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.

 

Intermediary Database

Displaying 1 - 10 of 20
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
Aiivon Innovation Hub
Sub-Saharan Africa

Aiivon innovation hub is a social, digital and creative community strategically located at Abuja’s commercial nerve center. The hub gives valid expression to our desire to support tech development in West Africa as it is home to over 60 start-ups to whom we provide fully serviced offices and co-working spaces, capacity building programs, incubation, business development support, mentorship, access to funds and market penetration for increased traction and revenue among other things.

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Physical co-working space
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsInnovation
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
Africa Capital Alliance (ACA)
Sub-Saharan Africa

African Capital Alliance (ACA) is an investment firm sponsoring funds and managing investments in Sub-Saharan Africa. ACA manages a private equity fund, a real estate fund and provides investment management and advisory services to institutional investors.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support
Focus TypeNot specified
IB TopicsInnovation
African Agribusiness Incubation Network (AAIN)
Sub-Saharan Africa

The African Agribusiness Incubation Network (AAIN) is a private sector entity in Accra, Ghana providing business development support along various agricultural value chains, including the provision of technical advisory services, funding, networking, business advisory, mentoring and other key support for development of incubators and incubatees.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Network/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Chanzo Capital
Sub-Saharan Africa

Chanzo Capital is a growth capital firm investing both capital and mentoring in high-tech start-ups and scale-ups.The company invests between USD 500,000 and USD 5 million, staggered over the exponential growth phase of the company from Series A to C. The firm intends to finance the growth and development of the high-tech sector through the provision of capital, mentoring and value creation services to their portfolio of companies.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount$500,000 - 2M
Exact Amount$500,000 - 15 million
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
IB TopicsInnovation
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
Ethos Private Equity
Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethos Private Equity is an investment firm that manages investments in private equity and credit strategies in South Africa and selectively in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethos targets small and mid-sized companies. ESG considerations are an important element of its investment strategy.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies