Last week we looked at the support system for mobile tech innovation; this week, several headlines caught our attention regarding the developing ecosystem of support for clean tech entrepreneurs in emerging markets.… read more
Weekly Review March 30-April 6
This week, we’re focusing on headlines in mobile tech innovation and that opportunities that are making it easier to innovate in Africa.… read more
Weekly Review March 24-30
We can never place enough emphasis on the need for alternative energy in emerging markets. From wind to solar to “crazy” energy as Bill Gates calls it, the potential to leverage innovation for increased energy access is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs, investors, and development advocates alike.… read more
Weekly Review March 17-23
How can mobile money be used to incentivize savings? Mobile money, if executed correctly, can extend financial inclusion to include savings capabilities as well as transfer and payments. We’re looking at some examples of that this week.… read more
Nairobi Calling
Editor’s Note: This post is Alex Bashian’s reflection on Nairobi’s “calling” after his recent visit to East Africa.… read more
Social Enterprise and Impact Investment Management Fellowship
Invested Development is excited to partner with The Monterey Institute of International Studies to offer on-the-ground internships and formal training through The Frontier Market Scouts Program. The following is the formal announcement from the Monterey Institute.
Weekly Review 11-17
This week, we’re sharing new ways that investors, entrepreneurs, and students can get involved in the industry.
Weekly Review March 4-10
This week we’re sharing articles that cover the latest industry trends and news in mobile technology.
Mobile Money’s Boost – Can Nigeria Outpace Egypt?
In our recent post, Africa’s Big Three, we compared Nigeria – Africa’s third largest economy – to South Africa and Egypt – the first and second largest, respectively. We discovered that added mobile penetration could boost Nigeria’s GDP to outgrow Egypt’s by 2020. This prediction is a result of increased mobile penetration and its positive effects on economic growth. In this post, we’re following up on our prediction with a discussion of another benefit of … read more
Weekly Review February 26-March 3
An increase in conferences, competitions, and accelerators is shifting the flow of human capital toward social enterprise. Last weekend, we attended the Social Enterprise Conference at Harvard where we saw evidence of support systems and networks developing to help and encourage social entrepreneurs. It is important to step back and appreciate the growth of the industry and this week we’re highlighting exciting examples of support for social enterprise in the news.… read more
Weekly Review February 19-25
The penetration of mobile web in Africa is on the rise, and we predict that it will be as powerful as the mobile phone itself. Along with the increased presence of mobile web, we’re seeing an ecosystem growing around it. This includes everyone from Vodacom and IBM to small startups at m:lab in Nairobi. This week, we’ll look at recent highlights that bring these players together, both big and small, to facilitate the growth of … read more
Can India Install 20 GW of Solar by 2020? Part 2
Last week we introduced the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission and explained the reality of the energy situation in India. Will it be possible for India to reach the goal of 20GW of installed solar capacity by 2020? We built a model to test the feasibility, and today we’ll share our findings.… read more
Weekly Review February 12-18
Mobile money’s increasing prevalence in Africa is spurring conversations, support for accompanying innovations, and larger efforts for financial inclusion.… read more
Can India Install 20 GW of Solar by 2020? Part 1
In a first-of-its-kind plan, the Indian government announced the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with the goal of achieving 20 GW of installed solar capacity by 2020. An incredible ambition, many are wondering if it is possible. There’s no denying that the country needs it, but is it possible to garner enough investment in solar to install 20 GW of capacity by 2020? We looked at several macroeconomic factors to determine the feasibility of the … read more
Weekly Review February 5-11
This week, we read about growing entrepreneurial opportunities in our target investment markets: India, Africa, and Latin America. The movement of human and financial capital in (and out) of emerging markets is increasing steadily thanks to changing demographics and blossoming economies. This presents exciting opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs alike.… read more
Weekly Review January 29-February 4
The technology sector in India, including all players from $5 billion USD Facebook to tiny startups in Bangalore, is growing and changing everyday. If investors can support continuous innovation, the sector will keep booming despite the many obstacles that exist for entrepreneurs in India.… read more
Weekly Review January 22-28
At the start of the New Year, many reports predicting tech trends for 2012 in Africa pointed to the increased adoption of smartphones. We agree — that is where the market is headed – but it’s important to remember that a high penetration of smartphones is still quite a few years away. Currently, most Africans own a basic Nokia “dumb” phone. This week, we looked at articles reporting on the adoption of smartphones and … read more
Weekly Review January 15-21
The idea that renewable energy can increasingly meet the energy requirements of emerging markets at grid-parity is a regular topic of discussion. Both the public sector and the private sectors are searching for ways to meet global energy requirements while decreasing dependence on unsustainable source of energy. Instead of the global oil markets, the usual suspects, now the radical advances in solar cell efficiency, declining costs of raw materials, and large-scale strategic initiatives from both … read more
Simpa Networks Makes Headlines
We take pride in each one of our portfolio companies, and it’s always rewarding to see them recognized for their work. Simpa Networks has been quietly walking the walk and is now talking the talk, evidenced by article after article popping up in our Google Alerts. The media stories on Simpa spotlight the need for alternative energy and accompanying innovative financing solutions for the under- and un-electrified. Now, mainstream media like Inc Magazine and National … read more
Weekly Review January 8-14
2012 is going to be a big year for mobile money and financial inclusion. Below we highlight a few of the stories describing the increased adoption of mobile money (beyond Kenya) and the continued growth of financial inclusion and other benefits offered through mobile phones.
“A Mobile Money Wish List for 2012” by Will Mutua on Afrinnovator
As a follow up to Mbwana Alliy’s prediction that increased mobile money services in Africa … read more
Africa’s Big Three
Africa is getting a lot of attention for its promising future, and it’s largely well deserved. The continent has six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world (The Economist, 2011) and the folks at McKinsey predict that it will have the world’s largest middle class by 2020 (Ottela & Russo, 2011).
Despite the astounding growth, there is still a big gap between the high-growth nations in Africa and other developed … read more
Weekly Review January 1-7
Since we wrapped up the year with a Weekly Review on Africa’s prospects for prosperity in 2012, this week we’re taking a look at India. In renewable energy news, the common trend is the focus on India – this week was no exception. We think (and it seems the media agrees) that the clean tech industry will present significant opportunities for investment and development in India.
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| Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP via The Guardian |
Weekly Review December 25-31
It’s the last week of the year, and we are surrounded by reflections on 2011 and resolutions for 2012. Here at Invested Development we have both. Our main ambitions for 2012 are to open our third office in India and test some innovative investment structures tailored especially for the techies in Nairobi. While we are excited about the prospects in India, Africa has made the biggest leaps and grabbed the headlines this year, notably from
… read more Weekly Review December 18-24
This week, we took a look at technology stories that will improve the African lifestyle.
“Three lessons for innovators & techpreneurs: Learning from Ushahidi’s history” by Will Mutua on Afrinnovator
Well done to Ushahidi on raising a $1.9 million round from Omidyar Network. However, as we know, not every Kenyan techie success story is carried with the same glory and ease demonstrated by M-PESA. Ushahidi’s experience is a great example of the
… read more Weekly Review December 11-17
This week, headlines on technology and mobile phones in India caught our attention. The innovations and solutions to existing problems in the market continue to inspire us.
“India’s ‘missed call’ mobile ecosystem” by Katie Fehrenbacker on Gigaom
This article called a missed call “the poor man’s text message” in India. The missed call is a great example of users in emerging markets taking advantage of the resources available to them. Although it means
… read more