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COVID-Era Innovations With Long-Term Impact: How the Pandemic Is Changing Investment in Frontier Markets
Africa's growing middle class, rapid urbanization and leapfrogging innovations have drawn substantial investor interest. But as Kristin Kelly Jangraw of USAID INVEST points out, high transaction costs, small deal sizes and risk (both real and perceived) have kept many investors on the sidelines. Though COVID-19 lockdowns have increased these challenges, she explores how the pandemic has also brought innovations that could have lasting positive effects on the industry and the region – including new tools for virtual due diligence and deal-making.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing, Technology
- Tags
- COVID-19, impact investing
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Boosting Financial Inclusion With Airtel Mobile Money
The recent investment of $200 million in Airtel Africa’s mobile money business by The Rise Fund will further enhance financial inclusion in Nigeria, since the country is one of the 14 African countries, where Airtel Africa currently operates, writes Emma Okonji.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Press Release: Missio Invest Secures $20 Million Anchor Investment from U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
Loan Facility to Support Initiatives Addressing Food Security, Financial Inclusion, and Health and Education Outreach in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Categories
- Agriculture, Education, Health Care, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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USAID, DFC Announce $41 Million Financing for Renewable Energy in India
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) have announced a USD 41 million-loan guarantee program to finance investment in renewable energy solutions by Indian SMEs.
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Press Release: Unite Us Announces It Has Raised $150 Million to Scale Nationwide Social Care Infrastructure
Unite Us, an enterprise technology company providing the digital infrastructure to power the integrated health and social care ecosystem, today announced that it has raised $150 million in a Series C financing led by ICONIQ Growth. The investment follows a record performance in 2020 for Unite Us that saw it expand into 42 states, including 16 new statewide networks, driving cross-sector coordination and improved health in community-based settings.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing, scale
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1.3% Isn’t Enough: The Case for More Diversity in Investment Fund Management
Fund managers play an important part in both traditional and impact investing, helping to set development priorities by leveraging capital. But as Sagar Tandon of Moonshot Ventures points out, women and minority-led funds account for just 1.3% of the $69 trillion investment industry in the United States – even though they perform better than funds managed by white men. He explains how greater diversity in fund management could benefit both investors and enterprises, while gradually introducing an impact focus to mainstream investing.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- impact investing, SDGs
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Indifi Secures $5 Million Debt Funding From IndusInd Bank
Gurugram-based online lending platform Indifi Technologies—enabling credit for small businesses—on Monday announced $5 million debt financing from IndusInd Bank Ltd, with a guaranty from US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- impact investing, MSMEs
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Press Release: DFC Approves New Investments to Advance Sustainable Economic Development, Respond to COVID-19, and Advance Gender Equity
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting approved a $300 million investment that will advance inclusive economic development in Brazil. DFC approved 19 other sub-Board investments totaling nearly $350 million since its last quarterly Board meeting in December, advancing a total of $650 million in investments to support development impact, respond to the impacts of COVID-19, increase renewable energy and strengthen gender equity around the world.
- Categories
- Investing
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