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South Africa Telco MTN Targets $5 Billion for Mobile Money Expansion
South Africa-based MTN, the mobile phone company, has plans to value its mobile money arm at over $5 billion, a report from Financial Times (FT) says.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Indian Career Discovery EdTech Firm Banks $3.5 Million in Pre-Series A Money
India-based career discovery platform Uable said it has secured US$3.5 million in pre-series A money in a round led by JAFCO (Japan Associated Finance Co) Asia and Chiratae Ventures.
- Categories
- Education, Investing, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- edtech
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Press Release: Singapore-Based Neobanking Startup StashFin Raises $40 Million in Series B Extension Equity Financing Round
Singapore-based neo-banking startup Morus Technologies Pte Ltd 'StashFin' has announced the successful completion of Series B Extension equity financing of USD 40 million from a clutch of global investors.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- fintech, impact investing, startups
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The COVID-19 Effect: Why Latin America Needs a Workplace Wellness Revolution – and How Technology Can Enable It
Remote work is growing in Latin America, as it is around the globe, and the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated this shift. But as Greg Mitchell of Angel Ventures explains, working from home combined with the stressors of the pandemic is causing increased anxiety and burnout for workers. He shares how many companies in the region are adopting digital solutions to support employee mental health — from on-demand counseling and monitoring services to apps and chatbots — and discusses the market potential for this burgeoning solution.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care, Technology
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Drones Are Delivering COVID-19 Vaccines to Underserved Communities
The company Zipline is using the technology to provide medical resources to rural areas in markets around the world.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care, Technology
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Women Are Paying More for M-Pesa: A Gender Analysis of Mobile Money Fees in Kenya
The cost of using financial services is a key barrier to their adoption and use in low- and middle-income countries — and when it comes to mobile money transactions via M-Pesa in Kenya, those costs are greater for women, according to a recent study. Bryan Pon at Caribou Data shares details about the study's findings, and explains how understanding these gender differences could illuminate some of the obstacles women face when using digital financial services – and help inform policy or system design approaches that could address these challenges.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology, Telecommunications
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‘Back in the U.S.S.D.’: Most Smartphone Owners—Especially Women—Don’t Use Apps for Financial Services
The global transition from basic mobile phones to smartphones has impacted nearly every sector, including financial services. Bryan Pon from Caribou Data considers whether this shift will help or hinder access to mobile money and digital finance for women in emerging markets — a group already less likely to be using these services. He shares the findings of a comprehensive study on how payment system design could impact gender bias in digital finance, and discusses the ongoing popularity — and under-recognized advantages — of old-fashioned USSD codes in mobile money.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology, Telecommunications, Transportation
- Tags
- data, financial inclusion, fintech
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Uruguay-Based Fintech Platform dLocal Raises $150 Million
dLocal, the Uruguay-based fintech platform, announced that the company has raised $150 million in the latest investment round at a valuation of $5 billion.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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