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Press Release: 2X Challenge Exceeds Initial Target by Committing and Mobilizing $4.5 Billion in Capital Towards Women’s Economic Empowerment
The 2X Challenge is a multilateral initiative launched during the G7 Charlevoix Summit with the ambitious objective of deploying and mobilizing unprecedented amounts of capital to support projects that empower women as entrepreneurs, as business leaders, as employees and as consumers of products and services that enhance their economic participation.
- Categories
- Investing
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Impact Investing Grows, but There’s Still a Long Road to Financial Inclusion
More funds and firms are targeting financially underserved communities, but the impact investing movement and government funding need to be more accessible and intentional to address systemic inequalities and racial disparities in investing.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- North America
- Tags
- impact investing
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African Venture Funding Is Expected to Slow but Impact Investors Are Boosting Health and Agri-Tech Startups
Between 2014 and 2019, 44% of venture capital deals recorded in African tech ecosystems included participation from at least one impact investor, data from Africa Private Equity and Venture Capital Association show.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Health Care, Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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How Socially-Led Innovation Can Bring Positive Change in Unchartered Times
In my work with Microsoft 4Afrika I have had a front row seat to the innovation and creativity many African startups have employed to address pressing economic and social gaps and needs. Whether it’s using agri-tech to improve farmer crop yields, using technology to deliver finance solutions to the previously unbanked or pairing solar power and IoT to solve power reliability issues, African innovation is alive and thriving, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only fanned these flames of ingenuity.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing
- Tags
- NGOs
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Viewpoint: Coronavirus Has Shown That Social-Impact Investing Is Here to Stay
The COVID-19 shock will likely be seen as a turning point for investment in B Corps, companies that have opted to be legally bound to consider the impact of their business on employees, customers, suppliers, community and the environment.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Environment, Impact Assessment, Investing
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Innovating on the Pay for Success Model: How ‘Social Derivatives’ Can Unlock Everyday Giving to Incentivize Greater Impact
Pay-for-success models have generated considerable excitement in the social finance sector. But according to Akhil Pawar and Geet Kalra at Yunus Social Business, the approach presents several challenges, mainly around the question of who will pay, and how to ensure an economical structure. They share a potential solution that leverages retail giving, substituting large donors with small ones by using "social derivatives."
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Indian Fintech Helps Millenials With Managing Credit Scores, Acquires $6 Million in Capital
Slice, a Fintech company that provides various card-based products to young people in India to help manage their credit scores, has secured $6 million in capital via a round led by Japanese venture capital firm, Gunosy.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- credit scoring, fintech
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Mobile money is booming in Africa as countries shun cash amid the pandemic
As movement restrictions to curb Covid-19 prevent customers from accessing cash, mobile banking is filling the gap
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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