NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Editor’s note: The following is a summation of the upcoming II BASE Forum written by IDB, a NextBillion Content Partner.

On June 6-7, 2013 the Inter-American Development Bank will celebrate the II BASE Forum in the Plaza Mayor Convention Center in Medellín. The forum’s main goal is to showcase how the productive sector and financial institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean are successfully serving low-income populations with commercially viable business models; markets solutions through which the private sector is contributing to solve the region’s most important development challenges. During the forum, participants will also have the opportunity to share good practices and identify what tools are necessary to create the proper ecosystem that enables the private’s sector more active participation in the provision of goods and services to the base of the pyramid.

The I BASE Forum, which took place in São Paulo, Brazil, gathered over 800 people from all around the world (60 percent from Brazil and 40 percent from the region, North America and Asia), including business leaders, thought leaders, multilateral organizations, government officials, impact investors, media and non-for-profit organizations.

The event counted with the participation of over 70 experts coming from 15 countries. The agenda included leaders such as Michael Chu (Harvard Business School and Director, IGNIA Fund), Fabio Barbosa (CEO Grupo Santander Brazil), Alexandre Tombini (President, Central Bank) and Maria Cavalcanti (former Manager at Avina and current Director, FIRST).

The BASE Forum in Brazil was covered by local and international media. Among the Brazilian media were Media Estado, Folha, Valor, Globo, O Estado de S. Paulo, Dinheiro and Brasil Econômico. With the latter, the WSJ and the Financial Times produced over 25 articles on the city and the country.

For BASE II, the IDB expects 800-1,000 participants from Colombia (60 percent) and the rest of the region; and from Europe and Asia (40 percent). Just like in 2011, the forum will attract business leaders, academics, impact investors, government officials, and international organizations. The IDB has convened—directly and through allies—over 7,000 people.

Among the media that already know about the Foum are: the Financial Times, New York Times, Americas Quarterly, Semana, El Tiempo, Portafolio, El Colombiano, Caracol Radio, Telemedellín, ADN, Todelar, Noticiero Económico Antioqueño, among others. In order to ensure media and international participation, the Organizing Committee is working closely with Proexport’s (Colombian agency for exports, tourism and foreign investment promotion) offices in Bogotá and Medellín. Additionally, the city will be prepared to welcome national and international participants thanks to the IDB’s work with Medellín’s International Cooperation Agency (ACI) and the Convention Bureau.

In 2011, OMJ partnered with Grupo ABC in Brazil the 18th largest marketing and communications group in the world. For BASE II, the IDB is forging a new partnership with Comfama, a private social enterprise—family compensation fund—with nearly 3 million members (workers, retirees, beneficiaries of an unemployment subsidy, etc) in the department of Antioquia. Comfama’s social mission and broad membership make it an ideal strategic partner for the BASE II. The IDB is aware of Comfama’s managerial expertise and their reputation in Colombia and the region. In an effort to convene the most representative and important organizations in Antioquia, the IDB has invited Proantioquia to advise the Organizing Committee.

During the event OMJ will release a seminal research piece on the market size and business strategy of the BOP in Latin America and the Caribbean. This research has not been up-dated since 2007 when World Resources Institute and the IFC released the “The Next 4 Billion: Market Size and Business Strategy at the Base of the Pyramid.” A deeper study on Colombia will also be presented identifying key players in the BOP market segments of various sectors of the economy where large companies can find commercial opportunities.

To register and/or for the II Base Forum, click here.