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 72
Roots of impact
Global

Roots of Impact designs and implements innovative financing solutions, in which public and catalytic funds mobilize private investment and enable strong impact performance. With their Social Finance Academy, they help to create vibrant impact ecosystems, and run programs for access to impact finance. Research and education for effective blended & innovative finance in partnership with the Initiative for Blended Finance at the University of Zurich.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountryGlobal
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies, Small and growing businesses, Start-ups

Asper is a market systems and inclusive business development consultancy providing bespoke research, design and delivery services to private companies, NGOs and Governments in Myanmar. Asper has been operating in Myanmar since 2014. Asper’s vision is to unlock the potential of poor workers, producers and consumers, as well as businesses and governments, to bring about positive and sustainable changes in their behaviors, and to transform market systems. Our mission is to provide client-oriented solutions to shape their strategic plans using innovative, inclusive and evidence based approaches to generate social, financial and environmental return on their investment.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Not specified
Amount$0 - 20,000
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies, Small and growing businesses, Start-ups, NGOs/Non-profits, Investment funds
Focus StageStart-up, Early Stage, Growth Companies, Mature
Advance Consulting
Global

Advance Consulting is an international business consulting company specialized in the acquisition of (repayable) grants, concessional loans and equity finance for companies investing in emerging economies. Over the past 20 years we have successfully developed business plans and sourced concessional funding for our clients in more than 40 countries. To date Advance Consulting successfully supported over 400 companies to attract funding. Annually we raise between EUR 40 and EUR 80 million for our clients and impact projects globally. We have a strong network of impact funders, including (governmental) donor agencies, DFIs, institutional financiers, private investors and fund managers.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountryGlobal
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeSmall and growing businesses
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Common Fund for Commodities - CFC
Global

The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) is an autonomous intergovernmental financial institution, established in 1989 within the framework of the United Nations. The CFC provides support to projects investing in commodity value chains to deliver sustainable development impact from “field to the fork”. The support is offered mainly through loans to finance equipment, working capital or trade finance needs. The CFC seeks applications of projects that have reached a state of economic, social and environmental sustainability. These applications should clearly show operational and financial viability, with a proven track record.

CFC solicits proposals through the Open Call which is made public every 6 months with deadlines in April and October each year.

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Impact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Amount$500,000 - 2M
Exact AmountUSD 300,000 - USD 1,500,00
Focus TypeSmall and growing businesses
Focus StageGrowth Companies, Mature
AGRIinsight
Global

AGRIinsight is a web-based decision support tool for African and international agribusinesses to connect, collaborate and trigger investments within the Sub-Saharan African agribusiness sector.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountryGlobal
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingPartnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Bamboo Capital Partners
Global

<p>Bamboo Capital Partners is a private equity firm that invests in businesses that empower low-income communities with access to essential services, products and opportunities that improve their quality of life. The firm has invested in inclusive businesses in over 20 countries and in diverse sectors.</p>

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Focus TypeNot specified
1to4
Global

1to4 is a Swiss non-profit organisation that provides patient seed capital and support to early stage social businesses that provide access to products and services for low-income families in low-income countries.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund, NGO
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Acumen
East Asia and Pacific, Global, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

Acumen is a non-profit that raises charitable donations to invest in companies, leaders, and ideas that tackle poverty. The organisation provides long-term debt or equity investments ranging from USD 250,000 to USD 3,000,000 in early-stage companies with payback or exit in seven to ten years. Acumen also offers fellowships that include leadership training and working with one of Acumen's portfolio companies.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryEast Asia and Pacific, Global, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance
Amount$500,000 - 2M
Exact Amount$250,000 - 3 million
Technical Support OfferingFellowship, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Althelia Climate Fund
Global

Althelia is an impact investor that aims to demonstrate that financial performance can be fully aligned with sound environmental stewardship and social development. The Fund’s investment objective is to focus on sustainable land use activities that generate real assets, including certified agroforestry produce, alongside new environmental assets, such as carbon. It specialises in identifying and helping to build multiple revenue projects that generate positive social and environmental impacts and are economically resilient and technically robust.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Big Path Capital
Global

Big Path Capital assists business owners and entrepreneurs in the whole or partial sale of a business to mission-aligned investors, supports in raising equity and debt, and evaluates strategic financial options.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountryGlobal
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeNot specified
Focus StageGrowth Companies