Why Tech Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries Struggle to Raise Funds
“So what can entrepreneurs in the developing world do? Follow the model of most South African companies — incorporate your business in Europe or the U.S. and run it from your own country. Doing so positions you to legally tie your assets to highly-liquid funding environments, and your exit path will be expanded. What’s more, if you incorporate in these markets, it will be easier for investors to help you find buyers, who naturally will prefer U.S. and European companies compared to say, African companies, because indigenization policies in some markets make it difficult for foreigners to own controlling stakes in companies. Understanding how your investors can exit is important if you want to raise funds easily. Just keep in mind that incorporating internationally requires collaboration; you can’t work in silos. To succeed as an entrepreneur in a developing country, you need to look for partners and expand your footprint.”
(via @HBR)
The World Needs More Social Entrepreneurs
“We need to teach our youth that they can help people; that they can lead; that they can make lasting and important change in their communities and across the globe. Society, employers, educators, and parents need to recognize that our kids’ successful personal and social development must start with a mastery of several complex skills — empathy, teamwork, leadership, and change making.” (via @HBR)
How are we equipping our youth to view business and life as opportunities to impact social issues our global community faces? How are we inspiring them to recognize their potential in ways that go beyond simply financial return? What organizations do you know that are doing this?
The Lean Startup Methodolgy
“Startup success can be engineered by following the process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.” - Eric Ries
Why Social Change Is Good for Business (via @Forbes)
“What’s the best way for your company to have more influence on the social issues that are affecting its business? Consider asking yourself these questions:
What social issues are most relevant to who we are and what we do?
What social issues are containing our growth or hurting our competitive positioning?
What issues can we address directly by improving what we’re already doing, and what do we need help with from NGOs, value chain partners, or government?
Are we able to measure our progress with existing metrics or do we need to introduce new tools and systems to track the relationships between business results and social outcomes?
And, perhaps my favorite insight from Mark: “Would we still do this even if nobody knew about it?”
(via @Forbes)
Mobile Money Slowly Turning East Africa into Cashless Society
“In an analysis of the national payment systems in the region, the value of transactions done through cheque and other debit and credit instruments is far larger than the payments through credit cards.
In Uganda, payment by real time gross settlement (RTGS), which allows for funds in accounts in two different banks to be transferred in an hour or less, posted the highest value as a payment option with over Ush117.8 trillion ($50.4 billion) transacted through this method according to the latest figures from the Bank of Uganda in the 2010/2011 financial year. Electronic funds transfer came second with Ush8 trillion ($3.4 billion), cheque transactions had a value of Ush5 trillion ($2.1 billion) and mobile money transaction had a value of Ush300 billion ($127.8 million).”
(via theeastafrican.co.ke & @investedd)
The Future of Corporate Social Responsibility
“What are some of the trends you’ve observed in corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship?
Stephen Jordan: There are many, but let me zero in on three. One is a huge shift toward transparency and communication. In 2000 there might have been a dozen Fortune 500 companies who issued a CSR or sustainability report. Now almost all of them do. Second is a big shift away from seeing corporate citizenship as synonymous with corporate philanthropy. I think it is becoming much more strategic and embedded in company operations. The third trend is that companies are moving away from playing defense and reacting to whatever social pressures are out there, and moving toward being proactive and addressing their external environment more intentionally.”
(via @Forbes)
Are Mobile Solutions for Combating Global Poverty Overhyped?
“There are now over 5 billion mobile phone subscriptions worldwide, according to the International Telecommunications Union, with global mobile penetration at 87 percent. In the developing world, where landlines are especially scarce in rural areas, mobiles have been used for governance, banking, agriculture, education, health, commerce, reporting news, political participation, and reducing corruption.
But the ubiquity of the mobile phone - and its application to a diverse and growing set of development goals - doesn’t guarantee economic or social progress.
Are mobiles just another high-tech solution to what are essentially systemic and deeply rooted problems? Are mobile solutions for combating global poverty overhyped?”
(via @CNNWorld)
What do you think?
Is the Social Enterprise Bubble About to Burst?
“Over the past two months, GOOD has profiled organizations in Africa using market solutions to solve water and sanitation challenges, improve agriculture, and promote public health. Social enterprises like these are transforming development work, and social entrepreneurs are being hailed as rock stars.
But social enterprise isn’t the first trend to hit the development sector. From women’s empowerment to “sustainability” to microfinance, the aid community has moved through its stash of silver bullets. What makes social enterprise any different?”
(via GOOD.is)
“Social business is a loaded term, and an increasingly popular one. Do you really know what it means? Do you know where the core value of a social business lies? The infographic below will help.” (via Global Dawn and @Forbes)
The Trouble With Impact Investing
“For all the hoopla, the definition of impact investing is still a dog’s breakfast. Inclusive definitions throw in everything from small donations (huh?) to investments that provide a market rate of return or above (which sounds a lot like plain vanilla investing).” (via SSIR)
Some interesting points…thoughts? What’s the problem with a both/and approach instead of either/or?
