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Friday, February 25, 2011

Weekly Review February 21 – 25

Every week at ID we scan the web for articles that relate to what we do and what we like. This week we read a lot about the use of and mobile technology for the development of emerging markets.


Image via NextBillion.net

New Resource: CGAP Launches Branchless Banking Database” Next Billion’s Interview with Mark Pickens, CGAP
Mark Pickens is a Microfinance Specialist at The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP). The CGAP recently compiled their research and introduced the Branchless Banking Database (available in Excel), which is a useful resource offering data about the emerging mobile money industry. Next Billion interviewed Pickens to find out more about the resource, which is useful for any social entrepreneurs, “mobile network operators, microfinance institutions, banks and policymakers” considering using mobile technology in emerging markets. Check out the database and read the full interview for more information about the study and the resource.


This post is the final piece of a five post blog series introducing the CGAP’s Agent Network Management Toolkit, the product of more than a year of extensive research on the profitability of branchless banking. The research looks at the interconnected supply chain of branchless banking, including mobile money companies like M-PESA. The newly introduced toolkit offers a financial model to analyze the cash flow of all members in the supply chain and ways to ensure that there are positive cash flows throughout the chain. This toolkit will allow for the further progression and continued momentum of the branchless banking industry.

Mobile money in 2006 and 2016” by Michael Klein
Since the release of the Making Finance Work for Africa report in 2006, M-PESA today “helps some 60 per cent of all adult Kenyans with payment services and is all the rage in the world of microfinance,” throughout Africa. Mobile money has revolutionized the way Africans live, work, travel, and do business every day, just like SlimTrader. However, this revolution has put pressure on banks in Africa to keep up with mobile providers like M-PESA and SlimTrader. The way people think about and handle money is changing and there is a lot in store for the future. Klein is looking forward to 2016 to see what has changed over the course of 10 years.

The secret of economic growth” by Aleksandr Shkolnikov
This article reflects on the secret of economic growth. In fact, mobile technology has been the highly successful key to economic development. However, as Bill Clinton states, technology alone is not enough. The technology must be accompanied with continuous innovation, institutional support, and investments in order to allow for the eradication of poverty and the true, genuine development of emerging markets. 

Monday, February 21, 2011

ID Welcomes SlimTrader

Invested Development is excited about the latest addition to our portfolio:  SlimTrader.
by: Miguel Granier



For many Africans, having to walk for hours then stand on a crowded street corner and hope that they can push their way onto a bus is all too common. Worse still is when that bus is held up by gunmen for the cash the driver holds from ticket sales. Luckily, many Africans already have the technology they need to make both a thing of the past.

SlimTrader (aka Mobishara) seeks to relieve the burdens associated with everyday transactions in developing countries through Africa’s first mobile e-commerce platform. The company’s software allows consumers to purchase services or shop for goods (like bus tickets) on their mobile phones via SMS or mobile web.
                                


Despite the obvious benefits to consumers, e-commerce has been relatively limited in Africa because of the cost of incorporating the platforms and low internet penetration rates. SlimTrader solves both problems by offering companies an affordable, scalable platform that is SMS enabled for the 300+ million Africans who own mobile phones.

SlimTrader is the brainchild of Founder & CEO Femi Akinde, who experienced the difficulty of completing everyday transactions while growing up in Africa.  He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has over 12 years of work experience in telecommunications and technology development, including senior positions with T-Mobile and Microsoft.

Invested Development recently completed a seed-stage investment in SlimTrader through our BSP Fund.  We are excited to have them join our portfolio and ready to be active partners in their development. Visit the BSP Fund page to see more portfolio highlights and check out other posts on mobile technology

Friday, February 18, 2011

Weekly Review February 14 - 18

Every week at ID we scan the web for articles that relate to what we do and what we like. This week we read a lot about the softer side of Impact Investing.

Photo Credit:
Grameen Foundation
Another great post from Abby Callard, this week she brings us back to earth and reminds us not to get caught up in the “superficial” side of philanthropy. People tend to worship and glorify philanthropists. Callard calls it “focusing on the individual instead of the issue.” It’s important to remember what the issue is and not just focus on who is doing the work, and the impact at the end of the day is what counts. There are several ways of measuring social impact, some highlights from 2010 include: The Impact Reporting and Investment Standards, the Global Impact Investing Rating System, and the Progress Out of Poverty Index.


Well Meaning… Well Doing” by Paul Hudnut
Paul Hudnut at BOPreneur discusses the difference between “well meaning” and “well doing.” It’s easy to be well meaning, however “it is important to not confuse intention with impact.” Hudnut remarks that the well do-ers are easy to identify by their will to impact, help, and, most importantly, learn from others.


There has been some buzz this week about social-impact bonds. Modeled from a similar program in the UK, the government finds investors to provide capital for privately managed non-profit social programs. If they’re successful, the government will pay the investors. Basically, tax dollars won’t be wasted on unsuccessful programs. If Congress approves, non-profit impact investing is going to go to new levels here in the US.


Photo Credit: NFF
More news on social-impact bonds. Shelly Banjo reports that the Rockefeller Foundation plans to announce a $400,000 grant to the Nonprofit Finance Fund, “Where Money Meets Mission.” NFF is the organization that is behind the social-impact bonds that may be coming to the US soon.  With these bonds, money will be tied to outcomes, and managing director at Rockefeller, Antony Bugg-Levine, goes on to say that “it increases the efficiency of how taxpayer money is used and steers more money toward nonprofits that are successful.” 


Friday, February 11, 2011

Weekly Review for February 7-11

Photo Credit: Port of San Diego under Creative Commons
Every week at Invested Development we scan the web for articles that relate to what we do and what we like. This week we read a lot about alternative energy.

In a recent blog post, Green Biz reflects on cost and control issues surrounding solar energy. Singh points out that despite the high initial costs of going solar (rather than using natural gas), the “emission reductions, local job creation and other indirect positive benefit” more than justify the expense. A smart grid will combat solar energy cost and control issues by controlling the energy supply according to the present level of demand. A smart grid would also allow for more dynamic pricing “corresponding with the hours of maximum solar generation.”

Alternative Energy in India” by Usha Ganesh
In Karnataka, India, three small, self-run biomass power plants are providing reliable energy to the rural area.  The initiative, called the Kabbigere project, helps the local economy by providing skills and jobs, reliable electricity, and a demand for the local growth eucalyptus for the production of biomass which “has encourage further greening of the area.” The Kabbigere project is a great example of developing alternative energy solutions to benefit the local economy and the global environment.

This article was buzzing on Twitter today. In the UK, a supermarket chain called Sainsbury’s will have solar panels for sale on their shelves right along with your typical household items and groceries.  Sainsbury’s will offer 10,000 “Nectar” points, or rewards points, to customers for installing their solar panels.  For the UK, this is yet another incentive to go solar, along with the solar feed-in tariffs (mentioned in this Weekly Review and explained further here).

How to Bridge the Energy Gap” by Abby Callard
Directly correlated to India’s economic growth is the rise in demand for energy. Despite the growth, many rural areas lack access to consistent and reliable energy. The challenge to provide energy throughout all of India is also an opportunity to implement clean energy solutions, thereby creating jobs, rural economic growth, and a competitive place in the race to go green. Callard goes on to explain the possibilities and the logistics behind wind energy and other alternative and renewable energy opportunities.

With all this talk about alternative energy, you have to wonder about American’s knowledge and, more importantly, perceptions of the industry. Pike Research surveyed 1000 US adults, 79% of whom “have a favorable view of solar energy,” and 75% “have a favorable view of wind energy.” Cap and trade was ranked least favorable (for a great explanation of Cap and Trade, visit The Story of Cap and Trade from The Story of Stuff Project). 

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

How App Developers Can Change the World

by Sean Smith

There is no longer any doubt that mobile phones are a groundbreaking tool in the fight against poverty. Today, mobile phones are enabling credit and financial transactions for the unbanked, increasing the efficacy of HIV medicines, providing access to markets and enabling long-distance communications from previously unconnected rural areas.

Yet most of these solutions are currently focused on utilizing traditional cell phone technology to bring about social change: namely SMS and voice. While these are useful tools, they pale in comparison to the paradigm changing potential of smartphones. Smartphones and the apps they run have infinitely greater impact potential than traditional mobile phones. The question is: how can we successfully drive demand for an expensive technology in some of the poorest regions of the world?


Smartphone Applications as a “Business-in-a-Box”

The term “business-in-a-box” refers to a turn-key way of supplying entrepreneurs with a proven business model, also known as microfranchising. An oft-cited example of how this can be deployed is the model utilized by the organization Vision Spring, formerly known as The Scojo Foundation. Alongside training, Vision Spring provides its entrepreneurs with a backpack that contains everything needed to successfully operate a business diagnosing eye disorders and selling glasses.[1] Turn-key business models like this provide entrepreneurs with unique products and services that they know will be successful.

Business-in-a-box models for the poor in emerging markets rarely incorporate innovative technology because the products and services must be kept relatively simple, and margins usually can’t support high initial costs. However, if mobile app developers incorporate the idea of a “business-in-a-box” into smartphone applications, they enable a basket of applications to serve as a business. This way, the costs can be offset through multiple revenue streams and very low variable (or p/customer) costs. This might initially sound like a solution looking for a problem, but it’s not. We’ll explain.

Emerging markets (particularly those in Africa) have very little wired infrastructure. That means no telecommunications or electricity outside of urban areas. The result is growing poverty and inequity for billions of rural poor. Mobile phones have done more to combat this isolation than any other technology since the automobile, but it’s not enough. Most mobile phones are limited to basic SMS messaging for services. This dramatically reduces the efficacy and use of mobile phones for enabling commerce, telemedicine, tele-education or other emerging low cost solutions. Smartphones, with larger screens, powerful processors, integrated cameras and advanced wireless connectivity, are not limited to SMS or even expensive cellular data networks. With the right applications, they can provide nearly all the power of a computer without the power connection limitations and a much lower purchase price.

A great example of the diversity of developing applications for smartphones is Veritas Vision. Veritas, an MIT initiative, has developed an application (known as Perfect Sight) that enables a smartphone to be used as an accurate, low cost vision test that can diagnose several common eye disorders. The smartphone application runs concurrently with a plastic device fitted over the screen to ensure the user’s eye is properly aligned.

The Perfect Sight technology is ideally suited as a “business app” through which a smartphone entrepreneur could charge an affordable fee for eye tests. The business app model not only generates jobs at the base of the pyramid but also creates an efficient distribution model for Veritas Vision’s novel product.[2]


"The Village Smartphone”

The problem is that a single app, no matter how innovative, is not likely to sustain an entrepreneur working in low-density rural areas. In these areas, successful entrepreneurs need to be able to offer a basket of services. Smartphones with two, three, or even five or ten “business apps” could conveniently and affordably provide entrepreneurs with enough revenue streams to generate solid income from smaller communities.

As we have discussed in earlier posts, the Village Phone was a pioneer in creating accessibility for mobile handsets by financing the high upfront cost through microcredit and converting phone ownership into a business. Being the owner of a mobile phone created a “business-in-a-box” where owners were able to sell airtime on their phone to generate income and provide their fellow villagers with access to mobile services.

The “Village Smartphone” is a natural progression and, with appropriate app development, a smartphone’s potential as a “business-in-a-box” is exponentially greater than that of a typical handset. This would create not only much greater earning potential for the “Village Smartphone” operators, but also diversify their offerings so that they don’t remain dependent on any one service.


Applications as a "Business-in-a-box”

While this sounds great in theory, it still requires focused and creative thinking from developers to create apps that can be run as business platforms. Smartphones will get cheaper, demand less energy and improve their processing power. Social innovators will continue to develop amazing tools to reduce poverty and inequity. Now we just need someone to put them together.





[1] Vision Spring’s “business-in-a-bag” gives entrepreneurial women a backpack with everything they need http://www.visionspring.org/how-we-work/business-in-a-bag.php Accessed on June 22, 2010

[2] An article from the World Health Organization that describes the potential global impact of vision testing and eye glasses http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr55/en/index.html Accessed on June 22, 2010.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Weekly Review for January 31-February 4

Every week at Invested Development we scan the web for articles that relate to what we do and what we like. This week we read a lot about mobile technology in emerging markets, new applications for homeowners to monitor energy use, solar energy, and social entrepreneurship. 

Using Mobile Manners” by Abby Callard
In their latest post, Beyond Profit discusses the ways entrepreneurs are using the growing number of mobile phone users to create services that benefit the poorer consumers in emerging markets. A study in Gambia indicated that “cloud phone” services will benefit users in rural areas, where 86% of customer share their phones. Movirtu is credited for the “cloud phone” concept, allowing users to access their own prepaid phone service and account from any phone. The study points out differences in mobile habits between rural and urban users, helpful for social entrepreneurs looking for opportunities in mobile technology.

GOOD recently wrote about three applications that will help homeowners manage how much energy these use:  Microsoft Hohm, Google PowerMeter, and Tendril. The applications offer different ways to track, automate, and recommend ways to reduce energy usage.

Hewitt is the Director of Social Entrepreneurship at Toronto-based MaRS, “a convergence innovation centre,” where she has implemented a Social Innovation Generation team. MaRS supports entrepreneurs in the areas of “information technology, clean tech and social innovation” working towards “systemic, sustainable, social change.” Check out her post to read her inspiring vision for social entrepreneurship in 2011.

The Gates Foundation and USAID introduced The Haiti Mobile Money Initiative in June 2010 alleviate the devastation and to enable the mobile money industry. Mobile money allows for the safe and speedy delivery and transfer of cash, enabling humanitarian agencies to act faster and more efficiently.  Now, there are competing partnerships among Haiti’s prominent banks and phone operators.

A reflection on the process of “going green” in everyday households, Grover debates the downsides of solar energy. He relates that the solar feed-in tariffs in the UK are enticing everyday homeowners to invest in solar energy. Most importantly, taking the step and going solar changes the relationship people have with their energy. They are now much more aware of when it is produced and how much can be and is used.

The Acumen Fund pays homage to Husk Power Systems in their latest blog post. HPS works to deliver electricity throughout rural India. Not only does HPS work to alleviate poverty, the organization improves the lives of their employees. HPS provides their employees with health insurance, professional training to build long lasting skills, credit services, and a career to break the cycle of poverty.