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COVID-Era Innovations With Long-Term Impact: How the Pandemic Is Changing Investment in Frontier Markets
Africa's growing middle class, rapid urbanization and leapfrogging innovations have drawn substantial investor interest. But as Kristin Kelly Jangraw of USAID INVEST points out, high transaction costs, small deal sizes and risk (both real and perceived) have kept many investors on the sidelines. Though COVID-19 lockdowns have increased these challenges, she explores how the pandemic has also brought innovations that could have lasting positive effects on the industry and the region – including new tools for virtual due diligence and deal-making.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing, Technology
- Tags
- COVID-19, impact investing
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Fashion for Good Consortium Pilots Resource Efficient Cotton Farming
Fashion for Good launches a new, two-year pilot project in collaboration with leading brands Kering and PVH Corp., and leading global textile manufacturer Arvind Limited to pilot a radically resource-efficient cotton farming technology provided by Fashion for Good innovator, Materra (formerly hydroCotton).
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
- Tags
- agtech
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Press Release: Nuvemshop Raises $90 Million as It Catalyzes E-Commerce and Entrepreneurship Across Latin America
With tremendous momentum over the past year, Nuvemshop tripled its customer base and has been a key enabler of commerce in the region. Latin America is not only a huge market (with over 650 million consumers), it is now the fastest growing e-commerce market in the world, reaching $85 billion in total sales.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Latin America
- Tags
- e-commerce
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$1.2 Million Innovation Fund Launched to Unearth Emerging Technologies in Africa
The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) (www.AECFafrica.org) has today launched a US$1.2 million Innovation Fund to unlock the potential of renewable energy to create new business opportunities.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- innovation, renewable energy, scale, solar
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Outdated but Not Obsolete: Why USSD Is Still Key to Driving Digital Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa
As of late 2019, mobile internet adoption stood at just 26% across sub-Saharan Africa, and internet access remains expensive and unreliable even for people who can afford a smartphone. In light of that reality, Wole Olayinka of insiderPR argues that digital inclusion efforts should embrace USSD, a communications protocol that connects feature phone users to basic digital services even without internet access. He explores the advantages and downsides of this outdated – but surprisingly flexible – technology.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Technology
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O-City Partners with the Philippines’ Land Bank to Pilot Digital Payments in Public Utility Vehicles
BPC Technology’s payment division, O-City, is partnering with the Philippines’ Land Bank of the Philippines to pilot the country’s digital payments in Public Utility Vehicles such as buses and jeepneys.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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South Africa Fintech Startup Nomanini Raises $1.5m Funding Round
South African fintech startup Nomanini has raised a new round of funding worth US$1.5 million from new and existing investors to grow its team, invest in product development and scale its offering.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Farmer Connect Announced a $9 Million Series A Funding led by ITOCHU
Agritech company Farmer Connect, best known for its coffee blockchain traceability solution, has announced a $9m Series A funding led by ITOCHU, to help create sustainable food supply chains.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
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