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Rethinking our Approach to Multilateral Collaboration: Why it’s Time to Give the Philanthropic and Private Sectors an Equal Seat at the Table
With only 17% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on track, doubts are growing about the effectiveness of the world's current approach to multilateral collaboration. As Simon Sommer at the Jacobs Foundation and Dina Ghobashy at Microsoft argue, part of the problem is that businesses and philanthropic organizations are rarely viewed — or treated — as equal partners of international institutions and national governments in pursuing development goals. They propose a new approach to multilateralism, based on greater cohesion between the public, private and non-profit sectors.
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The Problem with ‘Forced Entrepreneurship’: How Universities — and Venture Capitalists — are Failing Climate Tech Innovators
Universities are increasingly positioning themselves as hubs of business innovation, and as Emre Eren Korkmaz at the University of Oxford explains, their support has become an important driver of climate tech innovation. But he argues that universities’ "one size fits all" approach to supporting these innovators is fundamentally flawed, prioritizing the pathway to entrepreneurship — and the demands of venture capitalists — rather than empowering true innovation. He explores the problem and highlights some alternative approaches.
- Categories
- Education, Environment, Investing, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Supporting the Resilience of Small Businesses in India: The Value of Flexible Funding During a Crisis
Over 122 million people in India lost their jobs during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in April of 2020, and small traders and wage workers accounted for around 75% of those job losses. Amit Choudhary at Upaya Social Ventures explores how Upaya pivoted to support small businesses during that challenging time, discussing the evolving funding strategies it used — and how these approaches can provide a model for the broader impact investing sector during periods of crisis.
- Categories
- Investing
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An Under-Recognized Obstacle to Solar Access in Africa: The Impact of Foreign Exchange Risk — And How to Mitigate It
Solar energy businesses are rapidly gaining traction in Africa, driving economic growth, improving living standards and supporting the transition to a low-carbon future. But Yariv Cohen at Ignite Power highlights an under-recognized barrier facing the sector: foreign exchange risks. He explores the impacts that volatile exchange rates can have on two common types of solar projects in Africa, and shares some of the strategies that have emerged to mitigate these risks.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology
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Funding the Fight Against the World’s Oldest Fuel Source: How New Financing Mechanisms in Clean Cooking Can Succeed Where Grants Have Failed
The use of biomass fuel for cooking has remained consistent over the centuries, despite the development sector's efforts to scale global access to clean cookstoves. As Paul Ronalds at Save the Children Global Ventures argues, a key reason for this failure is the estimated $5.5 billion annual funding gap facing clean cooking initiatives — a gap that traditional sources of finance, like private donations and government grants, have been unable to fill. He discusses several funding solutions, including carbon credits, that could help the clean cooking sector finally end the era of biomass fuel.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology
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Replacing Old Technologies or Creating New Markets?: The Pros and Cons of Two Paths to Impact for Productive Use of Energy
Productive use of energy (PUE) technologies have the potential to unlock higher incomes and reduce reliance on more costly, non-renewable energy sources in rural and low-income communities. Dan Waldron, Chris Emmott, Yash Vardhan Gaddhyan and Ruth Wairimu at Acumen discuss the advantages and disadvantages of two different paths to impact for PUE: replacing inefficient, fossil fuel-based incumbent technologies, vs. disrupting entire markets with innovative PUE approaches.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology, Transportation
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Solving the Funding Challenges of Indian MSMEs: The Advantages of Founder-Friendly Non-Dilutive Financing
About 30% of India’s GDP is generated by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which provide jobs for more than 110 million people and account for around 50% of the country’s exports. But as Bhavik Vasa at GetVantage points out, a drop in private equity and venture capital investments has led many of these entrepreneurs to shift towards more founder-friendly types of non-dilutive capital. He discusses the funding challenges facing Indian MSMEs, and why alternative forms of non-dilutive financing are uniquely suited to these businesses' needs.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
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Accelerating the Adoption of Inclusive Business Models in Multinational Corporations: Challenges, Solutions and Success Stories
Over two decades ago, C.K. Prahalad and Stuart L. Hart challenged the private sector to tap into “the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid” by developing business models that serve people living in poverty. As Annabel Beales at Business Fights Poverty explains, this vision has gained traction under the mantle of inclusive business — yet adoption of these business models remains low among large corporations. She explores why accelerating this adoption is crucial to eliminating poverty and addressing the other SDGs, and shares three key lessons that show how inclusive business can be operationalized by large corporations.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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