IBSI Blog
Event Recap: Civic Innovation Challenge
April 28, 2026
How does Berkeley prepare the next generation of leaders? By breaking down barriers and introducing students to new ways of approaching old challenges and innovating new ideas. This past February, I got the chance to see a great example of this at…
Beyond the Classroom: Learning from research on SME credit card usage
April 09, 2026
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…
Event Recap: Blended Finance for a Just Transition
April 08, 2026
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…
Beyond Profit: Ethical Research on Consumer Data
March 12, 2026
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…
Build, Launch, and Accelerate: B-BAY responds to demand for mentorship at different stages of youth entrepreneurial journey
February 02, 2026
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…
$850 matters: How opaque transactions affect SMEs
December 18, 2025
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
December 15, 2025
“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)…
Innovation, inclusion, and impact: IBSI launches collaborations in Latin America
December 08, 2025
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.…
Designing for Accessibility: Reimagining fintech for the visually-impaired
December 02, 2025
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…
Beyond the Classroom: Learning from research on Digital Collateral
November 27, 2025
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…
