BiD Network hosts Investment Market Place
Financing Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Countries
On the 2nd of June, 2010 The BiD network held an Investment Market Place. The day focused on connecting investors to entrepreneurs that head budding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. The event also provided general information on entrepreneurial development and networking, promoting the BiD network itself, which is built on an Anymeta platform by Mediamatic Lab.
Featured speakers included the Princess Máxima, Steven Koltai from the US State Department and John Wasielewski from the US Agency for International Development.
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Photo taken from BiD Network website
There were five competitions associated with the Market Place, awards were given to select entrepreneurs from developing regions. Farmers in Business (in collaboration Agriterra and MinLNV), Women in Business (in collaboration with ING and ICCO), Access to Energy Challenge (in collaboration with GVEP and E & Co), The Nature Challenge (in collaboration with WWF) and the BiD Network Award.
The two representatives of the U.S. Government indicated the BiD Network approach deserves to be replicated. Investing in SMEs is the key to poverty reduction and a prerequisite for economic and political stability in developing countries. Princess Máxima also underlined the importance of facilitating access to capital and entrepreneurs in developing countries.
The BiD Network, encourages sustainable development of small and medium enterprises in emerging economies. They do this by offering tools to motivated entrepreneurs, paving the way for them to access finance, provide them training and coaching, and mediate between them and investors. This environment is fostered by an Anymeta online platform for knowledge exchange, made by Mediamatic Lab. The event was a colorful and inspiring way of bringing the virtual community to life.
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Photo taken from BiD Network website
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