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Interview with George C. Lodge, the man behind the World Development Corporation
In January, I wrote about the proposed creation of the World Development Corporation (WDC), a new institution which would harness the capabilities of MNCs to confront global poverty while at the same time reviving their legitimacy and maintaining shareholder value. The for-profit entity would...
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Microsoft Redeems Itself!
My post last Thursday criticized Microsoft’s potential release of a stripped down version of its forthcoming Windows Vista operating system for emerging markets. I thought this was the wrong approach; rather than strip features out, Microsoft should be figuring out which applications to add...
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Rounding up the herd of $100 laptops
If you’ve been watching news of the $100 laptop in the last five months, your head is probably spinning. Not to worry. I’ve rounded up the various NextBillion activity capsules and blog entries just for your pixel-strained eyes.Barebones PCs : Asiatotal , AMD Personal Internet Computer,...
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Safe Water for Indian Slums? Let It (Cash) Flow
The Acumen Fund Blog today reports a new for-profit water services project launched in one of India’s poorest urban neighborhoods. The provider, Heritage, receives strategic management support and assistance raising capital from the Acumen Fund. I am excited to hear companies saying that "...
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Another Misstep for Microsoft?
Over the weekend, Microsoft posted information about the six editions of Windows Vista it plans to offer -- only to remove the information from its Web site a day later, saying it has yet to make a final decision. Interestingly, one of these editions appears to be a more limited version aimed...
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Insights from the field: Interviews with social entrepreneurs
Rob Katz, a NextBillion staff writer, recently interviewed Martin Fisher, co-founder of KickStart, and Upendra Bhatt, co-founder of Aavishkaar, in writing an article for GreenBiz.com. KickStart and Aavishkaar are, dare I say, two of the most innovative and robust businesses operating at the...
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Acumen Fund Launches Blog
We?ve talked about Acumen Fund before here at NextBillion ? the non-profit venture fund that supports BOP enterprises delivering critical goods and services to the world?s low-income communities through investments. Like us, they too believe in using entrepreneurial, private-sector...
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Small Grants from a Big Institute
Thirty Chinese NGOs recently won awards totaling $650,000 from the World Bank. The winning ideas included projects that supply environmentally sustainable bio-gas to single mothers, create support networks for waste collectors, and establish community service centers to teach deaf youngsters...
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