Today, Bill Gates' speech at Davos [1] 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 [1] 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 [1]
Codensa [1]
Cemex [1]
ITC's e-Choupal [1]
ICICI Bank [1]
Intel's World Ahead [1]
MicroPlace [1]
Smart Communications [1]
Vodafone's M-PESA [2]

Small entrepreneurs serving the BoP:
DESI Power [2]
Drishtee [2]
Gram Mooligai [2]
Healthstore (SHEF/CFW) [2]
Landwasher [2]
Mi Farmacita [2]
Scojo Foundation [2]
Solar Electric Light Fund [2]
Water Health International [2]

Non-profits using market-based models:
Envirofit [2]
International Development Enterprises [2] (IDE)
Kiva
[2]
Patient Capita/Venture Philanthropy:
Acumen Fund [3]
Aavishkaar [3]

Design and Technology for the BoP:
MIT's D-Lab [3]
Mobile Phones [3]
One Laptop Per Child [3]
RIOS Institute [3]

For more organizations, case-studies, and current information related to the BoP space, search our resource library [3], follow the latest news [3], and subscribe to our RSS [4] to keep up-to-date on our latest blogs!