The “Missing Middle” and the Growth of Social Enterprises

Aleem Walji, Manager of the Innovation Practice at World Bank, attended SOCAP11 in San Francisco this past September. Based on his experience, he’s written a thought – provoking piece on the challenges of the ‘Missing Middle’ in growing the social enterprise industry.
Every fall at Social Capital Markets (SOCAP), the who’s who of impact investing and social enterprise convene in San Francisco to network and share stories about topics like market-based solutions to poverty, social stock exchanges, and just how much capital is waiting to be deployed to solve the world’s toughest problems. It’s inspiring to be sure, especially the growth in the number and diversity of participation. It’s no longer the sole domain of Ashoka, Skoll, and Schwab who have paved the way for so many others. Today, mainstream Banks from Europe to Asia, fund managers, and wealth advisors are sending a signal that doing good and doing well is a more enlightened form of capitalism. >>>Read Full Article