All Publications

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  Women Investing in Women: A Case for Gender Lens Investing in India

  PUBLISHED: December, 2018

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• 

  SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  PUBLISHED: November, 2018

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• 

  Beyond CSR To The Sanitation Economy Transformational Business & Investment Opportunities In India

  PUBLISHED: October, 2018

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• 

  Laos, School Feeding Programme (2014-2016): an endline evaluation

  PUBLISHED: October, 2018

  Tags: NRMC

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• 

  Digitizing Rural Value Chains in India: An Assessment of High Potential Opportunities to Increase Women’s Economic Empowerment

  PUBLISHED: October, 2018

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• 

  Mainstreaming Innovative Health Financing Models In Africa

  PUBLISHED: October, 2018

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• 

  The Landscape For Impact Investing In Southeast Asia

  PUBLISHED: August, 2018

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• 

  Replication of Intellecap’s Ecosystem Based Approach in East Africa

  PUBLISHED: July, 2018

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• 

  The Financial Lives of Government Employees – Potential of Digital Finance in Sierra Leone

  PUBLISHED: July, 2018

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• 

  South South Collaboration: Corridors for shared prosperity

  PUBLISHED: June, 2018

  Tags: Entrepreneurship, Agriculture, Health

  Region: Asia, Africa

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Women Investing in Women: A Case for Gender Lens Investing in India
PUBLISHED: December, 2018
Global evidence of a strong business case for investing in women and leveraging their potential as entrepreneurs is emerging. The ‘Women Investing in Women’ movement can play a significant role in addressing the systemic access to finance challenges that women entrepreneurs contend with. The report takes stock of the access to finance challenges experienced by women entrepreneurs in India and the resulting financing gap. It explores the potential of the ‘Women Investing in Women’ movement to address those challenges and enhance access to finance for women-led start-ups and small businesses. The core objective of the report is to identify a strategic roadmap for strengthening this movement in India to further the adoption of gender lens investing. This report will be a valuable resource for a range of ecosystem stakeholders including regulatory agencies and government policymakers, development agencies, foundations, private sector companies who aim to strengthen the women entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. It is expected to inform policy formulation and intervention design targeted at strengthening gender lens investing in India.
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SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
PUBLISHED: November, 2018
This report launched in partnership with the impact investor’s council (IIC) at an event called Prabhav in India, critically assesses the water and sanitation ecosystem for the gaps in capital support across the value chain. The report highlights the impact potential of WASH entrepreneurs and makes a case for impact investors to step in the WASH sector.
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Beyond CSR To The Sanitation Economy Transformational Business & Investment Opportunities In India
PUBLISHED: October, 2018
The sustainable management of water and sanitation underpins wider efforts to end poverty and advance sustainable development. But, the world is not on track to reach Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) on Water and Sanitation by the deadline set for 2030, says a new UN report (UN Water, 2018). The World Bank estimates that $1.14
trillion USD per year in overall global investment is needed to meet SDG targets 6.1 and 6.2, which represents a trillion dollar financing gap, and calls for a new financing paradigm that includes mobilising additional and innovative forms of domestic and international finance—a largely untapped financial resource to the sector (World Bank & UNICEF, 2017). Locally, it is estimated that India loses more than $106 billion USD per year of its GDP (> 5% of total) due to inadequate sanitation. It is widely believed that the private sector can and should fund a significant percentage of the investment gap. The private sector should not only be considered a funder but also an implementer of more efficient solutions. Companies are structured to maximiSe efficiency in order to remain profitable. As such, for companies to step into this implementation role, we must create the right enablers. This means focusing on at scale or scalable projects, establishing streamlined go-to-market models, and
creating favourable economics that attract commercial investment.
It is becoming inevitable that for sanitation systems to be sustainable and resilient for future generations, infrastructure needs to be cost recovering and services delivered in partnership with the private sector and commercial investors. The transition to the Sanitation Economy presents a transformational opportunity to
ensure a sustainable future for sanitation systems that can provide alternatives to the cost burdened systems of today, towards cost recovery and full of life-improving innovations, business and commercial investment opportunities – that could turn the outlook for SDG 6 around and ensure the resilience of India’s progress on sanitation access via the Swachh Bharat Mission. The transformation lies in the transition to significant opportunity for private sector innovation, new technologies, new sources of water, energy nutrients, and information
about human health and behaviour that will attract commercial investment and contribute to sustainable economic growth. In this model, the public sector benefits from private sector expertise, and the private sector sustainably engages in the development agenda through relevant, appropriate commercial constructs.
There is mounting evidence that leading businesses are championing new and exciting areas for business opportunity with a vision for a multi-billion dollar Sanitation Economy. To un-lock the these opportunities companies and investors need to take bold action for sanitation solutions that go beyond Corporate Social
Responsibility. We are calling on Indian businesses, entrepreneurs and investors to build the Sanitation Economy in India. Promoting high impact enterprises and achieving good returns on investments made will require sustainable on-the-ground partnerships with multiple stakeholders.
With this white paper we seek to take stock of the current state of corporate engagement in sanitation solutions, and build the case for businesses to move beyond CSR to un-lock core business opportunities that lie within sanitation systems and have been virtually untapped. Doing so will build an exciting universe of new investment
opportunities. India has the opportunity to lead the way, to address this market failure, and showcase the potential of the Sanitation Economy.
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Laos, School Feeding Programme (2014-2016): an endline evaluation
PUBLISHED: October, 2018
The end-line evaluation for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Mc-Govern Dole Food for Education Grant supported School Feeding Programme FY14-16 award cycle (hereafter referred to as FY14) in Lao PDR was commissioned by WFP country office Lao PDR between February-June 2018.
The objective of the evaluation was to assess the implementation and performance of the FY14 award and generate recommendations that will strengthen and inform the operational and strategic decision-making for the FY17 award rollout. The evaluation served the dual purpose of accountability and learning. It assessed the performance and results of the implementation and determined the causalities towards achieving or missing the results.
The evaluation has provided an evidence-based independent assessment of the performance of the operation that would enable WFP and program partners to take informed operational and strategic decisions for the FY17 award. The evaluation methodology was guided by the ToR underpinned by the results framework of the FY14 programme. The difference in status of indicators over the programme period was examined by comparing the baseline data with that of the end-line through desk review and primary survey. Data from the primary survey was triangulated to assess its reliability. Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (GEEW) was mainstreamed by disaggregating all school-level data by sex, and the sampling of students was done to ensure an equal representation of boys and girls. The sample was spread across seven provinces covering ten districts. 60 schools were sampled covering 1155 students from Grade 1 to 5. It also included 984 parents, 58 cooks and storekeepers, 57 school heads, and 58 teachers. Additionally, 88 qualitative discussions were also held with parents, cooks, storekeepers, school head, teachers, and Village Education Development Committees (VEDC). The survey tools were translated to Lao language for easy administration of the tools.
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Digitizing Rural Value Chains in India: An Assessment of High Potential Opportunities to Increase Women’s Economic Empowerment
PUBLISHED: October, 2018
In our latest report, we highlight the role and impact of digital financial services (DFS) on economic empowerment of rural communities’ especially rural women in India through accelerated financial inclusion. The report has been released as a part of the Mobile Solutions Technical Assistance Program (mSTAR) initiative, supported by U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented by FHI 360. The initiative aims to create a digitally-enabled rural financial ecosystem to enhance farmers’ livelihoods through use of DFS. These solutions have the potential to drive down financial services delivery costs for customers and service providers, as well as offer services at greater convenience and scale, opening the door to economic empowerment and development.
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Mainstreaming Innovative Health Financing Models In Africa
PUBLISHED: October, 2018
Why are we trapped in pilotitis for innovative financing models in Africa? What will it take for us to move to scale? Is it only about lack of resources or is it much more?
These are some of the questions that currently float in the healthcare ecosystem in Africa like an elephant in the room, which we are aware but often ignore.
It is becoming inevitable that for health financing interventions to be scalable, sustainable and resilient for future generations, infrastructure needs to be cost recovering, value driven and services delivered in partnership with the private sector and catalytic investment. The private sector should not only be considered a funder alone but also a co-implementer of health solutions.
Mainstreaming Innovative Health Financing Models in Africa provides a holistic approach based on key internal, external and environmental drivers that will facilitate scale and address the existing barriers to successful replication of such initiatives.
To know more, please write to rajat@intellecap.net / sheena.r@intellecap.net
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The Landscape For Impact Investing In Southeast Asia
PUBLISHED: August, 2018
The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), in partnership with Intellecap Advisory Services, has published The Landscape for Impact Investing in Southeast Asia, the first-ever detailed analysis of impact investing activity across Southeast Asia. The report was generously supported by Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government which is partnering with impact investors to grow impact investments in women owned and led SMEs in Southeast Asia. The Landscape for Impact Investing in Southeast Asia provides deep insight into the three most active markets in the region: Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and a broader regional overview of the remaining eight countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand.
Abhilash Mudaliar, Director of Research at the GIIN, says, “The Asia Pacific region has been the fastest growing impact investing market worldwide over the past five years. This report shows why that’s not surprising. The countries across the region offer dynamic business environments with increasing entrepreneurial and investment activity focused on ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic development.”
The report outlines opportunities and challenges for impact investors and analyzes regulatory and economic factors that inform investment decisions in each country. Overall, the report sheds light on a dynamic and expanding regional impact investing market:
•Investment activity in Southeast Asia has increased over time. Since 2007, Private Impact Investors (PIIs) have deployed USD 904 million through 225 direct deals, and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) have deployed USD 11.3 billion through 289 direct deals. For both sets of investors, investment activity has increased significantly in recent years.
•Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam are the three largest markets in the region accounting for over 60% of capital deployed to date. However, each country in the region faces its own set of social and economic challenges, and presents investors with unique opportunities to develop strategies that both generate a financial return and have a positive impact.
•The top three impact investment sectors in the region have been financial services, energy, and manufacturing, accounting for over 80% of total capital deployed. As the market expands there is growing interest and activity in sectors such as education, healthcare, and workforce development.
On the findings, Mudaliar notes, “Historically, most capital for impact investing in the region has originated from investors in North America or Western Europe. A particularly promising trend is the growing participation of local investors – led by wealthy families and high net-worth individuals. We expect this trend to expand rapidly across all investor segments in the coming years.”
The report also finds that there is increasing awareness and uptake of gender lens investment (GLI) strategies in the region, which are investments that seek to address gender disparities and/or examine gender dynamics to inform better investment decisions. A growing number of investors have started developing GLI strategies in recent years, with USD 40 million deployed into more than 30 deals in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam alone.
Dr. Julia Newton-Howes, CEO of Investing in Women, argues, “This important research provides much needed market intelligence for Southeast Asia and reveals the growing appeal of impact investing in the region. Importantly, moving capital with a gender lens can unlock a significant under-served market and additional social impacts. Obviously, investing with a gender lens has a long way to go in the region, particularly with development finance. But we recognize that impact investing will not reach its full potential without incorporating an intentional gender lens and are proud to partner with the GIIN and Intellecap on this publication.”
The Landscape of Impact Investing in Southeast Asia report is based on interviews conducted with over 100 stakeholders, a thorough review of existing research, and aggregate analysis of over 500 impact investing transactions made since 2007.
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Replication of Intellecap’s Ecosystem Based Approach in East Africa
PUBLISHED: July, 2018
Intellecap has sought to replicate its ecosystem-based approach to East Africa by bringing
together capital, knowledge and networks to support SGBs at two levels: (i) provide direct support
to SGBs in the form of acceleration, fund-raising, technical assistance, innovation transfer, and
market linkages, and (ii) discover and engage critical ecosystem players such as corporations
(both local and international), accelerators, other development sector players in supporting SGBs.
In the three-year period since the launch of our initiative to replicate our ecosystem-based
approach for accelerating entrepreneurship support to SGBs in East Africa, we have received
generous support not only from our funders, but also from a number of local and international stakeholders such as development institutions, private sector entities, and industry associations.
Over the last year, we have replicated our advocacy platform (Sankalp), angel investment network
(I3N) advisory services (consulting & investment banking), virtual incubation platform
(StartupWave) and impact measurement platform (PRISM) as envisaged at the beginning of our
programmatic support. The development and adaptation of StartupWave for East Africa has
resulted in over 450 sign-ups for our early stage enterprise support activities and partnerships with
over 30 incubators / accelerators. Similarly, PRISM, our impact measurement platform, has
garnered interest from a wide variety of players to measure the impact of their programs.
Download Pdf Here


The Financial Lives of Government Employees – Potential of Digital Finance in Sierra Leone
PUBLISHED: July, 2018
This report documents findings from research on the financial lives of government employees in Sierra Leone, commissioned by the Government to People Payments Project – Building Digital Ecosystem funded by USAID. Intellecap supported UNCDF, Government of Sierra Leone and Bank of Sierra Leone for conducting the research.
There are 80,000 government employees in Sierra Leone who receive salaries digitally in their bank accounts. Insights about their financial lives can help build a viable business case for DFS to expand access to a wide range of financial services for underserved communities in Sierra Leone. Such insights can inform strategies and use cases that the UNCDF and the Government of Sierra Leone can develop to promote DFS in the country. The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2017 – 2020 also refers to the need to identify and digitize use cases that will lead to habitual usage, and achieve Sierra Leone’s commitments to the ‘Better Than Cash Alliance’.
Recognizing the need and opportunity, UNCDF supported the Financial Lives Survey of government employees who receive their salaries digitally in Sierra Leone. Intellecap designed the survey to understand how government employees utilize salaries transferred into their bank accounts, their awareness of and access to DFS, avenues to use them and their perceptions about financial services and digital financial transactions. This report contains insights from the survey about potential customers of DFS and recommendations on use cases that could be piloted as an initial step to improve DFS adoption in Sierra Leone.
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South South Collaboration: Corridors for shared prosperity
PUBLISHED: June, 2018
This assessment was conducted and document written for the International Finance Corporation (IFC)
by Intellectual Capital Advisory Services (Intellecap).
disclaimer
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives.
We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing
private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. This report was commissioned by IFC through its Inclusive Business Models Group, which is leading efforts to promote inclusive business across IFC by catalyzing ideas and innovation; convening IFC clients, investment professionals and leading thinkers on inclusive business; and communicating which models work, and generating and disseminating knowledge on best practices.
The conclusions and judgments contained in this report should not be attributed to, and do not necessarily represent the views of, IFC or its Board of Directors or the World Bank or its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. IFC and the World Bank do not guarantee the accuracy of the data in this publication and accept no responsibility for any consequences
of their use.
Resources: Additional knowledge resources that use the framework as a foundation to create actionable insights have also been created. These include a deep-dive report, detailed case studies and a downloadable toolkit comprising of a self-diagnostic tool and checklists. The 11 case studies of successful business model transfers can be accessed here. Please find the technical notes here and the toolkit for entrepreneurs evaluating expansion into Africa here.
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