Catalyzing Innovations that Matter
For this week’s reading, we focused on agriculture’s impact on water. By 2020, between 75 to 250 billion people will be exposed to water stress, a result of depleting fresh water resources. Although there are policy-driven efforts to reduce water stress and contamination, we are always looking for new technologies and initiatives that can have a greater impact on these global problems.
Following … read more
With every action comes a consequence. In our reading this week, we focused on the consequences of agricultural practices on the environment. We are always looking for new investments that can solve these worldwide problems.
“Water pollution” by C Michael Hogan on The Encyclopedia of Earth
With 50 millions annual deaths worldwide due to contaminated water, water pollution has become a serious, global health risk. Unfortunately, agriculture is one of the biggest water … read more
Our blog may have been quiet this summer, but our last newsletter can give you an idea why! We weren’t the only ones who had a busy summer: the UN declared Internet access a basic human right, and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg launched an effort to bring internet access to every corner the globe. Here are stories from the summer commenting on ubiquitous internet access.
UN General Assembly’s Declaration of Internet as a Human Right (PDF)… read more
We are always looking out for our next investments for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our attention in the renewable energy field this week.
The green transformation is under way by Thomas Kerr and Brindusa Fidanza on World Economic Forum
Resource scarcity and climate change are becoming more prevalent issues for policymakers, including those at the recent World Economic Forum. Policymakers are aware of the need to implement … read more
We are always keeping an eye on the latest innovations in alternative energy and waste management for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our interest this week.
Bloomberg Plan Aims to Require Food Composting by Mireya Navarro on The New York Times
Mayor Bloomberg is piloting food waste recycling programs in New York City. While the programs are currently voluntary, many city officials hope to make them mandatory within … read more
The increase in remittances and money transfers poses an interesting challenge to mobile and banking technologies. We are always looking for the newest innovations in mobile tech for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our attention in remittances and mobile technology this week.
Remittances to Africa carry a high price tag by Tosin Sulaiman on Reuters
As the official remittance flow to Africa has increased to a record $60.4 … read more
We are always researching the latest innovations in mobile technology for potential investments for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our attention in mobile technology and mobile money.
How can financial services work best for the poor? by Anna Scott on The Guardian
In order to develop a service that effectively serves a poor population, it is necessary to consider their needs. The product should be designed around the … read more
We are always keeping an eye on the latest innovations in the alternative and clean energy sectors for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our interest this week.
Tackling Africa’s power poverty with renewable energy by Kristine Pearson on The World Economic Forum
The topic of sustainable methods of alternative energy is becoming increasingly common in development talks. The recent World Economic Forum on Africa, held in Cape Town, … read more
We are always researching the latest innovations in the agriculture sector for potential investments for the BSP Fund. Here are some of the stories that caught our attention in the irrigation and agriculture fields. If you’re working on an innovative irrigation system, apply for investment consideration here.
Government Eyes Irrigation Law to Boost Farm Sector by Madalitso Mwando
Zimbabwe, previously one of the largest food producers in Africa, has struggled in past years … read more
We are always looking for our next BSP Fund investments and researching the latest innovations in the mobile tech and agriculture sectors. Here are some of the stories that caught our interest this week.
Digital Farming- New App to Help Horticulture by Agatha Ngotho on The Star
A new app has been developed in Kenya to help over 50,000 farmers with data management. The Farmforce software is designed to help farmers manage and file the … read more
We’re committed to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship around the world. Here are this week’s stories on efforts to do so, including some from groups we are proud to call partners.
“Safaricom links app makers with private equity investors” by Okuttah Mark on Business Daily Africa
Our biggest news this week was the launch of the Safaricom Developer Challenge called “AppWizz”. The challenge is designed for early stage mobile technology entrepreneurs working on innovative … read more
Ag tech startups and innovation continue to make headlines around the world. Here are this week’s stories covering our exciting new sector focus.
“(Nearly) Unlimited Food” by Ramez Naam on The Huffington Post X Prize Blog
One of the main reasons why we have increased our focus on ag tech is the potential for impact on food production and hunger. Demand is rising with population growth and so are food prices. Accordingly to … read more
Last week the industry’s attention turned to India as Sankalp Forum brought together the biggest players in Indian social enterprise. Continue reading for news on India’s development and vibrant energy technology scene.
“5 Keys To Sustainable Development in Indian Cities” by Holger Dalkmann and Ashwin Prabhu
Impact investors and social entrepreneurs must consider the larger trends of population growth and urbanization in their approach to create impact. India is a good example: The … read more
This week, our thoughts are with the victims of the Boston Marathon Explosions. As with all tragedies, we must soldier on with daily life. Here’s news from the week that serve as a reminder of the good things that are happening in the world as a result of technology and business.
“Crowdsourcing Solar is a Bright and Powerful Idea” by RP Siegel on Triple Pundit
Financing continues to be the biggest barrier to … read more
It’s no secret that the agriculture space is a hot sector. At ID, we’re finding many opportunities that leverage mobile and information technology to improve efficiency for the small farmer. This Weekly Review features stories on the collaboration of technology and agriculture around the world.
“Unleashing Ugandan Farmers’ Potential Through Mobile Phones” by Kyla Yeoman on Global Envision
MobiPay Kenya has developed a unique application designed with small African farmers in mind. AgriLife… read more
What will it take to achieve universal energy access? This week’s Weekly Review articles cover advice for entrepreneurs working on these types of projects and alternative funding options.
“Can Technology End Poverty?” by Susan Davis on Harvard Business Review
Are you a skeptic or a believer that technology will impact the lives of underserved citizens around the world? We think it already has and will continue to do so. At ID, the idea … read more
This week, we read several articles discussing the challenges that early stage startups and investors face in emerging markets.
“Distribution equals development: Announcing the D-Prize” by Andrew Youn, Founder and Director of One Acre Fund on Skoll World Forum
Distribution is one of the biggest challenges that companies working in emerging markets face. Even the most innovative and affordable technologies may struggle to find their way into the hands of the customers who … read more
This weekly review is all about technology in India.
“India’s World Startup Report is Released and the Future of Technology Looks Bright for the Country” by Drew Olanoff on TechCrunch
A former LinkedIn employee recently put together a report on the market opportunity for technology in India, as well as the key players in the market. The report is produced under the World Startup Report brand, which highlights hot new markets in the … read more
At ID, we invest in technology that benefits underserved populations. With so many innovative and affordable technologies hitting the market, there are lots of new opportunities to use them to empower previously excluded populations. This week’s selection of articles discusses different technologies and their applications in emerging markets.
“M2M Communications Could Leverage Clean Energy for Billions of People” by Justin Guay on GreenTech Media
M2M (machine-to-machine) technology and high levels of mobile subscriptions … read more
All eyes are on Kenya this week, as the nation awaits the results of an historic election. As such, this week we’re reporting on the progress we’ve seen in Kenya and across sub-Saharan Africa and how this election is different from the last.
“#KenyaDecides – Reflections from a Regional Fellow” by Rachel Gichinga on Acumen Fund Blog
Rachel, an Acumen Fund fellow and Kenyan national, writes from the ground in Nairobi. She, along … read more
Social entrepreneurs have to do it all: innovate, develop solid business models, pitch them well, and measure impact. This week’s articles on impact investing cover all of these topics, as well as exciting ID partner and BSP Fund portfolio news.
“Defining Impact Investing: A Call to Action” by Beth Sirull and Ben Thornley on Stanford Social Innovation Review
Many people continue to seek a clear definition for the term “impact investing.” Sirull and … read more
Since the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress is next week, it’s only fitting that this week’s Weekly Review focuses on mobile for development news.
Video: Exploiting Opportunities for Mobile Money in Untapped Markets – NFC & MMS 2012 on Mobile Money for the Unbanked GSMA
We’re attending MWC next week, and we’re particularly looking forward to the discussion about NFC applications in emerging markets. NFC is near-field communication technology that allows for simple, fast, and secure … read more
This weekly review covers the ever-growing and nascent impact investing sector.
“Impact Investing for the New Economy: People” by Atlee McFellin on Triple Pundit
Impact investing is different from the green movement of years past. The new mindset of investing for impact emphasizes a dual focus on sustainability and well being for both the environment and people. Emerging investment and lending models, such as our own Impact Factoring Fund, are more frequently … read more
This week’s articles cover news on technology innovation in Africa. There are many opportunities for organizations of all sizes, both public and private, to respond to the diverse needs on the African continent.
“2013 and the Emerging Market Potential” on IT News Africa
The potential for growth in emerging markets is going to be driven by “fast-paced technological advancement.” In Africa in particular, we’re seeing the development of technological hubs and centers such … read more
This week we’re featuring news on energy, including breakthroughs from innovators and commentary on how this type of innovation is needed to meet the growing energy demand in Africa.
“A quiet breakthrough in geothermal power tech” by Katie Fehrenbacher on GigaOM
As we frequently mention on this blog, we like to keep tabs on innovation breakthroughs in renewable energy. Although we haven’t invested in a geothermal tech, we like to learn about those … read more