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The Urgent Need to Address Climate Impacts on MSMEs: Recommendations for Designing Right-Fit Tools and Solutions
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) provide a critical link to goods and services while generating income for millions of households around the world. But as Bethany Kanten at Mercy Corps Ventures points out, these businesses remain underserved in several areas that are limiting their resilience to key challenges – including climate change. She shares new research based on interviews with hundreds of MSMEs in Africa, which reveals the opportunity for innovators, investors and funders to positively impact these enterprises with climate solutions.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Environment, Investing
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The Power of Results-Based Funding for Poverty Alleviation: What We Learned from Africa’s First-Ever Development Impact Bond – and What’s Next
Development impact bonds (DIBs) are an innovative, results-based funding model with the potential to reduce poverty and make aid more effective. To assess their impact, a randomized controlled trial was conducted on Africa's first-ever DIB for poverty alleviation, which supported a poverty graduation program implemented by Village Enterprise. Dianne Calvi at Village Enterprise and Brian Boland at the Delta Fund (one of the nine philanthropic investors in the DIB) discuss the results of this study, what they mean for the sector, and how results-based funding can evolve to maximize its impact.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Investing
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UNCDF Partners with Our Telekom to Develop Mobile Money Services in Solomon Islands
Telekom to launch mobile money services in Solomon Islands in efforts to boost financial inclusion and transform the digital payments ecosystem in the country.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Press Release: Fintech Kinara Capital Secures USD $50 Million in Equity, Led by Nuveen
Fresh Equity Round comes from Nuveen’s Global Impact Fund and Triple Jump’s ASN Microkredietfonds
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Colombian Fintech Plurall Acquires Funding to Support Entrepreneurs in Latin America
Plurall, a Colombian Fintech firm that’s focused on enhancing the financial inclusion of Solopreneurs in Latin America, finalized a pre-seed round by securing $1.5 million in equity and $10 million debt financing.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
- Region
- Latin America
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Rethinking the Role of Business in Conservation: Why Small Local Enterprises are Key to Biodiversity and Climate Action
Climate change mitigation and adaptation are a key focus of attention in the global development sector. But according to Julia Rohe-Frydrych and Luis Ebert at adelphi, these discussions tend to overlook the conservation of the planet’s biodiversity, and they often fail to envision a role for the private sector that goes beyond providing climate finance. They argue that climate change and biodiversity loss are two sides of the same coin, and explore the importance of empowering local businesses that profit from the protection or restoration of nature.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Environment
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Google Announces New Initiatives to Boost Small Business Recovery
Google has committed support for startups, nonprofits and small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa to accelerate digital transformation and contribute to the country’s economic recovery.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Second COVID Wave Batters Microfinance, Lenders Positive on Outlook in India
The gross loan portfolio of microfinance companies in India fell in the first quarter of FY22 as demand for credit dropped due to restrictions imposed during the second COVID-19 wave.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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