Tag: Asia
Backers Say Go “More Digital” but Funding is the Real Challenge, Study Says
A new study by the British Council suggests that over 160,000 social enterprises in the Philippines suffer growth due to lack of good funding and capital. The study notes that in Southeast Asia, the Philippines included, the youth bulge potentially can bring demographic dividends but can also spell disaster if the young cannot find economic opportunities.
Beating Pakistan’s Changing Weather
How Acumen's Jacqueline Novogratz and a local solar electricity startup are partnering to deal with bringing relief from Pakistan's extreme heat and changing climate.
Alternative, Inclusive Financing for Asia MSMEs, Report Urges
Philanthropic accelerator AVPN urges in a new report the need for more experimental and inclusive funding strategies and tools for struggling MSMEs in the Asian region.
PAYGo Pioneer SolarHome in Asia Lands Series A
Asia-based SolarHome has nabbed a pre-Series A, raising its total funding now to $1.1 million. Its use of PayGo, an emerging "rent-to-own" way for low-income customers to pay for electricity was a main factor in approval of the deal, says Uberis, the impact investor who led the deal.
Off-Grid Energy Toolkit to Identify Solutions
MIT D-Lab's Energy Assessment Toolkit is one example tool that aspiring solution developers can utilize to assess the energy needs of remote rural areas like Pakistan's. The tool has been piloted in West Africa, India and Latin America.
Growing Pains for Impact Investing Ahead, says Bob Webster of SEAF
"It is critical in the private equity space that committed capital for impact does not overly exceed the demand in the market," says Bob Webster at SEAF. "Particularly in public securities, investors should be wary of offerings that are marketed as impact but in essence are not."
Impact Investing in Asia – Fragmented and New, Study Says
The study's outcome suggests that impact investing in the Asian region suffers from weaker networks between investors and SMEs, lack of proven data or better measuring tools, and perceptions of higher risk.
First Circle Raises $1.3M for Philippine SME Markets
Philippine-based fintech startup First Circle raised $1.3 million to continue improving access to capital for SME's in the ASEAN region. The startup operates in a country where financing remains a major hurdle for so many businesses that less than 20 percent have access to all bank loans.
SRI Continues to Grow 12% CAGR, Reaches $23T in 2016, GSIA report says
Global assets professionally managed under sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) strategies grew to nearly $23 trillion from $18.3 trillion in 2014, according to GSIA Global Sustainable Investment Alliance's biennial report. Climate change, China and the increasing awareness of sustainability were the main drivers.
Chivas Ventures Unveils Top 30 Global Social Enterprise Finalists
Chivas Ventures has announced 30 finalists out of about 6,000 startups across the planet at its accelerator program at. The innovative and diverse group of 30 will go to Los Angeles in July to claim a share of $1 million in cash.
