KIVA B4B Launches April 15

Kiva B4B launches today, April 15, in partnership with Advanta.  Advanta issues credit cards to business owners. They have put together a matching program for card holders who loan money through KIVA to small businesses in developing countries.  Specifically, Advanta will match each grant, dollar for dollar, up to $200 per month per account. Advanta will also give the business person who makes the loan promotional tools to position their business as socially responsible.  I recently had a chance to interview Ami Kassar, Chief Innovation Officer at Advanta, about the program. I asked about the business model, and if Advanta saw this as a profit center, and if so how they made money at it. He said they did not make money from the loans through KIVA. This is a branding strategy and a way to position both Advanta and its cardholders. B2B: small business people here lending small amounts of money to small business people in developing countries with a boost from Advanta. Seems like a good thing all around, as far as I can see.