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2020 Will See Mass Market Adoption of Financial Inclusion. Here’s Why.
For many years financial inclusion has been considered a social initiative, part of corporations’ “doing good” role. But according to Josh Gosliner at Juvo, it’s becoming clear that there has to be a bottom-line incentive for companies to direct the necessary resources to the problem. He explores three trends, powered by the emergence of digital technology and big data, that promise to generate transformative business opportunities in financial inclusion in the coming year.
- Categories
- Finance
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Filling the Funding Gap: Two Innovative Ways to Improve Financing Opportunities for Social Impact Entrepreneurs
Social entrepreneurs often struggle to scale their enterprises because of difficulties accessing tailor-made capital. According to Carola Schwank at Siemens Stiftung's empowering people.Network, this is often due to a clear mismatch in pairing up social entrepreneurs and impact investors. She explores two key solutions to this crucial challenge, featured in Siemens Stiftung's “Innovative Financing for Social Entrepreneurs” report.
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- Entrepreneurship, Investing
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Lighting the Way: How the PAYGo Solar Industry is Expanding to Other Life-Changing Products
Millions of customers in Africa are using lighting generated by PAYGo solar – but lights are just one of many products the PAYGo business model can provide – something the companies working in the sector are beginning to realize. Chris Emmott at Fenix International discusses the vast array of products and services enabled by the new connections PAYGo solar companies are making to rural customers.
- Categories
- Energy
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When Inclusion is Not Inclusive: What Needs to Change to Achieve Meaningful Financial Inclusion for Women
India has achieved impressive growth in women's financial inclusion — recent statistics show that 79% of the country's women are financially included. But according to analysts at MSC, there are troubling questions about whether these women are truly benefiting from their newfound financial access. They discuss why financial inclusion often fails to impact female customers, and how viewing financial services for women through the lens of gender centrality could help.
- Categories
- Finance
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Is Vertical Integration Good or Bad for Off-Grid Energy Access? Let’s Get Specific
Pay-as-you-go off-grid energy business models are often vertically integrated, including elements of manufacturing, distribution, consumer financing, payment collection and after-sales service. But some believe it's more cost-effective to outsource many of these aspects of the business model to service providers. Paul Clyde and Colm Fay at WDI argue that vertical integration is neither inherently good, nor bad: They explore its history, and its advantages and disadvantages for the nascent off-grid energy industry.
- Categories
- Energy, Entrepreneurship
