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

Do not miss the opportunity to participate in an event dedicated to the discovery of innovative services, impactful solutions and new technologies that enhance Microfinance Institutions’ (MFIs) ability to target more sophisticated clients like Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Why an Innovation Fair?

The Fair aims to present innovative tools and services that can improve the performance of MFIs interested in undertaking a strategic expansion to target increasingly sophisticated customer segments such as SMEs.

The aim of the Fair is not only to inspire visitors, but also to offer a concrete path forward by presenting practitioners with the best available solutions, ready to be implemented at national, regional and pan-African level.

Who are the exhibitors of the Fair?

The exhibitors are organizations, such as consulting firms, training centres, start-ups and Fintech companies that have developed innovative solutions, services and tools to strengthen the capacity, the expertise and the performance of African MFIs.
Furthermore, some solutions can be proposed by organizations that provide services to SMEs that enable them to increase their credibility vis-à-vis the MFIs and to facilitate their access to financial services.
For the exhibitors, the Fair will represent a tremendous opportunity to meet new clients and partners.

Who are the visitors of the Fair?

The third edition of the African Microfinance Week will bring together about 500 professionals from about 50 countries, mostly African ones.

The visitors of the Fair, mainly composed of MFIs, investors, donors and NGOs, are always looking for innovative solutions that can positively impact their activities.

It is well known that the Rule of Law is the foundation of a society, and a key factor for sustainable development and for stable, broad-based economic growth. The Rule of Law assists the operations of free-markets and the stability of commercial arrangements, through clear, non-discriminatory, non-retroactive legislation, which benefits everyone, including small business owners. The Rule of Law is also important to safeguard corporate legal personality, property rights (including for intellectual property), neutral courts and a clear and fair process for the determination of rights and obligations. The Rule of Law is therefore important for the SME sector.

Although Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can vary in size from country to country, SMEs are typically recognised as being the backbone of any economy, and Africa is no exception. SMEs are an important engine of growth and employment. Nevertheless, SME development is often constrained by a number of obstacles: financial (access to finance and limited access to markets), administrative (laws & regulations) and technical or internal (e.g. lack of access to appropriate technology, poor management skills or capacity, etc).

While accessing capital and financing is among the most important obstacle to firm growth, some of the pressing legal and regulatory issues include among others: corruption; obtaining business permits (which in some cases can take long); lack of dispute settlement mechanisms and inefficient court systems. The cost of compliance – for example for tax and labour laws, and health and safety regulations – is also said to be great for SMEs and comparatively higher than bigger companies. There are also sector-specific legal and regulatory issues that affect the SME sector (e.g. in agriculture, energy or ‘financial-technology). An unfavourable regulatory and legal environment can dissuade investors and slow growth.

What are the key legal and regulatory issues for the SME sector? How is the Rule of Law important for the SME sector? What does an enabling legal and regulatory environment for SMEs look like? What is the effect of an unfavourable regulatory and legal environment on investors and SME growth? Are local SMEs at a competitive disadvantage compared to international SMEs and investors, or are rules and regulations the same and equally enforced for everyone? What is the cost of compliance to African SMEs, and is compliance bad for business? What solutions are in place to address the abovementioned legal and regulatory issues, and how can other countries learn from these? What is the role of Governments and the private sector in developing a better SME sector in Africa? What are the incentives or disincentives for progress?

Drawing on the experience of entrepreneurs, international investors, the legal profession, government representatives and international organisations, these are some of the questions this conference will seek to address through a range of keynote speeches and panel discussions. It will also aim to identify practical solutions to addressing some of the legal and regulatory issues African SMEs face.

Hello Change-maker!

Thank you for your interest in the Impact Hub Geneva “SDG Week – Where entrepreneurs and sustainability meet”.

The highlights of this week include the Pulse Pitch Fest, on Oct 10, and the SDG Factory, on Oct 12. You will also be able to meet the Accelerate2030 finalists: impact-driven entrepreneurs coming com different corners of the world, and selected from a pool of 324 applicants.

The SDG Factory on October 12th at Impact Hub Geneva will bring together innovators from International Organizations, Corporates, Startups, and the Public Sector to design solutions for a sustainable future. During the investor breakfast, investors have the opportunity to meet the 9 Finalists of Accelerate2030 in person. In a series of hands-on workshops, we will be facilitating the dialogue around challenges and opportunities around innovation and entrepreneurship on different aspects of the SDGs.

This is your unique opportunity to engage with entrepreneurs from around the world working to achieve the SDGs, but also to see what local entrepreneurs are doing to address the SDGs here in Switzerland.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at: accelerate2030@impacthub.ch

For PULSE, please contact: jose.silva@impacthub.ch

Warm regards, the Impact Hub team