Value Chain Finance is a solution to such dilemmas.

This report covers seed stage financing for high growth companies in OECD and non-OECD countries with a primary focus on angel investment.

In order to respond to economic globalization and increased competitive pressures, companies need innovative, efficient and effective management strategies. Accordingly, this book explores various scenarios faced by entrepreneurs and family businesses, and proposes strategies to tackle the challenges and seize opportunities to grow in a highly competitive environment. It underscores the importance of deploying vital strategies to survive and flourish in the long term, overcoming challenges, and capitalizing on opportunities in order to attain / maintain a competitive position. By presenting and integrating the latest insights and case studies on entrepreneurship, family businesses, and strategy research, the book provides concrete recommendations for effective business survival and growth.

The North American Mosaic has four overarching features. First, it is, to the extent feasible, based on comparable information on the status and trends of major indicators of the state of the environment in Canada,Mexico, and the United States. Second, the report confirms that these three countries together make up an incredibly complex, dynamic, and interconnected ecosystem in which humans play a dominant and decisive role. Third, the report raises important and sometimes disquieting questions concerning the sustainability of some current trends. Finally, the report is a reminder that our economic, social, and physical well-being are utterly dependent on the life-sustaining services provided by nature. This report emphasizes the importance of developing mutually compatible economic, social, and environmental goals and policies across the three-country region.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the XV Multidisciplinary International Congress on Science and Technology (CIT 2020), held in Quito, Ecuador, on 26–30 October 2020, proudly organized by Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE in collaboration with GDEON. CIT is an international event with a multidisciplinary approach that promotes the dissemination of advances in Science and Technology research through the presentation of keynote conferences. In CIT, theoretical, technical, or application works that are research products are presented to discuss and debate ideas, experiences, and challenges. Presenting high-quality, peer-reviewed papers, the book discusses the following topics: Artificial Intelligence Computational Modeling Data Communications Defense Engineering Innovation, Technology, and Society Managing Technology & Sustained Innovation, and Business Development Modern Vehicle Technology Security and Cryptography Software Engineering

Africa is home to some of the poorest and vulnerable populations in the world. The ten poorest countries in the world are in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest incidence and greatest depth of poverty in the world. Fewer than one in five adults in Africa has access to the services of a formal or semi-formal financial institution. Microfinance in Africa is growing, though. A broad range of diverse institutions offer financial services to the poor and low-income clients in Africa. These include non-governmental organizations, non-banking financial institutions, cooperatives, credit unions, rural banks, Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs), postal financial institutions and an increasing number of commercial banks. Increasingly, technology is being used to expand microfinance outreach mobile phone banking is one such example. This book provides an overview of the microfinance sector in Africa, reviews the performance and impact of microfinance institutions in the region, and outlines some of the opportunities and challenges that African microfinance has on hand.