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NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Contributor.

Rob Katz

After co-founding NextBillion.net and spending 8-plus years working at the intersection of business and international development, Rob Katz is currently pursuing a MBA at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

 

Prior to Stanford, Rob was Acumen Fund’s Knowledge Manager, leading Acumen’s efforts to understand where markets work –and where they don’t – in terms of solving the problems of poverty. Most recently, he co-authored From Blueprint to Scale: The Case for Philanthropy in Impact Investing(Monitor Group and Acumen Fund, 2012.) In addition to writing reports, he was responsible for applied research and writing efforts across the firm; he also oversaw Acumen’s knowledge management systems.Rob joined Acumen Fund in 2008, managing online communications as well as knowledge before shifting full time into applied research work.

 

Before Acumen Fund, Rob worked with the Markets and Enterprise Program of the World Resources Institute, where he began his career researching, writing and speaking about “base of the pyramid” business approaches to poverty alleviation. At WRI, he co-founded www.NextBillion.net, a web site and blog about enterprise and development, and co-authored The Next 4 Billion: Market Size and Business Strategy at the Base of the Pyramid (IFC and WRI, 2007).

 

Here at NextBillion, Rob is both a member of our Advisory Board and a contributor to the blog.

 

Rob earned his B.A. in Political Economy from Georgetown University.

 

Follow Rob on Twitter @robertkatz.

 

Articles by Rob Katz

  • Wednesday
    November 8
    2006

    Rob Katz

    The Economics of Remittances

    Over at Marginal Revolution, Tyler Cowen has written a long and worthwhile piece on the economics of remittances. This is must-read stuff for any of us who have been following the recent debates in the press (and on this site) about remittances and development. The comments are already flying...

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    Uncategorized

  • Wednesday
    November 8
    2006

    Rob Katz

    Zambia Journal: No Risk, No Reward

    Guest blogger Brian McBrearity will be reporting from time to time about his experiences working in Zambia on SME and financial services development. His Zambia Journal posts will appear about once a week here on NextBillion.net. This is the third in the series; read his previous posts here...

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    Uncategorized

  • Monday
    November 6
    2006

    Rob Katz

    Remittances in Development Online Discussion

    As you probably know, we’ve been following the recent flurry of news stories about remittances for development quite closely.? NextBillion staff writer and DTE deputy director Bill Kramer has written a series of blog posts outlining what he feels is being done well and what’s been done...

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  • Monday
    November 6
    2006

    Rob Katz

    Tech Firms See Next Billion Users, Customers

    Friday’s Wall Street Journal featured a front-section story, Tech Firms Woo Next Billion Users (subscription required), describing the aggressive BOP strategies of tech firms Intel and Microsoft. In it, we learn that Microsoft is rolling out 50,000 entrepreneur-run computer kiosks...

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  • Friday
    November 3
    2006

    Rob Katz

    Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group

    It is a familiar story: post-college volunteer (Peace Corps, etc.) returns from the developing world with a desire to help the community in which he or she has been staying.? The subsequent projects are also familiar ? they often involve selling local handicrafts to first-world markets, or...

    Categories
    Education
    Tags
    academia

  • Thursday
    November 2
    2006

    Rob Katz

    Proverbs at Work: From Burnt-Out Shells to Coffee Machines

    While it may seem clich?, I?ve always enjoyed the proverb advising that “when life deals you lemons, make lemonade.” The phrase was my first thought when I saw a recent story out of Ethiopia about Azmarew Zeleke?s burgeoning coffee business; in this case, replace...

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    Uncategorized

  • Tuesday
    October 31
    2006

    Rob Katz

    Hunter Lovins, Maria Otero, and Product RED: NetImpact 2006

    Sheri Willoughby is a Senior Manager in the Markets and Enterprise Program at WRI. She holds an MS in chemistry from University of California San Diego and a MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. Where do MBA students and alumni go to get inspired,...

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  • Monday
    October 30
    2006

    Rob Katz

    Zambia Journal: Industry Woes

    Guest blogger Brian McBrearity will be reporting from time to time about his experiences working in Zambia on SME and financial services development. His Zambia Journal posts will appear about once a week here on NextBillion.net. This is the second in the series; read his previous post here....

    Categories
    Uncategorized
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