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30 Microfinance Innovations

From Youth-Oriented Finances to Pay-as-You-Go Energy

— January 18, 2012 — Social Good
Microfinance innovations have gone through their ups and downs when it comes to scandal, popularity and importance, but there is no mistaking the influence that microfinance has had on both the international development field as well as the emerging scenes of social business, social enterprise and impact investing.

This Social Business top list of microfinance innovations covers anything and everything from youth-oriented finances like the ever-creative MyBnk and equally creative ventures like Simpa Networks, which offers "pay as you go" energy to underserved markets in India. What is so crucial about microfinance is the range of fields that it influences from charity and the eco industry to, well, even fashion. The latest of microfinance innovations that SocialBusiness.org covered was a fashion brand called the Naked Hippie that redirects profits to funding microloans for small-scale entrepreneurs in the Majority World.
6.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
30
Conscious Food Collaborations
Conscious Food Collaborations
Watami and the Yunus Centre Sign MOU to Create a Social Business
<
29
Poverty Partnership Imaginings
Poverty Partnership Imaginings
The Prof. Yunus James Chau Interview on CCTV Explores the MDGs
<
28
American-Based Microlending
American-Based Microlending
ACCION Chicago Provides Financial Access to Small Business Owners
<
27
Comprehensive Vision Care Access
Comprehensive Vision Care Access
Aravind Eye Hospital Combats Needless Blindness in Rural India
<
26
Disruptive Entrepreneur Incubators
Disruptive Entrepreneur Incubators
The Unreasonable Institute Spurs Social Enterprise Ventures
<
25
Global Microfinance Networks
Global Microfinance Networks
FINCA Provides Financial Services to Low-Income Entrepreneurs
<
24
Eco-Certified Athletic Balls
Eco-Certified Athletic Balls
Fair Trade Sports is a North American Purpose-Driven Company
<
23
Alternative Loan Products
Alternative Loan Products
Fair Finance Offers Affordable Banking to Urban Populations
<
22
Collateral-Free Microcredit
Collateral-Free Microcredit
Muhammad Yunus's Grameen Bank Has Revolutionized Finance
<
21
Entreprenurial Philanthropy
Entreprenurial Philanthropy
Jessica Jackley Introduces Small Business Models that Help the Poor
<
20
Green Power Microlending
Green Power Microlending
Energy in Common's Person-to-Person Loans Fight Climate Change
<
19
Social Advisory Firms
Social Advisory Firms
Intellecap is a ‘Think and Do' Tank With Market-Based Strategies
<
18
Social Enterprise Magazines
Social Enterprise Magazines
Beyond Profit Provides Content to Spark Positive Change
<
17
Social Entrepreneur Associations
Social Entrepreneur Associations
‘Ashoka: Innovators for the Public' is World-Changing
<
16
Urban Slum Sanitation
Urban Slum Sanitation
Sanergy Turns Kenyan Toilets into Green Social Enterprises
<
15
Youth-Oriented Finances
Youth-Oriented Finances
MyBnk Teaches Money Management and Entrepreneurial Skills
<
14
Microloans for Homelessness?
Microloans for Homelessness?
Beyond the Cardboard Shares Stories, Interviews and Resources
<
13
Activist Apparel + Accessories
Activist Apparel + Accessories
Nest Helps Fund Female Artisans in Developing Countries
<
12
Giving 2.0
Giving 2.0
Kiva Loans Lend Directly to a Developing World Entrepreneur
<
11
Flourishing In Crisis
Flourishing In Crisis
Green Banks Thrive as Wall Street Collapses
<
10
Fair Trade Cocoa
Fair Trade Cocoa
Divine Chocolate is a Social Business Partly Owned by Its Farmers
<
9
One Euro Sneakers
One Euro Sneakers
Muhammad Yunus Collaborates With Adidas Third World Project
<
8
Conscious Capitalism
Conscious Capitalism
Dirty Business No More
<
7
Microlending Credit Cards
Microlending Credit Cards
KivaB4B Doubles Grants
<
6
Ebay Ventures Into Microfinance
Ebay Ventures Into Microfinance
MicroPlace.com
<
5
Microfinance Investing
Microfinance Investing
Kiva.org Lets You Become a Banker to the Poor
<
4
Social Entrepreneurs
Social Entrepreneurs
A Megatrend
<
3
Accessible Bamboo Bicycles
Accessible Bamboo Bicycles
Zambikes International Creates Jobs and Transportation in Zambia
<
2
Microloan-Giving Tees
Microloan-Giving Tees
The Naked Hippie Invests in Small-Scale Entrepreneurs in the Majority World
<
1
Pay-as-You-Go Energy
Pay-as-You-Go Energy
Simpa Networks Offers Solar Power to Underserved Markets in India
<