“Symbiotics 2015 Microfinance Investment Vehicles (MIV) Survey Report: Market Data and Peer Group Analysis;” published by the Symbiotics Group; 2015; 45 pages; available at http://www.syminvest.com/papers/ed4710d3-cd20-4366-ad75-095f2b3adffe
Symbiotics, a Switzerland-based investment company that is “specialized in emerging, sustainable and inclusive finance,” recently published its ninth annual microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs) survey based on indicators reported by MIVs for 2014.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank Group that aims to increase economic growth in developing countries, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Commerce of Myanmar.
During August 2015, Austrian asset manager C-Quadrat Asset Management issued loans worth the equivalent of USD 7 million via its two Vision Microfinance funds to unspecified microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Cambodia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Nigeria and India.
Starbucks Coffee Company, a US-based coffee retailer, recently announced that it would commit an additional USD 30 million to its Global Farmer Fund program, one of the organization’s “ethical sourcing initiatives”[1] that aims to ensure the sustainability of the organization’s production chain up to 2020.
IFMR Holdings, an arm of Indian nonprofit IFMR Trust, recently raised USD 25 million from Accion, a US-based nonprofit organization; LeapFrog Investments, a for-profit private equity fund based in Mauritius; and Lok Capital, an India-based microfinance investment vehicle.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank Group that aims to increase economic growth in developing countries, recently announced that it will partner with the Ministry of the Economy of Belarus “to improve the business environment through measures that will support the growth of small, medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)”[1].
Janalakshmi Financial Services, a Bangalore-based microfinance institution (MFI) that offers lending and insurance services to low-income households in India, recently announced that it had raised a total of INR 1.77 billion (approximately USD 27.7 million) through the issuance of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) and an unsecured term loan.
For an undisclosed price, Base of Pyramid Asia (BOPA), a Singapore-based equity investor in small, Asian microfinance institutions (MFIs), recently purchased a 25-percent stake in Elet-Capital, a Kyrgyzstan-based MFI.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank Group that aims to increase economic growth in developing countries, recently announced that it will provide a subordinated loan of USD 25 million to AccessBank, a microfinance bank in Azerbaijan that is associated with Germany’s Access Microfinance Holding AG (AccessHolding), to enable it to serve more micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Apis Partners, a London-based private equity firm, has raised USD 157 million in investments for the Apis Growth Fund that it launched in 2014 to target technology firms working in payments, savings, investments, credit and insurance in Africa and South Asia.
The Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation (GCAMF), a Luxembourg-based provider of financial services to microfinance institutions (MFIs) and other social businesses, recently informed MicroCapital that it has disbursed the initial tranche of a loan equivalent to approximately USD 170,000 in local currency to Coopérative d’Epargne et de Crédit des Soutien aux Initiatives de Femmes pour l’Autopromotion (COOPEC SIFA), an MFI in Togo that focuses on serving poor women.
The Green for Growth Fund, Southeast Europe (GGF), a Luxembourg-based investment vehicle that supports energy-efficient initiatives in Southeast Europe, recently disbursed a senior loan of EUR 20 million (USD 22 million) to ProCredit Bank Serbia (PBS), a commercial bank that is specialized in lending to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Serbia.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank Group, recently announced that it will disburse a loan of USD 10 million to Hattha Kaksekar Limited (HKL), a microfinance institution (MFI) in Cambodia.
During July 2015, Austrian asset manager C-Quadrat Asset Management issued loans worth USD 6 million via its two Vision Microfinance funds to unspecified microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Georgia, India, Mongolia and Nicaragua.
Symbiotics, a Switzerland-based for-profit investment intermediary, recently issued bonds for Coopeservidores, a Costa Rican savings and credit cooperative, in the amount of USD 12.5 million; Fusion Microfinance, an Indian microfinance institution (MFI), in the amount of USD 7 million; and Suryoday Microfinance Private Limited (Suryoday), another Indian MFI, in the amount of USD 6.8 million.
Several mutual funds based in India, including Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Prudential Mutual Fund, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Mutual Fund, Kotak Mutual Fund, Reliance Mutual Fund and State Bank of India (SBI) Mutual Fund, recently invested in secured debentures issued by several Indian microfinance institutions (MFIs).
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the foreign assistance agency of the US government, recently agreed to give the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), a US-based association of credit union groups in 54 countries, a donation up to USD 6 million under USAID’S “Home Ownership and Mortgage Expansion” (HOME) facility.
BlueOrchard Finance (BlueOrchard), a Switzerland-based commercial manager of microfinance investments, recently announced the appointment of Dr Patrick Schuerle as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer as of January 1, 2016. Dr Schuerle will succeed Mr Peter Fanconi, who will serve as the Chairman of the Board from that time.