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Overcoming Barriers to Impact Investment in Africa: Interviews with Fund Managers Reveal Three Promising Solutions to the Continent’s Funding Gap
African-based investment fund managers face an uphill battle to secure the capital they need to invest in home-grown enterprises, particularly when social impact is a key part of their investment strategies. Bernard Chidzero, Nkanyiso Hlongwa and Serena Fu at The Bridgespan Group share highlights from a recent report based on interviews with 25 stakeholders in the continent's impact investing sector, which reveal the obstacles faced by African fund managers — and some potential solutions.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Apple and Acumen Launch Cohort to Help Uplift Lives of Poor While Protecting Environment
The program has been designed to help social entrepreneurs scale and refine their businesses to transform the lives of people living in poverty, while also protecting the environment.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Press Release: Kiva Announces Global Commitments for Women and Refugees at Clinton Global Initiative 2023 Meeting
Kiva’s initiatives will improve the lives of over half a million women and refugees and expand critical partner network for greater financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Global
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Press Release: WaterEquity Announces Final Close of $150 Million Global Access Fund IV Addressing the Global Water Crisis
WaterEquity's Latest Investment Fund Will Deploy Mission-Driven Capital to Deliver Water and Sanitation Solutions for Millions of Low-Income Families Around the World.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, WASH
- Region
- Global
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Looking Back, Looking Forward: Exploring NextBillion’s New Features and Updated Design, As We Approach Our Third Decade Online
Yesterday, NextBillion launched the latest phase of our ongoing site redesign. Since this redesign represents one of the most significant shifts of the site’s features and functionality in our almost 20-year history, we wanted to explain the thinking behind these changes, and explore how our new design reflects both NextBillion’s ongoing evolution, and the evolution of the broader “impact media” space.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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A Pivotal Moment to Invest in Africa: How Impact Investing Can Transform the Continent’s Healthcare Value Chain
The global impact investment market is estimated to be worth US $1.16 trillion, but less than 2% of these investments are channeled to Africa’s health markets. Abiodun Awosusi at the Ivey Business School argues that this should not be the case, as the continent offers uniquely valuable opportunities for health businesses and the investors that support them. He explores the overlapping trends that are driving these opportunities, and shares some ways investors and other stakeholders can get involved.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Insights from 10 Years of Boosting Gender Inclusion in Business: A Pioneering Social Enterprise Explores How the Sector Can Take the Next Steps
Over the past 10 years, gender inclusion has become a growing priority in business and investing. However, as Rebecca Fries and Luis Marquez at Value for Women point out, only $6 billion was raised for gender lens investing in 2021 — a tiny percentage of the $1.2 trillion raised by private markets globally. As Value for Women moves into its second decade, they share insights that will fuel progress toward gender inclusion in business and investment in emerging markets over the coming years.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Analysis: Philanthropy’s Great Convergence
Philanthropy funds nurture innovative ideas for social good; CSR funds help roll out projects, and impact investments help ventures scale up for a change in society.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Asia Pacific