Overwhelming Response to the NextBillion Case Competition
I'm pleased to let the NextBillion community know that we had over 20 submissions to the first annual NextBillion Case Writing Competition from teams all over the world!
Latest Blog Posts
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Introducing NextBillion’s Newest Managing Partner: WDI
As announced in January, The William Davidson Institute (WDI) has joined the World Resources Institute and Acumen Fund as co-Managing Partners of the NextBillion.net site. This post is intended to introduce WDI to the NextBillion community and to invite you to explore ways to engage with the Institute.
Market Linkages: The Achilles' Heel of Livelihoods
Over the last two decades, models for livelihoods for the poor have come of age and many organizations have focused their efforts on reducing the vulnerability of marginalized communities. Though these models have been successful in creating employment, they haven't scaled to realize their true potential.
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Job Opportunity
Job Opportunity
Job Opportunity
Job Opportunity
Moringa Oleifera: Miracle Tree for the Rural Poor?
A recurring theme in romantic novels and movies is that you travel all over the world to finally find what you were searching for, right where you began. Could it be that the answer to malnutrition and self sustaining communities be a plant which has been growing in their back yard for all this time?
A Call for Innovation and Collaboration
We often talk about sustainability in development or compose programs that aspire to that end, but far less often do we address or share instances of setback. In a recent trip to Swaziland I visited TechnoServe's cotton program and was struck by the setback incurred when a prominent aid agency interrupted the efforts of this program.
Job Opportunity
Job Opportunity
Job Opportunity
Job Opportunity
Students: Start Your Social Ventures Today!
I'm a big believer in student-formed social ventures. Students are arguably in the best position to start a social venture. They have incredible support, access to unbelievable resources, and can take on risk that others can't.
Securitization: Increasing Liquidity in Base of the Pyramid Markets
How does one convert "credit" extended to low-income households into tradable "commodities?" Is there a way to use the best know-how of financial markets to transform an industry that makes small loans to low-income households? Securitization promises to be an answer to all these questions.
Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellows: Who Are You Nominating?
In the fall last year I had a chance to meet the Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellows in person, while attending the conference in beautiful Camden. Nominations for the 2010 Class of Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellows are now open. So roll up your sleeves and nominate that someone you know has potential to effect meaningful change in the world.
Using Knowledge from the Informal Economy to Create Sustainable Ventures
There's huge potential for the knowledge of informal sectors to be leveraged and introduced into the formal economy. Once entrepreneurs and investors start realizing this and giving it due recognition, I'm confident that we'll see India's villages achieve growth at a much faster rates.
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Job Opportunity
The Role of Intrapreneurs in Building Base of the Pyramid Markets
To date, the track record of strategic, sustainable and successful engagement in BoP markets from corporations is extremely weak. In 2010, NextBillion readers will be looking for more companies with product development and R&D budgets, marketing skills and pools of enterprise-savvy talent to lead social and economic development at the BoP.
