ASI can offer products spanning from the simple consultancy work, to the full packaging of integrated programs and investments in the industrial and infrastructure sectors. In particular:

(i) Public-Private Partnerships

Organization of participation to tender processes for commercial scale industrial and energy ventures:
ASI experts offer world-wide experience in this sector, with a particular focus on BOT/BOOT/DBO infrastructure projects. ASI has recently led a pool of Italian and Jordan investors to win over 10 competing Consortia, the bid for the first hazardous wastes incinerator project in Jordan (entailing an investment of 28 million Euro, and export of electricity to the national grid). ASI involvement has also been instrumental to assemble another investors pool pre-qualified for another similar and larger project in Abu Dhabi. ASI is currently leading international investors to compete in initiatives concerning electricity production from renewable energies (particularly wind and mini-hydro), biogas recovery and utilization from landfills and slaughters houses, value added initiatives to utilize waste waters from olive oil production.

Small/medium-size energy production from biomasses:
ASI can design, invest in, implement and operate BOT/BOOT projects, for the delivery of electricity to the local distributor under concession agreements. Such approaches aim at empowering rural populations and supporting economic development at local levels. A specific area of ASI BOT/BOOT activity is the delivery, operation (10 years) and transfer (to governments or their designated institutions, free of charge) of power plants based on biomasses, with associated production of bio-fuels and heat/refrigeration suitable for agriculture production (drying of products, conservation, etc.) ASI projects are based on proven processes, state-of-the- art technology, and simple maintenance requirements.

Small-scale renewable energy for local communities: ASI has assembled a network of partner firms specialized in several renewable energy sub-sectors. Through such partnership, ASI can identify, design and implement modules for villages integrating various types of renewable energy sources (based on solar, wind, vegetable oil, mini-hydro) to support a broad range of services, for instance the purification of drinking water or desalination of sea water for coastal villages, electricity production to operate health facilities, telecom micro-systems, cold storages for foods conservation, street lightning etc., the combination of various modules being dependent on the specificity of the local situation. Special modules have been developed for locations, such as islands or remote areas, totally deprived of other sources of energy.

(ii) Consultancy Services

Consultancy work on policy/strategy definition:
ASI formulates policy/strategy studies on private sector and SMEs development, for instance on trade and export, regional and sectoral industrial integration, competitiveness enhancement, etc.. ASI can evaluate and monitor the impact of donors operational portfolio. ASI experts have carried out policy/strategy studies on selected sectors in U.S.A., Poland, Cina, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and nearly all Sub-Saharan Africa countries.

Execution of bankable feasibility studies:
ASI has strong, world-wide expertise on the preparation of industrial feasibility studies (involving the analysis of the technical, commercial, financial, environmental and legal dimensions) in a broad range of sectors, such as infrastructure, finance, extractive industries, manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, etc.. A common feature of these studies is their bankability, i.e. the definition of those conditions necessary to secure financing from banking institutions.

(iii) Innovative Programs for Small Business Development

ASI formulates at the national, sub-national or local level, integrated programs to assist specific SME clientele, particularly vulnerable groups such as youths, women entrepreneurs, start-ups, etc. ASI promotes various instruments, such as business incubators, to assist new, young entrepreneurs, and can adapt such approach to a broad range of local situations through PPP models. Some examples of ASI programs for SMEs are given below:

1. Remittances programs centered on the collaboration of commercial financial institutions to facilitate consumer and investment lending to emigrants and their families. Initiatives are particularly suitable in countries with high percentage of emigrants, such as Philippines, Cape Verde, Eritrea, etc.
   
   
2. Women entrepreneurs programs, integrating technical, financial and market assistance and strengthening associative capacity. Initiatives have been conceptualized and developed for women entrepreneurs in Kenya, Cameroon, Egypt, etc.
   
   
3. Youths' first business programs, combining various instruments, including business incubators, sub-contracting, etc. These programs have also been designed to revitalize economically stagnant areas.
   
   
4. Cultural Heritage programs linking the valorization of historical/cultural patrimony to the development of business for local communities.
   
   
5. Mutual guarantee schemes to enable SMEs associations to facilitate access to commercial credits for their members.
   
   
6. Franchising programs to strengthen the technology transfer and survival rate of new business at start.
   
   
7. Technology transfer programs based on international partnerships among SMEs associations/federations.
   
   
8. ICT programs developing specialized software for SMEs associations and operators.
   
   
9. Fair Trade financial schemes.
   
   

A specific ASI focus is the definition of SME programs which rapidly become self-sustainable. In this context, the usually limited equity contribution by sponsors represents a constraint to achieve a balanced financial structure of new small enterprises. ASI has developed specific, original approaches to overcome the equity-at-start issue and can offer a range of solutions tailored to the specific local socio-economic context.