Southeast Asia’s mix of democracies, military dictatorships and communist governments, alongside economies at various levels of development present a challenge for regional investment strategies. A tech-connected and youthful population with a growing affinity for entrepreneurship, however, make it an emerging hotspot for impact investing.
Moving capital with a gender lens has the potential to unlock underserved market and additional social impacts, says Julia Newton-Howes of Investing in Women, an Australian government initiative pushing gender-lens investing in the region, (See, “Australia’s bet on women entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia”). Five private impact investors with an explicit gender-lens have made about 30 deals totaling $40 million. “Impact investing will not reach its full potential without incorporating an intentional gender lens.”
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