by Christopher Maggio -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: India Business Excellence Fund (IBEF), a Private Equity Fund, Invests $4.4m of Equity in AU Financiers, a Non-banking Financial Company Located in India, to Increase Lending to Small Entrepreneurs

The India Business Excellence Fund (IBEF), a private equity fund, will invest INR 200 million of equity, the equivalent of over USD 4.4 million, in AU Financiers, a non-banking financial company located in India, in order to provide loans for “low-income, self-employed, first-venture, and small transport entrepreneurs” in rural and semi-urban areas of states including Rajasthan.

by Christopher Maggio -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Investment Arm of the World Bank, Provides USD 300,000 Investment to Utkarsh Micro Finance, a Microfinance Start-Up Based in Varanasi, India

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, has provided a USD 300,000 investment to Utkarsh Micro Finance Private Limited, a microfinance start-up providing loans in Northern India.

by Eric McKay -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Unitus, US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and Citi Microfinance Finalize $15m Credit Facility for Microfinance Institutions

Unitus Inc., an international nonprofit organization that supports microfinance institutions (MFIs); the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a US government agency that invests in international development projects; and Citi Microfinance, Citi’s organization that aims to support MFIs, recently finalized a USD 15 million credit facility that aims to help foster growth among MFIs.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Indian Microfinance Funds Seek to Expand Focus Beyond Microcredit

According to a recent article on VCCircle.com, an Indian online news platform, Indian microfinance fund managers are diversifying their investment base to include more areas of social investing, such as microinsurance, micro housing finance, healthcare, mobile payments and rural supply chains.

by Eric McKay -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Outstanding Loan Volume by NGO Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in India Doubled from 2008 to 2009

According to the Bharat Microfinance Report released by Sa-Dhan, an organization of microfinance institutions in India, the portfolio of NGO microfinance institutions (MFIs) grew 97 percent to INR 351 billion (the equivalent of USD 7.7 billion) in 2009.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases 2009 Benchmarking Report on Latin America and Caribbean Region

The nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) has released the 2009 Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report in English and Spanish.

by Christine Chang -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Elevar Equity, a Bangalore-based Private Equity Fund, Raises $70m for Microfinance-focused Fund for Investments in India, Mexico, the Philippines and Peru

Elevar Equity Advisors Private Limited (Elevar), a Bangalore-based private equity fund, has raised a USD 70 million fund that will invest in microfinance and other services in India, Mexico, the Philippines and Peru.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: XBRL International Publishes Case Study from The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX)

XBRL International has published a case study from the nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) outlining MIX’s efforts to implement and develop an XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) taxonomy for microfinance.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases Third Annual Global Ranking of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), the microfinance information clearinghouse, recently released its third annual ranking of microfinance institutions (MFIs), The Mix Global 100.

by Christopher Maggio -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Aavishkaar Goodwell, Company Providing Equity Finance for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Seeks to Raise USD 100 Million for Second Fund

Aavishkaar Goodwell, a company that provides equity finance for microfinance institutions (MFIs), is attempting to secure commitments to raise USD 100 million for its second fund.

by Christopher Maggio -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Standard Chartered, an International Commercial Bank, Provides $1.6m Loan to Mitra Bisnis Keluarga Ventura (MBK), a Microfinance Institution (MFI) Located in Indonesia

Standard Chartered, an international commercial bank headquartered in London, has provided an IDR 15 billion loan, the equivalent of over USD 1.6 million, to Mitra Bisnis Keluarga Ventura (MBK), a microfinance institution (MFI) located in Indonesia.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Asia’s Microfinance Industry Dominated by US and European Investors, Says Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Microfinance, Mr Prashant Thakker

According to a recent article in The Business Times, a daily Singaporean newspaper, “Asia’s institutional and private investors have yet to warm to the microfinance sector, despite its prominence in the region and its resilience as an asset class this past downturn.”

by Hio Kyeng Lee -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Publishes Latest Trends in Kosovo Microfinance Institutions

In conjunction with the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Kosovo (AMIK), Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) published a report titled, “The 2009 Kosovo Microfinance Analysis & Benchmarking Report.”