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nextbillion.bsky.social
NextBillion
@nextbillion.bsky.social
780 followers 2.7K following 420 posts
Covering #SocialEnterprise and #business solutions to #GlobalDev challenges in #EmergingMarkets. A publication of the @wdavidsoninst.bsky.social, we publish original guest articles, and curated #news, #events, #jobs and #bizdev opportunities. No Paywall.
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NextBillion @nextbillion.bsky.social · 21h
Productive Use Has Challenges: What’s Holding the Sector Back — And How Companies and Investors Should Respond

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@acumen.org #solar #energy #EnergyAccess #agriculture
Productive Use Has Challenges: What’s Holding the Sector Back — And How Companies and Investors Should Respond
Analysts at Acumen and Open Capital explore the challenges that are holding the productive use of renewable energy sector back.
nextbillion.net
nextbillion.bsky.social
Productive Use Has Challenges: What’s Holding the Sector Back — And How Companies and Investors Should Respond

nextbillion.net/productive-u...

@acumen.org #solar #energy #EnergyAccess #agriculture
Productive Use Has Challenges: What’s Holding the Sector Back — And How Companies and Investors Should Respond
Analysts at Acumen and Open Capital explore the challenges that are holding the productive use of renewable energy sector back.
nextbillion.net
February 3, 2026 at 7:29 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Rethinking What it Means to Start a Business: Why Systemic Venture Building Matters for Africa’s Food Future

nextbillion.net/rethinking-w...

#Africa #FoodSecurity #agriculture #business #SystemChange #GlobalDevelopment
Rethinking What it Means to Start a Business: Why Systemic Venture Building Matters for Africa’s Food Future
Analysts explore a systemic venture-building model that can support African entrepreneurs working in agriculture and other sectors.
nextbillion.net
January 21, 2026 at 6:43 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Interoperability is the Answer to Scaling Up E-mobility in Africa: What the Continent Can Learn from the EU and India’s Divergent Approaches

nextbillion.net/interoperabi...

#ElectricMobility #EMobility #ElectricVehicles #EVs #Africa #India #SustainableMobility
Interoperability is the Answer to Scaling Up E-mobility in Africa: What the Continent Can Learn from the EU and India’s Divergent Approaches
How the EU and India’s different routes toward interoperability in electric vehicles and batteries can inform Africa's e-mobility transition.
nextbillion.net
January 13, 2026 at 7:05 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Scaling Through Consortiums: Five Lessons We’ve Learned About Growing Impact Collectively

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#NGOs #SocialEnterprise #SocialImpact #nonprofits
Scaling Through Consortiums: Five Lessons We’ve Learned About Growing Impact Collectively
Five lessons that can enable impact-focused organizations to collaborate effectively and scale their solutions through consortiums.
nextbillion.net
January 7, 2026 at 5:17 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
NextBillion’s Most Influential Articles of 2025: Announcing the Winners of Our Annual Contest

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#SocialEnterprise #ImpactInvesting #GlobalDevelopment #SocialImpact #solar #EnergyAccess #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #degrowth #GlobalSouth #SocialEntrepreneurship #Africa
NextBillion's Most Influential Articles of 2025: Announcing the Winners of Our Annual Contest
Congratulations to the winners of NextBillion’s 2025 “Most Influential Articles of the Year” contest, and best wishes for the new year!
nextbillion.net
January 5, 2026 at 6:16 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Announcing NextBillion’s Most Influential Articles of 2025: Vote for Your Favorites by Jan. 4

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#solar #ImpactInvesting #GlobalDevelopment #SocialImpact #SocialEnterprise #EnergyAccess #renewables #entrepreneurs #ImpactInvestors #SocialEntrepreneurship #SolarPower
Announcing NextBillion's Most Influential Articles of 2025: Vote for Your Favorites by Jan. 4
It's time for NextBillion’s Most Influential Articles of the Year contest: Read these 12 key articles from 2025, and vote for your favorites.
nextbillion.net
December 30, 2025 at 9:15 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Backing First-Time SME Finance Vehicles in Emerging Markets: 10 Years of Data Reveals Successful Pathways — And the Role of Catalytic Capital

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#ImpactInvesting #EmergingMarkets #Africa #investing #ImpactInvestors #CatalyticCapital
Backing First-Time SME Finance Vehicles in Emerging Markets: 10 Years of Data Reveals Successful Pathways — And the Role of Catalytic Capital
New research shows how first-time SME investors can move from concept to first investments — and how catalytic capital can support them.
nextbillion.net
December 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
African Agriculture at a Climate Crossroads: Business Risks and Opportunities as the Continent Navigates the Growing Crisis

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#climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Africa #ClimateAction #SubSaharanAfrica #GlobalDevelopment #sustainability #agriculture #farming
African Agriculture at a Climate Crossroads: Business Risks and Opportunities as the Continent Navigates the Growing Crisis
Why African agriculture faces a choice: remain trapped in a cycle of ongoing emergency responses — or invest in long-term climate resilience.
nextbillion.net
December 15, 2025 at 4:56 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Context Instead of Carbon: Why Climate Finance in Africa Must Shift its Focus from Mitigation to Adaptation

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#Africa #carbon #CarbonCredits #ClimateChange #climate #ClimateAdaptation #ClimateMitigation #ClimateAction #agriculture #ImpactInvesting #GlobalDevelopment
Context Instead of Carbon: Why Climate Finance in Africa Must Shift its Focus from Mitigation to Adaptation
Why framing climate action as either mitigation or adaptation prevents funding from reaching Africa’s most climate-smart solutions.
nextbillion.net
December 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Press Release: @technoserve.bsky.social, The Bid Lab, and Argidius Foundation launch VerdeXcelerate – Agtech for Impact, a new initiative designed to boost #startups that support #Smallholder farmers in #CentralAmerica and #Colombia.

Read the full press release here: bit.ly/48KJcFy

#business
December 9, 2025 at 9:52 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
AI Risk Management in Digital Finance: Protecting Africa’s Underbanked from Invisible Threats

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#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Africa #SubSaharanAfrica #fintech #DigitalFinance #FinancialInclusion #RiskManagement
AI Risk Management in Digital Finance: Protecting Africa's Underbanked from Invisible Threats
AI-powered lending tools offer new opportunities to reach the underbanked — but they also introduce new risks that lenders need to manage.
nextbillion.net
December 8, 2025 at 4:14 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
The World is Losing the Fight Against Malaria: Could Drones and AI Help Defeat the Disease Once and For All?

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#malaria #GlobalHealth #GlobalDevelopment #Africa #drones #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #PublicHealth #SubSaharanAfrica
The World is Losing the Fight Against Malaria: Could Drones and AI Help Defeat the Disease Once and For All?
How SORA Technology is using drones equipped with AI-powered cameras to target mosquito breeding sites and eradicate malaria at its source.
nextbillion.net
December 4, 2025 at 6:22 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Financing Off-Grid Solar: A Pioneering Provider in Honduras Shows the Impact of Diversified Funding

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@hummingbirdgreen.bsky.social #Honduras #solar #EnergyAccess #ImpactInvesting #OffGrid #funding #GlobalDevelopment
Financing Off-Grid Solar: A Pioneering Provider in Honduras Shows the Impact of Diversified Funding
How the pioneering company Soluz Honduras is bringing solar products to Honduras' rural areas by tapping a diverse array of financing models.
nextbillion.net
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Entrepreneur-Friendly Inclusive Finance: A Survey of Brazilian MSMEs Highlights Key Lessons for Lenders

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@60decibels.bsky.social #Brazil #MSMEs #SmallBusiness #lending #ImpactInvesting #ImpactMeasurement #entrepreneurs #FinancialInclusion
Entrepreneur-Friendly Inclusive Finance: A Survey of Brazilian MSMEs Highlights Key Lessons for Lenders
60 Decibels' interviews with over 400 MSME loan applicants in Brazil show how inclusive lenders can better serve the needs of entrepreneurs.
nextbillion.net
November 20, 2025 at 5:34 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Africa Needs Jobs — the Agri-Food Industry Can Provide Them: How the Sector Can Boost its Impact on Employment Across the Continent

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#agriculture #Africa #SubSaharanAfrica #employment #FoodSecurity #unemployment #GlobalDevelopment #jobs
Africa Needs Jobs — the Agri-Food Industry Can Provide Them: How the Sector Can Boost its Impact on Employment Across the Continent
Sub-Saharan Africa must create 20 million jobs per year til 2050 to keep up with population growth: Could the agri-food sector provide them?
nextbillion.net
November 18, 2025 at 6:11 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
NextBillion at 20: Reflecting on Growth, Change and Global Impact

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#GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #GEW2025 #SocialEnterprise
#SocialEntrepreneurship #EmergingMarkets #ImpactInvesting #GlobalDevelopment #SocialImpact
NextBillion at 20: Reflecting on Growth, Change and Global Impact
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, NextBillion is highlighting articles and conversations that have shaped emerging markets business.
nextbillion.net
November 17, 2025 at 9:10 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Public Good vs. Profitable Exits: Why Public Innovation Agencies Must Stop Copying Venture Capital

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@ox.ac.uk #innovation #VentureCapital #VC #SocialInnovation #investing #SocialImpact #ImpactInvesting #PublicSector
Public Good vs. Profitable Exits: Why Public Innovation Agencies Must Stop Copying Venture Capital
Emre Eren Korkmaz explores the downsides of public institutions' embrace of the profit-centric, risk-averse mentality of venture capital.
nextbillion.net
November 13, 2025 at 6:05 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
News from @mongabay.com: Tackling Climate Disinformation Is on the COP30 Agenda: nextbillion.net/news/tacklin...

Follow our latest #COP30 and #environment coverage here: nextbillion.net/categories/e...

#COP30HealthDay #ClimateChange #ClimateDisinformation #disinformation #sustainability
Tackling Climate Disinformation Is on the COP30 Agenda
A Declaration on Information Integrity was launched at COP30 where signatory countries committed to address climate disinformation.
nextbillion.net
November 13, 2025 at 5:47 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
#COP30 is underway, and several new announcements, including new reports, partnerships and funds have been released.

Follow our newsfeed to stay informed: nextbillion.net/news/

#ClimateAction #ClimateSolutions #ClimateChange #MSMEs #socimp #COP30Brazil #ActionAgendaSolutions #FundOurFuture
November 12, 2025 at 8:51 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
News: @britishintinv.bsky.social and BlueOrchard Launch $250 Million Climate Fund for Insurers:

nextbillion.net/news/bii-and...

#ImpactInvesting #DevelopmentFinance #insurance #SMEs #EmergingMarkets #SocialImpact #ClimateFinance
BII and BlueOrchard Launch $250 Million Climate Fund for Insurers
BII will anchor the BlueOrchard Climate Action Mobilisation Fund (BOCAMF), with both firms targeting investment from insurance companies.
nextbillion.net
November 12, 2025 at 8:31 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
From Energy Access to Economic Empowerment: Workable Models for Financing a Just Transition in Emerging Markets

nextbillion.net/energy-acces...

#EnergyAccess #CleanCooking #JustTransition #climate #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #EmergingMarkets #solar #SolarEnergy #Africa
From Energy Access to Economic Empowerment: Workable Models for Financing a Just Transition in Emerging Markets
Anthony Osijo at Bboxx explores ways to finance a just climate transition in emerging markets — while also eradicating energy poverty.
nextbillion.net
November 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Convincing Customers to Buy What’s Best for Them: How Lessons from Clean Cooking Can Increase the Adoption of ‘Merit Goods’

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#CleanCooking #EnergyAccess #EmergingMarkets #marketing #SocialImpact #GlobalDevelopment #climate #ClimateAction
Convincing Customers to Buy What’s Best for Them: How Lessons from Clean Cooking Can Increase the Adoption of ‘Merit Goods’
How the clean cooking sector’s experience selling cookstoves and fuels highlights strategies to boost consumer uptake of other "merit goods."
nextbillion.net
November 10, 2025 at 5:26 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Turning Failure into Fuel: An Emerging Learning Platform Aims to Bring the Hidden Challenges in Humanitarian Energy to Light

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#energy #solar #EnergyAccess #humanitarian #refugees #GlobalDevelopment #failure #SolarEnergy #EmergingMarkets
Turning Failure into Fuel: An Emerging Learning Platform Aims to Bring the Hidden Challenges in Humanitarian Energy to Light
How the Humanitarian Energy Learning Platform aims to highlight — and learn from — failure in humanitarian energy access.
nextbillion.net
November 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up: Bhutan and Fiji’s Contrasting Paths to Digital Transformation Reveal the Pros and Cons of Government and Market-Driven Approaches

nextbillion.net/top-down-bot...

#DigitalFinance #FinancialInclusion #DigitalTransformation #DigitalPublicInfrastructure #Fiji #Bhutan #fintech
Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up: Bhutan and Fiji’s Contrasting Paths to Digital Transformation Reveal the Pros and Cons of Government and Market-Driven Approaches
A study involving Bhutan and Fiji reveals their contrasting digital adoption strategies, providing lessons for other small countries.
nextbillion.net
November 5, 2025 at 5:24 PM
nextbillion.bsky.social
Time is a Social Innovator’s Most Precious Resource: Why Are So Many Funders Wasting It?

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#SocialEnterprise #NGOs #nonprofits #funding #funders #GlobalDevelopment #ImpactInvesting #entrepreneurs #investors #SocialInnovation
Time is a Social Innovator’s Most Precious Resource: Why Are So Many Funders Wasting It?
Many funders are surprisingly wasteful with social innovators' time: Here's a better way for funders to handle grants, investments and RFPs.
nextbillion.net
November 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM