NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - For-profit Activity

Equal Exchange

Lauren Abendschein — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:53:26 -0500

Managing Organization: Equal Exchange

Activity URL:

http://www.equalexchange.com

Activity Description: Equal Exchange was founded in 1986 to create a new approach to trade, one that engages consumers and builds relationships through cooperative principles. The company is structured as a for-profit, worker-owned cooperative. Every worker-owner invests in the company, and over 300 outside shareholders have invested as well.

Equal Exchange trades directly with democratically organized small farmer cooperatives. Producers are given a guaranteed minimum price that provides a stable source of income as well as improved social services. Equal Exchange also facilitates access to credit for producer organizations.

Small Enterprise Assistance Funds ("SEAF")

Ana Escalante — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:49:16 -0500

Managing Organization: Small Enterprise Assistance Funds ("SEAF")

Activity URL:

http://www.seafweb.org/

Activity Description: Small Enterprise Assistance Funds ("SEAF") is a global investment firm focused on providing growth capital and operational support to businesses in emerging markets and those underserved by traditional sources of capital. SEAF selectively makes structured debt and equity investments in locally owned enterprises with high growth potential.

Based in Washington D.C., SEAF invests in more than 20 countries around the world through an international network of 15 offices in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Investors include a cross section of public and private institutions, including several of the international finance institutions, local pension funds, insurance companies, banks and family offices.

Triple Jump

Ana Escalante — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:08:52 -0500

Managing Organization: Triple Jump

Activity URL:

http://www.triplejump.eu/index.asp

Activity Description: Triple Jump aims to provide financial services for microfinance institutions in all phases of their development. Triple Jump Fund Management, a leading microfinance fund manager, provides funding solutions, while Triple Jump Advisory Services, an independent foundation, provides consulting services and technical assistance.

Mission

Triple Jump's mission is to contribute to the sustainable development of emerging market economies by facilitating investment in micro and small enterprises.

Domini Social Investments

Ana Escalante — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:18:55 -0500

Managing Organization: Domini Social Investments

Activity URL:

http://www.domini.com/index.htm

Activity Description: Domini is an investment firm specializing exclusively in socially responsible investing. They manage $1.8 billion for individual and institutional investors who wish to integrate social and environmental standards into their investment decisions.

Each of Domini’s stock funds is actively managed according to an innovative strategy that combines the strengths of Domini Social Investments and Wellington Management.

ManoCap

Ana Escalante — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:31:16 -0500

Managing Organization: ManoCap

Activity URL:

http://www.manocap.com/

Activity Description: ManoCap is a private equity fund manager that makes equity investments in post-conflict and other emerging African economies. ManoCap's aim is to create wealth and jobs for people in the countries in which we work, while delivering outstanding returns to our investors.

They take a proactive approach to generating investment opportunities. By conducting in-depth market research and developing deep local networks, they create visibility on opportunities in countries where significant skills and information gaps exist.

Africinvest

Ana Escalante — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:05:51 -0500

Managing Organization: Tuninvest Finance Group

Activity URL:

http://www.africinvest.com/index.html

Activity Description: AfricInvest focuses on investments in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a turnover below € 15 million at investment stage, but not excluding companies of larger size with significant growth potential.

Africinvest's main targets are growth investments, buy-outs, privatization, seed and restructuring investments. The fund seeks to acquire significant minority stake in portfolio companies through equity and quasi-equity instruments which provide the appropriate degree of control or influence. AfricInvest also seeks to acquire majority positions or to have the ability to take controlling positions in portfolio companies, based on its ability to attract and retain strong and talented management teams.

Infinity Services International (ISI)

Ana Escalante — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:23:33 -0500

Managing Organization: Infinity Services International (ISI)

Activity URL:

http://infinitysystemsinternational.com/main.html

Activity Description: ISI has identified a unique niche market that it believes will translate into a promising business opportunity. In both the U.S. and in Mexico ISI is formalizing agreements with organizations that currently cater to or want to offer products and services to the Latino market. These include hometown community organizations, local and national money transfer, check-cashing and pay-day loan organizations, and local and national convenience store and pharmacy chains. Mexican companies such as Gigante, Elektra and Novamedic are already part of the program.

CGAP

Ana Escalante — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:10:08 -0500

Managing Organization: CGAP

Activity URL:

http://www.cgap.org

Activity Description: CGAP's goal is a world in which poor people are considered legitimate clients of a countries' financial system--a world where all poor people have permanent access to affordable and client responsive financial services, that are delivered by many complementary institutions, such as NGOs, banks, and cooperatives, in many different ways. Finance for the poor will include savings, cash transfers, insurance, and loans, each tailored to the different needs of poor people. Microfinance will become an integral part of a competitive and diverse financial system that fosters the growth of all segments of society, and will no longer be a marginal or niche sector.

Net1

Ana Escalante — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:37:33 -0500

Managing Organization: Net1

Activity URL:

http://www.aplitec.co.za/aplitec/net1groups/index.htm

Activity Description: Net1 is a provider of smart card technologies and systems that create a secure and affordable transacting channel between formal businesses and the “un-banked” and “under-banked” populations of developing countries who have no or limited access to traditional banking facilities.

Net1 has developed the UEPS (Universal Electronic Payment System) that makes use of their patented FTS (Funds Transfer System) methodology to provide a fully integrated payment, switching and settlement system suitable for multiple applications and services, meeting the requirements of the un-banked and under-banked populations.

Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Medical Sciences

Ana Escalante — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:17:52 -0500

Managing Organization: Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Medical Sciences

Activity URL:

http://www.narayanahospitals.com/

Activity Description: The scheme was launched for the farmers of Karnataka who are members of agricultural cooperative societies. In the event of a sudden health problem, even the farmer who has some land and cattle finds himself at the mercy of the local moneylender who charges exorbitant rates of interest when he needs to deposit money for treatment. The scheme has proved to be a boon to the rural community who spirals into depths of debt and suicide, due to the illness, crop failure, famine and drought.