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Shell Foundation and Accion Open Applications for ClimaFii Alliance Second Cohort
The Climate and Finance Innovations (ClimaFii) Alliance continues its mission to bring financing and sustainable energy solutions to microenterprises across sub-Saharan Africa and India.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
- Region
- Global
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Analysis: Time is a Social Innovator’s Most Precious Resource: Why Are So Many Funders Wasting It?
"In these decades of engagement with the social innovation ecosystem, I’ve seen plenty of good practices, and plenty of bad ones. But there’s one thing that continues to shock me: how wasteful some of the funding world is with the ecosystem’s time."
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Global
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South Africa Launches $100 Million Digital Inclusion Fund
Backed by a blended group of investors, the initiative aims to give entrepreneurs both capital and access to global networks.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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NextBillion at 20: Reflecting on Growth, Change and Global Impact
NextBillion is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, at a time of immense global change and uncertainty. But a few things haven’t changed: Entrepreneurship continues to be a key factor in solving the world’s most urgent challenges. Investments in emerging markets continue to catalyze innovation. And access to accurate sources of information remains essential to unlocking business growth and impact. NextBillion is currently spotlighting guest articles that captured some of the key conversations and challenges that have shaped impact-focused business in emerging markets over the past two decades — and that continue to shape these sectors today. We're featuring the environment sector this week: Check out these insights below.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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Scaling up Access to Electric Cooking Solutions for Households in Zambia
"The electric cookers offer families economic as well as health benefits by reducing household fuel costs and indoor air pollution associated with traditional cooking methods."
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Health Care, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Public Good vs. Profitable Exits: Why Public Innovation Agencies Must Stop Copying Venture Capital
A new class of venture capitalist is emerging, but they aren’t Wall Street financiers or Silicon Valley tech bros. As Emre Eren Korkmaz at the University of Oxford argues, they are public innovation agencies that are shifting their funding approach: Instead of supporting high-risk research and innovations aimed at delivering societal benefit, they have begun to adopt the logic of venture capital, favoring commercially viable projects that are more likely to secure follow-on private funding. He explores the downsides to this shift, arguing that the world needs these institutions to do what private capital cannot or will not: supporting innovation for the public good, not just for profitable exits.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Press Release: Grameen Foundation and Yunus Social Business Unite to Build the Future of Locally Led Development
Together, Grameen Foundation and Yunus Social Business will harness blended finance, agribusiness investments, and innovative agricultural solutions to deliver transformative, locally led programs across multiple regions.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Global
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Time is a Social Innovator’s Most Precious Resource: Why Are So Many Funders Wasting It?
For social entrepreneurs and civil society innovators, time is a perpetually scarce resource. But according to Tanner Methvin at Impact Amplifier, in his decades of engagement with these innovators and their funders, he has often been shocked by how wasteful some of the funding world is with the ecosystem’s time. He argues that many funders don't fully understand the time demands imposed by their cumbersome systems for applying for grants or investments, or responding to requests for proposals. He explores these inefficiencies, and proposes a better way for funders to support the social innovation community.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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