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.

 

Country

Intermediary Database

Displaying 1 - 10 of 20
Ashburton Investments
Global

<p>Ashburton Investments manages different funds including the Africa Equity Opportunities Fund focused on undervalued listed African equities across various sectors. Ashburton's India Equity Opportunities Fund provides equity or equity-related investments for Indian companies and companies traded in other geographic markets but with a significant proportion of growth of their business in India.</p>

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Focus TypeNot specified
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

The ABN AMRO Social Impact Fund (AASIF) makes direct investments from EUR 500,000 to EUR 1.5 million in organisations that add value to society and are financially profitable. Currently only enterprises based in the Netherlands are eligible for investment.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Commercial Bank
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingDebt finance
Amount$500,000 - 2M
Exact Amount$600,000 - 1.8 million
Focus TypeStart-ups
Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)
Global

Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is a non-profit organisation working with businesses, foundations, governments and communities to build local and global partnerships. CNFA designs and implements enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity and improve access to inputs and credit.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, NGO
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeNot specified
IB TopicsGender, Innovation
Global Innovation Fund (GIF)
Global

The Global Innovation Fund (GIF) provides grants and risk capital supporting social innovations including new business models, policy practices, technologies, behavioural insights, or ways of delivering products and services. The fund supports social enterprises, for-profit firms, non-profit organisations, researchers, and government agencies. GIF offers financial support in the pilot, test and transition, and scaling up stages.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Grants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support
IB TopicsInnovation
Humanitarian Innovation Fund
Global

The HIF is a globally-recognised programme leading on the development and testing of innovation in the humanitarian system. Established in 2011, it was the first of its kind: an independent, grant-making programme open to the entire humanitarian community. It now leads the way in funding, supporting, and managing innovation at every stage of the innovation process.
The HIF’s portfolio of funded projects has informed a more detailed understanding of what successful innovation looks like, and what it can achieve for the humanitarian community. This work is leading the global conversation on innovation in humanitarian response.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Amount$20,000 - 50,000
Exact Amountup to $68,000
Focus TypeNot specified
IB TopicsGender
Intel Capital
Global

Intel Capital invests in developers and providers of hardware, software, and services in the following sectors: mobile, client, 5G, datacentre, cloud, big data, diversity, IoT and autonomous driving, semiconductor, memory and programmable solutions (FPGA), software and security, wearables, drones, robotics, AR/VR and AI, sports and health.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
IB TopicsInnovation
Naspers
Global

Naspers is a business group that also invests in companies, adding value at all life-stages by providing one-on-one consulting and access to their global network. Naspers invests in early stage companies, as well as evolving and growing companies already at scale.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingNot specified
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Rabobank Foundation - Rabo Rural Fund
Global

The Rabo Rural Fund is part of the Rabobank Group and supports farming cooperatives and small and medium-sized enterprises by offering access to financing, networks and knowledge. The fund aims to plug the gap businesses face when they have outgrown donations and microcredit but are not yet eligible for standard bank loans and helps agribusinesses to pre-finance purchase, processing and product sales.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-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
Sarona Asset Management
Global

Sarona is a private investment firm providing capital to entrepreneurs that deliver high risk-adjusted returns while promoting positive ethical, social and environmental values.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies