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Viewpoint: Regulators Should Leave China’s P2P Sector Alone
I got into a shouting match with my 83-year-old father-in-law the other day in Shanghai. He had invested 300,000 yuan ($45,940) in Zhongda, an obscure peer-to-peer lending company based in Zhejiang Province. So far he has not suffered a loss from his adventure but he has refused to pull his money out despite my insistence that he do so.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending
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Stepping in for Social Enterprises
With nearly a decade and a half of working in the social enterprises space, Paul Basil firmly believes that there is a huge gap in funding for-profit ventures that cater to the bottom of the pyramid. There are funds available at the angel space and then at the Series A stage, when the ventures get their first round of funding from VC firms. But, between the angel and the Series A stage, there is a huge gap.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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Viewpoint: Impact Start-Ups Left Out of India’s Funding Boom
Aasaanjobs’ fund-raising journey has been a bit different so far from most impact start-ups. Last January, the Mumbai-based company picked up $1.5 million in seed capital from Inventus Capital Partners and IDG Ventures India. Both are mainstream venture capital firms and generally don’t back businesses that focus on consumers at the bottom half of the pyramid. This week, the two firms increased their investment when the company raised $5 million in a Series A round led by Aspada Advisors, the venture capital firm backed by Soros Economic Development Fund.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- impact investing
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Sanergy, Inc., Which Wastes Not, Secures $1.7 million
Sanergy, Inc., a social enterprise that makes prefabricated concrete toilets that turn human waste into fertilizer, has raised $1.7 million to expand operations in Nairobi, where it is headquartered.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Sanergy, Inc., which wastes not, secures $1.7 million
Sanergy, Inc., a social enterprise that makes prefabricated concrete toilets that turn human waste into fertilizer, has raised $1.7 million to expand operations in Nairobi, where it is headquartered.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- social enterprise, waste
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How Africa Internet Group Became Africa’s First Venture Capital-Backed Business to Be Valued at $1 Billion
Africa Internet Group (AIG), parent company to e-commerce brands like Jumia and Jovago, has become Africa’s first venture capital-backed business to be valued at $1 billion dollars after an $83 million investment from insurance company AXA for an 8% stake.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- venture capital
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‘The Face of the African Entrepreneur’
The third annual Sankalp Africa Summit takes place Feb. 24-26 in Nairobi and is centered on the theme “Spurring the Entrepreneurship Economy.” In previewing the summit, Sheena Raikundalia of Intellecap interviewed Vava Angwenyi, founder of Vava Coffee. The Kenyan enterprise is creating sustainable livelihoods for over 30,000 smallholder coffee farmers as well as employing HIV-positive women and ex-offenders in the informal settlements surrounding the capital.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing
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African Equity Crowdfunding Portal Launches Call for Applications
Impact-focused equity crowdfunding portal Malaik has launched a call for applications to African entrepreneurs with impact focused businesses, aiming to help connect businesses with investors.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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