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 70
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
Invest in Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa

IIA is a leading Pan-African investment and trade catalyst coordinating efforts to enhance skills, finance and markets across sectors to achieve impact and sustainability through job creation.

IIA engages private sector in the priority sectors: Infrastructure Development (Construction, Extractives, Renewables), Food and Agriculture by unlocking the SME ecosystems for investors while implementing inclusivity by working with youth and women inclusion across our work.

We support private-sector development drive sustainable by leveraging data access, access pre-vetted SMEs, participatory planning to achieve efficiency, shared value and impact.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Senegal
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Amount$0 - 20,000
Exact Amountn/a
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeSmall and growing businesses
Focus StageGrowth Companies
AfriFindInvest (AFI)
Sub-Saharan Africa

AFI connects global private capital to Africa’s most innovative startups. Our work ensures that an ecosystem’s next billion enables the continent’s transformation.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Not specified
Amount$20,000 - 50,000
Exact AmountMinimum $20k tickets enabled
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies

2jiajiri is a skills development and job creation program being implemented by KCB Foundation that seeks to catalyse employment and wealth creation among existing jua kalia entrepreneurs and the youth.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsYouth
African Banking Corporation
Sub-Saharan Africa

African Banking Corporation operates as a bank that provides financial products and services to individuals, small and medium enterprises, corporate organisations, Saccos, learning institutions, religious institutions, and service providers.Through its banking division, it offers term loans, overdrafts, asset finance and trade finance servcies.

Type of OrganisationCommercial Bank
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya, Uganda
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Ascent Rift Valley Fund
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>Ascent Rift Valley Fund, managed by Ascent Capital Africa, invests in East African entrepreneurs and enterprises with a proven track record and provides advisory services, trainings, and network-based support. The Fund targets transactions of USD 2-15 million.</p>

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$2 - 15 million
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth 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
88 mph
Sub-Saharan Africa

88mph is a seed fund and invests in early-stage mobile-web companies targeting the African market. 88mph's current model, DealWeek, brings together promising ventures with founders turned investors, who spend one week evaluating, advising, and making investment deals happen.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingPartnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsInnovation
African Startup Institute
Sub-Saharan Africa

African Startup Institute (ASI) is an academy that provides personalised training to African entrepreneurs at its campus in Lagos, Nigeria. It's experienced faculty delivers a curriculum that covers business model development, technology, scale and capital. The programme also offers investor meetings and peer to peer linkages to participants.

Type of OrganisationAcademia
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
African Women Agribusiness Network - East Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa Women Agribusiness Network (AWAN) East Africa is a regional business support organisation that promotes women in agricultural value chains in small and medium enterprises, through facilitation or direct provision of need-based services and advocacy.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
IB TopicsGender