A 4-month, need-based technical support initiative to advance early-stage agribusinesses to new heights through hands-on mentorship
days of hands-on mentorship and support
inspiring agribusinesses
About Accelerating ACT
Accelerating ACT provided hands-on support to four early-stage agribusiness startups to tackle their critical business challenges. The model was simple: a total of 100 days of our team’s one-on-one mentorship and help to four teams over four months. Our overall mission was to strengthen their business viability and operational strength. At a deeper level, this meant listening deeply, building trust, and going beneath the surface to resolve some of their long-simmering challenges.
Our in-house team of mentors helped the entrepreneurs enhance their team collaboration, refine product positioning, conduct market research, develop marketing strategies, recruit new talent, and much more! By providing need-based, trust-based support, we were able to build the entrepreneurs’ confidence and motivation to continue making an impact in Cambodia’s agribusiness sector.
ADSA
About the business: ADSA is a platform distributing local vegetables, fruits and other safe products via its online channel and physical store. ADSA is known for the quality of its products, responsible and quick service, and supporting local farmers and communities.
Some of the areas we helped with:
- Market research and positioning
- Business model and product offering refinement
- Team dynamics and leadership team alignment
“This is exactly what new startup founders need. It is a great opportunity for us to learn through action, expand our network, and more importantly, learn from the real challenges. We need to be certain that our startup’s direction, team capacity, skills, access to market, and stakeholders align with our business model. This hands-on support program was incredibly helpful and such a valuable lesson for me. It gave me the confidence to believe in my startup’s vision and the motivation to make it sustainable.”
– Hean Pheap, ADSA
PrekSvay
About the business: PrekSvay began its journey by supporting local farmers in raising chickens. However, due to climatic constraints, they pivoted their operations towards cattle farming, and then started producing high-quality vermicompost, a natural fertilizer that nourishes the soil and reduces reliance on chemical inputs.
Some of the areas we helped with:
- Brand development and marketing strategy
- Staff training in digital tools and online marketing
- Connections with potential buyers and partners
“[The Impact Hub Phnom Penh team] were more than mentors. They were like my business’s lifeline. They trained my team to work on design branding for our bag packaging, how to design visual content on Canva, how to manage social media, and many other things that we usually struggle to do. It was not just practical support that stood out — it was the warmth and care they brought. My team and I felt safe having them be there with us by giving technical and emotional support when we needed it. This made me feel secure that at least I have a group of heroes coming to help my business and I am not alone during challenging times.”
– Saosarin Eve, PrekSvay
Phallchangrit (PCr.)
About the business: Phallchangrit (PCr.) produces low-cost, nutrient-rich cricket feed, and raises crickets to create a range of high-quality products — from fresh crickets to cricket powder and snacks. Plus, they also produce natural fertilizer from cricket waste!
Some of the areas we helped with:
- New product development and strategic priorities
- Recruitment of new staff
- Leadership, marketing, and market research training for staff
“I was stressed about finding the new team members that we needed until this program. [The Impact Hub Phnom Penh team] helped us announce the job recruitment, share it with their networks, and help handle the selection process, and interview stage. Thanks to their support, we managed to onboard four interns to work with us. Just six months ago, our 2024 annual work plan of Phallchangrit had yet to be implemented at all because we did not have enough staff to help execute and fulfill it. However, in the last six months, we have completed those plans, even ahead of our goal, after the addition of our new team members!”
– Miech Phalla, Phallchangrit
Hattha Neary
About the business: Hattha Neary supports local farmers in Cambodia by collecting the season’s best harvest from small-scale farms and carefully hand-processing and packing it with eco-friendly and handmade packaging.
Some of the areas we helped with:
- Leadership, talent management, and recruitment
- Branding and marketing
- Connections to potential sales outlets, buyers, and marketing partners
“As a woman entrepreneur, I have been lost in having no one behind me to support me. I usually deal with my own thoughts, struggle to make my own decisions, and I am sometimes scared of taking the next step forward. Then I joined this support program. I gained a lot of heartwarming support from Impact Hub Phnom Penh. Having a group of experts behind you giving you emotional support and guiding you is the most grateful experience I could ever ask for. The Impact Hub Phnom Penh team were literally there behind me and showing the trust they had in me. This brought me a sense of confidence and powered me forward to take on the next challenge.”
– Pheap Sothon, Hattha Neary
“More valuable than helping with money”
Twenty days of support — and countless stories of inspiration, challenge, and breakthrough. If you want to keep learning more about what the Accelerating ACT program was all about, check out our story about the digital agriculture startup ADSA, and our partnership over the course of the program.
Our Partners
