Only about 4% of the roughly $140 billion in impact investing assets globally make it to Southeast Asia. And only a fraction of that goes to the region’s women entrepreneurs, who are underrepresented in all stages of business.

Very few financial enterprises have recognized the opportunity of investing in women.

Countries and investors in the region are “missing out on growth opportunities,” said Julia Newton-Howes, CEO of Australia’s Investing in Women Initiative, which is working with investors and entrepreneurs to boost gender equality in the region.

Patamar Capital, for example, invests at the point that women-run businesses are ready to scale, mentoring founders to make that leap. Small Enterprise Assistance Funds, based in Washington, D.C., is helping mitigate real and perceived risks. The Global Impact Investing Network is collecting and sharing data to inform investors.

Read the full article at ImpactAlpha