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NexThought Monday – Niche or mainstream? Real deal or Hype? : Kevin Jones and Vineet Rai grapple with impact investing’s trajectory
Impact Investing is at a critical moment in its short history. Increased capital flows, positive returns, and a heightened interest from traditional investors are blurring boundaries between what is mainstream and what is impact investing. Kevin Jones, Founder of SOCAP, and Vineet Rai, Founder of Aavishkaar, have opinions on the subject. The two discussed the changing dynamics of impact investing and its future in a webinar.
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- impact investing
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Weekly Roundup 9-19-15: Impact investing gets bizarro, poverty surveys get reflective, Gates gets quizzed
We highlight a unique anti-poverty tool geared toward heads of low-income households rather than policy-makers, discuss a truly bizarre new entrant into the "impact investing" scene, and take a quiz with Bill Gates in this Roundup.
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The Silver Lining Beneath Fashion’s Dirty Supply Chains: Three innovative solutions to the industry’s sustainability problem
It's Fashion Week in New York and consumers across the globe increasingly care about whether their clothes are ethically produced. Yet, most likely, the clothes you're wearing come from a sweatshop. But could there be silver lining under fashion's dirty garments? Absolutely.
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- employment, manufacturing
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A Chemist’s Novel Idea: Teri Dankovich invents a type of paper that filters water, then incorporates it into a ‘Drinkable Book’
Teri Dankovich invented a paper that purifies drinking water, and she's incorporated that paper into a book which includes information on why and how water should be filtered. In this Q&A interview, she talks about how her research project evolved, how the paper works, what the business prospects are and how it might some day save millions of lives.
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- Health Care, Technology
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Tablets + Smartphones = Easier Microloans?: New Accion case study explores use of digital field applications by microfinance banks
Providing micro financial services often involves manual processes which limit the potential for scaling up and expose clients to poor service, errors and fraud. That's why many microfinance banks are increasing the use of tablets, smartphones and other digital tools among loan officers and other staff. Accion has published a case study aiming to provide some clarity on the impact of these devices.
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- Education, Technology, Telecommunications
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Mobile Finance and Commerce 2.0: Mondato Summit Asia to discuss why emerging Asia could lead the way – Oct. 20-21, 2015
The mobile finance and commerce (MFC) ecosystem in the Philippines and across emerging Asia has grown to the point where it is on the verge of producing “MFC 2.0,” and leading the world in innovation. Mondato Summit Asia will bring together thought leaders and practitioners in Manila on Oct. 20-21 to discuss what the future of MFC is likely to look like in this region and beyond.
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The Risks of Government-Led Financial Inclusion: Why agent networks in India need to move beyond government mandates
Over the years, the government of India has facilitated financial access by promoting account opening through various programs. And, at first glance, some of the numbers associated with the government's inclusion mandates look good. But a more detailed look reveals a bleak picture that includes high agent attrition and low account activity rates.
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- Impact Assessment
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NexThought Monday – Does Anti-Poverty Work Actually … Work?: Three questions every ‘pro-poor’ group needs to ask themselves
How can we fully distinguish pro-poor programs from those that are not? Leading thinkers of the “social performance” movement in microfinance (seeking social as well as financial return on investment) have hit upon a truth that applies to all anti-poverty work: Truly pro-poor programs provide the right answer to each of three straightforward questions.
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