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Entrepreneur-Friendly Inclusive Finance: A Survey of Brazilian MSMEs Highlights Key Lessons for Lenders
In Brazil, impact-focused lenders like Estímulo are successfully reaching small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with inclusive lending approaches. But as Carla Grados-Villamar at 60 Decibels and Lucas Conrado at Estímulo explain, inclusive finance is not just about disbursing loans — it’s about understanding entrepreneurs’ realities and adapting accordingly. They share findings from 60 Decibels' interviews with over 400 Estímulo loan applicants, highlighting lessons lenders can use to improve business outcomes for borrowers, and prepare non-borrowers for future credit opportunities. (In celebration of our 20th anniversary, NextBillion is highlighting key articles from our decades of coverage of different sectors on our homepage below, with a current focus on education.)
- Categories
- Finance
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Rockefeller Foundation Supports Brazil-Led Food Solutions to Nourish People at COP30
"The philanthropic organization, which has been investing in the region for nearly 100 years, will support 12 organizations to mobilize finance for small and mid-size farmers connected to school meal programs, providing technical support and enabling cross-country learning from these programs."
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment
- Region
- Latin America
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BII and BlueOrchard Launch $250 Million Climate Fund for Insurers
The fund will primarily provide senior loans to banks, microfinance providers and other intermediaries offering climate finance to small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
- Region
- Global
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IFC Invests in EcoEnterprises Partners IV to Boost Job Creation and Support SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean
IFC will invest US$ 10 million in the new fund, which will support businesses, the majority of them SMEs, that enhance biodiversity, promote climate resilience, and create socio-economic opportunities for rural communities.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing
- Region
- Latin America
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Analysis: SMS Charges May Be Inhibiting the Use of AI for 1 Billion People
"Entrepreneurs I spoke with are shelving ideas due to the price of SMS, including services that would have provided local agricultural guidance, advice for pregnant women, and insights to small businesses from transaction records."
- Categories
- Telecommunications
- Region
- Global
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Ant International Invests in R2 to Expand Credit Access for SMEs in Latin America
R2 enables digital platforms to offer financing solutions quickly and securely through an API-based, end- to-end white-labeled experience.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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ADB Approves $30 Million Loan for GCash’s Fuse Financing to Boost MSME Lending
According to the ADB, Fuse’s new project aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion by expanding MSMEs’ access to financing, particularly in underserved and marginalized areas.
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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African Fintech Driving Financial Inclusion Closes Funding Round With Over $200 Million
Moniepoint, which focuses on driving financial inclusion for MSMEs and individuals, received an additional $90m backing, after initially raising $110m in October 2024, including from several impact investors.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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