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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 16
    2005

    Rob Katz

    How Important is Scaling Up? Debate from TBLI

    WorldChanging’s Nicole Anne Boyer was able to attend the 7th Triple Bottom Line Investment (TBLI) conference in Frankfurt a few weeks back. Her thorough reporting from the event is a must-read for folks interested in socially responsible investment and its associated spin-offs (including...

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  • Wednesday
    November 9
    2005

    Rob Katz

    Healthcare Delivery at the BOP: The HealthStore Interview

    In conjunction with NextBillion.net?s series on Healthcare Delivery at the BOP, Rob Katz recently spoke to Michelle Fertig and Herc Tzaras, authors of the forthcoming What Works case study: ?Franchising Healthcare for Kenya: The HealthStore Model.?Michelle Fertig and Herc Tzaras will...

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  • Tuesday
    November 8
    2005

    Rob Katz

    Research Competition: The Private Path to Prosperity

    The International Finance Corporation and the Financial Times are sponsoring a research paper competition for 2005-2006. Top prize is US $30,000; all told, $90,000 will be awarded. Your 4,000 word (max) research paper should “add to the global discussion on private sector development...

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  • Monday
    November 7
    2005

    Rob Katz

    Cap it off with the right MBA program

    OK, so you want to change the world ? from the inside. Not a bad idea, considering that some corporations? annual gross revenues are larger than the yearly GDPs of most developing countries. With that kind of cash, business can make a difference ? hey, you?re reading NextBillion.net,...

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  • Thursday
    November 3
    2005

    Rob Katz

    What Works: First Mile Solutions’ DakNet Takes Rural Communities Online

    What Works: First Mile Solutions’ DakNet Takes Rural Communities Online, the latest of WRI’s What Works case study series, is being released today. The full-length business case study, written by two Harvard University graduate students under WRI supervision, highlights how the innovative...

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  • Tuesday
    November 1
    2005

    Rob Katz

    The Prahalad Interview: Brazil’s Valor

    The Brazilian economic journal Valor recently interviewed University of Michigan professor and The Next Practice founder C.K. Prahalad about business strategies for the base of the pyramid. The full interview, translated from the Portugese, follows below. (Translation credit: Alex...

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  • Friday
    October 28
    2005

    Rob Katz

    NextBillion.net selected as “Best of the New Web” by BusinessWeek editors

    NextBillion.net has been selected as an “editor’s pick” in BusinessWeek’s Best of the New Web feature. Under the category “Giving Back,” NextBillion.net shares space with DonorsChoose.org, Omidyar.net, OneWorld.net, and WorldChanging. Talk about good company!I just want...

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  • Thursday
    October 27
    2005

    Rob Katz

    PBS releases new microfinance documentary TONIGHT

    Tonight, many PBS affiliates will feature the premiere of Small Fortunes: Microcredit and the Future of Poverty, an hour-long documentary exploring issues of poverty and microcredit. The program?s web site includes an easy-to-use station finder that allows viewers to find out when it will...

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