Category Inspiration

Digital loan products aren’t built in a day. Startups and scaleups looking to create their first digital loan product for their users must overcome these 5 challenges – and perhaps get inspired by Senegal-based digital wholesaler Maad.

What is embedded lending – and how does it promise to broaden financial inclusion for people in developing markets? Discover how the growing digital footprint of MSME entrepreneurs may be the key to expanding financial access.

Credit scoring solutions are useless unless they’re fully embraced by the stakeholders they’re meant to serve. How can you overcome loan officer scepticism and build trust in the solution to ensure successful implementation?

We started Rubyx to help lenders focus on what can make the most difference, for the most people, as profitably as possible. And it works. Advans followed up a successful pilot with loan disbursement to 15K people in 5 countries. We’ve partnered with CGAP to deploy our solutions in 5 MFIs around the world. And that’s just the beginning.

A lack of time, skills and focus are common hurdles when it comes to doing user research. As a smaller tech company or financial institution, what can you do to overcome these?

Expert scorecards are one of the most widely adopted credit scoring approaches, especially among microfinance institutions active in emerging markets. But with recent analytical advances in credit scoring algorithms, are expert scorecards still a valid approach to determining creditworthiness?

For informal MSME (micro, small and medium enterprise) entrepreneurs in the developing world, microfinance loans with 12-month terms can help them launch businesses, buy stock, refurbish their shops and pay their employees. But what if smaller nano loans could help them do a whole lot more?

Alex is a return customer with an excellent repayment history for his MSME business loans. So why does his West African microfinance institution keep treating him like a stranger?

Lending to small-scale entrepreneurs in emerging markets comes with many risks. Financial realities are complex, revenue streams are inconsistent, and borrowers can often find themselves short of funds. When they don’t pay on time, or default, it’s their fault. Isn’t it?

To build a new lending model that’s healthier, more sustainable and more inclusive, it may help banks and MFIs to stop worrying about their digital transformation and look more closely at how their customers are transforming – in many cases, thanks to digital platforms.