The Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan surveyed African entrepreneurs leading early-stage startups and found there was a huge gap between their articulation of the market need (i.e. “the problem”) and what their ventures would achieve in five years.

In the U.S., eighty percent of people are locked out of the solar market because they can’t put solar on their rooftop. Solstice, co-founded by Sandhya Murali, MBA ’15, and Stephanie Speirs, MBA ’17, is changing the system with an inclusive model of community solar.

The Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) leads its 2024-2025 Foundry Fellows on an ecosystem tour of Nairobi, Kenya. Over a three-day tour of Nairobi and a week-long experience in Kenya, Africa’s top innovation-driven entrepreneurs wi...

The success stories of Swvl, Andela, BRCK, Sanergy, and countless others underscore the profound impact of effective communication. They remind us that a strong brand can propel a startup from obscurity to iconic status. They show us that storytelling forges connections that transcend borders and to...

Twelve Legatum Fellows from seven countries explored Egypt’s entrepreneurial environment, connecting markets and strengthening ties across Africa.

Twelve Legatum Fellows from seven countries explored Egypt’s entrepreneurial environment, connecting markets and strengthening ties across Africa.

Humans are built for the connection that comes from community. It gives us strength and more often than not, comfort. For entrepreneurs who are solving complex societal challenges in countries that are unpredictable and rapidly evolving – being a part of a community is often a matter of survival.

Why are so many founders in Central Asia building companies with one foot out the door? In this provocative piece by Shamil Ibragimov, Beyond the Hype: Rethinking Innovation Ecosystems in Central Asia, Ibragimov challenges the dominant startup narrative in emerging markets. Rather than fueling br...

In this blog, Micheil Banoub, Director of Programs at Kuo Sharper Initiative (KSI), shares his firsthand experiences navigating the complexities of currency risk management in Zambia. Drawing insights from over 23 meetings with financial leaders and SMEs in Lusaka, Micheil explores the challenges of...

Africa’s financial landscape is undergoing a seismic shift driven by the rapid ascent of digital banking. However, as its influence grows, it is imperative to critically assess whether digital banking authentically fulfills its pledge of inclusivity or inadvertently perpetuates the pre-existing disp...