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Opportunity International and MyBucks: The Future of Digital Microfinance?
Back in November 2015, to little fanfare, microfinance pioneer Opportunity International agreed to sell six banks serving sub-Saharan Africa to the MyBucks Group, a Luxembourg-based fintech company. By all accounts, this should have been bigger news, as it touches upon many of the topics and trends that are reshaping the microfinance sector, from the role of fintech to the question of responsible exits. Daniel Rozas and Gabriela Erice García explore the very real opportunities and challenges generated by this deal.
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- Uncategorized
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NexThought Monday: Marking a Shift at the BOP World Convention
Two years ago, in Singapore, the BOP World Convention & Expo explored cross-sector partnerships and hybrid models as potential catalysts. This year, the convention will focus on inclusive economies, what can drive them, and their implications for the BoP.
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- Education, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Roundup: Jo Cox remembered, investors collaborate and Kenyan cabs
In this week's extensive Roundup, we remember Jo Cox, who was an extraordinary global health advocate; look at the leverage held by smallholder farmers; and wonder if Littlecabs will end up being a big headache for Uber in Kenya. Plus plenty more.
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Identity is Everything: Creating a Digital ID Future
In the developing world, over 2 billion people lack an official ID, preventing them from accessing services vital to robust economic and political lives, such as bank accounts. Digital identity offers an unprecedented opportunity to level the playing field for each unique person on this planet, helping them raise themselves, and their countries, out of poverty.
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- Technology
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Getting 4 Billion New Internet Users Online: Deploying Conversational AI at the BoP
Do you remember JARVIS, the computerized personal assistant who helps Tony Stark manage his complex super hero affairs in the Iron Man movies? With the rise of conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) like Google Home or Amazon Echo, or the smartphone-based Viv, Siri, Cortana, etc., similar JARVIS-like services may be available in the not-so-distant future. But wouldn’t it be better if this technology actually helped increase equality of global mobile access and information, in addition to just ordering take out?
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- Technology
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- fintech
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Handle With Care: How to Maximize the Value of Microinsurance for Emerging Consumers
Intuitively, microinsurance is well-suited to managing some of the financial risks faced by emerging consumers. Yet insurance penetration in emerging economies is very low. Should insurance not be playing a substantially bigger risk management role for people at the base of the pyramid?
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- Uncategorized
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- microfinance, research
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NexThought Monday: Starting a Nonprofit? Consider a Public Benefit Corp Instead
After five years of running a nonprofit organization, I was completely burnt out on fundraising. Now, after over two years of running HandUp, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), I can compare the two models. If you have the right model for scale, with a clear market, and have tested your idea, I highly recommend taking the PBC route.
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- Impact Assessment
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Roundup: A $100 Million Idea, Reproductive Rights Redux and an Inverting Poverty Pyramid
In this week's Roundup, we look at MacArthur Foundation's $100 million grant to “a single proposal designed to help solve a critical problem affecting people, places or the planet," the impact Zika is having on family planning and more evidence the "Bottom Billions" are moving up.
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- Uncategorized
