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Up to 2.5 Billion People Need Glasses: Can This Hardware Innovation Deliver?
Roughly 25 percent of the global population needs glasses, but lacks access. The problem isn't cost: Affordable glasses are readily available in emerging markets. What's lacking are trained eye care specialists. The social startup PlenOptika is tackling that issue with a device called the QuickSee: a binocular-sized autorefractor that non-specialists can use to scan a patient’s eyes and produce an eyeglass prescription within seconds. Paul Scott, director of engineering for ASME, discusses the innovation, and the challenges and rewards of running a social hardware startup.
- Categories
- Health Care, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Cutting Edge Agriculture: How Artificial Intelligence, Satellites and Big Data are Transforming Farmers’ Access to Finance
There are many reasons for the $450 billion global agricultural finance gap. But much of the challenge stems from lenders' inability to monitor farmers' output, estimate their income and assess their risk of default, says Ruchit G Garg of Harvesting Inc. He explores how artificial intelligence and satellites are addressing that data imbalance, helping lenders reach many of the world’s 500 million smallholder farmers for the first time.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology, Telecommunications
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Hardware Innovation is … Hard: How These Entrepreneurs Overcame the Challenges
Compared with the creators of app-based products, hardware-focused innovators face a much more difficult and expensive journey, says Villgro CTO Arun Venkatesan. The resources and time required to perfect hardware iterations are larger, the lack of a mature ecosystem is a problem, and the buyer is often distinctly different from the user or beneficiary. Venkatesan profiles four hardware innovators in agriculture and health care, discussing how they worked through these obstacles.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Health Care, Investing, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Bringing Technology to Microfinance in the Age of Data Scandals: European Microfinance Award Seeks Solutions
Fintech advances are often heralded for bringing financially excluded people into the mainstream. But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent appearance before Congress is a stark reminder of the need for protection from – along with access to – technology. This year's European Microfinance Award is seeking organizations whose tech-enabled financial solutions place client protection at the forefront.
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- Finance, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Bending the Arc of Humanity – Effective Development of Exponential Technologies to Serve Mankind
Exponential technologies such as big data, the internet of things and artificial intelligence can transform lives in poor countries. But Akhtar Badshah – who led Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts for 10 years – highlights some risks alongside that potential. The main question, he says, is how to bridge the gap between those who quickly benefit from these technologies, and those who are left behind.
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- Social Enterprise, Technology
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Tackling Poverty Close to Home: Why Acumen is Boosting Financial Health in the U.S.
More than 40 million Americans live below the poverty line, and a majority live paycheck to paycheck. That's why, after nearly two decades and over $110 million of impact investments in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Acumen has expanded its focus to include the United States. Amon Anderson and Sarah Willis discuss how Acumen America, through its financial inclusion portfolio supported by MetLife Foundation, aims to build a future where low-income Americans enjoy stability, protection and prosperity.
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- Finance, Investing, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Sick of Fundraising? This Tool Makes it Easier for Social Entrepreneurs to Find Opportunities
Fundraising. Just about every social entrepreneur loathes it. The drudgery of seeking out the right partner, in the right sector, at just the right time is a key reason why. Sweta Govani details the Global Innovation Exchange, a new type of technology platform that's being launched this week to help social entrepreneurs cut down on the grunt work and fundraise more effectively.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Social Enterprise, Technology
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From All-Inclusive to Socially Inclusive: Travel and Tourism’s Big Shift is Under Way
Tourism is one of the world's largest industries – but how can it best be leveraged to move nations from poverty to prosperity? That was a key question at the recent "Global Conference on Jobs & Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism," organized in Jamaica by the UN's World Tourism Organization. NextBillion was a media partner at the conference, and we share some major themes (and a few controversial remarks) ranging from the impact of the sharing economy and Airbnb, to the problems with building "five-star hotels in three-star communities."
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
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