Monthly Archives: April 2012

Kano to get 44 micro finance banks

A consulting firm, KUDITECH Investment Limited, is seeking partnership with the Kano State Government to establish micro-finance banks in each of the 44 local government areas of the state. Prof. Pedro Alimi, the Chairman of the company disclosed this on … Continue reading

Posted in Microfinance | Leave a comment

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Announces Launch of Investing with Impact Platform

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney today announced the launch of a new investment platform designed to help clients align their financial goals and their personal values. The Investing with Impact Platform offers clients and Financial Advisors a broad range of investment … Continue reading

Posted in Social Impact Investing | Leave a comment

Newberg: How Real is the Impact Economy?

Mark Newberg is a one-man balancing act who has taken on three positions with a common thread: impact. Previously, he was the Senior Policy Advisor to the Office of US Small Business Administration. Now, he dons three different roles while … Continue reading

Posted in Impact Investing | Leave a comment

CHANGING THE CULTURE SO SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES WIN MORE PUBLIC CONTRACTS

The Government wants more public contracts to be offered to small and medium sized enterprises. But delivering this change across all public sector organisations is difficult. Graeme Young explores the procurement culture which favours the larger companies and he looks … Continue reading

Posted in SMEs | Leave a comment

Minister Yelich Connects Small and Medium Enterprises with New Business Opportunities

Today, the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, provided opening remarks at the Saskatchewan Aerospace and Defence Opportunities Forum to demonstrate the Harper Government’s continuing support for Western Canada’s dynamic and growing aerospace, defence and shipbuilding … Continue reading

Posted in SMEs | Leave a comment

Leadership summit on social enterprise and impact investing in Latin America

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is partnering with Promotora Social Mexico, a social investor, to host a special one and a half day meeting focusing on investing for a social impact in Latin America. This will be the most comprehensive … Continue reading

Posted in Social Impact Investing | Leave a comment

European Investment Bank (EIB) Launches $65m East African Community Microfinance Facility

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the investment body of the European Union, has launched the East African Community Microfinance Facility, a EUR 50 million (USD 65.4 million) loan program to “encourage job creation and increase access to long-term funding for … Continue reading

Posted in Microfinance | Leave a comment

Investors can rid the world of slums

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Approximately 180,000 people are added to the urban grid each day, according to the United Nations. That means, according to other estimates, that nearly 100,000 housing units are needed — every day, all around the … Continue reading

Posted in Emerging Markets, Impact Investing | Leave a comment

Government scheme ‘could create 1,300 jobs’

Irish Small and Medium Enterprise (ISME) chief executive Mark Fielding said today that a new scheme aimed at freeing up credit could create up to 1,300 jobs. The Credit Guarantee Bill was launched by the Enterprise Minister yesterday, and has … Continue reading

Posted in SMEs | Leave a comment

Best Practices in Impact Investing: are we there yet?

This afternoon I sat through a discussion/brainstorming session on best practices in Impact Investing hosted by the Case center at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. The style of the session was interactive, with over 80 industry insiders … Continue reading

Posted in Impact Investing | Leave a comment