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Staying Ahead of the Technical Assistance Curve: Six Lessons from Fintech Startups in India
India is at the forefront of inclusive fintech innovation. But it’s often difficult for Indian fintech startups to build and grow their businesses, while distributing the benefits of their work among their low-and middle-income (LMI) customers. MicroSave Consulting (MSC) is participating in a Financial Inclusion Lab, providing technical assistance to fintech startups serving India’s LMI segment. Authors at MSC share six key insights from their work that could be helpful both to startups, and to the investors, consultants and other organizations that support them.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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The “Financial Inclusion Compass 2019”: e-MFP to Launch 2nd Annual Survey of Financial Inclusion Trends
A positive reception to the survey and the Compass has meant that, one year on, e-MFP is ready to launch the second annual survey.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Europe & Eurasia
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New Report Shows Impact of Mutual Microinsurance on Vulnerable Communities Recovering From Natural Disasters
Despite the fact that the mutual insurance sector holds 27 per cent of the global insurance market and that the sector is the fastest growing part of the total market there has been very little independent research into the viability of mutual microinsurance as a business model and its value in improving the conditions of individuals, their families and communities.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
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Global Population Without Access To Electricity Drops By 400 Million Since 2010
Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report shows that progress has been made to increase overall renewable energy deployment. Nevertheless, ramping up the progress globally requires stronger political action, long-term energy planning, greater levels of financing along with better policy and fiscal incentives.
- Categories
- Energy
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Five Things We’ve Learned Creating Data Standards for Inclusive Fintech
It’s no secret that capital is flowing into fintech. In 2018, global fintech investments exceeded USD $100 billion. Yet this investment is highly concentrated among a relatively small group of companies. Blaine Stephens and Chrissy Martin Meier of MIX share five insights from a new research initiative based on 40 interviews with fintechs, investors and ecosystem actors, designed to drive capital to inclusive fintechs in hopes of reaching 1.7 billion unbanked people around the world.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
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Chinese Investments Fuel Growth in African Science
Africa has emerged as a major partner in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and that is paying dividends for science.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Are Rural Customers Ready to Consume More Energy at the Right Price? New Mini-Grid Research Offers Intriguing Results
Setting appropriate pricing is crucial to any business, but it's especially challenging for mini-grid developers serving rural customers in emerging countries. If the price is too high, customers can’t afford to buy enough power. If it's too low, mini-grids risk their commercial viability. Authors at CrossBoundary discuss a new report exploring the impact of massive price reductions on energy consumption and mini-grid revenues. The results are striking, and potentially significant for both providers and their customers.
- Categories
- Energy
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Bringing the Tech Revolution to Health Care: New Report Provides First-Ever Snapshot of Global Digital Health Ecosystems
As the role of technology in health ecosystems grows, the global health sector needs a data-driven approach to measure and improve the status of digital health structures. That's the goal of the Global Digital Health Index (GDHI), an interactive digital resource that tracks, monitors and evaluates how health care providers use digital technology. Joanne Ke Edelman at the Global Development Incubator explores how data collected from 22 countries for GDHI’s inaugural “State of Digital Health” report provides the first-ever snapshot of digital health ecosystems throughout the world.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
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