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NexThought: From Soap to Cassava – Mentoring Makes the Difference
Cynthia Ndubuisi Mene’s biodegradable liquid soap business, Ever Glow, enjoyed early success in her home country of Nigeria. But as she looked to expand, she sought the guidance of a mentor and found one through the MicroMentor.org network. Her relationship with a former UPS president has not only helped her scale EverGlow, but has led to new business opportunities.
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Seven Emerging FinTech Players In Top Latin American Markets
Only about half of all adults in Latin America and the Caribbean had a bank account, and only 14% had formal savings - and a host of companies recognize the opportunity.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Latin America
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Accelerating Social Entrepreneurship in Latin America: An interview with Agora Partnerships’ CEO Ben Powell
As Ben Powell, its founder and CEO puts it, Agora Partnerships "accelerates entrepreneurs that are solving social and environmental problems in Latin America." Powell describes the process – including some surprising challenges most entrepreneurs face – and discusses emerging trends in social business and investing in this video interview.
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- Impact Assessment, Social Enterprise
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July’s Most Popular Posts on NextBillion: From the value of female mobile money agents to the power of Latin America’s BoP
From the benefits of training women as mobile money agents to the remarkable size and vibrancy of Latin America's BoP, the month of July brought some compelling content to NextBillion. We highlight the three most-read and most-shared posts of the month.
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- Agriculture, Energy
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The Next Challenge for Impact Investing – Thinking Small to Think Big: Scaling up support to early-stage social enterprises
Both small investors and businesses are especially in need of partner and mentorship services, but they're left out of most impact investment networks. Global networks that serve as knowledge, best practice and deal flow platforms should focus especially on early-stage social enterprises and investors, which need the most support.
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Fast Lane to the Future: Three ways the ‘leapfrog effect’ is transforming developing countries – and revolutionizing finance
The “leapfrog effect” refers to the phenomenon, in fast-growing emerging economies, of technological advances permitting shortcuts in infrastructure building. This saves considerable time and money – and can deliver quick results that took more developed countries decades to attain. Here are three ways the leapfrog effect is reshaping economies – and finance – in the developing world.
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- Technology
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Venture Capital Investing Boom Neglects Startups Tackling Poverty
The venture capital investing boom has sent billions of dollars to startups that serve the upper crust of society, yet many VCs continue to resist investing in viable businesses bringing toilets, water and electricity to the rural poor.
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- Investing
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Group That Shelters Trafficked Girls In India Wins $10,000 Prize From A Social Enterprise
Social enterprise CommonBond, which runs a business plan competition for social entrepreneurial-minded MBAs, just held its second contest. The winner of the $10,000 prize: Sanlaap North America, a nonprofit that helps to rescue human trafficking victims and provides them with housing, medical care, therapy and legal aid in Calcutta; it also runs for-profit Zesa, which trains and employs residents of their shelters and other girls and young women, helping them learn marketable skills, and also funds Sanlaap’s operations.
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