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Citi, OPIC and Ford Foundation Launch Scaling Enterprise, a $100MM Financing Partnership to Support Social Enterprises
Citi Inclusive Finance, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the Ford Foundation today introduced Scaling Enterprise, a $100 million loan guarantee facility, which will enable Citi to provide early-stage financing in local currency to companies that expand access to products and services for low-income communities in emerging markets. The announcement was made at the 2019 SOCAP Conference.
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RSF-Purpose Initiative Responds to Demand for Mission-First Business Models
A grassroots global movement is emerging behind mission-first business models rooted in stakeholder governance—rather than shareholder control—and RSF Social Finance and the Purpose Foundation are collaborating to help that movement grow. Today they released a report that serves as a handbook for companies exploring alternative business structures and financing.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance, Investing, Technology
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Facebook, Visa among the stocks with high ESG marks — enough to outrun the S&P 500
Companies that improve their environmental, social and governance reputations outperform the S&P 500 — major technology and financial services firms among them.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance, Investing
- Tags
- ESG, sustainable business
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Kenyan telco Safaricom’s Alpha incubator faces uncertain future
Safaricom’s Nairobi-based Alpha innovation incubator may have an uncertain future, according to sources - TechCrunch reports.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- incubators
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The Highs and Lows of Creating the World’s First Social Stock Exchange
The budget proposal by India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in July, to create an SSE in the country is a positive sign—a broader commitment to support inclusive growth.
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- impact investing
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Mastercard and Rabobank Roll out Financial Inclusion Platform for Farmers in Emerging Markets
Many smallholder farmers in these countries have limited access to market information, finance and management skills, leading to insecurity, inefficiencies and unsustainable business practices. Through the platform, farmers can connect with potential buyers, access mobile payment tools, and build a digital transaction record that can be used to access formal credit from a financial institution.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance
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A Devil’s Bargain to Bank the Unbanked: Why Financial Inclusion Advocates Shouldn’t Trust Facebook’s Libra
As you've likely heard, Facebook has entered the inclusive finance arena, pitching Libra, a global cryptocurrency – ostensibly to promote financial inclusion. But as Digital Equity co-founder Valerie Khan argues, there are plenty of reasons to doubt Facebook's intentions and Libra's “social good” marketing campaign. In fact, she says, "Facebook is not being transparent about its real interest in Libra" – and both financial inclusion advocates and emerging countries should beware.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Viewpoint: The Upside to Facebook’s Libra Disaster
If Facebook really wants to bring financial services to the “unbanked,” it should try doing it on a smaller scale than these companies’ presence promised. And even then, the probability of failure will be high.
- Categories
- Finance