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 40
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
Ashden Awards
Global

<p>The Ashden Awards recognise and award the most promising energy enterprises that are contributing to a low-carbon future. It also mentors and provides customised business development support to all awardees. To be eligible for an award, organisations must have an innovation that has been proven on the market for atleast a year. Awards can be given for a specific renewable energy or energy efficiency programme, enterprise or building, or for a specific product or service.</p>

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Foundation
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups, NGOs/Non-profits
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
SectorEnergy
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
BlueOrchard
Global

BlueOrchard is an impact investment fund manager. It makes impact investments across a various range of asset classes and across a variety of sectors. To date, BlueOrchard has invested USD 4 billion in 350 institutions across 70 countries.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
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
Calvert Impact Capital
Global

Calvert Impact Capital is a non-profit investment firm that provides loans to mission-driven organisations with a social and/or environmental focus. Loan sizes start at USD 1 million. Most of Calvert's investments have been in North America, followed by Latin America and Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Amount$500,000 - 2M
Exact Amount$1 million
Focus TypeStart-ups
Canopus Foundation
Global

The Canopus Foundation promotes social investment, and provides business development assistance for social entrepreneurs in developing countries working in the field of clean energy technologies. The support provided ranges from direct financial contributions to conducting marketing research and management consulting.

Type of OrganisationFoundation, Impact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Grants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeNot specified
SectorEnergy
Dalberg
Global

Dalberg is a strategic advisory firm with services in strategy, evaluation, human-centred design, inclusive business growth, inclusive economic development, investing for development, leadership and talent, organisational effectiveness, and policy and advocacy.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountryGlobal
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeNot specified
Dutch Development Bank
Global

The Dutch Development Bank finances commercially viable businesses and projects in sectors including agriculture, energy, manufacturing and finance. FMO offers long-term financing in the form of loans, equity investments and guarantees to encourage sustainable growth and works closely with investees, providing capacity development to strengthen organisational skills and to integrate environmental, social and governance practices into the core business.

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups