NextBillion - A WDI Publication

This high-level session is an official side event of the T20 Summit. The T20 is the ideas bank for South Africa G20. The session is conceived by Resilience Capital Ventures, as part of its series of activities to reimagine finance and investment in ways that serve human thriving and planetary stewardship.

The “Unlocking Trapped Capital for Sustainable and Inclusive Development” session is organized as follows: a keynote presentation of the main theme, followed by a panel discussion for dialogue and sense making. The design is intended to allow for interactive engagement with a global audience. The event brings together senior experienced practitioners, academics, and civil society leaders to consider original, innovative and actionable ways to mobilize financial and non-financial capital.

It is delivered in partnership with the T20 South Africa 2025 Secretariat, championed by Dr. Philani Mthembu the co-lead and Executive Director of Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD). TIME Africa is the official media partner for the event.

Session Summary

The session will include opening remarks from the Dr. Philani Mthembu, followed by a keynote from Dr. Gillian Marcelle, CEO and Founder, Resilience Capital Ventures. After which, a panel will present specific actionable interventions for untrapping all forms of capital in ways that promote sustainable and inclusive development. Participants will be able to engage with the panel during a facilitated discussion session. The event will have a wrap up to close and identify follow on actions for policy and practice.

Time: 10:00-12:00pm EST │17.00-19.00 SAST

Women are on the frontlines of climate change, yet remain underrepresented in designing and financing climate solutions. Catalyst Fund’s new Gender Brief, developed with UNIDO, FSD Africa, and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), shows how African startups and investors are proving that gender-smart climate innovation drives resilience, unlocks markets, and delivers sustainable impact.

This 60-minute webinar will highlight findings from the brief and feature insights from founders, investors, and policymakers advancing inclusive climate innovation across Africa. Speakers will unpack the barriers women face, the commercial opportunities created by gender inclusion, and the steps investors and ecosystem actors can take to accelerate progress. Register now to join us!

Details

This is the latest call for proposals from MCV’s Venture Lab, focused on advancing financial inclusion and climate resilience in emerging markets through responsible AI and frontier technologies.

We’re seeking first-of-a-kind digital finance solutions that expand access to insurance, credit, savings, and remittances for unbanked and climate-vulnerable populations across Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Selected ventures will receive up to $50,000 in equity-free funding, along with strategic mentorship, impact measurement support, partnership opportunities, and global brand exposure.

During this session, we’ll share more about the goals of the AI for Financial Resilience initiative, and what we’re looking for in pilot-ready solutions. We’ll also walk through the application process and answer questions from prospective applicants.

Time: 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM EST

Most of humanity wants real, meaningful climate action. Now, it’s time to fund that change. At the 8th Investment Case, find out how we can redirect finance away from harmful practices and towards regenerative, community-led solutions.

We’re gathering at COP30 – and opening the doors for you to join online – to ignite new investment strategies that benefit communities, nature and investors.

Register now to discover successful grassroots projects and join 5,000 changemakers in reshaping the future of finance.

About the event

The world stands at a pivotal moment for gender equality. As the Center for Global Development marks our 10th year convening the brightest minds in this space, we’re confronting unprecedented challenges—and extraordinary opportunities.

Rising debt, fiscal crises, trade tensions, and shrinking aid budgets are reshaping the global development landscape. Alongside this, care systems are under increasing strain and gender rights face growing backlash. As governments scramble to reignite economic growth and create jobs, there’s a real risk that gender equality and women’s economic empowerment could be pushed to the sidelines.

This year’s conference brings together experts and thought leaders from a range of backgrounds to forge an evidence-based path to change. Together, we’ll examine key challenges, share rigorous research findings, and uncover practical strategies to keep gender equality at the heart of global development—not an afterthought, but the foundation for sustainable, inclusive growth.

Join us as we inform the next decade of progress.

ANDE South Asia Convening is an initiative to bring this ecosystem of entrepreneur support organizations, in South Asia, together to initiate discussion and catalyze cross-border collaboration to further economic growth through entrepreneurship and strengthen the SGB ecosystem.

South Asia Convening 2025 is taking place, on December 2-4, 2025, in the context of unprecedented global upheavals, the impacts of which are reverberating across the South Asia region as well. In this context, the main theme of the South Asia convening is: Building Tomorrow’s Ecosystems: Connect, Innovate, Transform.

ANDE would like to invite its partners to nominate themselves for designing, facilitating, or participating in sessions falling under these sub-tracks.

Track One: Nascent & Developed Ecosystems in South Asia
Track Two: Corporate Engagement
Track Three: Diversifying Funding Models

There has been a steady increase in entrepreneurial activity and the Small and Growing Business (SGB) support ecosystem over the past few years across the South Asian region. Though the countries in this region have different nuances, there has always been an underlying current of similarities in the challenges and opportunities the SGB ecosystem across them presents. This regional convening will follow up on the momentum built in the previous three editions around bringing the ecosystem of entrepreneur support organisations together to catalyse cross-border collaboration to accelerate on-ground action towards achieving the SDGs, especially in the changed political scenario globally.

South Asia Convening 2025 is taking place in the context of unprecedented global upheavals, the impacts of which are reverberating across the South Asia region as well. In this context, the main theme of the South Asia convening is: Building Tomorrow’s Ecosystems: Connect, Innovate, Transform.