Spotlighting "Creative Capitalism:" It Is What You See

Submitted by Abigail Keene-B... on January 24, 2008 - 08:13.
Published in: | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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!


Abigail Keene-Babcock's blog | | printer friendly version | 910 reads
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BoP Blindspot: Productized Remittances
Submitted by Robert Granger on January 25, 2008 - 12:34.
I continue to be amazed at the failure of the BoP culture to spotlight the role of diaspora and migrant remittances in developing economies.This "blindspot" inhibits the exploration of creative opportunies...and recognition of break-through enterprises that are delivering value to the poor every day. "Productized Remittances" is segment of BoP business development. Thamel.com in Nepal (www.thamel.com)is a premier example of this category. The NextBillion has highlighted this segment. It's time to remove this BoP blindspot.
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Market based models
Submitted by Jeff Mowatt on January 25, 2008 - 14:12.
One for the pot. Social capitalism in a business model: With an approach of leveraging development aid funding as investment capital. http://www.p-ced.com/History/tabid/57/Default.aspx Based on the above - A multi component 'Marshall Plan' designed to deliver at nil overall cost. efault.aspx...
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Under non-profits using
Submitted by Cat Laine on January 25, 2008 - 16:06.
Under non-profits using market-based models throw in:
AIDG http://www.aidg.org
Kickstart http://www.kickstart.org/home/index.html
Blue Energy http://www.blueenergygroup.org/

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Diaspora and migrant remittances
Submitted by Jeff Mowatt on February 3, 2008 - 03:12.
Robert, You may be interested in a group I started on Facebook on the subject of 'prepaid credit cards'. It's apparent that the suppliers themselves hadn't considered the developing world possibilities. I use one as a social business to get funds to our founder at his overseas poject location and one other got one out to Uganda recently for similar purposes. All I need to do now is make an inter-bank transfer and the funds can be collected at an ATM. There's a charge for this of course, but nothing like the transfer fees we've been accustomed to over the years.
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One More Org - Design & Tech for BoP
Submitted by Arthur Tao on February 9, 2008 - 04:08.
Under the category of Design & Technology for BoP, I would add Literacy Bridge.

Our mission is to empower children and adults with tools for knowledge sharing and literacy learning.

We are a recently formed non-profit comprising of managers, software and audio hardware engineers, and architects who have worked at Microsoft, open source software foundations, BEA Systems, and Seattle architecture firms.

We are building the Talking Book Device, a $5 audio player and recorder, and the associated Content Distribution Network for children and adults in the developing world.

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