MSMEs need loans and grants to thrive in emerging economies. Mastercard's and Unilever's CEOs have a solution. SME Finance Forum member Mastercard is working with Unilever on new lending models for micro merchants in Kenya.

Ajay Banga is the president and CEO of Mastercard. Paul Polman is the CEO of Unilever. Their Fortune piece highlights they ways the two achieve scale and long-term growth for SMEs, by bringing together tools, data insights, and partnerships from across different sectors to change the model of small business financing.