MSMEs are among the most powerful engines of jobs and economic opportunity in developing economies. They do not just contribute to the economy; they are the economy. With 1.2 billion people expected to enter the workforce in developing economies over the coming decade, the imperative is not simply to expand access to finance, but to enable more businesses to grow, compete and create jobs at scale. What we have today, we have never had before. Digital infrastructure, fast payments, data, platforms, and technology are coming together at scale, making SMEs visible in ways that were simply not possible before. This creates an opportunity to fundamentally rethink how we reach, support, and finance them. Finance is increasingly moving beyond traditional collateral-based models toward cash-flow-based lending, where data is the new collateral.
 
This session will spotlight the World Bank Group’s work to unlock opportunity for MSMEs and offer a first look at a new strategy and scalable solutions for a rapidly evolving playing field. The conversation continues the following day, November 19, at the Global SME Finance Forum, with a deeper look at the strategy and what it means for the future of MSME finance.

India’s young workforce is often called a demographic dividend. Realising that promise means equipping people to adapt as technology reshapes industries, connecting skills training to opportunity, and making entrepreneurship a viable path. This fireside conversation explores what it will take to prepare young Indians for meaningful work and empower them to create opportunities of their own.

What can quantum computing contribute to financial services—and what are early experiments teaching us? Convened by Q-FINEX, this session opens with a brief fireside chat between OCBC and ST Engineering sharing early results, practical lessons and the financial problems they are working to address. The session continues then as a panel joined by Quantinuum and an additional quantum-finance expert for a broader discussion on the threats and benefits of using quantum computers in finance. The session concludes by launching the global quantum finance challenge to be resolved at BSS Perth 2027 and the Quantum Finance Report by Q-FINEX.