2009-11-17 19:04:07 -

IQPC, The Wall Street Microfinance Alliance and the New York Microfinance Club have teamed up to host the Microfinance & Sustainable Development: The Investment Opportunity Summit : , taking place in New York City, January 25-27, 2010.

Microfinance is the provision of small loans to the world’s poorest individuals who cannot access financial services and banks. These loans typically have a high return rate and have garnered support and attention from socially responsible investors, non-profits, large banks and foundations in recent years. In 2007, Deutsche Bank : ranked microfinance as the most attractive form of Social Responsible Investments, with an estimated funding gap of around USD 250 bn. Investors have “barely started to explore its full

potential.”

After the Microfinance 2.0 Summit, held together with the Silicon Valley Microfinance Network, this upcoming conference is focusing on impact investing within the microfinance industry (Day One) and impact investing beyond microfinance (Day Two) through social entrepreneurship and enterprises. Impact investing encompasses any investment that generates social and environmental value while providing a financial return. According to the Rockefeller Foundation : , a principal industry player and conference speaker, impact investors have the ability to produce altruistic outcomes while getting market-rate returns or better. If this industry continues to grow at its current rate, it could serve as a catalyst for substantial social and environmental change.

The Summit features a top-notch speaker roster of “Who’s Who” of the social investing community. Highlighted speakers include.



- Antony Bugg-Levine, Managing Director, The Rockefeller Foundation
- Christine Looney, Program Investment Officer, Ford Foundation
- Elizabeth Littlefield, CEO, CGAP
- Bryan Wagner, Environment, Social Finance and Community Reinvestment Group, Morgan Stanley


Also represented at the Summit: Unitus Capital, Minlam Asset Management LLC, Benchmark Asset Managers, Cygma, KFW Group, Howard J.

Finkelstein, Dial 1298 for Ambulance, Wokai, AyurVAID Hospitals, Pro Mujer, Industree Crafts, USAID, Grameen Foundation, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Clinton Foundation, IADB, LeapFrog Invest, Distributed Capital Group, Arc Finance, CHF International, Blue Orchard, ACCION and dozens of others.

The Summit will focus on leveraging lessons learned from the Microfinance industry into new impact investing initiatives, analyzing distribution methods, mitigating risks associated with the market and updates on debt and equity structures, among other topics. To view full information on speakers and sessions, view the conference agenda here : .

The Summit will allow microfinance practitioners, non-profits and individuals to network with some of the largest banks and foundations within the impact investing community.



IQPCMarie-Louise Adlercreutz, 212-885-2687 Marielouise.Adlercreutz@iqpc.com : mailto:Marielouise.Adlercreutz@iqpc.com www.MicrofinanceConference.com :