| NEW VENTURES LOCAL CENTER NEWS
New Ventures Mexico Named Outstanding National Accelerator of 2011
New Ventures Mexico received el Galardon PyME 2011, recognizing their accelerator program as the country's top accelerator for the year. The ceremony, led by Miguel Maron Manzur, Undersecretary of Small and Medium Enterprises for the Ministry of Economy, took place during Mexico's National SME Week. Manzur referred to Rodrigo Villar, New Ventures Mexico Director, as a "visionary," and one of the first to promote green business in Mexico. Congratulations to the New Ventures Mexico team!
New Ventures India Company Nandan Cleantec PLC Goes Public
Nandan, which focuses on the production of the biofuel jatropha, will hold its initial public offering (IPO) on AIM, which is the London Stock Exchange's international market for smaller, growing companies. Nabarro LLP, which is advising Nandan on its IPO, has valued the company at approximately $259.5 million. After 8 years of extensive research, Nandan has developed and received global patents for four hybrids of jatropha seeds with higher oil yield and new cultivation methods that maximize production. The 40,000 acres of jatropha allow Nadan to sequester 3.2 million tons of carbon. Jatropha biofuels provide clean energy to large communities and replace polluting, GHG-intensive options. Nandan currently provides a steady income to over 15,000 small farmers.
New Ventures China Forums Deepen In-Country Collaboration to Support Environmental SMEs New Ventures China hosted two forums in Shenzhen and Shunde on November 17 and 19, respectively, in collaboration with the Information Center of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The two events, under the umbrella of the annual High-Tech Fair and Exhibition in Shenzhen, mark a solid step taken by New Ventures to deepen its in-country collaboration, particularly at the government level. During the main forum on November 17 in Shenzhen, a city bordering Hong Kong, New Ventures China announced the upcoming launch of a report on the Green Impact of Chinese SMEs in collaboration with the Information Center of MIIT. The report is scheduled to come out in March 2012.
Investor Forums Take Place in Colombia and Indonesia
New Ventures Colombia's forum, held in Bogota in September, was organized by BiD Network, la Facultad de Administracion de la Universidad de los Andes, el Ministerio de Comercio, Industrio y Turismo de Colombia, CREAME, and New Ventures. The forum, entitled "Growing SMEs," featured entrepreneur presentations and matchmaking sessions alongside sessions on how to grow an enabling environment for SMEs in Colombia.
New Ventures India hosted its investor forum in Mumbai on December 12. The forum included sessions on water and clean energy for all, and a special showcase of environmental entrepreneurs from across Asia, including China and Indonesia. The investor forum, now in its sixth year, drew together a diverse crowd of investors to meet the presenting companies and to discuss environmental entrepreneurship in India.
Strategic Plan Released by New Ventures Indonesia In December, New Ventures Indonesia released its strategic plan for 2012. The document sends a clear message of the direction NVI is taking to increase impact in 2012, setting specific and measurable business targets and focus areas for the coming year. The Indonesian market, and the Indonesian renewable energy sector in particular, provides an increasingly attractive investment proposition for both traditional and impact investors. Foreign investors are beginning to evaluate the most attractive market segments to invest in. As the Indonesian Government continues to communicate a strong dedication to promoting and enabling the renewable energy sector, this presents exciting business and investment opportunities. UPCOMING EVENTS GIULIA CHRISTIANSON JOINS NEW VENTURES AS RESEARCH OFFICER
Giulia Christianson is the new Research Officer for New Ventures. Her role is to lead the research and Global Portfolio investment facilitation initiatives for the program. Giulia's research agenda for 2012 will include country market briefs and Global Portfolio case studies, and she is also exploring opportunities to tie New Ventures into the wider green economy/green growth discussions that are happening at the international organization level (UN, OECD, etc).
Giulia earned a BA in Economics, International Relations, and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She worked for several years as a research assistant and projects officer at the International Monetary Fund before leaving to complete an MBA at Columbia Business School. While in business school, Giulia worked on growth and green business strategy projects in Brazil and Thailand, respectively, and consulted for the New York City Mayor's Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability.
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH: SHANGHAI PEARL
Shanghai Pearl Hydrogen, a hydrogen fuel cell company that is part of the New Ventures China portfolio, is currently one of the top three hydrogen fuel cell manufacturers in the world. The company's success has come from its ability to simplify the structure of hydrogen fuel cells and lower their cost. Pearl now provides a reliable alternative energy source within China. In October, Mr. Steve Shi of Pearl Hydrogen traveled to the United States to speak about his experiences and challenges as an entrepreneur at the 2011 Annual ANDE (Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs) conference. NEW VENTURES ON NEXTBILLION.NET | 
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This Christmas 
We all like to do things for charity. But suppose we did something that called for getting up in the morning and facing the realities of rural Africa – out there where people really do live, in spite of everything. 
