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It Takes a Bank to Rebuild a City: JPMorgan, Detroit and the Value of Private Sector Solutions to Urban Decay
Many large U.S. cities have fallen victim to extreme urban decay – and nowhere does this ring truer than in Detroit. But according to Mike Brown at LendEDU, the city is experiencing a turnaround, due in part to a five-year, $150 million investment by JPMorgan Chase. He explores why private sector giants should use their financial might to build upon this success.
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African Cleantech Deals Stand Over Regular VC Funding Like A Familiar Solar Tower
In a report released last November, the International Energy Agency predicted a sun-enabled boom in countries across the continent. This forecast could provide hundreds of millions of African homes with clean electricity for the first time.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Race to Bridge the Gap in African Genomics Data Research Is Winning Investors Over
The new round marks rapid growth by a company which was founded just over a year ago with ambitious plans to build the world’s first and largest African bio-bank.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- venture capital
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Revenue Over Rounds: Why We Should Encourage Entrepreneurs to Focus on Revenue Before Fundraising
Before the fallout from coronavirus, 2019 was a banner year for startup investment in Latin America. But Daniel Cossio at Village Capital cautions that Silicon Valley-levels of funding could incentivize startups to scale too big, too fast — leading to high-profile failures. He urges investors and entrepreneurs to resist the growth-at-all costs mentality and come up with an alternative definition of startup success.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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From the Valley of Death to a $14 Million Series A: Sokowatch, Quona and the Role of Philanthropic Capital
The e-commerce company Sokowatch recently raised a $14 million Series A round, enabling it to expand its digital financial services to more merchants in Africa. But just two years ago, the company was in danger of going under. Malika Anand and Maelis Carraro at BFA’s Catalyst Fund discuss how the fund's philanthropically-funded acceleration approach has helped Sokowatch – and other promising fintech startups – survive the “valley of death” and position themselves for commercial investment.
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How the Coronavirus Pandemic Will Affect Venture Capital Dealmaking
Businesses need to adapt and continue both during the current crisis and to prepare for the eventual upturn once the situation improves. This includes raising capital through venture capital funding.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
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Seven Stages of SME Growth – One Common Problem: The Challenge of Financing Small Businesses Across Their Life Cycle
There’s an endless variety of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the world, but these businesses often experience similar problems that arise at similar stages in their growth. Barbara Peitsch, an international economic development consultant at the William Davidson Institute, discusses these stages and their associated challenges, and explores how SMEs can access financing that's appropriate for their level of development.
- Categories
- Finance
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Goldman Sachs, Others Invest $55 Million in London-Based Fintech Startup Jumo
The funding round introduced new investors to join existing investors such as Goldman Sachs, Odey Asset Management and Leapfrog Investments.
- Categories
- Finance
- Tags
- fintech, startups, venture capital
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