Abler Nordic

✨𝗔 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁! Abler Nordic has now exited its investment in North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB), which has successfully transitioned from a microfinance institution to a small finance bank, playing a vital role in expanding financial services in one of India’s most remote and underserved regions. With diverse ethnic communities and challenging geographic terrain, NESFB’s doorstep banking model has been crucial in reaching deep into Northeast India, offering essential services like savings accounts, SME loans, and insurance—without disrupting livelihoods. 🚶♀️💼 💡 “It has been incredibly rewarding to be part of NESFB’s transformation from a microfinance institution to a small finance bank. This shift has brought essential financial services to low-income people in northeast India who were previously excluded from the formal banking system and has made a tangible difference in people’s lives.” says Smriti Chandra, Regional Director, Asia, Abler Nordic.  Beyond financial services, NESFB has made a lasting impact through initiatives like clean water and sanitation loans, financial literacy programs, vocational training, and health camps, all aimed at improving the quality of life for its clients. 💧🏥   With NESFB’s merger with Slice, we’re excited to see how this next chapter will further drive financial inclusion across the region 🙌🏾 Read more in the link in the comments 👇🏾 #exit #impactinvesting #financialinclusion

🔑 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲—great to be part of the Danish Impact Committee’s discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark on financing solutions for the #GlobalSouth. Our Investment Director Lone Søndergaard, who leads the Global South group, highlighted how blended finance can unlock opportunities and overcome barriers to drive sustainable change.

𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗩 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲!💥Norway’s Finansavisen covers the launch, with 1 billion NOK in commitments from our owners DNB, Ferd AS, IFU, KLP, and Norfund. Our goal is to raise even more in the coming year to scale our #impact. 📈 The fund will invest in sustainable financial institutions across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia giving low-income households access to well-designed financial services— helping them start and grow small businesses, adapt to climate challenges, and improve their quality of life 🌱 🌍Anders Misund, Abler Nordic's Chair of the Board, highlights the crucial role of blending catalytic public and private capital to scale real change and tackle the global challenges ahead. Read more (𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘢𝘯) 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/g-KuUiZB

🌍🚀 𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗩: 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿! We've raised close to $100M USD in the first round from our owners DNB, Ferd AS, IFU, KLP, and Norfund. 💡Fund V will focus on expanding access to financial services and building #climateresilience for low-income families in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. 💥 But we’re just getting started—our goal is to raise more funding in the coming year to accelerate our impact! 🌱 Since 2008, Abler Nordic has raised 470 million USD for investments in developing countries, empowering close to 14 million people with access to financial services that can help them start and grow small businesses and improve their quality of life 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Abler Nordic’s model leverages catalytic public capital to reduce risk and trigger private investment, driving more funding towards closing the SDG gap. In Fund IV, public capital from Norfund and IFU played a key role in mobilizing private investors, who contributed 60% of the total funding—a strategy Fund V continues to build on. 📈 Long-term partners the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Foreign Affairs and Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation have supported this approach by providing grants for risk mitigation, which have also been instrumental in mobilising private capital. 🌍 "Progress in the fight against global poverty has stagnated, driven by the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and sky-high living costs. At the same time, it is those who have the least who are hardest hit by climate change. To solve this problem, public and private capital must work together – and Abler Nordic has demonstrated in practice how this can be done," says Anders Misund, Chair of the Abler Nordic Board. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗩:  🌍 Financial Access  💪 Financial Resilience  💼 Improved Income and Quality of Life  🌱 Climate Adaptation and Mitigation  🌾 Food Security A big thank you to all our owners, investors and partners who continue to support our vision of a more inclusive, just and environmentally sustainable society! Read more in the link in the comments 👇🏾 📷: Mercy Tanui, rural entrepreneur and customer of our Fund IV Investee, Juhudi Kilimo. Photo by Thought Leader Africa. #newfund #impactinvesting

⚡🚺 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝘁, 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲: These are just a few of the characteristics that define the women entrepreneurs across Africa and Asia that we support through the companies we invest in. ⤴️ With access to financial services, they’ve built small businesses, secured better housing , and increased their families' access to education and healthcare. 🏠🎓 Today on #Internationalwomensday we celebrate the achievements of these women and others around the world, but we also recognize that there’s still much more to be done: 🌍 Over 1.4 billion women still lack access to formal financial services, severely limiting their ability to start or scale businesses ( Global Findex 2021). 💼 Women-led SMEs in developing countries receive just 7% of global SME financing (SME Finance Forum). We invest to bridge these gaps in developing countries through companies that empower women entrepreneurs, like Manjula and Mary, with over 90% of our customers women 💪🏾 Svasti Microfinance, Sindhuja Microcredit Pvt. Ltd. Light, Juhudi Kilimo, Sitara (SEWA Grih Rin Limited), ERGOS, Agora Microfinance Zambia (AMZ), Esta Dana Ventura, Dvara KGFS, Bina Artha, LOLC (Cambodia) Plc., Proximity Designs, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, Sub-K IMPACT Solutions Ltd, Sathapana Bank

✨ 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻!💪🏾What absolute powerhouses of women we have at Abler Nordic, working every day to expand access to finance for women in low-income communities. 🚀 🎯 From sitting on boards of the companies we invest in to leading social performance committees, these women shape finance for other women, creating solutions that genuinely empower and support women entrepreneurs. 🌍 Through our partners, we’re proud to reach nearly 8 million customers in developing countries — with over 90% of them women — supporting small businesses, families, and more resilient communities. In the lead-up to #InternationalWomensDay, we celebrate these women who bring their expertise and passion across our Investment, Impact & ESG, Finance, and Communications teams. Remarkable women indeed, enabling more women to thrive! ✨ Smriti Chandra, Jagriti Bhandari, Lone Søndergaard, Anna Waage Klawitter, CFA, Cathrine Streeval, Elin Ersdal, Malin Svensson, CAIA, Lindbäck Lise, Heidi Våge, Alessia Spedding Molteberg

🌍 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹. If inequalities in access to finance, resources and land remain unaddressed, climate change could push up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050 (UN Women). 💡 Women are more vulnerable to climate impacts because they often face: 📌 Limited access to finance, land and information due to gendered cultural barriers — restricting their ability to adapt and recover. 📌 A higher dependency on natural resources for their livelihoods in rural areas, making them more vulnerable to disruptions like droughts and floods. 📌The responsibility for securing food, clean water, and fuel — tasks made harder by extreme weather events. 📌A higher likelihood of living in informal settlements or high-risk areas in urban regions, where infrastructure and essential services are lacking. 🔗 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? https://lnkd.in/geu_-JRJ #financialinclusion #climateresilience #impactinvesting

✨ In Rajagambeeram, Tamil Nadu 🇮🇳, Alessia Spedding Molteberg recently met some remarkable women growing their businesses and building better futures with the support of Dvara KGFS 💡We first invested equity in Dvara in 2019, and it’s been exciting to see the concrete impact the company has had on the lives of these families and many more. ✂️ Fathima, a tailoring business owner, has been with Dvara for six years. Holding her six-month-old son, Adrian, she tells us her next step is to open a physical shop where she can also sell handmade garments. 🍛 Thangam runs a catering service specializing in South Indian snacks. With Dvara’s support, she’s expanding her business and working toward securing a steady cooking contract that would provide her family with a stable income. 🧵 Stella , a sari seamstress, uses her loan to purchase materials and grow her business. While pleased with her progress, she’s also focused on opening her own small shop selling saris and tailoring services in the future. 🥞 Shanthi, who recently completed her loan cycle, sells her homemade dosa door to door and is investing her profits into her dream of opening a small shop with dosa and much more. A proud mum, she’s also planning for her son’s future as he pursues a career in engineering. The women explain they feel more confident managing their finances and are proud to contribute significantly to their family's income 🌱 📷 L-R: Shanthi, Stella, Fathima and son Adrian, Thangam.

🚦 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗗𝗚𝘀—𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲? Bjorg Sandkjaer (𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘔𝘍𝘈) , Arthur Sletteberg (𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘈𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘤), and Elisabeth Fosseli Olsen (𝘗𝘩.𝘋. 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘴𝘭𝘰) explored what’s needed to bridge the gap in our webinar with Future Horizons Institute. Here are the takeaways ⬇️ 🟢𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴:  As Bjørg Sandkjær pointed out, governments can’t close the SDG gap alone but have a major role to play in de-risking investments and creating bankable projects: “We need to look for good partnerships where we can spend that government financing in a way that leverages private sector finance to help move us all towards the SDGs” 🟢𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀: Perceived risks in emerging markets can sometimes be greater than actual risks. But, as Arthur Sletteberg noted, real risks, like foreign exchange volatility, cannot be ignored. “There are reasons why the private sector is a little reluctant, and we need to understand that and address it, not simply brush it away. We need to provide tangible solutions to the concerns that they have." 🟢 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸-𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:  Arthur shared a great example of how this works in practice at Abler Nordic, with long-term support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation for Foreign Exchange (FX) and Technical Assistance Facilities, which have been crucial in de-risking private sector investment in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. He also noted that Abler Nordic has managed FX risks for over a decade, with a minimal realised loss of $16,000 USD, allowing local currency funding for many small financial institutions in developing countries that would otherwise have been unavailable. 🟢 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝘆: Generic, one-size-fits-all approaches often fail, emphasized Elisabeth Fosseli Olsen: "Successful blended finance initiatives need to be localized and driven forward by the people in the country with their knowledge and know-how of their own needs and obstacles." 🟢𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿:  While interest in impact is growing among private investors, fiduciary duties still matter. “Private investors must ensure decent financial returns for clients who’ve entrusted them with their money,” noted Arthur Sletteberg. “One reason we've attracted private sector investment is trust—investors know us and see the results, both financially and in terms of impact." 🔁 A big thank you to Knut Lakså from Future Horizons Institute for the excellent moderation! Link to the full webinar in the comments 👇🏾 #blendedfinance #impactinvesting

𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽, 𝗽𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵! 🚀 We're proud to have been part of Baobab Group’s journey in expanding financial access for entrepreneurs and SMEs across Africa 🌍💼 Now, we're passing the baton to Beltone Capital to drive the next phase of growth. 💡 𝗕𝗮𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯’𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆: 📈 Serving 500,000+ small businesses across 7 African countries 💳 72% of customers accessing formal financial services for the first time 📊 🏡 900+ branchless agents delivering banking services to underserved communities It’s been rewarding to contribute to Baobab’s digital transformation, leadership development, and operational growth as active owners and through our Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation-funded Technical Assistance facility – all to the benefit of Baobab’s clients. 💬 Philip Sigwart, CEO of Baobab Group: “We sincerely thank Abler Nordic for their strong support and commitment to Baobab’s mission. Their contribution has been key in expanding financial access for underserved communities, creating a lasting impact. As they move on, we acknowledge their important role in our journey and the positive change they’ve driven. This marks the end of a successful chapter, but their legacy will continue to inspire us.” 💬 Arthur Sletteberg, MD, Abler Nordic: “We've seen firsthand how Baobab empowers hard-working African entrepreneurs with access to financial services – helping them to start and grow businesses while improving their quality of life. We look forward to seeing the next chapter unfold!" 🙌🏾We wish the Baobab and Beltone teams all the best in this next exciting phase! 👉🏾Read more in the link in the comments Anders Thorbjørnsen, Cheng Zeng, CFA