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.

 

Amount of financial support

Intermediary Database

Displaying 1 - 10 of 17
Africa Management Services Company
Sub-Saharan Africa

The Africa Management Services Company (AMSCO) tackles the scarcity of human capital in Africa by providing human capital solutions to African industries. It works with a wide variety of clients, ranging from private and public investors, small and medium enterprises and large companies through to industry associations and governmental organisations with a vision to grow African businesses, assisting them to become globally competitive, profitable and sustainable. AMSCO grew out of the African Training and Management Services Project (ATMS), a joint initiative of International Finance Corporation (IFC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and African Development Bank (AfDB).

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingInformation sharing, resources and publications, Mentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
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
BoP Innovation Center
South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

The BoP Innovation Center is an independent foundation aiming to develop commercially and socially viable business models and activities by providing assistance in areas of marketing and distribution, inclusive innovations and inclusive business empowerment.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy, Foundation
Region/CountrySouth Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Bangladesh, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
IB TopicsGender, Innovation
CSR-in-Action
Sub-Saharan Africa

CSR-in-Action provides consulting, training and advocacy on sustainable business strategies in Nigeria.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information 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 TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
Export Development Fund (EDF)
Sub-Saharan Africa

he Export Development Fund (EDF) is a private fund providing finance, equity participation, performance bonds or guarantees, and advisory service for the setup, expansion and modernisation of Malawian medium and large scale enterprises. In most cases EDF assists clients through their banks which may choose to approach the EDF to seek assistance.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Malawi
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
GCB Bank
Sub-Saharan Africa

GCB Bank is a commercial bank, headquartered in Accra, Ghana, offering both personal and commercial banking solutions. It offers various Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) focused products and services including business debit cards, bulk cash collection services, payroll services, import and export finance, letters of credit, bills for collection, money transfer and remittance, business development and advisory services.

Type of OrganisationCommercial Bank
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
GFA Consulting
Sub-Saharan Africa

GFA Consulting is an independent corporate finance, business support, tax and legal consultancy services company based in Accra, Ghana. It is dedicated to high growth businesses in West and Central Africa and African entrepreneurs who want to leverage on their entrepreneurial experience.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
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
JPCaan Associates Limited
Sub-Saharan Africa

JPCann Associates Limited is a management consultancy and training and capacity building company located in Accra, Ghana and operating in the Sub-Saharan African region. It offers four services: business advisory services to small and medium enterprises; corporate training and capacity building; accounting services; and auditing and assurance.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Kitovu Technology Company
Sub-Saharan Africa

Farmers in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa achieve very low yields, a third of global yield averages (IFPRI World Development Report, 2008). Once produced, it is also very difficult to find the right buyers leading to over 50% losses. This perpetuates poverty and extreme hunger. We started Kitovu Technology Company to fix that.

Kitovu provides quality and yield increasing inputs and access to markets by using remote sensing and data science to collect and analySe field, soil and market demand data, enabling them recommend precise inputs and markets. Our mission is to transform Africa into the food hub of the world, positioning it to take the lead in feeding 9.7 Billion people by 2050.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
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, NGOs/Non-profits
Focus StageStart-up, Early Stage, Growth Companies, Mature