Today, Bill Gates' speech at Davos has thrown the spotlight on "creative capitalism" and an emerging groundswell of interest in market-based solutions and business models that can drive positive social and environmental change. The excitement around these ideas to create self-sustaining, scalable options for development at the bottom of the economic pyramid (BoP) is encouraging, and the potential for a snowball effect of increased action is huge. Yet all of the grand words and fanfare remind me that what is most riveting - what really seems to capture attention and combat ingrained suspicions (about "development aid" and about "capitalism") - are the actual stories of the models themselves. So, today I'd like to provide a brief vignette of pieces that NextBillion has posted over the last few years that give direct windows onto how "creative capitalism" works, and what it looks like in action: Large companies serving the BoP: Casas Bahia Codensa Cemex ITC's e-Choupal ICICI Bank Intel's World Ahead MicroPlace Smart Communications Vodafone's M-PESA Small entrepreneurs serving the BoP: DESI Power Drishtee Gram Mooligai Healthstore (SHEF/CFW) Landwasher Mi Farmacita Scojo Foundation Solar Electric Light Fund Water Health International Non-profits using market-based models: Envirofit International Development Enterprises (IDE) Kiva Patient Capita/Venture Philanthropy: Acumen Fund Aavishkaar Design and Technology for the BoP: MIT's D-Lab Mobile Phones One Laptop Per Child RIOS Institute For more organizations, case-studies, and current information related to the BoP space, search our resource library, follow the latest news, and subscribe to our RSS to keep up-to-date on our latest blogs!