"This publication identifies ways to catalyse finance for climate technology incubators and accelerators in developing countries. It aims to inform the Green Climate Fund as it develops a request for proposals on climate technology incubators and accelerators. It also aims to inform other financiers and policymakers on opportunities for catalysing financing in this area. It is based on the outputs of a thematic dialogue on incubators and accelerators held in March 2018. It also draws upon an extensive literature review undertaken by these bodies."

"TechnoServe works in 29 countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia to assist enterprising people to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. As part of its efforts, TechnoServe partnered with Citi Foundation to implement four pilot projects that aim to address unemployment among women and youth in Africa. This report analyzes the four projects, detailing the lessons learned from each."

"Smallholder farmers occupy an increasingly important segment of the global agricultural value chain... These smallholders also represent stewards of natural resources that are in need of sustainable management to prevent deforestation and degradation of ecosystems.

This report identifies five primary growth pathways for deploying investment to address smallholder finance demand: (i) replicate and scale existing financing models, such as the one proven by social lenders; (ii) innovate new financial products beyond short-term export trade finance; (iii) finance out-grower schemes of multinational buyers in captive value chains; (iv) finance through alternate points of aggregation in the value chain; and (v) finance directly to farmers."

"This report depicts the landscape of development organizations that fund and support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries: 1) multilateral development banks, 2) bilateral government donor agencies, and 3) development finance institutions (DFIs). The report is a new contribution to both the development community, as well as the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE). Advocacy and policy work is a strategic priority for ANDE, and the report's findings will enable the Network to understand the international development community and to be more strategic in its approach as it seeks to influence and shape the international development SME agenda."

"Commercial agriculture in Mozambique remains underdeveloped and successful cases of smallholder inclusive business models are rare. In addition to “doing business” constraints at a macro level, smallholder inclusive business models – whether in “outgrower” schemes or other arrangements – pose additional challenges to competitiveness. Low-quality product, insufficient and inconsistent supply, mutual issues of mistrust and a post-war culture of hand-outs can make it more profitable for some companies to import primary produce or work with large-scale farmers. CB Farm Fresh is a smallholder-inclusive vegetable processor and distributor serving the extractives industry in Tete. This case study aims to understand how smallholder-inclusive business models can be successfully implemented by assessing CB Farm Fresh’s end-to-end model."

"A professor at Brazil’s prestigious Federal University of Viçosa saw a need on campus for an incubator to support technologically-oriented businesses, including agribusinesses. This resulted in the CENTEV Technology Incubator, which is partially funded by the university but which also receives state and private grants. Its function is to nurture entrepreneurs to develop viable technology based businesses by providing them with management assistance and augmenting their technical capabilities with expert academic advice. The incubator’s 24 graduates are still in business, with average revenues of $2.5 million a year."

"This report explores a refreshed perspective on the long term viability of impact investing and presents the "Impact Investing Roadmap" - a framework that investors can use to clarify their vision for impact investing, define stages of impact investing activities and identify tactical steps to develop an investment strategy. Those tactical steps include designing an impact investing model, managing issues of organizational change and if desired, engaging with the robust and supportive impact investing ecosystem."

"This report provides an analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 on Nigeria by first providing an overview of the global situation and Nigerian context, including the response to-date, then by estimating and describing the potential economic impact of COVID-19 on the broader economy and by sector, with a focus on MSMEs. Finally, the report identifies four categories of actions to support the economic recovery: the usual suspects, the unusual suspects, short-term actions, and medium-term actions."

"This issue brief, part of a series published by ANDE in 2019, is designed to create a common knowledge base from which the Small and Growing Business (SGB) sector can work in the hopes of advancing towards selected development goals. SGBs will have to confront climate and environmental changes such as extreme weather and rapidly depleting natural resources as they affect their customers, operations, and supply chains. In light of these changes, this issue brief lays out the major environmental action topics and strategies for the SGB sector."

"The report will address a number of specific steps that asset owners, asset managers, banks and other players, such as consultants and advisors should consider taking towards reversing climate change. These vary between institutions, but consistent themes include: developing investment beliefs, strengthening governance and risk management, working with clients to develop investment strategies, engaging with other financial institutions and nonfinancial companies. Above all, it is vital for financial institutions to understand that addressing stranding risks and other financial risks and opportunities of climate change is not a one-off process. It needs to become a permanent part of everyday decision-making."