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A New Mobile-Money Firm in Bangladesh Is Benefiting From Special Treatment
Since mobile money took off in Bangladesh nearly a decade ago, bKash has dominated the industry.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- fintech
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Visa Champions a New Decade for Women’s Empowerment
Kicking off Women’s History Month, Visa today announced two new partnerships bolstering the company’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment. Hand In Hand International and IFundWomen will join Visa to help provide both educational resources and funding for women entrepreneurs around the globe to help them build and grow their businesses. The global rate of female entrepreneurship has been increasing more quickly than that of male entrepreneurs, with more than 250 million women around the world engaged in entrepreneurship.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- philanthropy
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Quona Capital Closes Second Fund with $203 Million Aimed at Financial Inclusion in Emerging Markets
Quona Capital, a venture firm focused on financial inclusion in emerging markets, today announced the final close of the Accion Quona Inclusion Fund. The Fund closed with $203 million in commitments from an array of leading investors including global asset managers and insurance companies, investment and commercial banks, as well as university endowments, foundations, family offices, and development finance institutions, significantly exceeding its $150 million target. Quona leverages a strategic relationship with Accion, a nonprofit financial inclusion pioneer, which is the Fund’s sponsor, general partner, and anchor investor.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- impact investing
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Microsoft, Accenture join to provide tech support to social enterprise startups
Intending to help deepen the reach of entrepreneurs and start-ups that are focused on social impact and sustainability, the joint initiative by Microsoft and Accenture aims to provide hands-on support and technologies to social enterprises, helping them build scalable solutions and business models that can lead to more tangible and lasting benefits.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- startups
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With AI learning and recycled soap, social businesses step in as coronavirus spreads
With schools and offices shut across Asia, social enterprises are rushing to tackle problems ranging from a shortage of face masks to distance learning.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- South Asia
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Women Entrepreneurs in India May Help Create up to 170 Million Jobs by 2030
Unlocking entrepreneurship among women in India is a complex effort, but provides an unprecedented opportunity to change the economic and social trajectory of the country and its women for generations. This will drive tremendous job creation and also deliver transformational social and personal outcomes for women, said Chawla.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- employment
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Facebook Backs Indian Education Startup Unacademy
Unacademy, one of India’s fastest growing education startups, has just received the backing of a major technology giant: Facebook.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- startups, venture capital
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KKR raises $1.3 bn for global impact investing fund
Private equity firm KKR & Co. Inc has raised $1.3 billion for a global impact fund, as it joins peers such as Blackstone and TPG in seeking to invest in companies that strive to solve environmental or social problems.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- impact investing
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