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February 22, 2024

Reimagining Enterprise Support and Advisory Services for Energy SMEs: Five Principles for Boosting their Impact in the Global South

Over 675 million people still lack access to electricity (as of 2021) — over 80% of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. As Godfrey Simiyu Katiambo at Mercy Corps Energy4Impact explains, bridging this energy gap in an equitable, sustainable manner will require not only a massive increase in funding, but also targeted support for the small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) that are advancing clean energy access in underserved communities. He explores the growing need for enterprise support and technical and business advisory services that cater to these SMEs' unique challenges, and proposes five ways to boost the impact of these services.

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February 20, 2024

The Next Frontier in Inclusive Fintech: The Value of Client-Centric Impact Measurement

Fintech is projected to be a $1.5 trillion industry by 2030, and Latin America and the Caribbean is a crucial focal point for the sector. But Carla Grados-Villamar at 60 Decibels points out that while fintechs are boosting financial access in the region, this does not guarantee improved living standards. She discusses how 60 Decibels has helped Galgo, a Chile-based fintech that facilitates financial access through motorcycle loans, to better understand its customers' experiences — and explores how this learning process reveals the importance of client-centric impact measurement in the broader fintech sector.

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February 15, 2024

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity in Africa: How AI Can Help Ensure the Continent’s Digital Safety

Cyberattacks are increasing globally, and Africa experiences the highest volume in the world. According to Lanre Ogungbe at Prembly, this has resulted in significant repercussions for businesses and entire economies. He explores how cybercriminals target Africa’s unique vulnerabilities, and how artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform the scale and scope of both cybercrime and the cybersecurity efforts that aim to address it on the continent.

Sectors:

Technology

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February 12, 2024

Impact Management Moves Toward Standardization: How Investors are Harmonizing Their Practices — And Where More Progress is Needed

Impact investing and development finance are promising ways to generate positive impacts and healthy financial returns in emerging markets. But as Thelma Brenes Munoz and Mitzi Perez Padilla at FMO, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank explain, the lack of standardized impact management practices across different investors has become a key obstacle for the industry. They explore the growing movement toward standardization in impact management, discussing key signs of progress — and what investors can do to accelerate it.

Sectors:

Investing

Sectors:

February 8, 2024

Africa Must Take Charge of its Own Development Agenda: Here’s How Impact Investors Can Support It

Economies across Africa are facing serious headwinds — but according to Shiluba Mawela at Tshiamo Impact Partners, the continent still offers significant opportunities for impact investors. However, she argues that investment capital will not solve the region's development challenges without better coordination between African governments, private sector players and local communities. She highlights some emerging signs of this cross-sector collaboration, explaining how it can foster a thriving impact investing ecosystem that truly advances Africa's development.

Sectors:

Investing

Sectors:

February 5, 2024

Beyond Illumination: An Off-Grid Energy Provider in Indonesia Innovates to Maximize the Impact of Solar Home Systems

Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 18,000 scattered islands, faces unique energy access challenges. Hanko Scheffers at All Solar World discusses the obstacles to rural electrification in the country, and explores how All Solar World has addressed them through its unique take on solar home systems (SHS). He explains how the company has innovated on the technology itself (through features like Wi-Fi integration), while also optimizing its dissemination network and financing options, in an effort to maximize the reach and impact of SHS in rural communities.

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February 1, 2024

Trash Talk: Five Lessons for Reducing Plastic Pollution by Establishing Sachet Recycling Loops

Sachet waste — i.e., packaging for small, single-use quantities of consumer goods — is a growing environmental threat. With increasing demand for sachet-packaged products, particularly in emerging economies, the world now produces a staggering 855 billion pieces of this waste each year. Rolph Droste at Bopinc discusses the environmental impact of sachet waste, and shares learnings from a consortium of businesses and nonprofits that is establishing a large-scale, market-driven solution for recycling this waste in Bangladesh.

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January 30, 2024

Should I Stay or Should I Go?: Why Latin American Entrepreneurs Should Stay in the Region — And How Corporate Venturing Can Power Their Growth

Many young entrepreneurs in Latin America are leaving the region to pursue their entrepreneurial journey abroad. International legal advisor Eugenia Di Marco explores the reasons behind this decision, and discusses a promising source of support that could convince them to stay: corporate venturing — i.e., investments and initiatives aimed at supporting external innovation and building a vibrant business ecosystem where startups can thrive.

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Guest Articles.

Reimagining Enterprise Support and Advisory Services for Energy SMEs: Five Principles for Boosting their Impact in the Global South

The Next Frontier in Inclusive Fintech: The Value of Client-Centric Impact Measurement

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity in Africa: How AI Can Help Ensure the Continent’s Digital Safety

Impact Management Moves Toward Standardization: How Investors are Harmonizing Their Practices — And Where More Progress is Needed

Africa Must Take Charge of its Own Development Agenda: Here’s How Impact Investors Can Support It

Beyond Illumination: An Off-Grid Energy Provider in Indonesia Innovates to Maximize the Impact of Solar Home Systems

Trash Talk: Five Lessons for Reducing Plastic Pollution by Establishing Sachet Recycling Loops

Should I Stay or Should I Go?: Why Latin American Entrepreneurs Should Stay in the Region — And How Corporate Venturing Can Power Their Growth

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