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How to Build an Impact Industry: Four Strategies from the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
Almost 3 billion people worldwide cook with materials that are inefficient, unsustainable and polluting. Since 2010, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves has sought to make clean stoves and fuels commonplace across the developing world, by building an industry that could deliver this vision. Colm Fay and Ted London at the William Davidson Institute share insights from the Alliance's efforts to catalyze this new industry, breaking down four key stages of acceleration and their lessons for other impact-based accelerators.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
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Looking for Funds in All the Wrong Places: The Single Biggest Thing Social Entrepreneurs Misunderstand About Investors
Social entrepreneurs often feel like they have to compromise or downplay their missions in order to appeal to profit-hungry investors. But that's not the case, says investment consultant Jenny Kassan, as investors don't always fit the stereotype of a "middle-aged white man in a suit" seeking a fast, lucrative exit. She explores a vast, under-recognized source of investment capital that entrepreneurs can tap – one that actually prefers businesses with a social focus.
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- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Refrigeration Off the Grid: An Innovative Solution to Food Spoilage for the Billions Without Electricity
Home refrigerators, essential appliances in much of the world, remain out of reach to over one billion people who, as social entrepreneur Quang Truong puts it, must plan their lives around eating rather than vice versa. Without access to reliable grid energy, families are not just inconvenienced – they’re also contributing to climate change as their rotting foods emit greenhouse gasses. In this post, part of our “Offline Innovation” series, Truong puts the spotlight on his Fenik Yuma cooler, which solves this dilemma through low-tech evaporative cooling.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise, Technology
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The Blockchain Experiments Have Begun: Here’s What They Could Yield for Business and Development
The buzz around blockchain is loud. But despite the widespread attention the tech has generated, it has yet to live up to its potential to make a major impact in low- and middle-income countries, according to Akhtar Badshah of Catalytic Innovators Group. Badshah profiles blockchain success stories from the for-profit, social enterprise and development sectors alike, arguing that if more organizations would give the tech a chance, they (and their beneficiaries) could tap into its great potential.
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- Technology
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Your Official SOCAP18 Conference Preview – And Last Chance Discount
SOCAP, one of the premier events centered on mobilizing capital for impactful social and environmental change, is right around the corner. Set for Oct. 23-26, 2018 in San Francisco, SOCAP18 is expected to draw thousands of participants and will feature over 500 speakers from the professional impact sphere. In a preview of what's on tap, SOCAP CEO Lindsay Smalling has details on the discussions, a reconfigured format and a special last chance discount for NextBillion readers. And NextBillion will be giving away a FREE ticket to the event to one lucky reader of our weekly e-newsletter next week - subscribe by 12:00 pm EDT Wednesday, Sept. 19 for your chance to win!
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Mission Impossible? How Large Asset Managers Can Avoid ‘Mission Drift’
In recent years, an increasing number of large asset managers have entered the impact investing arena. But many of them still focus mainly on financial returns, failing to develop a truly “impact first” approach. Florian Kemmerich of Bamboo Capital explores three ways large asset managers can deliver legitimate impact, while reducing the risk of possible mission drift.
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- Impact Assessment, Investing
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India’s Impact Capital Vacuum – And What to Do About It
Impact investments in India grew by double digits between 2010 and 2016, and are expected to reach US $8 billion by 2025. But the on-the-ground reality is not so rosy. Investors are flocking to financial services and larger-scale companies, while early-stage enterprises and impact sectors such as agriculture, health care and clean energy face a funding gap. While there is no secret sauce for changing this dynamic, Gagandeep Bakshi and Sameer Gaud at Intellecap offer five guiding principles to help social enterprises with successful fundraising.
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- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Collaboration for Impact: The 2018 Edition of SEEP’s Annual Conference
The SEEP Network's flagship event is less than a month away. The theme of this year's conference, "Collaboration for Impact," will highlight the importance of multi-sector changemaking and empower attendees with the insights needed to take their impact to the next level. The event will feature informative breakout sessions and prominent contributing orgs like Grameen Foundation, USAID and BRAC. Read more in this preview from SEEP program associate Mashal Amjad, including information on how you could win a free ticket from NextBillion.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise