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 126
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
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
Africa Development Bank (AfDB) Group
Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group finances projects, programmes and studies in the areas of agriculture, health, education, public utilities, transport and telecommunications. AfDB manages the African Development Fund (ADF) providing concessional funding for projects and programmes and technical assistance for studies and capacity-building activities.

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryMiddle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Grants and awards
Exact Amount
Focus TypeNot specified
Annona Sustainable Investment Fund
Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa

Annona Deep Tier Impact Finance (DTIF) leverages technology to support sustainable, inclusive, and resilient value chains for sustainable societal impact. DTIF aims to bridge the gap between mainstream trade finance offered by commercial banks and NGO-driven solutions to reach deeper tiers in supply chains. This is to create long-term sustainable trade relations between small, medium, and large Dutch enterprises and suppliers from less developed countries.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryLatin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Argidius
Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa

Argidius promotes the growth of small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in order to improve the lives of the poor through increased income generation. It offers a number of services including helping growing SMEs to be investment ready and gain access to finance, and providing tailored capacity development services such as incubation, acceleration, training, coaching, mentoring and networking

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Foundation
Region/CountryLatin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa
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
Ascent Rift Valley Fund
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>Ascent Rift Valley Fund, managed by Ascent Capital Africa, invests in East African entrepreneurs and enterprises with a proven track record and provides advisory services, trainings, and network-based support. The Fund targets transactions of USD 2-15 million.</p>

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$2 - 15 million
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Aventura Investment Partners
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>Aventura Investment Partners invest in and support companies that provide value chain services to smallholder growers in Africa. It targets companies that provide a range of services in the input supply, production or post-harvest phases of the value chain. Each investment is accompanied by a comprehensive training programme on business processes and job-specific technical skills. The model is highly scalable with core investments that can be replicated across Africa.</p>

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
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Bank of Agriculture
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>Bank of Agriculture (BOA) is a Nigerian agricultural and rural development finance institution owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria. BOA provides low cost credit to small holder and commercial farmers, and small and medium rural enterprises.</p>

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
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