Event Summary: This conference will address how business models are changing to meet the demands of socially conscious consumers and investors, including opportunities for both philanthropic and profit-oriented organizations. Keynote speakers include
Category: Events
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Agri-Wallet, Apollo Agriculture, VanderSat Win $430k in NpM Geodata Innovator’s Challenge for Financial Solutions for Farmers
Netherlands-based “NpM, Platform for Inclusive Finance,” which was previously known as the Netherlands Platform for Microfinance, recently announced the winners of its Geodata Innovator’s Challenge, the goal of which was to encourage “technology companies to transform their geodata-based solutions for smallholder
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Sankalp Global Summit; December 11-12, 2018; Mumbai, India
Themed “Agenda 3 Billion – Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems,” the 10th Sankalp Global Summit is organized around the following sectors: agriculture, clean energy, health & sanitation, financial inclusion, and livelihoods. Sample presentation titles include: (1) Financial Inclusion in the Digital Age,
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Global Microfinance Summit; January 24-25, 2019; Istanbul, Turkey
The 3rd Global Microfinance Summit will address topics influencing the microfinance industry such as: (1) Digital Transformation: The Next Big Leap in Microfinance; (2) Impact of Microfinance on Sustainable Entrepreneurship Development; and (3) Green Microfinance: A Tool for Sustainable Business and Climate Action. Additionally, attendees will participate in open discussions on topics such as
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Africa Fintech Summit; November 8-9, 2018; Lagos, Nigeria
The Africa Fintech Summit Lagos will include sessions such as: (1) Regulatory Frameworks to Facilitate Innovation; (2) Banks and Fintechs – Models for Partnership; (3) The Outlook for Open Banking in Nigeria; and (4) Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, there is a half-day workshop on blockchain and the
MICROFINANCE EVENT: The Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation’s Week; November 19-22, 2018; Montrouge & Paris, France
Crédit Agricole and the Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation have organized this series of events to mark the 10th anniversary of the Foundation. The first event of the week, called “The Foundation and Social Entrepreneurship,” will be held on November 19 in the campus of Montrouge and will include testimonials from entrepreneurs and experts on the Foundation’s promotion of entrepreneurship with social impact. At this occasion, the Foundation and Crédit Agricole will award a cheque to Entrepreneurs du Monde as a result of “Solidarity Cents,” an operation launched at the canteens of Crédit Agricole to support entrepreneurship projects for refugees, single
MICROFINANCE EVENT: SME & Financing Africa Forum; November 6-7, 2018; Johannesburg, South Africa
Organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, a multilateral institution based in Côte d’Ivoire, this event is focused on the transformation and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa via facilitating access to finance, improving access to larger contracts, providing corporate connections and building leadership skills. Presentation titles include the following: (1) Innovative Instruments to Improve SMEs’ Access to Finance in Africa; (2) The Impact of the 4th Industrial Revolution on SME Growth in Africa; and (3) Using Social Media to Increase Your Sales and Build Your Brand.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: WSBI World Congress of Savings and Retail Banks; November 15-16, 2018; New Delhi, India
The World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) World Congress will focus on the role of retail banks in “making globalization inclusive for all.” Presentation titles include: (1) Digitisation as a Tool for Financial Inclusion and Customer Proximity; (2) Locally Focused Savings and Retail Banks in a Circular and
MICROFINANCE EVENT: 10th Biennial Microfinance Conference; November 28 – December 1, 2018; Mekelle, Ethiopia
Summary of Event: Arranged by the Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions (AEMFI), this event will cover research on topics such as rural financial services, digital financial services, social performance management, product innovation, and responsible finance. Sessions will also cover small and medium-sized enterprises, youth finance, renewable-energy finance, guarantee schemes, savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs), and value-chain financing.
Background on Organizers:
Established in 1999, AEMFI is a nonprofit organization providing a platform for microfinance practitioners to work towards the expansion of the microfinance industry in Ethiopia. In addition to individuals and organizations indirectly involved in microfinance, AEMFI has 35 member microfinance institutions (MFIs) as of 2018. These organizations provide credit, savings, money transfer, and pension-payment services in eight of the 11 administrative units of Ethiopia.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Accion’s CFI Seeks Hosts for Events During Financial Inclusion Week, October 29 – November 2, 2018
The Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI), which is part of US-based NGO Accion, is seeking organizations to participate in its fourth annual Financial Inclusion Week (FIW), which will be held during the week of October 29. CFI will provide participating organizations with background material and
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Investing in Responsible Finance and Innovation for Africa’s Digital Economies; October 2, 2018; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Summary of Event: The Ninth Annual Responsible Finance Forum brings together investors, policymakers, practitioners, and innovators to discuss opportunities for growth as well as risks of abuse relating to digital financial services in Africa. Participants will learn about technology solutions and business models for accelerating
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Women’s World Banking: Making Finance Work for Women; November 7, 2018; New York, USA
Summary of Event: Making Finance Work for Women will include discussions on increasing female involvement in the financial industry and creating more economic opportunities for women worldwide. Representatives from the financial services, philanthropy, and technology sectors will discuss topics including Financing Women in the Supply Chain, Investing with a Gender Lens, The Role of Technology in Powering Women’s Financial Inclusion, and Powering Economies by Investing in Women.
The presenters include
MICROFINANCE EVENT: 8th Global Islamic Microfinance Forum; November 25-26, 2018; Dubai, UAE
Event Summary: The goal of the Global Islamic Microfinance Forum is to increase awareness of Islamic finance as a viable option to help people, particularly those with low incomes. Instead of using conventional interest payments, Islamic lenders employ concepts such as profit and loss sharing.
The forum will include sessions on funding challenges, the Qarz E-Hassan
SPECIAL REPORT: Registration Opens for European Microfinance Week; November 14 – November 16, 2018; Luxembourg
Event Summary: On November 14, the European Microfinance Platform’s (e-MFP’s) ten Action Groups will meet in person to work on their respective topics of focus, such as rural outreach and innovation, investors, and green-inclusive and climate-smart finance.
On November 15 and 16, more than 80 organisations will be represented in over 25 sessions addressing topics including the following: making insurance markets work for the poor, the business case for gender-lens investing, crowdfunding, financial services for refugees, financing clean energy, meeting the financial needs of smallholder farmers, financial education, youth finance, microfinance and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, social performance management, financial inclusion through technology, regulation realting to digital financial services (DFS), and client protection relating to DFS.
Also on November 15, we will learn what organization wins this year’s EUR 100,000 (USD 115,000) European Microfinance Award, which will be for
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Futuristic Financial Intelligence Summit; September 28, 2018; Mumbai, India
Event Summary: The first Futuristic Financial Intelligence Summit will address developments in financial technology (fintech) including
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Asia Pacific Microfinance Forum; October 30-31, 2018; Singapore
Event Summary: This year’s forum will address topics such as risk management, agricultural finance and technology. Technology sessions will cover blockchain systems, mobile money and “big data”. Representatives of microfinance institutions (MFIs) will participate in group discussions on attracting capital, and investors will
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) Hosting “Getting Inclusion Right;” November 1, 2018; Washington, DC, USA
In recognition of its tenth anniversary, the US-based Center for Financial Inclusion will hold this event to consider how it and its partners will move forward in their work to promote the availability and usage of appropriate financial services. The agenda will include discussion of how increased access to financial services can lead to improved quality of life for customers and what sorts of risks customers need protection against
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Finance for Refugees: “Making it Work;” September 7, 2018; The Hague, the Netherlands
Organized by the NpM Platform for Inclusive Finance, which was formerly known as the Netherlands Platform for Microfinance, this event will explore ways financial service providers can deliver products and services to refugee communities. One of the primary goals of the conference is to encourage private-sector investment in financial inclusion for refugees