Investor & Technical Assistance Database

This database targets companies looking for financial and/or technical support. The database lists organisations and initiatives providing different kinds of support, such as capital in the form of grants, loans and equity, or technical support in the form of advice, partnership brokering or networking support. To learn more about the database, click the info button on the right. 

For current training opportunities, networking events, and calls for application, access our opportunities page

Use the search filters below to narrow down your search for financial and/or technical support providers.

ABOUT THE DATABASE

Who is this database for?

This database aims to serve inclusive businesses that are looking for sources of support to help them grow, ranging from capital to technical support.

 

What does the database cover?

This database lists organizations that provide technical and financial support to inclusive businesses. The database will continue growing as support organizations are registered. Inclusive businesses are diverse, and so too are the range of organizations that provide support and the types of support they offer. The resources listed cover a continuum of financing solutions, from grants and concessional financing to commercial finance and private equity. They also include organizations and initiatives providing technical assistance (TA), advice, partnership brokering, information, advocacy, and networking. The database is easy to navigate and provides useful filters such as the range of financial support provided and the stage of enterprise supported (if such information is available). 

More organizations will be added over time and suggestions are welcome. Other database that we recommend include:

► GET.invest: focused on renewable energy in Africa
► Nexus for Development: focused on Southeast Asia
 The Mix: Database on microfinance services

Why and how was the database developed?

Inclusive business entrepreneurs often face difficulties identifying partners that could provide crucial financial and technical support. Even though such support is available, information about it is often fragmented and hard to find. The database addresses this challenge, making information on financial and technical support easy to identify and navigate by providing easily searchable categories and filters.

The entries and information provided in the database are compiled by the research team using information publicly available on organization websites or provided directly by the organizations themselves. 

 

Who developed the database?

The Practitioner Hub for Inclusive Business (now inclusivebusiness.net) and the Asian Development Bank set up this database to help overcome this challenge. The Connect to Grow programme supported further development of this database in 2016, specifically to include intermediaries in its target countries. In late 2017 and 2018, the DFID Impact Programme funded the most comprehensive review and update of the database yet, which was implemented by Endeva. The Endeva team reviewed the categories and all existing entries, and also added hundreds of entries with the support of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) and other partners.

ANDE has just launched a new site of their own that provides data about financial and non-financial support available for small and growing businesses in a specific city or country. ANDE’s Ecosystem Snapshots aim to help those supporting entrepreneurs to foster conditions in which businesses can thrive. 

 

USING THE DATABASE

What can users search for on the database?

You can keep your search for organizations broad by just selecting the finance and/or technical support offering you are looking for or you can narrow down your search by selecting further filters such as type of organization, sector, region/country etc. If you are looking for a specific topic that is not included in the current category list, use the keywords search bar to search the entire database. This will return results on that topic from the whole database.

 

If users want all entries from Asia, does one need to select all Asian countries, too (or ditto for other continents)?

No. If you would like to see all the material for one continent, for example South Asia, select ‘South Asia’ under the ‘Region/Country’ filter and click on the ‘Apply’ button. This will bring up all intermediaries that provide support in South Asia.

 

Country

Intermediary Database

Displaying 1 - 10 of 56
BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt
Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt promotes responsible leadership and inspires leaders from around the world to work for a peaceful, fair, sustainable future. Guided by the key concepts of governance, innovation, and intersectoral associations, they focus on Sustainable Development Goals 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 10 (Reducing Inequality), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda constitute the reference framework of their venture philanthropy and impact investments.

Type of OrganisationFoundation
Region/CountryLatin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Tunisia
Finance OfferingNot specified
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingFellowship, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support
Focus TypeNot specified
IB TopicsSDGs

CropIn is a leading full-stack agri-tech​ organization that provides SaaS solutions to agribusinesses globally. CropIn’s unique suite of products enable various stakeholders in the agri-ecosystem to adopt and drive digital strategy across their operations.
Using cutting-edge technology like big data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and remote sensing, CropIn creates an interconnected network of all these stakeholders at different levels of the agriculture ecosystem, enabling clients to analyze and interpret data to derive real-time actionable insights on standing crop. Businesses can thus leverage technology to effectively drive their initiatives around Digitization, Predictability, Compliance, Sustainability and Traceability. With the vision to ‘maximize per acre value’ and the mission to ‘make every farm traceable’, CropIn adds value to agri-businesses by increasing efficiency, scaling productivity, and strengthening sustainability across the board. Thus far, CropIn has digitized over 5 million acres of farmland and enriched the lives of nearly 2.1 million farmers, while gathering data on 265 crops and 3,500 crop varieties in 30 countries. The SaaS solutions offered by CropIn are crop and location agnostic, and are available on web and mobile devices.

About SmartRisk:
SmartRisk is a predictive and prescriptive solution for risk monitoring, mitigation and forecasting intelligence. The AI and machine learning based platform uses satellite imagery and other data sets to detects cropping patterns and predicts the future of the crop, thus highlighting the associated risk and opportunity for agri-stakeholders.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications
Focus TypeNot specified
IB TopicsInnovation
Sattva
South Asia

Sattva is a consulting firm in Bangalore, India that works with social organisations and corporations to help them maximize their social impact along with economic value. It helps organisations design and execute inclusive models that are innovative, economically viable and add equitable value to all the different stakeholders involved in the chain.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeNot specified
School of Social Entrepreneurs India
South Asia

School of Social Entrepreneurs India offers a 9-month fellowship programme to help start a social enterprise, community project or charity. The programme supports people who are working on developing their idea and are ready to invest time in getting it operational.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingFellowship, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups, NGOs/Non-profits
Focus StageEarly Stage
Artha Impact
South Asia

The Artha Impact team has been working since 2007 as the impact investing arm of Rianta Capital, which is a dedicated advisory to the Singh Family Trust. Through this initiative, they have been running a series of programs designed to invest, catalyze and convene around the promise of supporting meaningful business interventions for impact in India. Today they hold a robust portfolio of direct early/growth stage investments and a small handful of impact funds in the country. Their sectors of focus include (but have not been limited to) agriculture, healthcare and livelihoods.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeNot specified
Artha Venture Challenge
South Asia

<p>The Artha Venture Challenge supports early stage social entrepreneurs in India who are given the opportunity to pitch for up to INR 6 million of funding if matched with the equivalent or more in co-investment. Artha may either lead or simply match any transaction. In addition, the selected enterprises get access to business support, networks and mentoring. The challenge also involves Villgro which provides the incubation support, mentoring and networking support.</p>

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount$50,000 -150,000
Exact Amount$90,000
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Lightrock India
South Asia

Lightrock India oversees and manages investment vehicles focused on early stage small and medium-sizeds in India that seek commercial returns in sectors providing essential services and increasing market access to underserved communities. It provides early stage venture capital to teams building innovative, disruptive businesses that provide access to capital, markets, and essential services and invests across stages with a strong thematic focus and a systemic lens towards building ecosystems.
Lightrock India manages investments of SONG, LGT Impact, Aspada and Lightrock.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Atma
South Asia

<p>Atma is an accelerator for NGOs and social enterprises working in the education sector in India, with the vision to make quality education accessible to all children. Through its Accelerator Programme, Atma builds the capacity of NGOs and social enterprises with 1,200 hours of support, a partnership manager and three skilled volunteers per year. Organisations selected for the Accelerator Programme receive three years of consultancy support in 10 organisational development areas, including administration, finance, fundraising, monitoring &amp; evaluation, human resources, governance, leadership, strategy, development, programmes and marketing, as well as linkages to potential funders. To further enhance their operational capabilities Atma also conducts one-off trainings and workshops in various areas.</p>

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeNGOs/Non-profits
SectorEducation
IB TopicsYouth
Bank of India
South Asia

<p>Bank of India is one of the biggest commercial banks in India. In addition to the usual banking services, the bank offers a portfolio of MSME focused services which include: term loans, and working capital facilities.</p>

Type of OrganisationCommercial Bank
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Beyond Capital Fund
South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>Beyond Capital is an impact investment fund that invests in for-profit social enterprises in India and East Africa. In addition, Beyond Capital provides management assistance, mentoring and expert advisory services. It typically invests between USD 25,000 and USD 100,000.</p>

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySouth Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
India, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance
Amount$20,000 - 50,000
Exact Amount$25,000 - 100,000
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage