Malika Anand

Malika Anand

Head of ESG & Impact, Catalyst Fund

Malika is Head of Impact & ESG for Catalyst Fund. She leads Catalyst Fund’s investment theses, research, and ESG and impact reporting. She also leads the Fund’s ecosystem learning and research efforts to contribute to knowledge for the sector more broadly.

At BFA Global, she leads learning functions for programs in inclusive fintech, digital commerce, jobtech, platform work, assistive tech, and gender strategy. She also serves as Senior Consultant to CGAP’s carbon markets and MSE teams, leading production of insights and content.

Before joining BFA Global, Malika developed CSR strategy and projects at the The Coca-Cola Company and led user research for a telemedicine startup. She holds an MPAID from the Harvard Kennedy School where she was a Public Service Scholar and a BA from the University of Chicago, and was a Fulbright Fellow in the Dominican Republic.

Publications by this author

Stories of Climate Change and Resilience
Climate Action |

Stories of Climate Change and Resilience

As the world increasingly turns its attention towards making progress on climate change, stakeholders must ensure that the voices...

By Bethany Kanten
Three common mistakes startups make when running lean experiments – and how to avoid them
Inclusive Fintech |

Three common mistakes startups make when running lean experiments – and how to avoid them

Originally published on NextBillion   Reaching product-market fit is essential for startup growth, but the journey can be chaotic,...

By Akansha Kasera
The opportunity in Digital Finance for Climate Resilience (DF4CR)
Climate Action |

The opportunity in Digital Finance for Climate Resilience (DF4CR)

Current estimates indicate that at least 3.3 billion people are already vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change....

By Malika Anand
How do accelerator programs approach funding for startups? Six considerations every program should evaluate
Inclusive Fintech |

How do accelerator programs approach funding for startups? Six considerations every program should evaluate

Not all startup accelerator programs are right for all founders. From the particular expertise of the acceleration team, to...

By Malika Anand
Finding product-market fit and improving operations during COVID
Inclusive Fintech |

Finding product-market fit and improving operations during COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed businesses around the world and driven digital transformation trends of ops and processes. Businesses...

By Malika Anand
Building Inclusion Into the Investment Process: Four Steps for Addressing Bias Against Women Startup Founders
Gender Finance |

Building Inclusion Into the Investment Process: Four Steps for Addressing Bias Against Women Startup Founders

Originally published in NextBillion  Contrary to pessimistic expectations at the outset of the COVID pandemic, global funding for startups grew...

By Akansha Kasera
Can inclusive fintech be the answer to climate resilience for underserved populations?
Climate Action |

Can inclusive fintech be the answer to climate resilience for underserved populations?

Climate change has already had a negative impact on the lives and livelihoods of billions of vulnerable, low-income, and...

By Malika Anand
An Unlevel Playing Field: Why Small Businesses Face Disadvantages in Digital Commerce – and How Inclusive Tech Innovations Could Help
Livelihoods and Microenterprise |

An Unlevel Playing Field: Why Small Businesses Face Disadvantages in Digital Commerce – and How Inclusive Tech Innovations Could Help

Originally published on NextBillion COVID-19 has been catastrophic for many sectors and surprisingly beneficial for some – but it’s...

By Malika Anand
Catalyst Fund AAA Framework in Practice
Inclusive Fintech |

Catalyst Fund AAA Framework in Practice

Since its inception, Catalyst Fund has focused on investing and supporting inclusive tech companies. But what are the features...

By Malika Anand
Digital commerce in Ghana: opportunities focused on innovation for micro and small enterprises (MSEs)
Digital Financial Services |

Digital commerce in Ghana: opportunities focused on innovation for micro and small enterprises (MSEs)

Three key opportunity areas in which digital commerce innovations can contribute to the prosperity of MSEs Though the COVID-19...

By Malika Anand
Why we invested: Jetstream is enabling businesses in Ghana and Nigeria to trade across borders
Inclusive Fintech |

Why we invested: Jetstream is enabling businesses in Ghana and Nigeria to trade across borders

Businesses (such as SMEs) struggle with the processes, paperwork, and investment needed to ship their goods across international borders...

By Malika Anand
Why we invested: Indicina facilitates lending via digital credit infrastructure and credit underwriting services, in Nigeria
Inclusive Fintech |

Why we invested: Indicina facilitates lending via digital credit infrastructure and credit underwriting services, in Nigeria

In Nigeria, credit bureau coverage is only 13.9%, meaning that almost 169 million Nigerians are at a disadvantage when...

By Malika Anand
WellaHealth’s microinsurance innovations are poised to deliver significant benefit to Nigerians
Inclusive Fintech |

WellaHealth’s microinsurance innovations are poised to deliver significant benefit to Nigerians

In Nigeria, like in many emerging markets, adoption of health insurance is very low. As of 2018, only 5%...

By Malika Anand
Salary advances are helping gig workers in India make essential purchases during COVID-19
Digital Financial Services |

Salary advances are helping gig workers in India make essential purchases during COVID-19

While some have worried that salary advances could undermine financial health, our research has found that they can help...

By Malika Anand
Mexicans say that PAYGo appliances are an investment for a better life, not an expense
Inclusive Fintech |

Mexicans say that PAYGo appliances are an investment for a better life, not an expense

  To be truly inclusive, financial service providers need to go beyond simply offering lower prices. They need to...

By Malika Anand
Can agile fintech startups be the answer to food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis?
Financial Health |

Can agile fintech startups be the answer to food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis?

Originally published on NextBillion COVID-19 lockdowns have threatened small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and vulnerable families around the world. SMEs in...

By Michelle Hassan
Brief: What does effective acceleration look like for inclusive tech startups?
Financial Health |

Brief: What does effective acceleration look like for inclusive tech startups?

What does effective acceleration look like for inclusive tech startups? Despite a proliferation of accelerators for inclusive tech startups...

By Malika Anand
Women and youth may be weathering COVID better than others, but the most vulnerable are getting left behind
Financial Health |

Women and youth may be weathering COVID better than others, but the most vulnerable are getting left behind

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to ransack economies across developed and emerging markets, expectations are that low-income people –...

By Malika Anand
Rapid tech due diligence: How Catalyst Fund assesses a startup’s tech
Digital Financial Services |

Rapid tech due diligence: How Catalyst Fund assesses a startup’s tech

Alongside product-market fit and adequate control of data, underlying tech quality is a key determinant of whether a startup...

By Matt Grasser
Conoce a Mango Life, que permite a los mexicanos adquirir fácilmente seguros de vida y salud
Inclusive Fintech |

Conoce a Mango Life, que permite a los mexicanos adquirir fácilmente seguros de vida y salud

In English   La penetración de seguros en México es extremadamente baja, solo el 15% de los mexicanos tiene...

By Malika Anand
Is your fintech startup still using Google Sheets?
Inclusive Fintech |

Is your fintech startup still using Google Sheets?

When launching fintech startups, founders often resort to the simple, free tools they know best. When it comes to...

By Malika Anand
Meet Paymenow, a financial wellness app helping South Africans escape debt cycles via access to liquidity
Financial Health |

Meet Paymenow, a financial wellness app helping South Africans escape debt cycles via access to liquidity

Paymenow gives low-income South Africans early access to the wages they have already earned, to smooth their income while...

By Malika Anand
Meet Mango Life, enabling Mexicans to easily purchase affordable life and health insurance
Inclusive Fintech |

Meet Mango Life, enabling Mexicans to easily purchase affordable life and health insurance

En Español   Insurance penetration in Mexico is extremely low, only 15% of Mexicans have private life insurance, and...

By Malika Anand
Meet WellaHealth, bringing tailored micro-insurance products to Nigerians
Financial Health |

Meet WellaHealth, bringing tailored micro-insurance products to Nigerians

Nigeria accounts for 25% of malaria cases worldwide and 19% of all deaths. Although malaria is eminently curable, most...

By Malika Anand
Meet KarmaLife, bringing financial services to gig workers in India
Financial Health |

Meet KarmaLife, bringing financial services to gig workers in India

Digital platforms in India will employ 15 million people by 2021. While these gig-workers are not formally employed by...

By Malika Anand
Meet Flex Finance, the solution to digitize Nigerian SMEs
Financial Health |

Meet Flex Finance, the solution to digitize Nigerian SMEs

  Flex Finance provides SMEs in Nigeria with a simple mobile app to track, optimize, and gain insights from...

By Malika Anand
Cowrywise inspires young Nigerians to save and invest
Inclusive Fintech |

Cowrywise inspires young Nigerians to save and invest

More than ever, it is clear that digital banking and app-based financial services are the way forward. Pandemic and...

By Malika Anand
Destacame enables financial health for Chileans and Mexicans
Financial Health |

Destacame enables financial health for Chileans and Mexicans

Catalyst Fund portfolio company Destacame makes strides toward improving financial health for Chileans and Mexicans  Destacame joined Catalyst Fund...

By Malika Anand
Meet Meerkat, the savings and debt management solution designed to improve the financial health of South Africans
Inclusive Fintech |

Meet Meerkat, the savings and debt management solution designed to improve the financial health of South Africans

Meerkat aims to improve the financial health of South Africans, with digital solutions that have savings at the heart...

By Malika Anand
What Colombia-based Rappi can learn from Chinese logistics providers in response to COVID-19
Livelihoods and Microenterprise |

What Colombia-based Rappi can learn from Chinese logistics providers in response to COVID-19

  As of last weekend, Colombia had 210 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 88 of which were in Bogotá and...

By Malika Anand
Meet Cowrywise, the smart savings and investment app for Nigerian youth
Inclusive Fintech |

Meet Cowrywise, the smart savings and investment app for Nigerian youth

Cowrywise is helping Nigeria’s youth to better plan for their financial futures Catalyst Fund accelerates startups that excel on...

By Malika Anand
Why our money is on this Brazilian female fintech founder: meet Monica of Grão
Financial Health |

Why our money is on this Brazilian female fintech founder: meet Monica of Grão

A former securities broker and two-time entrepreneur, Monica Saccarelli was the first female partner at Brazilian brokerage house Link...

By Thea Sokolowski
What will it take for Nigeria’s inclusive fintech sector to flourish?
Inclusive Fintech |

What will it take for Nigeria’s inclusive fintech sector to flourish?

Despite a notoriously challenging operating environment, there are signs of improvement for fintech startups in Nigeria. Financial inclusion rates...

By Thea Sokolowski
Lean user research: How Diin sequenced data analysis and user interviews to generate insights
Inclusive Fintech |

Lean user research: How Diin sequenced data analysis and user interviews to generate insights

Startups typically chase growth by acquiring more and more customers. It is tempting to interpret more customers as a...

By Malika Anand
Can fintech bridge the digital divide in India?
Inclusive Fintech |

Can fintech bridge the digital divide in India?

Forecasters predict that Indians will conduct more than US$1 trillion in digital transactions by 2025. Eighty percent of Indians...

By Maelis Carraro
Accelerating to Investment: Four Strategies for Securing Follow-on Funding for Fintech Startups
Inclusive Fintech |

Accelerating to Investment: Four Strategies for Securing Follow-on Funding for Fintech Startups

The goal for every startup — fintech or otherwise — is securing funding for growth. Yet most fintech startups...

By Malika Anand