Over the past decade, Ecuador has suffered major natural disasters, hyperinflation, the collapse of the banking sector, and several coups. Its economy is largely dependent on the export of oil and on money transfers from Ecuadorians working abroad. In spite of recent efforts to stabilize the economy, unemployment levels remain high, and a third of the population lives below the poverty line. To improve the quality of life for Ecuadoreans at the bottom of the economic pyramid, TechnoServe, with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank and SABMiller through its subsidiary Cervecería Nacional, is introducing its successful business plan competition model. The program will help the country's nascent entrepreneurs turn good ideas into thriving small and medium businesses that generate jobs and markets while also increasing the supply of high-quality, affordable goods and services. The emphasis will be on businesses in the fields of energy, food, health, housing, basic services and information technology.