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Aligning Capital with Justice: How Innovative Finance Can Enable the Final Stretch Toward Energy Access in Africa
The world has made unprecedented progress toward universal energy access, and today over 90% of the global population has electricity. But as Roeland Menger at Nithio explains, the remaining 10% live in rural and low-income communities — primarily in Africa — that typical business and funding models can't reach. He argues that the exclusion of these markets is not only ineffective but unjust, and highlights several innovative investment approaches that are expanding decentralized energy to the last mile.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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VC Firm Crane Launches $135 Million Fund in Asia Pacific
Crane Venture Partners was founded in 2015 and invests in technology companies at early stages across multiple regions.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Kenya’s SunCulture Raises USD $5 Million to Scale Solar-Powered Irrigation in Africa
SunCulture offers solar-powered irrigation pumps, providing smallholder farmers with a sustainable and affordable alternative to diesel or manual systems.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Investing, Social Enterprise, WASH
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Aavishkaar Capital’s Global Supply Chain Support Fund (GSCSF) Supports the Horizon Group Africa with USD $5 Million Loan to Scale Operations
This is the 8th overall investment by GSC Support Fund across the Global South and the fourth investment in Africa.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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SMBC Invests in Novastar Ventures’ New Fund
This commitment is a clear indicator of a wider, calculated trend of Japanese corporate capital being strategically deployed into Africa’s vibrant and rapidly expanding technology startup ecosystem.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- Global
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JICA Invests USD $40 Million in Aavishkaar Capital Fund to Boost Asia Africa Enterprises
Through JICA's contribution, the fund will extend credit to private companies operating in Africa, India, and other parts of emerging Asia.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Global
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The ABCs of Catalytic Sunsetting: How Foundations and Other Philanthropic Funders Can Exit Boldly — And Leave a Bigger Legacy
What if the best way to ensure your philanthropic legacy … was to close your doors? As Nancy Swanson-Roberts at Linked Foundation and Kusi Hornberger at Dalberg Capital argue, the world’s most pressing problems demand urgent, bold action that incremental giving over generations often can't enable. They explain why philanthropic organizations like Linked Foundation are deliberately spending down their assets within a defined timeframe to catalyze systemic change — an approach they call “catalytic sunsetting" — and share three strategies that can help any funder exit with purpose and power.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Accion Announces Close of $61.6M Second Accion Venture Lab Fund Investing in Early-Stage Inclusive Fintech
Accion has announced the final close of a $61.6 million fund that will invest in early-stage fintech companies meeting the needs of financially underserved people globally.
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