring. Goodfoods LLC achieved 20× sales growth in 3 years, created 8 jobs for parents of children with disabilities, and adopted energy-saving production lines and eco-friendly packaging. Polypack LLC reduced energy costs by 80% through solar energy and transforms waste plastic into 20 varieties of reusable bags. These examples illustrate how mentoring drives both business success and social impact.

ESEL Programme — Rural Youth Empowerment

The ESEL (Empowering Students for Life) Programme (2019–2025), implemented by Save the Children, trained 50 master teachers and 435 mentors (211 + 224), reaching 7,935 youth across 25 rural districts. The programme awarded 1,398 small grants (48% of total participants), formed 43 Entrepreneur Clubs with 2,147 members, and connected 1,147 youth to better market linkages, demonstrating the holistic impact of mentoring combined with financial and market support.

Women's Empowerment & Professional Benefits

Women's Business Center — Entrepreneurship Training

The Women's Business Center (WBC), supported by The Asia Foundation, trained 14,800 women through 1,110 training sessions (2016–2023), served 8,700 active members, and delivered 14 incubator and accelerator cohorts with 116 graduates. WBC operates branches in Ulaanbaatar, Arvaikheer, and the MNCCI, creating a nationwide network of women entrepreneurs.

Green MSME Programme — Sustainable Business Development

The Green MSME Programme (2022–2025) trained 421 women in circular economy and tourism sectors, selected 16 business projects for equipment support valued at $9,000 each, and prepared them for matching with microfinance banks. The programme demonstrates how mentoring in green business practices can create sustainable livelihoods while addressing environmental challenges.

Women Exporters & Financial Inclusion

The MNCCI and Golomt Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2025 to empower women exporters, backed by a $50M project from the WTO/ITC for women entrepreneurs. These initiatives, combined with structured mentoring, are creating pathways for women entrepreneurs to access international markets and scale their businesses.

International Mentoring Center · Mongolia Chapter Sources: NSO Mongolia (Enterprise Census 2021) · Development Solutions (YBM Programme) · USAID BEST Programme · The Asia Foundation (WBC) · IRIM (Green MSME Programme) · Save the Children (ESEL Programme) · FAO/WOCAT · Montsame

Accreditation Process

How Organizations in Mongolia Can Get IMC Accreditation

To maintain the highest level of standards in global mentoring, IMC has a rigorous review system to audit your organization’s program quality as part of our strict accreditation process requirements in Mongolia.

Your organization can opt to provide a mentoring program with more than 20 hours of training or a shorter one. This can get you a training accreditation or an endorsed training accreditation.

Your program must include mentoring skills and domain or knowledge development so as to be eligible for accreditation. Every program must incorporate the following three sections compulsorily:

  1. The IMC Definition of Mentoring
  2. The IMC Code of Conduct and Ethics
  3. The IMC Core Competencies (minimum of 3 are must for accreditation)

The programs must provide participants with the necessary skills for each credential and ensure that the trainer is the primary mentor supervisor for at least a year.

The accreditation will be valid for three years from the date of issue.

The Accreditation Application Flow

The entire accreditation application process takes around four to six weeks. 

Stage 1: Organization Details

Stage 2: Program Details

Stage 3: Instructor Details

Stage 4: Terms and Conditions

Following a successful review, you’ll receive an email notification confirming your IMC accreditation status and a media kit to display your accreditation.

Please feel free to contact us for any further clarification

FAQs

  • Ulaanbaatar
  • Darkhan
  • Erdenet

Mongolia is steadily growing with the right infusion of mentoring as part of its national policy. Many internationally-backed large-scale programs that target young entrepreneurs, women and rural communities have been instrumental in transforming the nation’s economic landscape. The International Mentoring Center acts as the gatekeeper that ensures that only the highest global standards are adopted in the nation in line with the IMC Code of Ethics, IMC Core Competencies and IMC Definition of Mentoring.

Yes, very much. A genuine mentoring program that fulfils the IMC Definition of Mentoring, IMC Core Competencies (at least 3) and the IMC Code of Conduct & Ethics is eligible for accreditation. Any other secondary requirements will be communicated during the application process. Know more at https://bit.ly/4qSjszJ 

  • 20 Mentor Development Credits (MDC)
  • 5 mentoring supervision sessions every year and declare the supervisor’s information in the application
  • $149 USD Renewal fee 
  • Mandatory active membership to renew the credential.
  • A vibrant global community of ambitious professionals
  • Exclusive resources, including training modules and toolkits
  • Invitations to inspiring events and webinars
  • Priority access to IMC publications, news, and updates
  • A membership badge for global recognition
  • Listing in the IMC Member Directory
  • Eligibility for IMC Awards and recognition
  • Networking opportunities with global leaders

The IMC digital badge showcases the skills and qualifications you’ve earned as an esteemed member or mentor of the IMC community.

Irrespective of your location in Mongolia, you can become a member of the International Mentoring Center by doing the following:

  1. Click JOIN NOW on IMC website
  2. Create an account
  3. Complete the application form after verification
  4. Authorize the system to process your payment
  5. IMC will issue your membership badge once your payment confirmation is received. 

This can be renewed annually.

Join IMC Mongolia