We are delighted to invite you to BlueOrchard´s upcoming breakfast event on Thursday, 14th of November at 08:30 CET at the Spoon Food Hall, Rue de la Confédération 8, 1204 Genève.
We have the pleasure of welcoming a distinguished guest: Philip Sigwart, Group CEO of Baobab Group; one of our esteemed microfinance partner institutions focusing on Africa. Philip will share how Baobab aims to broaden access to finance for underserved individuals and businesses who may not have access to traditional financing opportunities.
Food for thought:
- According to the World Bank, over 1.4 billion adults are still unbanked globally, with no access to credit or savings accounts, and an estimated financing gap for MSMEs in emerging markets of more than USD 4 trillion.
- The global microfinance market, valued at approximately USD 230 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to around USD 380 billion by 2029, with growth markets leading the way.
We currently see three major megatrends in emerging markets: 1) micro, small, and mid-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as engines for growth, creating by far the largest share of local employment; 2) the digitalisation of financial services, driven by access to mobile technology and data infrastructure; and 3) green finance, highlighting the opportunity and need to finance climate-friendly alternatives in some of the fastest growing markets.
With BlueOrchard’s 20+ years experience in private debt investments, we observe significant opportunities to address the financing gap faced by companies that are well-positioned to benefit from these megatrends. During the breakfast, our experts will discuss the importance of entrepreneurship for driving economic growth and explore the lucrative opportunities in direct lending.
