"To gain a fuller picture of how MSMEs are using digital tools, DAI’s Center for Digital Acceleration partnered with survey firm Ipsos and Meta to administer a large-scale survey across 13 countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Mexico. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, our researchers took a face-to-face approach allowing us to compare responses from MSMEs operating both online and off. The country briefs provide an overview of each country’s digital ecosystem and MSME sector, followed by a summary of findings regarding the impact of digital tool usage on MSMEs and economic growth, highlighting differences in the responses among key segments of the surveyed business population within each country."

"Endeavor Insight partnered with HSBC to examine the challenges that climate tech founders face as they scale their companies, and the opportunities for investors and supporters to help them succeed. This study demonstrates how global connectivity can further drive innovation and highlights what decision makers can do to better support female-led and minority-led companies."

"In 2021, ACT Foundation Research Team set out to capture the landscape of technology adoption for African non-profits. We surveyed over 400 social impact professionals to understand the current state of technology adoption within their organizations and to assess their digital readiness. In this report, we explored the digital investment landscape and investigated the barriers to greater technology adoption. We also attempted to identify areas of support needs across the sector."

"Este relatório apresenta a segunda edição do estudo “Fintech: inovações que você não sabia que eram da América Latina e do Caribe” que forneceu, pela primeira vez, uma visão consolidada sobre a atividade e o desenvolvimento do setor fintech na região. Ele descreve a evolução e o progresso com relação à medição e análise realizadas em 2017, além de analisar as novas dimensões relevantes para o ecossistema. O primeiro capítulo apresenta uma visão geral do setor na região, destacando a evolução dos diferentes segmentos de negócios e a distribuição geográfica das startups, bem como a situação de desenvolvimento e maturidade do ecossistema. É importante notar que este capítulo inclui novas dimensões, como a situação na América Central, Panamá e República Dominicana, além da abordagem de tópicos como segurança cibernética e mortalidade das empresas. No segundo capítulo, as questões de gênero e fintech são abordadas em três dimensões: mulheres como fundadoras de startups de fintech, mulheres como trabalhadoras do setor de fintech e, finalmente, mulheres como usuárias de serviços de fintech. O terceiro capítulo aborda a colaboração dos diversos atores, como estão organizados e seus principais programas e iniciativas, com ênfase especial nas associações de fintech nos vários países da região. O quarto capítulo discute o potencial do setor de fintech para melhorar a inclusão financeira e o financiamento do setor produtivo na América Latina. O quinto capítulo analisa a evolução da regulamentação e da supervisão, além de apresentar exemplos e avanços nessas áreas. Finalmente, no sexto capítulo são apresentadas algumas conclusões sobre como o crescimento e a consolidação progressiva do ecossistema na região foram evidenciados.

"Este informe representa la segunda edición del estudio “Fintech: Innovaciones que no sabías que eran de América Latina y el Cari - be” que brindó, por primera vez, una visión consolidada sobre la actividad y el desarrollo de la industria Fintech en la región. El presente informe describe la evolución y el avance ocurridos con respecto a la medición y el análisis realizados en 2017, ade - más de examinar nuevas dimensiones relevantes para el ecosiste - ma. En el primer capítulo se ofrece una panorámica del sector en la región, destacando la evolución de los distintos segmentos de negocio y la distribución geográfica de los emprendimientos, así como el estado de desarrollo y madurez del ecosistema. Es impor - tante notar que este capítulo incluye nuevas dimensiones, tales como la situación en América Central, Panamá y República Domini - cana, y una aproximación a temas como ciberseguridad y la mor - talidad de las empresas. En el segundo capítulo se abordan temas de género y Fintech en tres dimensiones: la mujer como fundadora de empresas Fintech, la mujer como trabajadora en la industria Fintech y, por último, la mujer como usuaria de servicios Fintech. El tercer capítulo aborda el tema de colaboración de los distin - tos actores, cómo están organizados, sus principales programas e iniciativas, con especial énfasis en las asociaciones Fintech en distintos países de la región. En el cuarto capítulo se discute el potencial del sector Fintech para mejorar la inclusión finan - ciera y el financiamiento al sector productivo en América Latina. En el quinto capítulo se examina la evolución en materia de regu - lación y supervisión, y se presentan ejemplos y avances en este tema. Finalmente, en el sexto capítulo se ofrecen algunas conclu - siones sobre cómo se ha evidenciado el crecimiento y la progre - siva consolidación del ecosistema en la región."

"This report is the second edition of the study “Fintech: Innovations You May Not Know were from Latin America and the Caribbean” (IDB, 2017), which offered a comprehensive view of the activity in and development of the Fintech industry in the region. The report describes the evolution and the progress achieved with respect to the measurement and analysis carried out in 2017, and examines new dimensions relevant to the ecosystem. The first chapter provides a snapshot of the sector in the region, highlighting the evolution of the different business segments and the geographical distribution of the start-ups, as well as the state of development and maturity of the ecosystem. It includes new dimensions, such as the situation in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, as well as an approach to issues such as cybersecurity and start-up failures. The second chapter tackles gender issues and Fintech in three dimensions: women as founders of Fintech companies, women as workers in the Fintech industry, and women as users of Fintech services. The third chapter addresses collaboration between the different actors, how they are organized, and their main programs and initiatives, with special emphasis on Fintech associations in different countries in the region. The fourth chapter discusses the Fintech sector’s potential for improving financial inclusion and funding for the productive sector in Latin America. The fifth chapter examines the evolution of regulation and oversight and presents examples and developments in this area. The sixth chapter offers some conclusions about the continuous growth and progressive consolidation in the region’s ecosystem."

"Tech start-ups are an effective mechanism to both create local technology and absorb foreign technology. The objective of this report is to provide a better understanding of the status of Beirut's start-up ecosystem and provide policy recommendations for policy makers and other stakeholders who are interested in supporting the growth and sustainability of the ecosystem. The report is based on an in-depth survey of startups and supportive stakeholders of the ecosystem. The findings point out to an early-to middle stage start-up ecosystem that has passed its nascent growth phase but is still far from maturity. Skills, supportive infrastructure, finance pipeline, and community and networks are examined and gaps are identified. Policy recommendations to tackle these gaps are presented based on international practices."

"Technology entrepreneurship rarely succeeds in isolation; increasingly, it occurs in interconnected networks of business partners and other organizations. For entrepreneurs lacking access to an established business ecosystem, incubators and accelerators provide a possible support mechanism for access to partners and resources. Yet, these relatively recent approaches to supporting entrepreneurship are still evolving. Therefore, it can be challenging for entrepreneurs to assess these mechanisms and to make insightful decisions on whether or not to join an incubator or accelerator, and which incubator or accelerator best meets their needs. In this article, five key factors that entrepreneurs should take into consideration about incubators and accelerators are offered. Insights are drawn from two surveys of managers and users of incubators and accelerators. An understanding of these five key success factors (stage of venture, fit with incubator's mission, selection and graduation policies, services provided, and network of partners) and potential pitfalls will help entrepreneurs confidently enter into a relationship with an incubator or accelerator."

"The effects of entrepreneurship and information and communication technology (ICT) on countries' development have been extensively studied, mainly from the perspective of their contributions to economic growth. However, from the human development paradigm, economic income is only resource helping people satisfy their economic needs. This study provides new evidence to bridge the gap in our understanding of how entrepreneurship and ICT improve the quality of people's lives."

"Presenting rigorous and original research, this volume offers key insights into the historical, cultural, social, economic and political forces at play in the creation of world-class ICT innovations in Kenya. Following the arrival of fiber-optic cables in 2009, Digital Kenya examines why the initial entrepreneurial spirit and digital revolution has begun to falter despite support from motivated entrepreneurs, international investors, policy experts and others. Written by engaged scholars and professionals in the field, the book offers 15 eye-opening chapters and 14 one-on-one conversations with entrepreneurs and investors to ask why establishing ICT start-ups on a continental and global scale remains a challenge on the "Silicon Savannah". The authors present evidence-based recommendations to help Kenya to continue producing globally impactful ICT innovations that improve the lives of those still waiting on the side-lines, and to inspire other nations to do the same."