NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, April 24, 2014

At Omidyar Network, we are deeply inspired by entrepreneurs innovating to better serve disadvantaged populations in emerging markets. From solar lighting to mobile money to affordable high-quality education, the size of these markets — and therefore the opportunity for positive impact — is enormous. As investors, however, we have become acutely aware of the barriers facing entrepreneurs in such difficult environments, including weak distribution channels, regulatory challenges, and difficulties in finding skilled talent. Oftentimes, these obstacles are too onerous for any individual firm to solve on its own, suggesting the need for independent efforts that can benefit all firms in a given sector.