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When Awards and Idealism Aren’t Enough: My social enterprise earned a ton of public acclaim – but it was missing something even more important
In her early 20s, Leticia Gasca launched a social enterprise to help some of Mexico’s poorest people. Powered by idealism and some promising early results, the company garnered both national and international acclaim. But behind the scenes, it was struggling with the harsh realities of doing business. Gasca shares the story in this frank post, the first in our series with F*ckUp Nights on failure in social enterprise.
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- Social Enterprise
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How to Get 30 Fintech CEOs to Open Up About Financial Inclusion: Lessons from Accion’s inaugural CEO Forum
Who exactly are financial inclusion entrepreneurs, and what do they do on a day-to-day basis? The leaders at Accion’s recent CEO Forum represented diverse enterprises ranging in size from three employees to 200. Through discussions around regulation, talent, growth, financing and more, the event showed a lot about what drives – and what worries – these entrepreneurs and their businesses.
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- Uncategorized
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‘We Can’t Be the Only Ones’ (Part 2): Jaundice-fighting D-Rev gives its views on markets and success
Before introducing its phototherapy units in a market, D-Rev looks beyond need to barriers to entry. Krista Donaldson, CEO, says that includes factors such as: How present is the aid industry and how does that skew the market? Are products being donated throughout the market? What are the registration costs? Regulatory requirements?
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- Health Care
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With Sales Up, D-Rev Doubles Down (Part 1): Launch of upgraded phototherapy unit brings hopes of expanded market
D-Rev sold more Brilliance Classic lights in December than ever before. But the nonprofit’s hoping an upgraded unit, which has manufacturing advantages and builds in two years of feedback from the field, will sell even better.
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- Health Care
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A Delicate Balance for Ruby Cup: Improving public health, keeping girls in school through menstrual hygiene management
The Ruby Cup represents a low-cost, sustainable solution to the problem of menstrual hygiene management in the developing world. But the company that makes the cups found profitability only after shifting focus and changing its target market from the BoP to high-end customers and a buy-one/give-one business model.
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- Education, Health Care
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Serving SMEs in a Tough Neighborhood: Part two of our Q&A with the CEO and Managing Director of the Middle East Investment Initiative
The Middle East Investment Initiative is a U.S.-based non-profit whose mission is to develop innovative finance tools for SMEs in the Middle East and North Africa, including the Palestinian Territories. Its CEO and Managing Director discuss the challenges it faces - from attitudes toward women to political instability - working in this volatile region.
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- Uncategorized
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Peace Through Finance?: How the Middle East Investment Initiative uses financial tools to help a troubled region
It often seems like a unique set of religious and tribal conflicts are responsible for the Middle East’s problems. But they’re also driven in part by a more universal concern: a weak economy. That’s why the Middle East Investment Initiative is delivering finance and technical assistance that stimulate sustainable economic growth in the region. We discuss this approach with the organization’s CEO and Managing Director in part 1 of this Q&A.
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- Uncategorized
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Helios Investment Partners raises US $1 billion African investment fund
Pan-African private investment firm Helios Investment Partners has raised over US$1 billion for a third Africa-focused fund, with the firm claiming the fund is the largest in existence dedicated to African private equity.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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