Innovations in SME Management

Member Mastercard and Rabobank announced a strategic partnership to give one million farmers in emerging markets access to a digital platform that makes it easier for them to sell their produce for a fair price. The platform builds on the current Mastercard Farmer Network and will be enriched by Rabobank’s expertise and reach in the food and agricultural sectors acr

Originally posted on the World Bank Blogs Platform.

Have you noticed the large number of digital trails that are left behind in your browser and social media? Have you ever received an offer for a product or service that you were just thinking of?  A friend of mine was researching about a critical illness and looking for insurance plans on the internet at the same time, and she started receiving ads to secure “the right spot” in a graveyard!  

Kabbage founders raise $11M for Drum, an SMB marketplace for sourcing salespeople, goods and services. Two serial entrepreneurs who have already built one big startup catering to SMBs — loans platform Kabbage — are launching another effort to help fill that gap. Drum, billed as a marketplace for businesses both to source sales people and sell their goods and services, not just for SMBs but any direct online brands seeking to market to SMBs or consumers, has raised $11 million in funding to launch its company and to — yes — drum up new business.

Washington, D.C., September 23rd, 2019 – Infini became the newest member of the SME Finance Forum, a global membership network that brings together financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of SMEs. 

Buhle Goslar, the newly appointed CEO of JUMO, on how this South African fintech has to date raised over $100 million from investors and also managed to successfully expand into Asia. 
Read more here.

Article via iAfrikan.com

DBS Bank is to offer multi-tier financing on a logistics blockchain platform named Rong-E Lian, to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China get faster access to trade financing. 

Article via Finextra.
 

Ecobank has partnered with Kazang Zambia to offer affordable banking services outside the normal business hours. Introducing the Ecobank Xpress Point in partnership with Kazang, the bank’s managing director for Zambia, Kola Adeleke, said the service will avail customers with convenient and efficient banking channels in their localities.

Article via Zambia Daily Mail.

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SME Finance Forum presents the Global SME Finance Forum 2019, taking place at Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on October 7-9th, attended by 500+ senior executives from commercial banks, development finance institutions, fintech companies, regulators, and featuring study visits, a B2B marketplace, fintech expos, and much more.

Washington D.C., September 12th, 2019.- SME Finance Forum is proud to bring the Global SME Finance Forum 2019 (SMEFF19)

Qatar Business Incubation Centre (QBIC), a division of Qatar Development Bank (QDB), is now accepting applications for the 13th wave of the centre's redesigned LeanStartup Programme (LSP).
The LSP is one of the most successful programmes of its kind within the Mena region. By leveraging the 'lean-startup methodology, the trainers place significant emphasis on customer validation, which allows entrepreneurs to test their business ideas in real-time with potential customers.