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The Emergence of Tokenisation in Microfinance: How this Blockchain-Based Technology is Driving Faster Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs In Emerging Markets
Tokenisation — the process of leveraging blockchain to create digital tokens that represent real-world assets — is gaining significant momentum, with some estimating that it could become a $3.8 trillion market by 2030. According to Michele Mattioda at Mikro Kapital, the microfinance industry — and the small and medium enterprises it supports — have a lot to gain from the tokenisation wave. He explores how tokenisation is gradually making inroads into the sector, and discusses Mikro Kapital's experience launching the market’s first tokenised bonds to raise proceeds for microfinance institutions.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
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Revitalizing Off-Grid Solar: Why Africa’s PAYGo Sector is Ready for a New Dawn
Africa's off-grid solar sector, particularly pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar, has passed through a period of disillusionment among investors, as profitability has remained elusive. But as Chris Emmott at Acumen, Audrey Desiderato at Mirova and Bankole Cardoso at Delta40 Venture Studio argue, the sector nevertheless stands on the cusp of becoming a mature industry with real and sustainable impact. They explain why they remain optimistic about the future of PAYGo solar as impact investors, and why it's time for honest conversations and compromise from all stakeholders — including companies and their investors — about how the industry can move into the next stage of its development.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance, Investing, Technology
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Gender Incentives in Climate Finance: Doubling Down on Proven Approaches During Uncertain Times
With the endpoint of the SDGs just five years away, multiple factors have combined to undercut gender and climate-focused funding in several key global economies. Edward T. Jackson, Yiagadeesen Samy and Katie Turner argue that gender incentives in climate finance offer an effective solution to this dual challenge. They explore how these incentives can boost the supply of affordable, renewable energy, while improving wages and economic autonomy for women workers — and they argue that if there were ever a time to double down on this approach, it is now.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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The Global Aid Industry is Repeating the Mistakes that Caused the 2008 Financial Crisis: A Warning from a Former Leader at Lehman Brothers
In 2008, the failure of a single institution, Lehman Brothers, triggered a global financial crisis — not because of Lehman alone, but because of the unseen interdependencies that held the world’s financial system together. According to David Davies at AgUnity, a leader at Lehman Brothers during the 2008 crisis, America is in the process of making the same catastrophic mistake in global aid. He explains why the collapse of USAID threatens to bring down the deeply interconnected global aid system, impacting hundreds of millions of people — and urges private foundations, philanthropists and impact investors to step up.
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Lessons from a Decade of Investing in a Frontier Market: What Impact Investors Can Learn from Nepal’s First International Private Equity Fund
Over a decade ago, the first international private equity and impact fund dedicated to Nepal – Dolma Impact Fund — was launched. As Tim Gocher at Dolma Fund Management explains, in those days it was rare for Nepalese companies to receive any foreign direct investment, let alone institutional private equity or impact capital. He discusses the challenges Dolma experienced in bringing private equity investment to Nepal, and shares key lessons for other impact investors looking to enter frontier markets.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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It’s Time to Talk about Founder Wellbeing in Africa: A Landmark Survey Highlights the Need for Greater Support
The pressure of building a successful business takes a mental, emotional and physical toll on entrepreneurs, and this can affect their business outcomes if they don’t make their own wellbeing a priority. Yet as Stella Klemperer at Flourish Ventures argues, the topic of founder wellbeing has not been given the attention it deserves. She shares insights from the first large-scale survey of entrepreneurs’ journey and wellbeing in Africa, including nearly 200 startup founders across 13 countries. As she explains, this research shows why supporting entrepreneurs' wellbeing is a strategic imperative for investors, founders and other stakeholders.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing, research, startups
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Tapping the Potential of Catalytic Carbon Finance: Could This Collaborative Approach Unlock Scale in Africa’s Off-Grid Solar Sector?
Addressing Africa's growing demand for reliable, renewable energy is essential for the continent's sustainable economic development. But as Peter Simiyu at EcoSecurities explains, despite Africa's ample clean energy resources, just 2% of renewable energy investments have been channelled to the region in the past decade. He explores how an innovative approach to catalytic carbon finance could help provide the funding businesses need to kick-start off-grid power deployment, enabling Africa to lead the global shift toward clean energy.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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Africa’s Startups Need Patient Capital: Could the African Diaspora Help Provide it?
African startup funding amounts to a tiny fraction of global venture capital (VC), and these investments are often concentrated on sectors like fintech and e-commerce. As a result, as Kristin H. Wilson at Innovate Africa Fund argues, African founders often lack the capital and incentive to tackle the continent’s biggest development challenges. She proposes a new approach to funding innovative African-made solutions to these issues — one that leverages the capital and entrepreneurial expertise of the African diaspora.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing
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