Workshop
Leveraging Innovative Finance Together – Accelerating sustainable energy and water entrepreneurship in Asia
26 & 27 February 2019 – Yangon Myanmar
Nexus for Development hosted two days of workshop events in Yangon, Myanmar on the 26 and 27th of February 2019. The knowledge exchange workshops supported by WISIONS brought together ecosystem actors from across Asia for a discussion on accelerating finance for entrepreneurship in Asia.
Agenda
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
for Social Entrepreneurs delivering sustainable energy, water, and sanitation solutions
Training on advanced financial topics and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange for sustainable energy, water, and sanitation social entrepreneurs.
Participants – representing enterprises providing clean energy, water, and sanitation solutions across Asia – will have an opportunity to network and share best practices. The session will include facilitated round table discussions on topics such as collecting money from customers/financing end users, after sale services, and entering new markets.
Speaker: Jessica Aung Investment Manager (Myanmar Representative) – DEG – German Investment and Development Company
Trainers will share insights into financier’s due diligence process. Attendees will learn more about what financiers look for in investable businesses. Participants will increase their understanding of financier investment criteria and how to speak the language of finance to effectively present their businesses to investors.
Speaker: Mo Hom Noon Business and Financial Analyst – One to Watch
A refresher course on cash flow management. Trainers will do a deep dive to help participants understanding how much money is flowing in and out of their business, money trends and how to prepare for an enterprise’s financial stability.
Speaker: Robbert Groenen Director Myanmar – One to Watch
At what growth stage should an enterprise utilize debt vs equity financing? What are the benefits and disadvantages of accepting first-loss capital, project or results-based financing? In this training, entrepreneurs will learn more about which financial products are appropriate for their businesses and gain insights into what question should be asked of financiers when negotiating loan terms.
Group discussion to reflect on lessons learned and how these trainings can be applied the following day during the joint Nexus and ANDE Workshop.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
for Social Entrepreneurs, Financiers, and Intermediaries
Co-hosted by
Joint Workshop by ANDE & Nexus to support the scale and effectiveness of entrepreneurship in Myanmar and Asia with a focus on access to finance. Launches of ANDE Myanmar Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Snapshot and Nexus’s Finance Solutions Map. See all registered participants (list will be updated on a weekly basis)
Speaker: Jennifer Louie Executive Director – Nexus for Development
Which financial tools, types and products are available to entrepreneurs interested in scaling their businesses? Where can financiers from across Asia publicise their financial products to sustainable energy, water and sanitation entrepreneurs? Nexus for Development designed the Finance Solutions Map, an interactive tool that helps entrepreneurs working in this sector better identify and access innovative finance. By providing an overview of more than 100 financial schemes available to this group of entrepreneurs, the map aims to be a centralized resource for both entrepreneurs and financiers operating in Southeast Asia.
The map was a key output of Nexus’ Leveraging Innovative Finance Together programme launched in January 2019 to promote opportunities for direct dialogue between entrepreneurs and financiers on accelerating entrepreneurship in the region through access to finance. In addition to the live demonstration of the Finance Solutions Map, we will look at the challenges and perceptions of knowledge gaps for both entrepreneurs and financiers, and ask stakeholders to share their experiences during implementation. We will discover together how to replicate success stories and different ways to promote more transparent dialogue.
Moderator: Jennifer Louie Executive Director – Nexus for Development
Risk Panelists: Dondi Hananto Partner – Patamar Capital, Jugnu Pati Senior Investment Manager – Bamboo Capital Partners, Nathalie Risteau Co-founder and Director – Mandalay Yoma Company Ltd., Peter Crowhurst Chief Executive Officer – British Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar, U Saw Dino Ku Executive Director – A-Bank
From 2007-2017, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Private Impact Investors (PIIs) such as family offices, corporations, foundations, and development banks have deployed more than USD 12 billion of impact capital across Southeast Asia (GIIN, 2018, Landscape for Impact Investing in Southeast Asia). As the pool of impact-driven financiers continues to diversify and grow, how do approaches to risk vary across these actors and emerging markets in Asia.
What do financiers consider when determining their tolerance for risk? What are the tools and strategies available to help mitigate financier’s concerns, particularly for entrepreneurs implementing perceived high-risk projects or technologies. During this session we will ask a panel of both financiers and entrepreneurs to share their insights and respond to these questions. We will then break into small group discussions to foster direct dialogue between workshop attendees for further discussions on different perspectives and strategies to mitigate risk.
Session Designer: Courtney Savie Lawrence Head of Exploration – UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Innovation Centre
Working Session with all ecosystem actors session in the afternoon
Opening Speaker and Judge: Brianna Losoya Senior Impact Analyst – ANDE
Enterprise Spotlights: Francesco Carocci Project Manager – OTAGO, Anastassiya Likhacheva Deputy Chief Financial Officer – Solar-Home, Rachel Pringle CEO – Hydrologic
Judges: Geoff Revell Managing Director – WaterSHED Ventures, Margarita Manzo Senior Investment Manager – Nexus for Development, Peter Witton Director & Co-Founder – Anthem Asia
As financiers continue to look beyond financial returns towards driving meaningful social and environmental outcomes, how are entrepreneurs monitoring, quantifying and communicating their impact? What are the best methodologies and strategies available, and how can entrepreneurs utilize these frameworks to effectively communicate their outcomes while meeting financier expectations?
The session will present global trends, frameworks, and metrics for impact measurement, and then invite select entrepreneurs to take the stage with short impact-focused pitches on how they monitor, quantify and communicate their outcome. A panel of expert judges, representing a variety of diverse financiers, will then provide real-time feedback to entrepreneurs.
In an interactive group Q&A, we’ll then ask the audience to share their own perspectives on the topic and spark a conversation on various expectations and challenges in presenting their outcomes to key stakeholders. This session will promote more direct dialogue and increased understanding among stakeholders to demystify how people and organizations working in this ecosystem defines, measures, and communicates impact.
Speakers: Brianna Losoya-Evora ANDE, Fai Wechayachai ANDE ESEA, Sarita Worravitudomsuk / ANDE ESEA, Dr. Aung Win Rector, University of Yatanarpon Cyber City – UTYCC, Aye Pearl Hlaing Monitoring and Evaluation Officer – International Labour Organization (ILO), Dominic Mellor ADB Ventures Lead – Asian Development Bank (ADB)
What financial and nonfinancial support is available for entrepreneurs in Myanmar’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem? Which organizations are actively supporting entrepreneurship in Myanmar and what kind of support they provide?
ANDE will share key findings, gaps, and opportunities identified from the survey, which has been completed by over 200 Myanmar entrepreneurial ecosystem players. These organizations include investors, capacity development providers, business development support, professional service, and technical assistance providers, government agencies, to name a few.
During the session, we will showcase initiatives on the ground that highlight lessons learned and partnership opportunities to help bridge the existing gap in Myanmar and across Southeast Asia.
What’s next? What’s the role for each actor to play in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Myanmar and across Asia? What steps can we take collectively and individually to create real change? This working session aims to reflect back and look ahead together. The format will be structured in an interactive dialogue where we co-create a common roadmap to identify an action plan to build collaboration among actors in Myanmar and across Asia.
Speakers

Jessica Aung
Investment Manager (Myanmar Representative) – DEG – German Investment and Development Company

Francesco Carocci
Project Manager – OTAGO

Peter Crowhurst
Chief Executive Officer – British Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar
Peter’s relocation to Myanmar was orchestrated through Yoma Strategic Holdings, whom he joined in 2013 when based in Singapore and moved to Myanmar full time shortly after as Head of Real Estate Asset Management at Yoma Strategic Holdings.
The British Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar provides pragmatic advice, trade, and commercial services to investors considering investment into the Country. For information please visit – www.Britishchambermyanmar.com

Robbert Groenen
Director Myanmar – One to Watch

Dondi Hananto
Partner – Patamar Capital

Mo Hom Noon
Business and Financial - One to Watch

Anastassiya Likhacheva
Chief Financial Officer – Solar-Home

Jennifer Louie
Executive Director

Brianna Losoya
Senior Impact Analyst – ANDE

Margarita Manzo
Senior Investment Manager

Dominic Mellor
ADB Ventures Lead – Asian Development Bank

Jugnu Pati
Senior Investment Manager – Bamboo Capital Partners

Aye Perl
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer – International Labour Organization

Rachel Pringle
CEO – Hydrologic

Geoff Revell
Managing Director – HappyTap Co.

Nathalie Risteau
Co-founder and Director – Mandalay Yoma Company Ltd.
Nathalie has a proven track record of working with the government, local conglomerates, international businesses, and development partners in her previous roles. She is passionate about developing access to energy programs along with advising on public policy & programs to accelerate socio-economic development. Nathalie founded Mandalay Yoma after heading Airbus Helicopters’ business for Myanmar, Cambodia & Laos, having seen energy access as a priority in Myanmar.

Courtney Savie Lawrence
Head of Exploration – UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Innovation Centre

U Saw Dino Ku
Executive Director – A-Bank
He has helped moved A bank to focus on Agri value chain financing. A bank is probably the only local bank in Myanmar which focuses on Agri, SME and Green Financing. Under his leadership, A bank has obtained Credit Guarantee from Rabo bank, has been selected by WWF EU and German savings bank as green financing program Bank. A bank has financed many successful Agri and SME financing. Most notable Milestones include (Amara coffee, Shwe Taung Thu coffee association, Avocado Packaging factory, Natural farm fresh Solar dryer, solar pumping system installments scheme in Dry zone, local MFI lending (providing fundings to second-tier Local MFIs).
For his beloved country development, he has traveled a thousand miles to talking to various Farmers, Agribusinesses, and SMEs. He listens, he cares, he structures and most importantly “he delivers”.

Fai Wechayachai
Regional Chapter Manager – ANDE ESEA

Dr. Aung Win
Rector – University of Yatanarpon Cyber City

Peter Witton
Director & Co-Founder – Anthem Asia

Sarita Worravitudomsuk
Program Coordinator – Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) East and Southeast Asia Chapter
Venue
- Sule Shangri-La,
Yangon,
Myanmar
This initiative has been made possible with the support of Wisions.