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The Least Sexy Approach to Development: Why We Need to Focus on Systems Change
Even within the systems-change sector, people joke that it is one of the least “sexy” facets of development work. Focused on addressing the faults in social, economic and political systems that lead to problems like poverty, the approach can be overwhelmingly complex, which has limited its widespread implementation. But as Lexi Doolittle at S3IDF explains, a market-based approach that nudges these systems towards greater inclusivity and productivity is a vital tool to catalyze social change – one that we cannot afford to overlook.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise, Uncategorized
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Education Without Borders: Helping Promising International Students Gain Access to U.S. Universities
Access to American higher education should not be determined by where someone was born, but rather by their merit and potential, argues Joel Frisch of Prodigy Finance. However, financing still hinges on an applicant’s assets and home country – creating barriers for many students in emerging markets. With a model based on impact investing, Frisch describes how Prodigy is helping students get a U.S. education, while helping investors get both social and financial returns.
- Categories
- Education
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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.
- Categories
- Technology
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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.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Symbiotic and Strategic: Why Businesses Should Embrace Nonprofit Partnerships
Imagine losing your sight. Now imagine losing your sight in one of the poorest regions in the world. With few quality eye doctors, hospitals or clinics, your chances of getting quality care would be small, and your opportunities to get an education or earn a steady income would slowly evaporate. Orbis CEO Bob Ranck explores how for-profit partners are helping his nonprofit tackle this issue - and why this sort of partnership makes good economic and business sense for both sides.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Tags
- nonprofits, partnerships
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Moving Past Microfinance: How India’s Small Finance Banks Aim to Take Financial Inclusion to the Next Level
The proliferation of microfinance in India has been a double-edged sword: On the one hand, MFIs have reached customers that most mainstream banks have overlooked. On the other, a lack of clear regulation and oversight has had devastating consequences for some borrowers. But regulators have responded with a new category of financial institution, the “small finance bank.” Andreas Nilsson and Nina Freudenberg of Sonanz explore the evolution of these institutions and whether a wider range of products could also mean deeper social impact.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
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Power Play: Can Energy Access Entrepreneurs Survive the Relentless March of Grid Electricity in India?
Despite the dubious claims from the Modi administration that India has electrified every village in the country, the march to extend grid infrastructure continues unabated. So where does that leave energy access enterprises? Ananth Aravamudan, Renewable Energy lead at Villgro, explores how these firms can find creative new ways to stay relevant.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
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Why ‘Chat Banking’ is the Future of Financial Services in Africa
WhatsApp alone reports that users send 65 billion messages per day. Yet, despite the continued growth of messaging apps and changing user behavior, very little has been done to integrate financial services into the messaging experience. Sidharth Garg, founder and CEO of Teller, recently returned from East Africa, where he researched user behavior as it relates to mobile money, mobile phone use and communication preferences. He sees a vast opportunity in integrating banking, payments and mobile money features into messaging apps. He thinks now is the time to invest in those integrating technologies, and that Africa may be the place.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Tags
- digital finance, fintech