This seminar focused on how IFC brings the full array of resources and know-how available in the WBG to achieve transformational impact on gender equality. Speakers will share experience and lessons from IFCs proven approach, discuss market challenges and how stakeholder collaboration could enhance value and reach to accelerate the growth of women in business and wealth creation.IFC has a unique value proposition to enable financial institutions seize the business opportunities that women entrepreneurs represent. It combines both investment and advisory services to support the financing and capacity needs to effectively target women entrepreneurs. As a global market leader IFC raises awareness of best practices and partners for innovation and impact.The team works with financial institutions, corporates and other stakeholders around the world to support women's entrepreneurship, these include; the Coca Cola Company, Access Bank - Nigeria, Peru's Belcorp, Chindex - China and Brazil's Itau Unibanco. The speakers will share models and insights on how IFC has built an over $600 million portfolio in support of women owned SMEs in developing countries.Speakers:Henriette Kolb, Head of Gender Secretariat - Why women entrepreneurs matter & the World Bank Group’s support Patience Marime-Ball, Principal Investment Officer - IFC’s Financial Institutions Group Banking on Women Andrew Charles McCartney, Senior SME Banking Specialist - Understanding IFC's Women’s Market Advisory Value Proposition Moderator: Matt Gamser, Head of SME Finance Forum / Women's Finance HubIf you miss this seminar, please check the video recording

LoopPay (simply called Loop as well) is not a startup of college kids but experienced boys who are bringing contactless, friction-less payments to 90% or more of existing POS. Its is a team that has founders of immensely successful payment companies like Hypercom, ROAM data, Way systems and also people who ran large programs for Paypal and Nokia NFC.Loop just works and helps Read, Store and Transmit payments. Seasoned payment boys brought this revolutionary Magnetic Secure Transaction (MST) technology and merchants are liking it a lot. MST technology generates changing magnetic fields over a very short period of time. This is accomplished by putting alternating current through an inductive loop, which can then be received by the magnetic read head of the credit card reader. The signal received from Loop emulates the same magnetic field change as a mag stripe card when swiped across the same read head.

The outlook for private equity (PE) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 2014 is promising. The potential for continued improvement in the political and regulatory backdrops of many countries, and strong investment demand, are powering economic and business expansion across the continent. Many investors now realise that one of the best means of capturing and supporting this growth is by providing much-needed equity capital -- especially to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) -- coupled with hands-on guidance and management.

Elizabeth Street Capital is designed to provide early-stage women entrepreneurs in the United States with access to low-cost capital, mentoring support and networking opportunities to grow their businesses, creating communities of women entrepreneurs.

Launching with an investment of $10 million in capital from Bank of America and funding for operating expenses. The program will initially support women entrepreneurs in Boston, Charlotte, Las Vegas, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco, but will expand to additional markets over the next two years.

Small and medium enterprise’s significance is widely discussed nowadays. It interests both trading banks and state pecuniary institutions. Speaking about G20 it can be mentioned that none of the banks regard business sector as unattractive for a certain bank in particular as well as for Russian economy on the whole. It should be noticed that under conditions of deceleration of economic growth Russian government also regards that sector’s potential as one of the sources to overcome recession and restore the economy. Different measures are taken to support SMEs, in simplifying financing as well.

In a brief interview with Tory Burch, CEO and designer of American lifestyle brand Tory Burch and founder of the Tory Burch Foundation,

Start-up founders are often looking for new ways to raise capital for their ventures. Until now, my primary sources of funding were venture capitalists and angel investors, and while they are well suited for early stage start-ups, finding them can be very difficult, especially if you are not based in a start-up hub such as New York City, San Francisco or Tel Aviv.

The Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector has attracted $10 million investment in the past 18 months from African Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (AVCA).

Mounia Rhka is a successful Investment Manager, looking for internet & mobile “nuggets” to invest in for Schibsted Group (who owns LeBonCoin).

Private equity has been a recent and powerful catalyst for economic growth on the African continent, and it shows every sign of continuing to do so. The key to the effectiveness of the private equity model is that, by addressing the funding needs of African companies, it gives its investments a multiplier effect: Private equity not only creates profits for investors (e.g., limited partners, general partners and portfolio companies) but also engenders economic and social benefits for consumers, and has indirect effects on the stability and vibrancy of local and regional economies. At the same time, private equity channels significant flows of international capital into Africa. In other words, whether it is in building sustainable housing or health services options, private equity ultimately offers Africa more than just capital. Furthermore, each private equity success story represents one more step for Africa in its quest to permanently establish itself as a preferred destination for global capital flows.