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 105
ACDI /VOCA
Europe and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

ACDI/VOCA has proven expertise in agriculture, economic growth, resilience, finance, and equity and inclusion.
Their reputation for impact is rooted in an award-winning system of monitoring, impact evaluation, and learning. They deliver expert technical assistance and create locally driven market solutions through three lines of business and a diverse set of funding sources.
Together, they bridge diverse stakeholders in shared development efforts, sharing technical resources and on-the-ground presence to achieve the objectives of our diverse partners. They leverage investments from private-sector partners and provide value through their volunteer programs.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryEurope and Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Training, and other classroom based support (online/offline)
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Acorn Private Equity
Sub-Saharan Africa

Acorn does not currently offer any LLP funds. Instead, the team focuses all its energy on managing and growing our current funds. Looking to the future, Acorn may very well offer an LLP Fund or Funds again.

The Acorn LLP Funds are structured as en commandite limited partnerships. Acorn therefore accepts unlimited liability on the investments made by the partnership whilst the other partners (the Limited Partner investors) assume limited liability. This ensures exclusivity and a close relationship with our investors.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
South Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingMentoring, Talent Placement, Network-based support, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies
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
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
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
AgDevCo
Sub-Saharan Africa

AgDevCo provides long-term risk capital to help early-stage businesses reach profitability and scale. Investments range from USD 250,000 to USD 10 million. In addition to risk capital, AgDevCo provides management support and expert agronomy advice, and can provide grants to help establish smallholder farmer outgrower schemes.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Grants and awards
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$1 - 10 million
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage
Agri-Vie
Sub-Saharan Africa

Agri-Vie is a private equity investment fund focused on the food and agribusiness value chain. Agri-Vie supports the involvement of in-country entrepreneurs and shareholders in the ownership and management of investee companies. It has an average transaction amount of USD 6 million.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa
Finance OfferingEquity
Amount> $2M
Exact Amount$6 million
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeNot specified
Agripreneurs Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa

Agripreneurs Africa provides several services for enterprises. It provides training and support services to smallholder farmers and agribusiness enterprises in the sector. It also offers a customised in-house and field-based training for individuals, staff of NGOs, companies and cooperatives across a range of topics in the agricultural industry. It holds an Agribusiness Model Competition that aims to stimulate agribusiness growth as a means to stem growing unemployment in the country. The main prize to be won is GHS 25,000.

Type of OrganisationConsultancy
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Ghana
Finance OfferingGrants and awards
Amount$0 - 20,000
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingOne-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Focus TypeNot specified