By Greg Da Re Access to financing has been and continues to be the main obstacle facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to a recent survey, 90% of all banks surveyed in Latin America and the Caribbean consider SMEs strategically important for their business, yet 44% acknowledge that their portfolio lacks suitable financial products for such enterprises. … [Read more...] about Five reasons FinTech companies are an opportunity for financial institutions and SMEs
Corporate social innovation is the new corporate social responsibility
By Elizabeth Boggs Davidsen A new trend in international development has paired some unlikely business partners: development finance institutions and impact investors are working with large multinational corporations to fund projects that advance both development and business agendas. … [Read more...] about Corporate social innovation is the new corporate social responsibility
Financial inclusion just a click away: E-wallets and payment platforms
By Valentina Echeverry, Opportunities for the Majority; and Sergio Navajas, MIF. In Latin America, 60 percent of the population lacks access to financial services, equivalent to approximately 250 million people. However, mobile phone penetration is between 90 and 100 percent. In some countries, such as Colombia, penetration is 105 percent. This indicates that most people … [Read more...] about Financial inclusion just a click away: E-wallets and payment platforms
Infrastructure 360º Awards: promoting best practices in sustainable infrastructure
* By Ana María Vidaurre-Roche A sustainable approach to project design has allowed a metro line in Peru to reduce greenhouse gas emissions up to 80% above what regulations require. The line connects 11 districts across Lima and improves access and mobility, increasing the city’s productivity level by reducing commuting times by almost four times. The project has … [Read more...] about Infrastructure 360º Awards: promoting best practices in sustainable infrastructure
Changes at the base of the pyramid will transform markets in Latin America and the Caribbean
By Lourdes Gallardo, Senior Specialist, Opportunities for the Majority at the Inter-American Development Bank From 2000 to 2010, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) enjoyed a remarkable wave of sustained economic growth which helped improve the incomes and welfare of millions of people living at the base of the pyramid (BoP). According to the World Bank, nearly 70 million … [Read more...] about Changes at the base of the pyramid will transform markets in Latin America and the Caribbean
