More than 600 small businesses across the South Pacific, including PNG, have been supported through the YES Grow Business Development Training program, a flagship partnership between BSP Financial Group Limited and Australian Business Volunteers (ABV).
The milestone was celebrated on Wednesday 4th February, 2026, with the graduation of the 2025 YES GROW cohort, celebrating 19 Papua New Guinean entrepreneurs who successfully completed the six-month business development program.
The YES GROW (Your Enterprise Scheme) program begins with an intensive week of business development training, followed by personalized coaching and mentoring designed to strengthen participants’ commercial capability, resilience, and long-term business vision.
BSP Group Chief Executive Officer, Mark Robinson, said that together with ABV, the program has supported 602 small businesses across the South Pacific, including 402 in Papua New Guinea alone.
“This brings alive BSP’s purpose—to Champion Prosperity in the South Pacific—by developing business skills that directly create employment and change lives. While much attention is placed on large-scale projects in PNG, small and medium-sized businesses are the lifeblood of the economy and deserve equal focus and support. This is one of the key reasons BSP launched its dedicated Business Bank in April last year, under the leadership of Raymond Logona,” Mr Robinson said.
Since its inception eight years ago, YES GROW has expanded from Papua New Guinea into BSP markets in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, with confirmed plans to launch in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in 2026.
“It’s incredibly inspiring to see the individuals participating in the program—both tonight’s graduates and alumni from previous cohorts. YES GROW is more than a training initiative; it is a movement. It builds capability, confidence, and community among entrepreneurs, empowering them with the tools they need to succeed,” he added.
BSP acknowledged the contribution of Australian
Business Volunteers, along with the volunteers, coaches, and mentors who deliver the program across the region.
ABV Chief Partnership Officer, David Faulmann, said the program continues to highlight the determination of local entrepreneurs.
“The YES GROW program demonstrates the power of committed local business owners, with women and men across PNG showing relentless dedication to building stronger, more resilient enterprises. ABV is proud to partner with BSP on a program that unlocks opportunity, strengthens communities, and proves what’s possible when skills, ambition, and the right support come together,” he added.
Looking ahead, BSP reaffirmed its commitment to the partnership, with four YES GROW training cycles planned this year in Lae, Mt Hagen, and Buka, alongside the establishment of a Regional YES GROW Alumni Development Program across PNG and the Pacific.