-
Indiegogo Is Getting Ready for Equity Crowdfunding
When Facebook announced in March 2014 that it was acquiring virtual-reality pioneer Oculus VR for $2 billion, the news caused jaws to drop throughout the tech industry. It also left at least a few of the 9,522 people who had contributed to Oculus’s Kickstarter campaign less than two years earlier grumbling that they should be cut in on the windfall.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Tags
- crowdfunding
-
In South Africa’s Poor Townships, Social Entrepreneurs Are Creating a Food Delivery Service
People who live a long way from grocery stores pay more for food because they have to travel there and back, which costs money, and they waste more time doing it. That's why two social entrepreneurs from Cape Town, South Africa, have come up with Lakheni, a group buying club that aggregates orders, with local daycare centers serving as a base.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Viewpoint: Why India’s Department of Post Should Be Restructured for Financial Inclusion and Efficiency
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently gave a licence to India Post to function as a payments bank. Does it change anything for the people? Post offices in India have already been working as payments banks. Individuals open accounts, deposit and withdraw money by cash or cheques and receive payments through them. All these transactions are meticulously recorded manually in their passbook. Post offices do not provide any loans or carry out any credit transaction. This has been in operation for more than a century and much before the RBI came into existence. So, what would change after the RBI’s licence?
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
-
NexThought Monday – Does Anti-Poverty Work Actually … Work?: Three questions every ‘pro-poor’ group needs to ask themselves
How can we fully distinguish pro-poor programs from those that are not? Leading thinkers of the “social performance” movement in microfinance (seeking social as well as financial return on investment) have hit upon a truth that applies to all anti-poverty work: Truly pro-poor programs provide the right answer to each of three straightforward questions.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
Mobile Wallets Gain Currency at India’s Brick-and-Mortar Stores
Could mobile wallets be to India what credit cards are to the West? When they were launched about five years ago, they were used mostly for making online payments. Increasingly, though, they are being used to make payments in the 'offline' world.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- digital payments
-
Orange Launches Africa’s First Mobile Crowdfunding Platform
Mobile operator Orange, which has operations in 16 African countries, has partnered with French charity crowdfunding platform HelloAsso to launch what it says is Africa's first mobile crowdfunding platform.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- crowdfunding
-
Sowing Self-Sufficiency in Africa With Anacostia-Based ‘Hello Tractor’
For years he had two feet planted firmly on the ground as a corporate investment banker. Now, with a little start-up money, Jehiel Oliver runs a small Anacostia-based company, with a plan to solve a big agriculture problem half a world away.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- microfinance
-
Financial Inclusion a Theme at MasterCard Investor Day
During MasterCard’s Investment Community Meeting on Wednesday (Sept. 9), the remarks from CEO Ajay Banga and his executive team gave a pretty good indication into how MasterCard views its role in the fast-moving digital payments ecosystem.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
The Best of NextBillion in Your Inbox Each Week!
Subscribe to NB Notes for news, jobs & on-the-ground insights from the world of emerging markets business.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.