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 14
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
Africa Management Services Company
Sub-Saharan Africa

The Africa Management Services Company (AMSCO) tackles the scarcity of human capital in Africa by providing human capital solutions to African industries. It works with a wide variety of clients, ranging from private and public investors, small and medium enterprises and large companies through to industry associations and governmental organisations with a vision to grow African businesses, assisting them to become globally competitive, profitable and sustainable. AMSCO grew out of the African Training and Management Services Project (ATMS), a joint initiative of International Finance Corporation (IFC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and African Development Bank (AfDB).

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation 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 TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Zebu Investment Partners (ZIP)
Sub-Saharan Africa

Zebu Investment Partners (ZIP) is a private equity fund manager established to invest across the food value chain throughout Africa. Investment size range between USD 2 million to USD 8 million. Investments are complemented by Technical Assistance Facility through strategic, operational and technical expertise for up to USD 500,000 per investee.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$2 million - 8 million
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
DOB Equity
Sub-Saharan Africa

DOB Equity is an impact fund investing in socially responsible businesses across sectors in East Africa. It focuses on scalable and innovative companies that improve low and middle income population's access to goods and services.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeNot specified
E3 Capital
Sub-Saharan Africa

When our journey began in 2015, we focused on providing direct access to electricity to households and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa.
However, we quickly realised that in order to truly move the needle in this regard, the investment scope had to be broadened to include productive use cases enabled by low carbon energy.
We evolved our focus and investment strategy in complete transparency and with the cooperation of our investors and entrepreneurs.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
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
SectorEnergy
ENVenture
Sub-Saharan Africa

ENVenture is an incubator that empowers rural organisations to learn business skills to launch sustainable clean energy enterprises, starting in Uganda. Incubatees receive a revolving loan and a business coach that mentor them in launching the business, and undertaking the packaged business concept from idea to execution.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingFellowship, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage

The Health Enterprise Fund provides grants and technical assistance to private health enterprises with solutions that address critical health priorities in sub-Saharan Africa. Grants range from USD 100,000 to USD 200,000.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Amount$150,000 - 500,000
Exact Amount$100,000 - 200,000
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
SectorHealth
Industrial Promotion Services (IPS)
South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

Industrial Promotion Services (IPS) is an arm of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development proving equity investment with partners from the public and private sectors. IPS provides venture capital, technical assistance and management support to encourage and expand private enterprise in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySouth Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support
Focus TypeNot specified
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Reciprocity
Sub-Saharan Africa

Reciprocity is a South Africa-based consultancy, aiming to optimise the contribution of the private sector to social and economic development. Its core activity is to offer strategic consulting services for corporations aiming to understand low-income segments, develop linkages and expand their presence in low-income markets.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies
The Somo Project
Sub-Saharan Africa

Somo Africa trains, funds and mentors entrepreneurs looking to drive social change by building enterprises in their own low-income urban communities. Further, it provides business plan development support, boot camps, mentorship programs, long-term investments, partnerships and grants.

Type of OrganisationNGO
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Finance OfferingEquity, Grants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, 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