Harvard Business Review

MARCH 8, 2011

On this 100th International Women's Day , it is right to reflect on how women have become the heart of the microfinance industry. It is easy to forget that the initial motivation for microfinance roughly 30 years ago was, to a great extent, gender neutral. Microfinance is about much more than extending credit.

Microfinance 15

Microfinance Banking Globalization Insurance 15

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 13, 2012

And make no mistake: Scaling up a business to affect the lives of tens of millions of people requires a level of capital and resources that far outstrips CSR department budgets and capabilities. The microfinance industry is a rare D and E success story. The result has been explosive growth.

Microfinance 14

Microfinance Prahalad Bottom-up Banking 14

Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 11, 2013

They're out to standardize a business model. That model might solve a social problem — but if it's profitable and doesn't fix the problem, that's okay, too. They till the ground when it is still not clear whether a viable commercial model exists. Commercial entrepreneurs are different. They can be more analytical.

Entrepreneur 9

Entrepreneur Microfinance Supply Chain Prahalad 9

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 17, 2014

An estimated 250 funds are actively raising capital in a market that the Global Impact Investing Network estimates at $25 billion. We allowed microfinance and the venture capital industry the time and space to develop over a few decades. Impact investing has captured the world’s imagination. Social enterprise Venture capital'

Development 9

Development Microfinance Biotechnology Exit Strategy 9