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 11
AgDevCo
Sub-Saharan Africa

AgDevCo provides long-term risk capital to help early-stage businesses reach profitability and scale. Investments range from USD 250,000 to USD 10 million. In addition to risk capital, AgDevCo provides management support and expert agronomy advice, and can provide grants to help establish smallholder farmer outgrower schemes.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Grants and awards
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$1 - 10 million
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Export Development Fund (EDF)
Sub-Saharan Africa

he Export Development Fund (EDF) is a private fund providing finance, equity participation, performance bonds or guarantees, and advisory service for the setup, expansion and modernisation of Malawian medium and large scale enterprises. In most cases EDF assists clients through their banks which may choose to approach the EDF to seek assistance.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Hivos Impact Investments
Sub-Saharan Africa

Hivos Impact Investments is an impact investment management company managing two private equity funds targeting food companies (including urban farming, food waste reduction, and others) in Southern Africa and creative industries (including start-ups in ICT and media, and others). Geographic investment focus is Southern Africa

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount$50,000 -150,000, $150,000 - 500,000
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund (MICF)
Sub-Saharan Africa

The Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund (MICF) is a USD 11 million fund providing grant finance for innovative projects proposed by the private sector active in Malawi’s agricultural, manufacturing and logistics sectors.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Exact Amount
Focus TypeNot specified
Focus StageGrowth Companies
IB TopicsInnovation
mHub
Sub-Saharan Africa

mHub is an incubator for technology start-ups with a focus on building young technology entrepreneurs through training, skills development and mentorship. mHub encourages innovators to build start-ups from within the hub, make partnerships and collaborate.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsInnovation
One Acre Fund
Sub-Saharan Africa

One Acre Fund supports smallholder farmers in Africa by providing financing for farm inputs, distribution of seed and fertilizer, training on agricultural techniques and market facilitation to maximise profits from harvest sales.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Shared Interest
Sub-Saharan Africa

Shared Interest supports Southern African small and growing businesses, small-holder farmers and co-operatives, microfinance institutions, and low-cost housing and infrastructure providers.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingPartnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
UMODZI Consulting
Sub-Saharan Africa

UMODZI Consulting is a management and business consulting firm supporting Malawian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. UMODZI provides services including business and development consulting, facilitation and training, business support services, a call centre service, and project monitoring and evaluation.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Voxtra East Africa Agribusiness Fund
Sub-Saharan Africa

The Voxtra East Africa Agribusiness Fund invests in agricultural companies which have positive impact on smallholder farmers by providing equity, debt and mezzanine or quasi-equity solutions. The fund holds investments up to seven years and provides portfolio companies access to later-stage growth capital. Equity investments range in size from USD 500,000 to USD 3 million.

Type of OrganisationGovt/Donor/State-owned enterprises, Impact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance
Amount$500,000 - 2M, > $2M
Exact Amount$500,000 - 3 million
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeStart-ups