Harvard Business School Club of New York and the Harvard Business School Women’s Association invite you to join them for a special panel discussion entitled “Social Enterprise – Alternative Models for Financing Economic Development” on Thursday May 6th at 6:30 pm.  The panel will discuss how non-profit organizations with novel methods of “microcredit” and “social venture capital” are driving “bottom up” economic development both in developing countries and the US.  Two of the world’s pioneer organizations in this rapidly emerging sector will be represented – Grameen America and Acumen Fund.

About Grameen:

Founded in 1976 in Bangladesh, Grameen Bank virtually invented “microcredit” as lending small amounts based not on collateral but on trust for individuals with income-generating activities.  Grameen has grown exponentially and in Bangladesh now has 8 million borrowers, 97 per cent of whom are women.  Grameen Bank and its founder Professor Muhammad Yunus were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.  Grameen America was established in 2008 to provide microfinance to entrepreneurs living below the poverty line in the United States.  Speaking at the panel for Grameen will be Leslie Kane, Executive Vice President of Grameen America.

About Acumen:

Founded in 2001 in New York , Acumen Fund (acumenfund.org) has created its form of “patient capital” as loans or equity to entrepreneurs offering critical services – water, health, housing and energy – at affordable prices to people earning less than four dollars a day.  Acumen now has 26 investments in India, Pakistan, Kenya and Tanzania.  Acumen and its founder Jacqueline Novogratz have been profiled in numerous media outlets including the Economist, the New York Times and CNN.  Representing Acumen will be their Communications Director Yasmina Zaidman.


At the event each speaker will describe their organization’s unique approach to financing social enterprise then take questions a moderator and the audience.  


Event Details:

Date: Thursday May 6th
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Location: Boston Consulting Group, 430 Park Avenue ( 56th Street ), 18th floor, New York City
Cost: $10 for Members of HBS Club of NYC or HBS Women’s Association $25 for Non-Members

Organizers: Karena Wells (MBA ’98), Cynthia Hallenbeck (MBA ’85)


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