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How Africa Internet Group Became Africa’s First Venture Capital-Backed Business to Be Valued at $1 Billion
Africa Internet Group (AIG), parent company to e-commerce brands like Jumia and Jovago, has become Africa’s first venture capital-backed business to be valued at $1 billion dollars after an $83 million investment from insurance company AXA for an 8% stake.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- venture capital
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African Equity Crowdfunding Portal Launches Call for Applications
Impact-focused equity crowdfunding portal Malaik has launched a call for applications to African entrepreneurs with impact focused businesses, aiming to help connect businesses with investors.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Bill Gates Doubles Down to Scale Up Financing for New Impact Fund Managers
When Bill Gates agreed a couple years ago to put a small piece of his personal fortune into a fund that invests in companies serving low-income customers in India, he invited the fund managers to return with a plan to scale up their investments and their social impact. The fund managers recently took such a plan to Gates, and have again come away with not only a check, but an endorsement from the world’s richest man. Gates also co-chairs the world’s biggest philanthropy, but his new personal investment in the Capria Accelerator Fund is about business, not charity.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- impact investing
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Uganda Preparing Law to Regulate Microfinance Institutions
Government is in advanced stages of establishing a law that will pave way for the formation of an autonomous institution that will license, regulate and supervise non-Microfinance Deposit Taking Institutions (MDIs), an official has disclosed.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- microfinance, regulations
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Report: Social/Impact Venture Firms Invested $95 Million in India in 2015
Social/ Impact Venture Firms invested about US$95mn over 53 deals in India during the twelve months ended December 2015, according to data from Venture Intelligence, India’s longest serving research service focused on private company financials, transactions and valuations.. Deal activity increased 8.2% compared to 2014 (which had witnessed 49 such investments valued at US$106mn).
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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OPIC Enters Into $250 Million Partnership with Bayport to Advance Financial Inclusion
Bayport Management Ltd, a leading emerging market financial services group, today announced the closing of a $250 million senior debt facility with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation which will support the group’s financial inclusion and growth agenda across its operations.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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From fad to fixture: how investors are waking up to climate risk
Investors are beginning to accept that their stock picks can be environmentally and financially successful.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing
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The Hybrid Investor
For once, Head Office starts with a wager with myself. I’m on my way to meet Roopa Kudva, managing director of Omidyar Network India Advisors, the Indian arm of the Silicon Valley-headquartered impact investors.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- impact investing