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Electricity is Just the Beginning: Why Off-Grid Solar Opens the Door to Value-Added Services
Lack of energy access is a much-discussed issue in rural households and businesses across the developing world. But according to Mansoor Hamayun, CEO of BBOXX, electricity is just the beginning: Solar home systems could lay the foundation for a host of related services that could transform the quality of life in off-grid communities. Hamayun discusses “Tomorrow’s Rural Home,” BBOXX’s vision for the off-grid home of the future, which shows how solar energy access could create new markets and power economic growth in Africa and beyond.
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- Energy, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Fintech leaders debate the future of crypto at Davos
While programs like bitcoin likely won’t be taken up by large governments or financial organizations, there are other applications for blockchain that could prove worthy.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Tags
- blockchain, cryptocurrency, fintech
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Fintech Leaders Debate the Future of Crypto at Davos
The World Economic Forum's discussion on the subject has perhaps been less enthusiastic than last year.
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- Finance, Technology
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A private equity bet in Latin America proves the strength of fintech investments there
Across Latin America, fintech startups have hit billion-dollar valuations and raised hundreds of millions as investors vie for a piece of the region’s growing e-commerce and financial services markets.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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Stupid Stoves: Why Rebranding Won’t Solve the Clean Cooking Alliance’s Problems
In her recent interview with NextBillion, Clean Cooking Alliance CEO Dymphna van der Lans described the organization's ambitious new vision. But her words didn't sit well with Warm Heart Worldwide founder Michael Shafer, who raises a pointed question: After nearly 10 years of massive investment, hype and exposure, he asks, "Where is the Clean Cooking Alliance now? Getting rebranded and starting over!" Shafer argues that the Alliance's current efforts fail to address the major issues that have hampered it from the start – and proposes a different way forward – in this provocative post.
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- Energy, Environment, Social Enterprise, Technology
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How emerging tech can counteract climate change
The private sector must increase its efforts and further collaborate on industry-wide solutions to help bridge the gap.
- Categories
- Environment, Technology
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Press release: Mastercard and The Rockefeller Foundation Announce ‘Data Science for Social Impact’ with Initial $50 Million Commitment
The collaborative was announced at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, with an initial commitment of $50 million from The Rockefeller Foundation and the Mastercard Impact Fund over five years and an invitation to other companies and philanthropies to join.
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- Technology
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- data, philanthropy
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Enough Equity Financing: Why the Future of Impact Fintechs Depends on Private Debt
Many high-profile impact-focused fintech firms have been successful in raising Series A and B equity rounds, and many believe that form of capital can serve both growth and scale goals. But it can’t, says John Beckham, Chief Investment Officer at MicroVest Capital Management. Instead, he advocates more debt financing for fintechs that have proven their models. He explores why investors should embrace private debt as a key opportunity to turn a nascent marketplace for impact fintechs into a thriving one.
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- Finance, Investing, Technology
- Tags
- fintech, impact investing