SAAF Cities is a joint initiative by HDFC Bank and Villgro Innovations Foundation, designed to bring together innovators, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and corporates to accelerate the adoption of climate-smart waste management solutions.

This report, developed in partnership with SAP and informed by insights from ecosystem leaders from around the world, highlights the critical importance of unlocking the full potential of social procurement. By embedding measurable and verifiable results into procurement structures, we can move from intention to accountability, and from outputs to definable results.

While enthusiasm for systems change has grown steadily over the past decade, we find a significant gap persists between this enthusiasm and execution. Funders attempting to implement systems change consistently face 9 challenges, including unclear outcome attribution, long commitment horizons, and complex stakeholder coordination.

This report comes ten years after the first Criterion State of the field of gender lens investing report. In 2015, the field’s broad aim was to prove that gender mattered in investing. Today, field builders are asking bolder questions: How do we shift power? What does it look like to invest in healing, not just scaling the field? Which systems should be redesigned? It is a snapshot of ambition rather than a map of all activity. It makes visible ideas, organizations and activities that don’t always attract headlines or capital. It invites funders to expand what they see as “fundable.” And it offers a broader story of what gender lens investing could be when defined by those closest to the work.

This report provides an overview of the 2025 Inaugural Pan Africa Conference, hosted by the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), held in Dakar, Senegal, from February 11–13.

Women leaders have shown promise in improving business performance. A survey by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2019 – covering shopkeeping, sales or trade activities, manufacturing, construction, education, financial/insurance activities, and other economic services – observed that when enterprises have a gender-inclusive business culture and policies, they experienced 63 per cent increase in business productivity and profitability. Additionally, 60 per cent enhancement in the ability to attract and retain talent and a 59 per cent improvement in creativity, innovation and openness (ILO 2019).

Furthermore, globally, funders and investors are increasingly attracted to ethical and gender-inclusive funding, recognising its dual benefits to business and society. With a gender-smart approach, you can seize the opportunity to access the pool of funding by showcasing its tangible impact on gender-related outcomes, effectively aligning its initiatives with the evolving priorities of the investment landscape. Thus, by breaking down gender barriers, you can access diverse skills and expertise, strengthening your workforce and overall competitiveness.

Vietnam’s private capital market is entering a new phase of maturity, driven by strong macro fundamentals, digital acceleration, and investor optimism.

The Vietnam Innovation and Private Capital Report 2025, co-authored by Vietnam Private Capital Agency, National Innovation Center, and BCG, provides a comprehensive look at the trends shaping venture capital and private equity across one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic economies.

Despite a global capital slowdown, Vietnam attracted $2.3B across 141 deals in 2024, signaling sustained investor confidence. The report explores key sectors including AI, energy, healthcare and education, and the impact of national reforms such as Resolution 57 on innovation and sustainability. With rising digital adoption, a growing middle class, and targeted government support, Vietnam offers compelling opportunities for investors and business leaders seeking long-term growth in the region.

This report draws on the extensive experience of Elevar Equity, which has helped in conceiving the concept of Entrepreneurial Households (EHs). While observing underserved and under-appreciated households and working with approximately 50 companies, Elevar Equity identified the EH archetype. These households exhibit an enterprise-like economic model, combining multiple income sources into significant cash outflows, impacting both long and short-term prosperity.  This report was commissioned to validate over a decade’s worth of ground up observations. The Range Analysis of CTV Estimates was specifically undertaken to allow for some sensitivity analysis, given multiple variables involved in this market sizing estimate. We expect this to evolve over time as richer data sources emerge. Irrespective of the exact numbers, the focus of this report is on the commercial readiness of this market from a business and investment standpoint. praxisga.com A distinctive feature of EHs is their substantial Household Transaction Value (HTV), which better represents their economic vitality, compared to mere income levels. This vitality is also evident in their asset ownership patterns and aspirations, particularly in their substantial investment in High Priority Goods and Services (HPGS) like education, healthcare, financial services, housing, and business activities.

The OECD Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Diagnostics report introduces a novel framework and dataset to assess and compare entrepreneurial ecosystems across all 38 OECD countries. Rather than producing a single index to rank countries, the report adopts a multi dimensional approach based on three core components: inputs, outputs, and variation. Inputs cover ten essential elements—Institutions, Culture, Networks, Infrastructure, Markets, Finance, Knowledge, Talent, Leadership, and Intermediate Services—captured through composite indexes built from about 40 indicators drawn from OECD statistics and other sources. Outputs reflect entrepreneurial performance, with indicators such as startup rates and business survival. The variation dimension measures how entrepreneurship is distributed socially and regionally, with attention to inclusivity, particularly for women and distribution of startups across regions. Each dimension is tracked at three time points to monitor ecosystem evolution and progress. Designed as a policy support tool, the report provides robust, evidence based insights to identify systemic bottlenecks and guide national strategies. It aims at facilitating informed dialogue and targeted policy action to build dynamic and balanced national entrepreneurial ecosystems. Released as a pilot, this first edition lays the foundation for future iterations, with continued refinement of data and analytical depth to enhance its relevance and impact.

The global impact landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by the urgent need to address climate change, social inequality, and sustainable economic development. As capital markets increasingly integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, impact investing has transitioned from a niche practice to a mainstream investment strategy. Governments, financial institutions, and private investors are aligning their capital with measurable social and environmental outcomes, fostering a more inclusive impact economy.

This report is intended to inform investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders by providing actionable insights to accelerate capital deployment and drive systemic change. It highlights how impact investing is evolving across diverse country contexts - not only in developed markets, but also in emerging and developing economies, where local and international actors are co-creating ecosystems. Rather than ranking ecosystems or generating a scoreboard, the report aims to serve as an ecosystem learning tool and to build confidence in local actors and initiatives.