Wheeler Institute starts collaboration with DfID

The Wheeler Institute for Business and Development’s research collaboration with the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) is now officially underway.
 
This collaborative project will examine how and why technology-based solutions can help solve some of the world’s major development challenges, from energy access to clean water to health related services, with the fundamental aim of advancing the understanding of how technology-based businesses and solutions can best scale in emerging economies.
 
By bringing together DfID's vast experience in supporting technical innovations and innovators with the Wheeler Institute's ability to apply a business lens to development outcomes, this grant-supported initiative will seek to develop practical insights on how digital technology can be used effectively to achieve development impact. The project is led by Dr. Nick Hughes, Executive Fellow at the Wheeler Institute, and professor Rajesh Chandy, co-Academic Director of the Wheeler Institute.
 
Professor Chandy said, "This is an exciting opportunity. Nick Hughes, as founder of the M-PESA mobile money service and co-founder of the M-KOPA energy service, brings first-hand knowledge of the management decisions that help businesses create impact at scale. In collaboration with DfID, we are looking widely for insights and data, and we expect that the results of the research will be relevant to entrepreneurs, corporations, investors, policymakers – and the academic community".
 
Nick Hughes and Professor Chandy: in profile
 
Nick Hughes, Executive Fellow at the Wheeler Institute, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at M-KOPA and founder of M-PESA. Dr Hughes has been at the forefront of mobile commerce activities in emerging markets for over 15 years, pioneering digital fintech solutions that solve real problems. 

Rajesh Chandy, Professor of Marketing, London Business School; Tony and Maureen Wheeler Chair in Entrepreneurship and Academic Director, Wheeler Institute for Business and Development will provide academic oversight. 
 
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