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

Amount of financial support

Intermediary Database

Displaying 1 - 10 of 19
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
Aalto Global Impact
Global

Aalto Global Impact (AGI) promotes and facilitates Aalto University, Finland's research and educational programmes for societal impact globally. It provides education, and research in the field of social impact. It also runs Impact Iglu which is an accelerator for sustainable and inclusive business.

Type of OrganisationAcademia, Accelerator/Incubator
Region/CountryGlobal
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
C4DLab
Sub-Saharan Africa

Based at University of Nairobi, C4DLab is a research and development lab, which runs a start-up incubation hub for start-ups with a digital or computing element. Leveraging the University's community and network, C4DLab's incubation programme brings start-ups from idea stage to growth stage by providing necessary resources and services, including mentorship, desk space, internet, research, hardware materials and access to a network potential business partners or funders. In addition, C4DLab offers its start-ups access to a pool of high-quality, free talent from the student population at the University.

Type of OrganisationAcademia, Accelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Physical co-working space, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsInnovation
Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Center
Sub-Saharan Africa

Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubator Center (Chandaria-BIIC), based at Kenyatta University, focuses on nurturing student ideas and converting them into commerically viable businesses to be incubated. For a period of 12 months, entrepreneurs at Chandria-BIIC are provided with services, such as business development services, seed capital, work space, telephone services, high speed internet, stationery, administrative support, professional guidance and mentorship.

Type of OrganisationAcademia, Accelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Physical co-working space, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Clean Technology Hub
Sub-Saharan Africa

Clean Tech Hub (Nigeria's Energy Innovation Center) is a hybrid hub for the development, demonstration and incubation of clean energy technologies in Africa. It incubates, supports, develops and invests seed funding in viable early-stage clean energy solutions and supports services with potential to drive energy access across several sectors and market value chains in Africa.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Physical co-working space, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
SectorEnergy
Echoing Green
Global

Echoing Green provides seed funding to for-profit social enterprises, and fellowships to early-stage non-profit and for-profit organisations, and provides technical assistance along its investments. In addition, the organisation offers a leadership training programme to prepare business leaders for high-impact non-profit board service.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Impact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund, NGO
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Grants and awards
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Fellowship, Information sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
ICICI Bank
Sub-Saharan Africa

ICICI Bank is one of India's largest private sector banks. It offers a wide range of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) focused products and services, and technical assistance. The banking facilities include various fund and non-fund based facilities.ICICI Bank is also a partner of IFC for the SME Toolkit project. The SME Toolkit provides comprehensive and easy to use information on a variety of topics like Business Planning, Accounting, Human Resources, International Business, Legal, Insurance, Taxation, Marketing, Operations, Technology and Tenders.

Type of OrganisationCommercial Bank
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
InnoHub
Sub-Saharan Africa

Innohub is a business accelerator and impact investment platform that helps small and medium enterprises with high growth and high impact potential to become investment ready, sustainable and scalable in order to achieve profitability and social impact. It nurtures early stage start-ups on fixed-term, cohort-based programmes, that includes a seed capital of USD 10,000 in cash and business development support services.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Amount$0 - 20,000
Exact Amount$10,000
Technical Support OfferingFellowship, Information sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsInnovation
Oasis 500
Middle East and North Africa

Oasis500 is a seed investment company and business accelerator in the Tech and Creative Industry spaces based in Amman, Jordan. It enables entrepreneurs to transform their viable ideas or creative talents into scalable businesses. That includes finding those entrepreneurs, investing in their startups, bridging their know-how gap, and eventually helping them get follow-on funding.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Impact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryMiddle East and North Africa
Jordan
Finance OfferingEquity
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, NGOs/Non-profits
Focus StageEarly Stage
IB TopicsInnovation
Savannah Fund
Sub-Saharan Africa

Savannah Fund is a seed capital fund specialising in investments ranging from USD 25,000 to USD 500,000 in early stage technology start-ups in Sub-Saharan Africa. The fund's accelerator programme provides services including office space, legal assistance and incorporation help, connections to other potential investors, and others.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Private equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount$150,000 - 500,000
Exact Amount$25,000 - 500,000
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, 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