“A New Look at Microfinance Apexes;” by Sarah Forster, et al; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); July 2012; 26 pages; available at: http://www.cgap.org/p/site/c/template.rc/1.9.58459/ Continue Reading »

BlueOrchard Finance SA, a Swiss microfinance investment manager; Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO), a public-private partnership established by the Belgian government; and Opportunity International, a US-based nonprofit organization, all recently announced new CEOs. Continue Reading »

Hypo Alpe Adria Group, a state-owned Austrian financial group, and ResponsAbility Social Investments, a Swiss investment organization founded in 2003, approved loans of BAM 5 million (USD 3.2 million) and EUR 3 million (USD 3.7 million), respectively, to Microcredit Foundation Prizma, a microcredit organization operating in rural Bosnia and Herzegovina. The funds will be used to expand Prizma’s operations. Continue Reading »

European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a microfinance investment vehicle (MIV) investing in 16 countries in Europe and Asia, has reported to MicroCapital that it has loaned USD 10 million to ProCredit Bank of Georgia, a bank serving Georgian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Continue Reading »

The Multilateral Investment Fund, an autonomous fund administered by the US-based Inter-American Development Bank, has approved an equity investment of an undisclosed amount in Haitian microfinance institution (MFI) Association pour la Cooperation avec la Micro Enterprise (ACME). Continue Reading »

The Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), an autonomous fund that was founded in 1993 by the US-based Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), has made a USD 5 million equity investment in Mexico Development Fund I (MDF-I), a venture capital fund focused on small and medium-sized Mexican businesses providing education, financial or retail services. MDF-I is managed by PC Capital Partners, a financial services firm based in Mexico.  Continue Reading »

The European Progress Microfinance Facility, an organization managed by the European Investment Fund (EIF) with the aim of increasing the availability of microcredit for small businesses, has signed its 20th microfinance intermediary, Italy-based credit cooperative Banco di Credito Mediocrati. Continue Reading »

The Agribusiness Initiative (aBi) Trust, a nonprofit in Uganda that supports private-sector agriculture, has contributed UGX 149 million (USD 60,000) to Masaka Microfinance Development Cooperative (MAMIDECOT), a Ugandan microfinance institution (MFI), for the establishment of a new branch in the Bukunda trading centre in Rakai, the district that neighbors Masaka to the west. Continue Reading »

Triodos Bank, a Dutch bank with additional offices in Belgium, Great Britain, Spain and Germany, recently approved a loan in the amount of EUR 3 million (USD 3.7 million) to the Prizma Microcredit Foundation reaching a total of EUR 5 million (USD 6.1 million) loaned by Triodos to the microcredit organization in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Continue Reading »

ResponsAbility Social Investments, a Swiss investment company, recently issued loans totaling USD 6.3 million to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Peru and Bolivia. Continue Reading »

Incofin Investment Management, a Belgian company that manages microfinance investment funds, has paid INR 13 crore (USD 2.36 million) for an equity stake of undisclosed size in Annapurna Microfinance Private Limited, a for-profit microfinance company based in the Indian state of Orissa. Annapurna has nearly 125,000 clients across 18 districts in Orissa and a loan book of INR 35.78 crore (USD 6.49 million).  Continue Reading »

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) Capitalization Fund, a fund managed by the private-investment arm of the World Bank Group, recently announced it will invest a total of USD 40 million in XacBank, a Mongolian community development microfinance institution (MFI) [1]. Continue Reading »

Accion, a US-based nonprofit organization, recently announced an equity investment of CNY 140 million (USD 21.9 million) made by China-based Sagamore Investments in Accion Microfinance China (AMC). Continue Reading »

Frontier Investments Group, an investment vehicle of US-based nonprofit Accion, recently announced plans to launch the Frontier Investment Fund, which reportedly will have a pool of between USD 60 million and USD 75 million and focus on emerging economies, especially India. Continue Reading »

Microfinance banks operating in Lagos, Nigeria, reportedly aim to raise the equivalent of USD 13,000 (NGN 2 million) for onlending to economically active poor during 2013. Continue Reading »

Event Name: Public Funds Summit East “Navigate the Future”

Event Date: July 23 to July 25, 2012

Event Location: Newport Marriott, Newport, Rhode Island, USA Continue Reading »

Event Name: Investment & Innovation in Microfinance: Africa

Event Date: September 19 to September 20, 2012

Event Location: Accra, Ghana Continue Reading »