This report summarizes discussions from a day-long conference held in Montreal, Canada on March 16, 2018, co-hosted by FinDev Canada and the Canadian International Development Platform (CIDP). Key

  • A 21st century DFI should not be content with being a "financier" but should aim to also be a "mobilizer".

  • Measuring development impacts and outcomes, and attributing results to investments is inherently complex. The best strategy is to take a pragmatic approach to attribution and be transparent about assumption.

  • To move the needle in complex areas, like gender equality and women's economic empowerment, there is a need to think in terms of "making markets" and fundamentally shaping incentives along with likeminded partners.

  • The proliferation of technology and data are trends that make it a challenge for any DFI to be 'future-ready'. To seize the opportunities, a 21st century DFI needs to borrow from the ethos and DNA of a 'data company'.