2nd Annual entrepreneurial finance conference
The Small Equity Initiative and the NewMarket Greenfield Partnership Program have partnered with UNISDR to pilot a program intended to urge private sector innovation and investment aimed at reducing disaster risk.
Philip Verges, founder of the Small Equity Initiative (SEI) and director of the NewMarket Greenfield Partnership Program, recently joined Margareta Wahlström, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for disaster risk reduction, at a press conference to mark the international day for disaster reduction as she asked governments and the private sector to develop a new cooperative approach to reduce disaster losses.
The first pilot program event will take place in Nairobi, Kenya October 25th -26th during the 2nd Annual entrepreneurial finance conference hosted by SEI, NewMarket and a local partner Savanna East Africa. The conference will consist of two days of presentations and breakout sessions structured to provide entrepreneurial finance education and training to an audience of East African entrepreneurs as well as provide those entrepreneurs an opportunity to meet with a team of investors primarily from the United States.
The pilot program will provide a venue for entrepreneurs to develop disaster risk reduction business plans in conjunction with financing opportunities for both the developing markets of Africa, but for global application as well in areas at high risk for devastating disaster impact.
The objective of the pilot is to engage investment in disaster risk reduction business plans. SEI and the NewMarket Greenfield Program plan to host several similar conferences next year in Asia, Latin America and Africa to further the promotion, education and support of small businesses in the disaster risk reduction market.
The next upcoming conference is scheduled for the Philippines in February 2011.