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

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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

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The Mystery of Katoor

So, were you able to identify the hero of my story? Yes, it was Raj Reddy, world famous Computer Scientist. I have been speaking with him often, and one of the questions we kicked around recently was as follows: (1) 99% of gifted rural youth don’t get the opportunity. The same is true in India

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Atanu Dey-Vinod Khosla Marshall Plan – Addendum

In Atanu Dey’s RISC model, he suggests a move to a micro-city model, as follows: :: India’s economic growth depends critically on the development of its 700-million strong rural population living in 600,000 villages. The challenge is to manage their transition from a village-centric agricultural-based economy to a city-centric non-agricultural economy urgently. The total rural

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Atanu Dey-Vinod Khosla Marshall Plan

By Atanu Dey, Guest Author India’s economic growth depends critically on the development of its 700-million strong rural population living in 600,000 villages. The challenge is to manage their transition from a village-centric agricultural-based economy to a city-centric non-agricultural economy urgently.