-
M-Pesa Shows Why Mobile Money Is Yet to Realize Its True Potential in Africa
Last November, “60 Minutes”, the flagship news magazine show on US television network CBS, ran a whole segment on M-Pesa, the mobile money service which was started in Kenya nine years ago by Safaricom, the country’s largest mobile phone company. It was a great moment for Kenyan innovation, being featured on prime time television for millions of Americans who were likely hearing about M-Pesa for the first time.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Tech Entrepreneurs Boost Microfinance Startup Zidisha
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark and a handful of other tech entrepreneurs and companies have donated a total of $525,000 to microfinance startup Zidisha, which hopes to bring down costs of peer-to-peer lending to cash-strapped young entrepreneurs in the developing world by getting rid of intermediaries.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
-
ICICI Bank Launches India’s First Contactless Mobile Payment Solution
ICICI Bank today unveiled a contactless mobile payment solution, which it claims to be first of its kind in India. As per ICICI, this payment solution enables its credit and debit customers make in-store contactless payments by just waving their smartphones near an NFC-enabled merchant terminal. This mobile payment solution has been launched today for the employees of the bank and will be available for its customers in the last week of March when the updated 'Pockets' application will be available on Google Play Store. An ICICI Bank credit and debit customer (VISA/Mastercard) with an NFC enabled smartphones of Android 4.4 OS & above will be able to use this solution.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- fintech
-
Mobile Data Has the Answers, But First, We Need to Ask the Right Questions
I’ve realized that when guiding social enterprises, nonprofits and international NGOs to begin using data, it’s helpful to focus on a key, sometimes obvious point: data has to actually answer a critical business or programmatic question. Mobile data collection for the sake of collecting data isn’t enough.
- Categories
- Energy, Impact Assessment, Social Enterprise, Technology
-
MTN Mobile Money Customers Could Soon Earn Interest
Speaking at the company’s annual media forum to interact with editors and stakeholders, Mr. Asante said discussions were already underway with partner banks to set the modalities on how much interest to be paid and the criteria for qualification to earn an interest.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- fintech
-
The Future of Mobile Wallets in India
Digital payment service providers are competing fiercely, offering attractive offers and unrealistic discounts. Is this the making of another bubble?
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
-
Mobile, Agency Banking Driving Bulk of Transactions and Loans for Kenyan Banks
Kenyan banks are reaping big from innovative mobile products and strategic partnerships that are fueling acquisition of new customers and revenue streams even as technology renders some jobs redundant.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- fintech
-
Viewpoint: Health-Tech Startups Can Make India a True Innovation Hub
Whenever we talk about disruption in any industry, the existing gaps or snags within the space are the driving force behind it, especially when the gaps have reached a point of deficit. It is only at this stage of extreme deprivation that we see truly innovative solutions emerge. And there are plenty of examples to corroborate this fact. Be it the telecom revolution in India that took place in the late 90’s, led by the then newly formed private telecom sector in the country, or the more recent and still growing “Uber” led disruption for the public transport system in India or even the world. Most industries that have seen transformation at any point have benefited from the lacuna that existed before that particular industry was set on a path of resurrection.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
- Region
- South Asia