This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Eleni describes building a big, bold, beautiful market for a billion people in Africa. This market would improve the livelihoods of millions of small farmers and traders. She has done this successfully in Ethiopia and is started to branch out across Africa. She believes this idea will help end poverty in Africa.

Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin is co-founder and chief executive of eleni
LLC, a newly formed company with equity investments by Morgan
Stanley, IFC, and 8 Miles Fund, that is positioned to be the industry
leader in designing, building, and supporting the operations
of commodity exchange eco-systems in frontier markets. The
company’s business model is to deliver exchange turnkey projects
on a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) basis. Eleni Gabre-Madhin
is founder and former CEO of the highly acclaimed Ethiopia
Commodity Exchange (ECX), which she founded and managed
from 2008 to late 2012, successfully trading $1.2 billion annually
after 3 years of operation. A globally recognized thought leader on
agricultural commodity markets and African development, she has
held prior roles at the World Bank, the International Food Policy
Research Institute in Washington, and UNCTAD in Geneva. Eleni
has been named among the 125 Global Women of Impact by
Newsweek in April 2013, among 100 Most Influential Africans by
New African in 2012, and received the prestigious Yara Prize for
Agricultural Transformation in Africa and the African Banker Icon
Award, both in 2012.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)