-
Microsoft launches $40 million AI for Humanitarian Action initiative
One initiative to receive a grant from Conservation Metrics is using AI to recognize the unique sounds of elephants’ calls to track them over time. More than 100 AI for Earth grants have been awarded thus far.
- Categories
- Technology
-
Press release: State of Blended Finance report 2018 reveals growth of blended finance market
“In two years since Convergence has launched, we have seen blended finance enter the mainstream, leaving a mark on not just major meetings and conferences around the world but in international development policy and strategies,” says Joan Larrea, CEO at Convergence. “This report breaks through the noise to give practitioners a clear sense of the current trends and best practices, so they can steer the right blend of capital into transactions that address the SDGs.”
- Categories
- Investing
-
MTN Uganda and Mastercard diversify mobile money service
The launch of the virtual card that is known as MTN MoMocard will ensure MTN’s ability to provide its customers access to products and services previously a preserve of physical credit card holders while diversifying its mobile money portfolio.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
-
OPIC commits $25 million through Sunfunder to expand access to off-grid power in Africa and Asia
The OPIC commitment consists of both a senior and a subordinated tranche, which will help catalyze other impact-focused investors to achieve a target fund size of $85 million. SunFunder projects that the Solar Energy Transformation Fund will make individual loans to more than 50 off-grid solar companies, which in turn will enable more than three million people to gain access to clean, affordable energy and lighting.
-
Metlife launches their i3 program in Bangladesh
Regional Director for Asia at MicroSave Manoj K Sharma said: “Although the mobile financial services in Bangladesh have been very successful, it is time to build upon this success story and translate it into a larger play around financial inclusion.”
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
-
Press release: Jed Emerson releases his new book, “The Purpose of Capital”
Emerson’s analysis challenges investors to expand their understanding of the purpose of capital and fuel a broader, deeper impact investing movement that shifts finance from harming to healing.
- Categories
- Investing
-
‘Green’ investments are not just about saving the planet – they’re about making more money, bank studies show
“Globally, investors do not associate sustainable investing with a trade off of financial returns. Fifty per cent of the investors surveyed expect sustainable investing to outperform financial investment,” said Amy Lo, chairman and head of Greater China at UBS Wealth Management.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- impact investing
-
Press release: Advans Côte d’Ivoire, ESAF Small Finance Bank, and KMF announced as Finalists for European Microfinance Award on Financial Inclusion through Technology
After the announcement of the three finalists, the Luxembourg Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Romain Schneider said: “Technology provides immense opportunities in everyone’s lives, from rich countries to poor, from people in cities to those in remote villages. What we see from the three finalists of the European Microfinance Award this year is the enormous energy, creativity and innovation that has developed through the link between technology and financial inclusion”.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.