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Curing Silicon Valley’s Myopia: Ross Baird, on How to Change the Narrative Around Investment and Innovation
Silicon Valley is home to some of the most brilliant innovators and deep-pocketed investors in the world. So why are they focusing so much of their time and resources on solving petty problems, while ignoring countless more pressing concerns? Village Capital's executive director Ross Baird discusses the problem and some potential solutions in this podcast.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise, Technology
- Tags
- impact investing
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Beyond ‘Africa Rising’ – The Emergence of the Not-Quite-Middle Class
The past five years or so have seen exuberant studies and predictions that Africa’s rapid growth was creating a new middle class that would transform governance and politics – the optimistic story of “Africa Rising.” But what we really see is not a rising middle class but rather a new group that lives on the cusp of poverty, getting by on $2 to $5 a day, and lacking the kinds of assets, job security, purchasing power and stability we associate with middle-class livelihoods.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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A Bridge Too Far? Bridge International Academies Responds to Ugandan Government’s Allegations and Closure Plans
The Ugandan government recently announced plans to close Bridge International Academies, the celebrated for-profit school company operating in Africa. Uganda's education minister claims that the schools “showed poor hygiene and sanitation which put the life and safety of the school children in danger.” Bridge vehemently denies these charges, and we talked to the company about where things stand.
- Categories
- Education, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- regulations
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Impact Investing Comes of Age: ImpactAlpha Rounds up Nine Stories Shaping the Marketplace
Impact investments represent some of the greatest wealth generating opportunities of our time, from the trillions needed to build a clean global energy grid, to the opportunities in delivering essential services to the emerging middle class. Here are nine recent developments that highlight the sector's growing significance, part of ImpactAlpha's ongoing collaboration with NextBillion.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Weekly Roundup: The Death of a Salesman, a Megaphone for Mom, and a Target on BlackRock
Divestment activists in the gay community turn their sights on BlackRock, a tragic suicide reveals trouble in India's health care industry, and a new study shows the value of constructive nagging in this week's Roundup.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
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Last Week for $200 SOCAP Discounts
If you’re an impact investor or social entrepreneur in need of a dose of inspiration, you won't want to miss SOCAP16, Sept. 13-16 at Fort Mason in San Francisco. This ninth annual event, the world’s largest conference dedicated to increasing the flow of capital toward social good, is expected to attract more than 2,500 change-makers from around the world.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
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A Roadmap that Bypasses the Public Health Care System
A year ago, uber Diagnostics commercially launched Cardiotrack, a handheld ECG monitor. Since then, the company has learned some hard lessons about inefficiencies in India's public health sector. In response, it started a program to provide ambulances with health diagnostics devices, plus a separate home health care service designed to generate jobs.
- Categories
- Health Care, Social Enterprise
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The Olympics: Social Business Opportunity – or Expensive Distraction?
NB editor James Militzer can't stand the Olympics and he's found new reasons to especially hate this year's Games. Meanwhile, fellow editor Kyle Poplin loves the Olympics, thinks they're still relevant and that they can be used to solve global problems. Read their point-counterpoint and see where you come down on the spectrum.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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