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A national dialogue held in Dhaka emphasized the growing importance of responsible business conduct as a key driver for strengthening Bangladesh’s trade competitiveness. The event brought together government officials, private sector representatives, development partners, civil society members, and industry experts to discuss how aligning business practices with global sustainability and due diligence standards can help… [Read More]

The American Academy of Periodontology Foundation has announced the launch of the Levi-Richman Integration Initiative, a $2.5 million program dedicated to advancing understanding of the link between oral and systemic health. Despite decades of research connecting periodontal disease to conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, awareness remains low among physicians and the public. The… [Read More]

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific has signed a new agreement with The Borrow Foundation to strengthen oral health across the region. The partnership was formalized in Geneva during the World Health Assembly by WHO Regional Director Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala and Nigel Borrow, Trustee of The Borrow Foundation, a… [Read More]

British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, has announced the launch of a $300 million investment platform aimed at accelerating renewable power generation in India. The initiative is designed to mobilize large-scale capital for clean energy projects, supporting India’s ongoing transition toward a more sustainable and low-carbon energy system. The… [Read More]

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF), convened a regional workshop in Cairo under the Thought Leadership Series for Arab States. Titled “Unlocking Innovative Financing for Resilience: Youth, Skills, and Inclusion,” the event explored how innovative financing and impact investing can expand access to jobs, strengthen skills… [Read More]

The ISPO Impact Foundation has been officially introduced alongside the launch of a new €1 million annual grant fund aimed at supporting nonprofit and grassroots initiatives connected to the sports, outdoor, and winter sports sectors. The foundation has been established as an independent body to ensure transparency, strong governance, and fair allocation of funding to… [Read More]

The Government of India has appointed SBI Ventures (formerly SBICAP Ventures) as the fund manager for the ₹20,000 crore Maritime Investment Fund (MIF), a major initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s maritime infrastructure and expanding its blue economy. The fund is part of a broader ₹25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund designed to support long-term investment… [Read More]

Five Vietnamese startups participating in the “Viet Nam – Japan Incubation Program” signed Memoranda of Understanding and contracts with Japanese partners during Demo Day 2026 in Ha Noi. The event was co-hosted by the Viet Nam National Innovation Center (NIC), the Embassy of Japan, and UNDP, marking a milestone in cross-border collaboration. These startups were… [Read More]

A new £4 million funding award has been granted to support cutting-edge cardiovascular research aimed at improving the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease. The investment has been provided by the Wellcome Trust and will support advanced scientific work led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with research partners. (tfn.scot) The project focuses… [Read More]

Digital technology has become strategic infrastructure in Africa, shaping state capacity, business competitiveness, investment attractiveness, and service quality. Without reliable digital identities, interoperable payments, secure registries, and accessible services, technological transformation remains fragmented, even as artificial intelligence advances globally. The World Bank has set the goal of universal digital enablement by 2030, yet only 38%… [Read More]

WWF Australia highlights the urgent need to scale innovative finance mechanisms to support nature-based solutions (NbS) across the Asia Pacific region, where climate vulnerability and biodiversity loss are intensifying. The initiative focuses on bridging the significant global funding gap required to protect, restore, and sustainably manage ecosystems that support both people and nature. Nature-based solutions… [Read More]

Indian startup funding rebounded strongly this past week, with 20 startups raising a total of $292.52 million — an 85% jump from the $158.8 million raised by 24 startups the previous week. The surge was driven largely by Rapido’s $240 million mega round, backed by Prosus, which underscored investor confidence in India’s fast-growing digital mobility… [Read More]

Mouro Capital has closed $400 million for its third fund, with full backing from long-term partner Banco Santander. This milestone brings the fintech-focused venture firm’s total investment commitments to over $1 billion for the first time. Founded in 2015 and led by Manuel Silva Martínez and Christopher Gottschalk, Mouro invests in companies from seed to… [Read More]

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has announced a commitment of up to US$100 million to invest in Africa-focused technology fund managers, marking a significant step in mobilizing institutional capital for the continent’s digital economy. With Africa’s digital economy projected to contribute over US$700 billion to GDP by 2050, the initiative aims to address the persistent gap… [Read More]

Tomorrow.io, a Boston-based weather intelligence company, has secured an additional $35 million in funding, bringing its Series F round to $210 million. The new capital came from existing investors Pitango and Harel Insurance, joining private equity firms Stonecourt Capital and HarbourVest Partners, who led the round earlier this year. The funding will accelerate the development… [Read More]

The Government of the United Kingdom has announced an additional £3.4 million contribution to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Moldova to sustain gender-based violence prevention and response services for Ukrainian refugees and vulnerable women and girls. This new funding builds on support provided since 2022, when the war in Ukraine heightened protection risks… [Read More]

On the night of 15 December, strong winds struck Libreville, Gabon, causing widespread damage to homes and belongings in neighborhoods such as PK 9, PK 10, and PK 11. Gabonese Red Cross volunteers were mobilized within hours to assess the situation and provide immediate psychosocial support to affected families. Roofs were torn off, houses left… [Read More]

The World Bank has issued a new catastrophe bond providing Jamaica with USD 200 million in hurricane insurance coverage, replacing the previous USD 150 million bond that paid out after Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. The transaction was oversubscribed, reflecting strong investor demand, and builds on earlier World Bank cat bonds issued in 2021 and… [Read More]

Sargassum, a seaweed that arrives in massive quantities on Caribbean shores each year, represents a paradox. Despite being abundant and free to collect, it has not developed into a functioning industry. The challenge lies not in the resource itself but in the absence of public goods such as reliable information, quality standards, regulatory frameworks, and… [Read More]

Insufficient investment in education is already undermining productivity and economic growth, with long‑term consequences for fiscal stability. Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean face particular challenges, as most new entrants to the labor market have limited education. Only 19% of young people finish secondary school with minimum skills in mathematics, and among low‑income youth… [Read More]

UBS Optimus Foundation, alongside co-funders, has committed approximately $29 million to Chancen International’s Future of Work Fund, a blended finance initiative designed to expand access to higher education and skills training for young people in Africa. The funding will support the scaling of an Income Share Agreement (ISA) model across Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa,… [Read More]

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has launched a new initiative called X-Labs, a $1.5 billion program designed to fund independent, milestone-driven research teams working outside traditional academic and industrial structures. The initiative aims to accelerate breakthrough scientific and technological innovation by supporting agile groups of researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs focused on solving high-priority national… [Read More]

The Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund has pledged more than £30,000 in its latest quarterly funding round to support a wide range of local charities, sports clubs, and community organisations across Greater Manchester and Cheshire. The funding is part of the Trust Fund’s ongoing effort to support grassroots projects within a 10-mile radius of the… [Read More]