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Scale Is Overrated: Why the ‘Unicorn Industrial Complex’ is Holding Back Social Enterprise and Emerging Markets Business
Social enterprises and small and growing businesses (SGBs) are the focus of a lot of discussion and excitement in the development sector, as seen in recent SGB coverage on NextBillion and other publications. But Jack Foreman at Foresee Advisors argues that this discussion ignores the needs – and essential natures – of the vast majority of these businesses, particularly in emerging markets. He explains why the focus on scale – and investors' search for the next potential "unicorn" startup – overlook the crucial importance of SMEs that are content to remain small or medium-sized.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Cooling, Cold Chain Advances Energy Efficiency for Food, Vaccines in Africa
The Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES) is about to enhance its reach through a network of Specialised Outreach and Knowledge Establishments (SPOKEs).
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Tencent Leads $48 Million Investment in South Africa Startup
Tencent Holdings Ltd. has invested in a South African financial-technology provider helping the Chinese internet giant expand in the continent’s most developed economy.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Airtel Africa, UNICEF Partner to Enhance Digital Learning in Nigeria, 12 Others
Airtel Africa and UNICEF have announced a five-year pan-African multi-million dollar partnership to scale-up digital learning for school children in Nigeria and 12 other countries in Africa.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- edtech, partnerships, scale
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Analysis: How Africa Can Tap Opportunities Presented by COVID for Economic Growth
To survive and prosper, and exploit the global opportunities offered by the crises, Africa needs a comprehensive package for creating sustainable prosperity in a world of continuous disruptions.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Productive Use of Energy in Africa Is Powering Socio-economic Transformation While Offering Investment Opportunities
The programme enables African businesses to harness clean energy to improve incomes, build climate resilience and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Sendbox Raises $1.8 Million Seed to Digitise Deliveries for African SMEs
Sendbox, the Nigerian startup digitising deliveries for e-commerce and social commerce sellers in Africa, has closed a $1.8 million seed round to expand into more African markets, scale its product offerings and hire more talents.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- e-commerce, scale, startups
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Beyond Energy Efficiency: Key Trends and Pathways to Scale in the Solar Appliance Market
Solar appliance uptake is a key element of global energy access efforts. But according to Yasemin Erboy Ruff and Lauren Boucher at CLASP, no appliance is close to reaching market saturation, despite considerable gains in recent years. They share highlights from Efficiency for Access' 2021 Solar Appliance Technology Briefs, which characterize the market, trends and pathways to scale for 11 off-grid-appropriate solar appliances and enabling technologies, and explore what these findings mean for the solar appliance market and the customers it serves.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Technology
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