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 78
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
Kitovu Technology Company
Sub-Saharan Africa

Farmers in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa achieve very low yields, a third of global yield averages (IFPRI World Development Report, 2008). Once produced, it is also very difficult to find the right buyers leading to over 50% losses. This perpetuates poverty and extreme hunger. We started Kitovu Technology Company to fix that.

Kitovu provides quality and yield increasing inputs and access to markets by using remote sensing and data science to collect and analySe field, soil and market demand data, enabling them recommend precise inputs and markets. Our mission is to transform Africa into the food hub of the world, positioning it to take the lead in feeding 9.7 Billion people by 2050.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups, NGOs/Non-profits
Focus StageStart-up, Early Stage, Growth Companies, Mature
Vakayi SME Fund
Sub-Saharan Africa

Vakayi SME Fund provides growth capital to Zimbabwean entrepreneurs operating in the essential services sectors, which are health, housing, education and clean energy sectors. Typically, these are businesses in later stages of development, profitable, cash generative, with potential to scale operations. Vakayi Capital seeks to work alongside capable entrepreneurs who are passionate about their businesses and have a strong will to succeed. Besides seeking financial returns from its investments, Vakayi invests in businesses that deliver meaningful impact.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Zimbabwe
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Focus TypeStart-ups
IceAddis
Sub-Saharan Africa

IceAddis is a tech startup incubator in Addis Ababa. IceAddis provides co-working space, consultancy services and organises events for entrepreneurs, and acts as a platform to connect entrepreneurs, investors and people from the creative industries.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ethiopia
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Physical co-working space
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsYouth

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
Accountability Lab
Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

The Accountability Lab was founded in early 2012 as an effort to work with young people to develop new ideas for accountability, transparency and open government. It has evolved into a global network of local Accountability Labs that are finding new ways to shift societal norms, solve intractable challenges and build “unlikely networks” for change.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, NGO
Region/CountryLatin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Liberia, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
SectorEducation
IB TopicsYouth
AWP Network
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>The AWP Network organises pitch competitions for young entrepreneurs across Nigeria, supports women farmers through its agribusiness training programme and helps secondary school students in Nigeria develop their business plans and ideas through its DREAM Initiative.</p>

Type of OrganisationNetwork/ Business association/ membership organisation/ knowledge platform
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
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 TopicsGender, Youth
Bank of Industry (BOI)
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>The Bank of Industry Limited (BOI) is a development financing institution providing financial solutions focusing on projects that use largely domestic raw materials in Nigeria. BOI manages foreign grants and aid that are given to facilitate attainment of the nation's developmental aspirations.</p>

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Grants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Bank Populaire
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>The Bank Populaire offers financial services focused on farmers, agribusiness enterprises, private individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises. The solutions include deposit schemes, loan schemes, credit funds and guarantee funds.</p>

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Rwanda
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeStart-ups
IB TopicsGender
Africa Entrepreneur Collective
Sub-Saharan Africa

The African Entrepreneurship Collective (AEC) is an accelerator that offers mentoring, business development services, training and capital to Rwandan and Tanzanian entrepreneurs. The capital lease fund run by AEC offers capital leases between USD 10,000 and USD 50,000.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Grants and awards
Amount$20,000 - 50,000
Exact Amount$10,000 - 50,000
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
IB TopicsGender, Youth