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HOT TOPICS
- The Accelerator Conundrum
- The Startup Velocity Question
- Platform as a Service
- Man and Superman
- Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS)
- The Future: End of Capitalism
- Capitalism 2.0
sks
Nightmare At SKS Microfinance
Andhra Pradesh state politics in India concerning the MFI sector are continuing to hurt the performance of the sector in the country. According to Credit Suisse, India’s leading MFI, SKS Microfinance is seeing loan recoveries in the state to be as low as 12% compared with the industry’s average recovery rate of 22%. SKS’s bad
SKS Pursues Microfranchise To Cure Headaches
The political interference in the microfinance sector within the state of Andhra Pradesh in India has left the sector reeling in recent quarters. Despite Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Malegam Committee Report which offered a much needed breather for the MFI sector, SKS Microfinance, the largest player in India had to significantly increase their provision
Deal Radar 2008: SKS Microfinance
Microfinance is slowly becoming a mainstream financial service category, and with the recent IPO of Mexican MFI, Compartamos, interest in the segment has been growing. SKS Microfinance was launched in 1998 by Vikram Akula, who is now recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In the last
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 7)
Chris earlier brought up Compartamos, an MFI currently operating in Mexico. It seems they have a solid customer base and a very profitable business strategy – further proof of the validity of cash-positive microfinance business models. SM: How many loans does Compartamos have ath the moment? CB: I think they have about 600,000 customers. I
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 6)
Microfinance opportunities are growing throughout the world. The availability of data to support the microfinance trend is available from various sources. Depending on the location of the MFI, the cost of delivering the loan can be very low. SM: Can you cite that type of data? That is exactly the type of data you need,
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 5)
Here the conversation directly addresses a common assumption that microfinance is not a profitable business model. SM: I would like to get back on topic and drill down on the assumption on returns. Microfinance may charge 18-25% interest and even so does not get even close to the types of returns the venture capital funds
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 4)
The strategy of running an investment firm may vary, but the end goal is always healthy and compelling returns. SM: So you manage Unitus as a professional investment opportunity with similar goals as venture capital firms? CB: We look at investing very much as a derivative of venture capital. I would argue it is just
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 2)
Here Chris details Unitus’ switch from being a non-profit firm to a for-profit firm. Much of the current interest in microfinance is generated by the fact that the discipline is now being viewed as a sustainable “business”, not just charity. Thus, large banks, venture firms, and serious entrepreneurs are starting to wake up to its
