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.

 

Amount of financial support

Intermediary Database

Displaying 1 - 10 of 11
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
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, South Asia

<p>The Asian Development Bank (ADB) assists its members, and partners, by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments. ADB supports private sector development with direct financial assistance by funding and supporting private enterprises, financial institutions, and private equity funds, as well as by mobilizing international capital for private companies.</p>

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryEast Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, South Asia
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Grants and awards, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
CropLife Africa Middle East
Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

CropLife Africa Middle East is a regional federation representing the plant science industry and a network of national associations. CropLife is aiming to promote and develop technologies in Africa and to convince and motivate its members to observe and implement the same international standards and apply all stewardship measures and activities as defined by the “FAO Code of Conduct”.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountryMiddle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information sharing, resources and publications, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)
Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

The Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) is a non-profit corporation supporting youth and cooperating with the private sector, governments, and community-based organisations. DOT provides entrepreneurs aged 18 to 29 with tools, knowledge, networks, seed funding and support to launch sustainable social initiatives.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform, NGO
Region/CountryLatin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingFellowship, Information sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA)
Sub-Saharan Africa

Enhancing Financial Innovation &amp; Access (EFInA) is a financial sector development organisation that promotes financial inclusion in Nigeria through innovation grants for seed and early stage financial service ventures. Grants include 12 months of capacity building and technical assistance through mentoring, one-on-one consulting, knowledge resources, access to continued financial support and advocacy for financial inclusion.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
IB TopicsGender
Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE)
Sub-Saharan Africa

GCYE (formerly Ghana's Young Entrepreneurs (GYE)) is a network of young Ghanaian entrepreneurs and it was formed to unite, engage, and promote initiatives and innovation of young entrepreneurs to facilitate support in their pursuit of economic prosperity. GCYE aims to drive trade, advocate for reforms, provide business support services with needed information on funding source to facilitate access to credit and improve the business eco-system for the enhancement of entrepreneurship culture among young people in Ghana.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Grow Asia
East Asia and Pacific

Grow Asia is a multi-stakeholder partnership platform bringing together companies, governments, NGOs and other stakeholders. Grow Asia focuses on crop value chains and supports smallholder farmers and environmental sustainability of agriculture by providing access to information, knowledge, markets and finance.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountryEast Asia and Pacific
Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
TLCom TIDE Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa

TLcom Capital LLP is venture capital firm based in Nairobi, Lagos and London investing in tech and innovation companies in Sub Saharan Africa across all stages of the venture capital cycle. TLcom has set up the TIDE (Technology and Innovation for Developing Economies) Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at providing non-investment services to promote local entrepreneurship in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), as a key to promote local sustainable development processes.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeSmall and growing businesses, Start-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA)
Sub-Saharan Africa

The Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA) is a membership organisation promoting the development of micro, small and medium scale value addition industries and supportive service enterprises. USSIA's services include technical skills upgrade, business management skills, market linkages, links to trade fairs and exhibitions, information sharing, collection and dissemination, advice and consultancy, lobbying and advocacy, and access to financial support.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Uganda
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
IB TopicsGender
Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL)
Sub-Saharan Africa

The Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL) provides a platform to promote Ugandan women in business. UWEAL's services include advocacy, business counselling, capacity building/training, mentoring, and networking.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Uganda
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
IB TopicsGender, Youth