Author Archives: Admin

The world should focus on reducing the cost of services rather than increasing wealth

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Admin

Regular readers will know that I’m a fan of the ‘Gross National Happiness’ concept.  One of the core ideas in this is that ever higher levels of wealth don’t lead to increased happiness.  In fact somewhere around $20,000 income per … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | View Comments

Recruiting: Android Lead Developer

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Admin

Deadline: 10 May, 2011 About this position Radical Finance is a startup developing next generation Android mobile software applications to help microfinance banks manage their remote field staff.  The two founders have extensive experience in mobile and microfinance and have secured … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Markets, Entrepreneurship, Microfinance, Recruiting | View Comments

Free mobile payment platform launches in South Africa

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Admin

Very interesting news today, Mahala is a free mobile payment platform that recently launched in South Africa. The services promises free mobile payments for the consumer for everything. The model is actually a freemium model: although it’s always free for … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Markets, Entrepreneurship, Mobile Banking | View Comments

Reforming finance: are we being radical enough?

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Admin

The Clare College distingished lecture in economics this year was given by Adair Turner, the chairman of the FSA. As I went to Clare College and as radical reform of finance is a topic close to my heart I wanted … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | View Comments

Lets see currency experimentation

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Admin

We take it for granted that the pounds and dollars we spend are the only types of currency. But why is this the case? Why should governments maintain a monopoly on creating currencies? Alternative currencies have been around for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Entrepreneurship, Product Development | View Comments

Payment as communication

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Admin

Interesting video where Jack Dorsey explains his view of how payment is really about communication. I think this is an exciting idea, and something the mobile money community could think about

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Internet, Product Development | View Comments

Mobile money for MFI’s – a blind alley?

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Admin

I’m starting to hear reports from Kenya that clients are preferring to repay pay in cash rather than using M-Pesa because they don’t want to pay the fees. The main problem is cost, as mobile money is regulated and maintaining … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Markets, Microfinance, Mobile Banking | View Comments

4th BarCampBank London

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Admin

Enjoyed the 4th BarCampBank London event today. Thanks to the sponsors NESTA, BullionVault and Hyperion Consulting for the support. This was the first BarCampBank London held on a weekday as opposed to on the weekend. There were notably fewer ‘creative’ … Continue reading →

Posted in BarCampBank, Entrepreneurship, Internet, Product Development | View Comments

Android phones drop below $100

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Admin

Something exciting happened today, I got a skype message from one of my friends in Kenya – he had just bought himself an Android phone for $84. The Huawei Ideos to be precise, which has low end specs (as you … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Markets, Internet | View Comments

The difference between microfinance and retail banking

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Admin

When I first went to Africa to work in Microfinance I remember being told by a rather snooty donor lady from Washington that I had no place being there because microfinance was different to retail banking so my experience was … Continue reading →

Posted in Emerging Markets, Microfinance | View Comments