-
Viewpoint: Investing in Digital Agriculture Can Help Africa Beat This Pandemic
We need to bridge Africa's data gap to strengthen food, health and economic security, and overcome a predicted continent-wide recession
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, NGOs, startups
-
How FG Plans to Support Women-Owned MSMEs to Recover From the Pandemic
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to roll out palliatives to assist women-owned medium and small businesses (MSME’s) recover from the impact of the pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- MSMEs, women entrepreneurs
-
Overthrowing the King: Could Central Bank Digital Currencies Replace Cash in Post-COVID-19 Africa?
Despite advances in digital technology, cash has remained the undisputed king of payments in sub-Saharan Africa. However, as Michaella Allen and Christine Hougaard at Cenfri explain, COVID-19 has placed a stigma on cash and led governments across the region to actively encourage digital payments. They explore the implications of this shift, and whether it could make central bank digital currencies a viable alternative.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
-
Coronavirus Triggers Dollar Drain in Big Emerging Markets
Plunging foreign reserves in Turkey, Indonesia threaten global crisis
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Tags
- financial health, tourism
-
Press Release: New Report Shows How to Use the Sustainable Development Goals to Build Back Better After COVID-19
New York, 30 June 2020 - Today, the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2020, including the SDG Index and Dashboards, was released. It was written by lead author Jeffrey Sachs and a team of independent experts working at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Bertelsmann Stiftung, and published by Cambridge University Press.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment
- Tags
- public health, SDGs
-
Coronavirus Has Upended Payments and Fintech Investing
The payments industry has been in a state of disruption for years, with new technology, greater flexibility and customer experience improvements defining the past decade of innovation. The COVID-19 pandemic all but guarantees an accelerated adoption of new payments technology, both online and in physical stores, but the trajectory of new solutions is going to pivot according to the new pandemic reality. Over the next few years, we’re going to see fintech investments evolve accordingly.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
-
Pandemic Spurs Social Entrepreneurship in Startup Communities
As an entrepreneur-turned-investor, and having survived prior downturns, I have my share of bumps and bruises that serve as reminders and motivators. But I also like to remember that some of the most successful tech companies were funded during the last big downturn, such as Dropbox, Airbnb and Credit Karma. With that in mind, our venture capital firm is staying the course during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to aggressively look for great entrepreneurs to fund.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Tags
- impact investing, startups
-
Emergency Funding and COVID-19 Crisis Counseling for Miller Center Entrepreneurs
Back in March and April, the folks at the Pollinate Group were in a state of emergency, like most small businesses around the world. For the past seven years, the Melbourne, Australia-based enterprise had trained and developed women in poor areas in India and Nepal, teaching them the skills needed to sell solar lights, clean cookstoves and other products likely to improve community members’ quality of life.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Energy