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

Financial offering

Intermediary Database

Displaying 1 - 9 of 9
Africa Agriculture Trade and Investment Fund (AATIF)
Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

AATIF provides investments for the agricultural sector. It targets small, medium and large scale agricultural farms as well as agricultural businesses along the entire agricultural value chain. Investment size usually ranges between USD 5 to 30 million. Investment instruments include debt and mezzanine financing, with a maturity of up to 12 years for debt investments.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryMiddle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$5 - 30 million
Focus TypeLarge companies
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Earth Capital
Global

Earth Capital Partners focuses on growth companies with patented, substantially proven technology, but also considers investments in earlier stage technology development. Earth Capital's focus areas are sustainable technology dealing with resource or energy constraints, sustainable agriculture and timberland, and renewable energy (generation assets, energy efficiency and storage). It usually makes investments to the tune of USD5 million to USD 15 million.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Impact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$5 - 15 million
Focus TypeLarge companies
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Gray Ghost Ventures (GGV)
Global

Gray Ghost Ventures is a venture capital firm specialising in fund of fund investments and direct investments in the fintech sector. For direct investments, the firm invests in incubation, early stage, seed/start-up, and growth capital. The firm’s focus areas include: microfinance, social venture investment, and affordable private schools in low-income communities of emerging markets. It also invests in early-stage enterprises providing catalytic innovation and technologies which includes information, communication and technology (ICT). It makes investments between USD 1 million and USD 5 million.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$1 - 5 million
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
IB TopicsInnovation
LeapFrog
East Asia and Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa

LeapFrog supports financial services businesses with investments ranging between USD 10 million and USD 50 million and aims to exit the investment via IPO, trade sale, a sale back to a partner, or a management buyout. LeapFrog also provides technical support in strategy and governance, product, pricing and revenue, sales and distribution, core operations, human resources and talent management, technology and data, and measurement.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryEast Asia and Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$10 - 50 million
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeNot specified
Focus StageGrowth Companies
IB TopicsGender
Norfund
East Asia and Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

Norfund - The Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries - is a strategic minority investor, owned and funded by the Norwegian Government. The fund invests in clean energy, financial institutions, food and agribusiness, private equity and venture capital funds that target small and medium-sized enterprises. It mostly provides equity investments starting from USD 4 million and acquires a maximum 35% ownership share. In some cases, it also provides debt funding. Its investment horizon is 5-10 years.

Type of OrganisationGovt/Donor/State-owned enterprises, Impact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryEast Asia and Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$4 million and up
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF)
Global

The Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF) is an investment management group that provides growth capital (from USD 200,000 to USD 3 million) and business assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises through the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED). SEAF uses an international network of partners of investment teams, industry experts and the Center of Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED) to provide assistance including corporate governance, financial control, operations assistance, and marketing and strategy.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$200,000 - 3 million
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
True North Venture Partners
Global

True North Venture Partners invests in early stage companies with innovations that reshape socially important industries such as energy, water, agriculture and waste. Total investment per company generally ranges from USD 100,000 to USD 25 million.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$100,000 - 25 million
Technical Support OfferingPartnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups

Triodos is a European commercial bank that provides finance for organic and fair trade exporters in developing countries. Organisations need to be financially sustainable, have access to export markets and have a minimum annual turnover of USD 1 million. Triodos lends between USD 300,000 and USD 3 million.

Type of OrganisationCommercial Bank
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$300,000 - 3 million
Focus TypeLarge companies
Focus StageGrowth Companies
SourceTrace
Global

SourceTrace is a SaaS (Software-As-A-Service) company that focuses on sustainable agriculture and empowerment of smallholder farmers.

The company has a footprint in 26 countries impacting more than 1 million farmers and 2.4 million acres.

As the world population is estimated to grow to 9 billion by 2050, fifty percent more food will be required to feed the world. SourceTrace is helping farmers rise to the challenge through data-driven digital innovations that improve productivity and predictability in a sustainable manner.

SourceTrace’s digital solutions improve farmers’ livelihoods by:

- Providing greater access to global markets and customers.
- Improving productivity through efficient use of inputs and reliable procurement processes.
- Minimizing risk by access to timely knowledge and Information.

SourceTrace’s customers build stronger trust and engagement with stakeholders by providing them full visibility of the produce from farm to fork. For example:

- Ethical fashion brands can demonstrate the origin of organic cotton and win the trust and confidence of the end consumers.<
- QR-code based traceability solutions help retail stores provide full traceability including the origin information of the fresh produce.
- Aquaculture farmers can demonstrate the source of the seed and offer full visibility of the value chain to the end consumers.

SourceTrace enables organizations to implement data-driven agriculture practices that improve sustainability and reputation results. For example:

- Organic cotton farmers in India gained sustainable market access to global brands with premium pricing.
- Organizations were able to monitor and eliminate deforestation and child labor in cocoa value chains.
- Agribusiness were able to improve operational excellence by providing solutions for remote and low/no bandwidth areas.
- Firms can minimize risk through real-time solutions and insights from built-in risks.

SourceTrace solutions benefit stakeholders across the agriculture value chain

- For Agribusinesses: Increased business productivity
- For Farmers: Improved livelihoods
- For Government Agencies: Confidence in policy making
- For Financial Institutions: Reduced risk
- For Development Agencies: Better transparency

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies