Posts by Jennifer Sturdy
Beyond the Classroom: Learning from research on SME credit card usage
For many small business owners, the American Dream is fueled by a piece of plastic. In an economy where customers often pay late but rent and payroll are due on time, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) frequently live with uneven cash flows. To bridge these gaps, many rely on business […]
Event Recap: Blended Finance for a Just Transition
In February 2026, the Sustainable & Impact Finance (SAIF) Initiative, Blum Center for Developing Economies and Sustainability Alumni at Berkeley Haas (SABH) co-hosted Blended Finance: Mobilizing Capital for a Just Transition. The event was promoted as an interactive evening exploring how public,…
Beyond Profit: Ethical Research on Consumer Data
Digital platforms collect and often share data regarding our online behavior. Increasingly, consumers agree to release data in exchange for digital services. How this consumer data is used – by industry, by researchers – raises important ethical and practical questions. In January, we co…
Build, Launch, and Accelerate: B-BAY responds to demand for mentorship at different stages of youth entrepreneurial journey
What happens when high school students are given the tools to build real ventures? For over a decade, the UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) functioned as a blueprint for high school entrepreneurs, translating the academic rigor of UC Berkeley Haas into a hands-on, transformative experie…
$850 matters: How opaque transactions affect SMEs
When I started working in Rwanda in 2005, it was hard for me to internalize how challenging it was to access cash when I needed it. I was used to walking up to an ATM and taking out what I needed or putting down my credit card. It took about […]
Event Recap: Investing in Ownership Economy
“If you can point the market in a good direction, you can do things at scale that probably philanthropy can never pull off.” — Michael Brownrigg (Apis and Heritage) Over the summer, the Institute for Business & Social Impact (IBSI) announced its Shared Ownership Initiative includin…
Innovation, inclusion, and impact: IBSI launches collaborations in Latin America
In 2025, Haas’s Institute for Business & Social Impact (IBSI) launched several new collaborations in Latin America. Our objective is to strengthen our research, broaden our global reach, and deepen our commitment to innovation and inclusion. Here are some of the collaborations we’re excited …
Designing for Accessibility: Reimagining fintech for the visually-impaired
At IBSI, we love it when Berkeley students combine their technical skills with entrepreneurial spirits to make the world better for all. “It’s meaningful to design experiences that genuinely make life more independent and fairer for all people” – Sejin Kim and Jessie Deng In an i…
Beyond the Classroom: Learning from research on Digital Collateral
In some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, hard-working individuals and families remain shut out of traditional banking and loan systems. Historically, lending in high and medium-income countries is secured by assets, while lower-income markets often feel structurally unfair, excluding …
Delivering entrepreneurship training: Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) continues to thrive
Since 2009, the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business has delivered the Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY). The mission: to nurture, grow, and inspire the next generation of responsible business leaders. B-BAY’s intensive two-week program brings young talents to the UC Berkeley campus, wher…