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productivity

investment thesis

Financial inclusion and productivity are main drivers for sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and societal progress. However, there is a widespread lack of access to finance and business productivity, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Also, basic infrastructure supporting technologies, communications, transportation, and financing that individuals and businesses rely on is not universally available, hindering economic and societal advancement further. Lightrock believes that enabling universal access to better financing, technology and innovation will make value chains, particularly in legacy sectors, and the corresponding businesses more efficient and productive, allowing them to further increase quality and access of essential products and services to underserved segments of the population while at the same time creating more jobs and improving livelihoods.
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Within this theme, we invest in solutions that are transforming finance to serve individuals and businesses better and promoting the adoption of technology and digitisation to increase their productivity.

go to people theme

go to planet theme

portfolio impact

1.3m

SMEs supported to increase productivity

1.8bn

USD

of loans disbursed to SMEs

25k

businesses with improved customer communication

154k

small merchants provided with better payment solution

Impact Objectives

Improving access to and use of responsible financial services for individuals and SMEs

Promoting an inclusive and sustainable financial sector

Fostering the adoption of technology in financial products and services

Promoting financial health and literacy

Theory of change

Problem

One out of three adults globally still do not have a bank account (Worldbank, 2017)
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SMEs are facing a formal finance gap of USD 5.2 trillion p.a. (Worldbank, 2021)

Solution

Technological upgrading across the financial value chain

Digital is key to increasing access

Focus on responsible practices to minimize risk of negative impacts

Innovative solutions to unlock sources of capital

Outcomes

Increased individual productivity and economic opportunities leading to improved livelihoods and resilience

Higher business productivity and increased operational efficiency

Economic inclusion of SMEs

Sustained and new employment

Business model

Tech-driven financial services providers targeting underserved segments of the population and small businesses

Innovative financial value chain operators and service providers offering enabling tools

Digital lending platorms

Portfolio

See Lightrock's productivity portfolio

Main SDGs and targets

1.4 access to basic services, new technology and financial services, including microfinance
9.3 increase access to financial services for SMEs and their integration into value chains

Additional SDGs

Impact Objectives

Transforming inefficient legacy sectors by fostering better business models and improved infrastructure

Increasing business productivity and efficiency through the adoption of technology and digitization

Theory of change

Problem

There is a widespread lack of business productivity hindering economic growth and social progress

Solution

Promote technology, big data, artificial intelligence (AI),automation and digitization to enable economic inclusion and sustainable productivity

Take an ecosystem approach to drive value creation and foster innovation

Outcomes

Increased business efficiency e.g., by allowing employees to do more productive and value enhancing tasks

Secondary positive outcomes for end consumers, employment, livelihoods

Optimized resource management and capital allocation

Business model

Tech-enabled tools to support efficient business operations

Enabling businesses that promote automation, big data, AI and digitization as a force of good

Portfolio

see all productivity portfolio

Main SDGs and targets

8.2 achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation

Additional SDGs

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recent
news & updates

November 27, 2024

Nigeria's Vice President Shettima promises to be the “chief promoter” of Moniepoint

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November 27, 2024

Nigeria's Vice President Shettima promises to be the “chief promoter” of Moniepoint

November 21, 2024

Moniepoint crowned Financial Inclusion Champion Of The Year

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

November 21, 2024

Moniepoint crowned Financial Inclusion Champion Of The Year

November 21, 2024

LGT Private Banking spotlights how Liqid addresses bottlenecks in the growing data centre market

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

November 21, 2024

LGT Private Banking spotlights how Liqid addresses bottlenecks in the growing data centre market

November 19, 2024

Scaler’s School of Technology receives double the number of applications for its flagship undergraduate programme

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

November 19, 2024

Scaler’s School of Technology receives double the number of applications for its flagship undergraduate programme

October 31, 2024

Head of Impact LatAm Tatiana Sasson discusses the impact investment opportunities ready to seize in Brazil

October 31, 2024

Head of Impact LatAm Tatiana Sasson discusses the impact investment opportunities ready to seize in Brazil

October 14, 2024

Dock partners with Ant International to drive financial inclusion with innovative credit tech solutions

October 14, 2024

Dock partners with Ant International to drive financial inclusion with innovative credit tech solutions

October 9, 2024

Creditas founder & CEO discusses Brazil's new private loan bill

October 9, 2024

Creditas founder & CEO discusses Brazil's new private loan bill

October 1, 2024

Buser bets on technology to improve safety and reduce delays by up to 62%

October 1, 2024

Buser bets on technology to improve safety and reduce delays by up to 62%

November 27, 2024

Nigeria's Vice President Shettima promises to be the “chief promoter” of Moniepoint

November 27, 2024

Nigeria's Vice President Shettima promises to be the “chief promoter” of Moniepoint

November 21, 2024

Moniepoint crowned Financial Inclusion Champion Of The Year

November 21, 2024

Moniepoint crowned Financial Inclusion Champion Of The Year

October 29, 2024

Moniepoint raises $110m in its Series C funding round and gains unicorn status

October 29, 2024

Moniepoint raises $110m in its Series C funding round and gains unicorn status

October 17, 2024

Moniepoint’s CEO named Outstanding Fintech Personality Of The Year

October 17, 2024

Moniepoint’s CEO named Outstanding Fintech Personality Of The Year

November 21, 2024

LGT Private Banking spotlights how Liqid addresses bottlenecks in the growing data centre market

November 21, 2024

LGT Private Banking spotlights how Liqid addresses bottlenecks in the growing data centre market

November 19, 2024

AiDash won Fast Company’s Next Big Things In Tech 2024

November 19, 2024

AiDash won Fast Company’s Next Big Things In Tech 2024

November 12, 2024

Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson makes TIME's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders in Business for 2024

November 12, 2024

Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson makes TIME's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders in Business for 2024

October 22, 2024

Climate adaptation 'equally important' to climate mitigation, says Lightrock's Ash Puri

October 22, 2024

Climate adaptation 'equally important' to climate mitigation, says Lightrock's Ash Puri

November 19, 2024

Scaler’s School of Technology receives double the number of applications for its flagship undergraduate programme

November 19, 2024

Scaler’s School of Technology receives double the number of applications for its flagship undergraduate programme

October 30, 2024

Arya.ag secures $19.8m from the US International Finance Corporation (DFC)

October 30, 2024

Arya.ag secures $19.8m from the US International Finance Corporation (DFC)

October 23, 2024

Even Healthcare raises $30 million in funding

October 23, 2024

Even Healthcare raises $30 million in funding

September 30, 2024

Vivriti Capital raises $25 million from the Asian Development Bank to fund its sustainable finance project

September 30, 2024

Vivriti Capital raises $25 million from the Asian Development Bank to fund its sustainable finance project