Financial Inclusion
Financial Inclusion | April 25, 2024
Indian home lender Altum Credo’s $40 million round gives investors a partial exit
Pune, India-based Altum Credo provides mortgages for first-time homebuyers underserved by other financial institutions. Its digital underwriting and loan disbursement process offers five …
Climate Finance | April 16, 2024
Pula lands $20 million to offer livestock insurance to smallholder farmers
Insurance tech startup Pula launched in 2015 to provide crop insurance to small scale farmers, 80% of whom lack access to products that …
Financial Inclusion | April 10, 2024
Africa50 and Oikocredit lead $14 million round for Zeepay’s cross-border payments
Remittance inflows to Africa are expected to top $55 billion this year. But Africa is the most costly region in the world for …
Financial Inclusion | April 3, 2024
Gawa Capital and OikoCredit invest in Sindhuja Microcredit for rural lending in India
Sindhuja Microcredit launched in 2018 in India’s mostly rural state of Uttar Pradesh to provide access to capital to traders, shopkeepers and farmers …
Dealflow | April 1, 2024
Uganda’s Credify raises early funding to address Africa’s trade finance gap
Small businesses that source products from overseas pay for the goods well before they sell them. In Africa, where small businesses already face …
Climate Finance | March 28, 2024
How a $75 million ‘basket bond’ is catalyzing climate lending to small businesses in emerging markets
Local and community lenders in the US have been preparing for a windfall of financing from the federal government to support communities—particularly underinvested …
Dealflow | March 28, 2024
Capria Ventures backs fintechs in Nigeria and Bangladesh to expand financial services
Capria Ventures, a Seattle-based venture investor in emerging markets, continues to deploy capital from its Global South Fund II, which achieved a first …
Financial Inclusion | March 26, 2024
Nsave secures $4 million to democratize Swiss offshore accounts
Amer Baroudi from Syria and Abdallah AbuHashem from Gaza launched inclusive fintech venture Nsave to give people from countries with high inflation, political …
Financial Inclusion | March 25, 2024
Optimo Loans secures $10 million to offer credit to rural India’s micro businesses
Just one-quarter of India’s micro and small businesses have access to formal financial services; an estimated 53 million businesses are unbanked. Bangalore-based Optimo …
Financial Inclusion | March 13, 2024
IFC extends $20 million to Burundian bank to bolster small business lending
The International Finance Corp. and a group of institutional investors have extended a $20 million loan to Banque de Crédit de Bujumbura to …
Latin America | March 12, 2024
Potencia Ventures backs Trampay to bank gig economy workers in Brazil (video)
On-demand delivery of food, packages and other products provides much-need income for millions of workers in Brazil. For such gig workers, schedules and …
Financial Inclusion | March 6, 2024
Wagely inks $23 million to help Asia’s workers with cash stability and financial health
ImpactAlpha, March 6 – Indonesia and Bangladesh have nearly 200 million wage workers. Unexpected expenses force many to resort to expensive payday loans. …
Return on Inclusion | February 29, 2024
Sorenson Impact backs Redemption’s purchase of Holladay Bank to create a new Black-owned bank
ImpactAlpha, February 29 — The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., impact investor. In King’s last public address before he was assassinated, he …
Latin America | February 26, 2024
Blue like an Orange provides $18 million in financing to Mexican lender Fuentebuena
ImpactAlpha, February 26 — Monterrey-based Fuentebuena works with more than 150 municipalities in Mexico to provide payroll loans to unbanked and underbanked city …
Financial Inclusion | February 12, 2024
First Circle backs Egypt’s Balad for cross-border payments
ImpactAlpha, February 12 – Egyptians living abroad send more than $30 billion a year to friends and family back home. Most of the …
Inclusive Economy | January 26, 2024
Deal Spotlight: ‘Missing middle’ lending to social enterprises in Latin America (video).
ImpactAlpha, January 26 — In Peru, Shanantina works with Indigenous communities to cultivate sacha inchi, a nut native to the Amazon. Cedros Cafe, …
Dealflow | January 22, 2024
African Guarantee Fund backstops Vista Group’s lending to small businesses and green ventures
ImpactAlpha, January 22 – The African Development Bank and Danish and Spanish governments launched the African Guarantee Fund more than a decade ago …
Emerging and Growth Markets | December 14, 2023
Investors back Copia with fresh capital to right the ship
ImpactAlpha, December 14 – The wave of investment in digitizing informal businesses in emerging markets produced overfunded startups, artificial valuations and unproven business …
Dealflow | December 11, 2023
Mercy Corp Ventures backs Tappi to boost economic and climate resilience in Africa’s small businesses
ImpactAlpha, December 11 – Flooding and droughts, which disrupt logistics, damage stock, depress consumer spending and raise the cost of goods, affect nearly …
Dealflow | December 5, 2023
FINCA Ventures invests in health access and financial inclusion startups
ImpactAlpha, December 5 – The impact investing arm of microfinance company FINCA backed Berlin-based Euclid, which connects smallholder farmers in Africa and Latin …
Inclusive Economy | November 15, 2023
Jack Dorsey’s Block backs First Australians Capital for Indigenous-led enterprises
ImpactAlpha, November 15 — Like Indigenous communities in the US, Canada and other countries, many first, or Aboriginal, Australians lack access to housing, …
Smallholder Agriculture | November 1, 2023
Verqor scores $7.5 million to provide digital credit to Mexico’s farmers
ImpactAlpha, November 1 – More than three-quarters of Mexico’s five million farmers do not earn sufficient income to live. Mexico City-based Verqor provides …
Dealflow | October 30, 2023
Twinco Capital secures €50 million from BBVA to provide trade financing for emerging markets suppliers
ImpactAlpha, October 30 — Madrid-based Twinco Capital has secured a $53 million line of credit to make loans to small businesses in emerging …
Financial Inclusion | October 26, 2023
Colombian microfinance lender UNI2 snags $3 million in debt from Triodos funds
ImpactAlpha, October 26 — Decades of armed conflict has exacerbated access to credit, payments, insurance and other forms of financial services for households …
Inclusive Economy | October 26, 2023
Omidyar Network spinoff Flourish Ventures secures $350 million to invest for a fair financial system
ImpactAlpha, October 26 — Flourish Ventures has raised $350 million to double down on fintech, “which has brought significant advancements and opportunities to …
Financial Inclusion | October 12, 2023
InsuranceDekho raises $60 million to expand access to insurance in India
Impactalpha, October 12 — InsuranceDekho spun out of online car shopping site CarDekho in 2017 to bridge India’s insurance gaps. Through some 150,000 …
Dealflow | October 10, 2023
LeapFrog’s emerging consumer fund secures $100 million commitment from IFC
ImpactAlpha, October 10 — LeapFrog Investments has secured a $100 million commitment from the International Finance Corp. for its emerging consumer fund, the …
Emerging and Growth Markets | September 25, 2023
LeapFrog joins insurance tech venture Bolttech’s $246 million equity round
ImpactAlpha, September 25 – Singapore-based Bolttech’s insurance exchange connects businesses to more than 6,000 insurance products from 230 companies in North America, Europe …
Emerging and Growth Markets | September 20, 2023
Incofin sells its stake in Unguka Bank in Rwanda
ImpactAlpha, September 20 – Belgian impact investor Incofin sold its 28% equity stake in Rwanda’s Unguka Bank to Sri Lanka’s LOLC Holdings. LOLC’s …
Financial Inclusion | September 11, 2023
myZoi clinches $14 million to support migrant workers in Gulf states
ImpactAlpha, September 11 – Abu Dhabi-based fintech venture myZoi has found a significant need in the oil-rich Gulf: financial inclusion for the region’s …
United States | August 21, 2023
Channel19 raises $2.7 million to digitize small trucking companies in the US
ImpactAlpha, August 21 – The US supply chain depends on small businesses: the more than 95% of trucking companies in the US operate …
Agents of Impact | August 18, 2023
Monica Brand Engel, Quona Capital: Taking on the messy work of financial inclusion
ImpactAlpha, August 18 – Monica Brand Engel’s advice to impact investors is this: Imperfect execution is ok. “Authentic impact is about accepting imperfection …
Smallholder Agriculture | July 27, 2023
Culttivo raises $14.5 million to extend credit to Brazil’s small-scale coffee producers
ImpactAlpha, July 27 – Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee. Most beans are grown and harvested by small producers, whose livelihoods …
Emerging and Growth Markets | July 19, 2023
World Bank supports fintech startups from oft-overlooked markets in Southern Africa
ImpactAlpha, July 19 – The World Bank-backed Fintech Challenge awards small investment readiness grants to early-stage enterprises providing affordable financial services to underserved …
Dealflow | July 5, 2023
BlueOrchard secures $50 million for climate adaptation in emerging markets
ImpactAlpha, July 5 – The Schroders impact investing group is among the few investors directing capital to climate adaptation in vulnerable countries. BlueOrchard …
Emerging and Growth Markets | June 14, 2023
Aviom Housing Finance scores $30 million to help low-income Indians become homeowners
ImpactAlpha, June 14 – Aviom Housing Finance offers affordable housing loans to low-income families in India, many of whom work in the informal …
Financial Inclusion | June 6, 2023
MoCaFi raises $23.5 million to help deliver financial aid to underserved communities
ImpactAlpha, June 6 — Billions of dollars in government funding are left unspent each year. Digital payment provider MoCaFi (short for Mobility Capital …
Dealflow | May 25, 2023
Village Capital and Volunteers of America back Let’s Get Set to help low-income mothers claim tax benefits
ImpactAlpha, May 25 — Millions of low-income tax filers in the US miss out on an estimated $12 billion each year in unclaimed …
Emerging and Growth Markets | May 16, 2023
M-KOPA lands $255 million in equity and impact-linked debt for financial and gender inclusion
ImpactAlpha, May 16 – M-KOPA helped build Africa’s off-grid, pay-as-you-go solar market. Now the The Nairobi-based company brands itself as a fintech company, …
Dealflow | May 9, 2023
MPOWER secures $150 million debt investment from Goldman Sachs for higher-education financing
ImpactAlpha, May 9 — Washington, D.C.-based MPOWER provides loans that don’t require a cosigner or collateral to international students and “DREAMers” to attend …
Dealflow | May 9, 2023
El Salvador’s Cubo raises $3.5 million to digitize payments for small businesses
ImpactAlpha, May 9 — El Salvador’s Cubo launched in 2021 with an easy-to-use digital solution for micro and small enterprises in Central America …
Financial Inclusion | May 8, 2023
Mexican embedded finance venture R2 secures $100 million line of credit from Community Investment Management
ImpactAlpha, May 8 — R2 has secured a $100 million from San Francisco-based impact investor Community Investment Management. The Mexico City-based venture provides …
Dealflow | May 4, 2023
Encourage Capital invests in Svakarma Finance to promote clean energy access for India’s small businesses
ImpactAlpha, May 4 – Mumbai-based Svakarma Finance is using an on-the-ground lending network with fintech to provide credit and other financial services to …
Gender Smart | May 3, 2023
Anthemis scores backing from Visa and BMO for women-focused fintech fund
ImpactAlpha, May 3 – Despite growing recognition of gender-based investing, the needle on how much women-led startups raise hasn’t moved in years. In …
Dealflow | May 2, 2023
Cross-border processor Rev acquires online payments company Netspend to reach underbanked customers
ImpactAlpha, May 2 – Roy and Bertrand Sosa founded Netspend during the dot-com boom. Their innovation: prepaid debit cards. “We thought, how are …