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 46
African Banking Corporation
Sub-Saharan Africa

African Banking Corporation operates as a bank that provides financial products and services to individuals, small and medium enterprises, corporate organisations, Saccos, learning institutions, religious institutions, and service providers.Through its banking division, it offers term loans, overdrafts, asset finance and trade finance servcies.

Type of OrganisationCommercial Bank
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Kenya, Uganda
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi)
Sub-Saharan Africa

The Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi) supports Uganda's agribusiness development in the private sector by providing financing and technical support. The aBi Trust supports Farmer Organisations, NGOs, small and medium-sized enterprises in interventions that promote agribusiness development. aBi Finance provides lines of credit, agribusiness loan guarantees and a construction guarantee fund to agricultural based small and medium-sized enterprises.

Type of OrganisationChallenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Uganda
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Grants and awards, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingPartnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups, NGOs/Non-profits
IB TopicsGender
Aqua for All
South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

Aqua for All is a Netherlands based NGO, focussing on innovative and transformative solutions for drinking water and sanitation, targeting underserved areas in developing countries. Aqua for All acts as a connector and facilitator, through smart granting, and co-creates partnerships for transformative, sustainable and scalable solutions that unlock private investments opportunities. With its business-like, efficient, and result-oriented approach, we inspire and support our stakeholders to help the world’s Base of the Pyramid gain sustainable access to safe water and adequate sanitation.

Type of OrganisationAccelerator/Incubator, Challenge Fund/Programme/Facility, Foundation
Region/CountrySouth Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingGrants and awards, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Partnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups, NGOs/Non-profits
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, South Asia

<p>The Asian Development Bank (ADB) assists its members, and partners, by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments. ADB supports private sector development with direct financial assistance by funding and supporting private enterprises, financial institutions, and private equity funds, as well as by mobilizing international capital for private companies.</p>

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryEast Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, South Asia
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Grants and awards, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Technical Support OfferingAdvocacy, Information sharing, resources and publications, One-to-one advisory support, Consulting Services
Bank of India
South Asia

<p>Bank of India is one of the biggest commercial banks in India. In addition to the usual banking services, the bank offers a portfolio of MSME focused services which include: term loans, and working capital facilities.</p>

Type of OrganisationCommercial Bank
Region/CountrySouth Asia
India
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
Focus StageEarly Stage, Growth Companies
Bank Populaire
Sub-Saharan Africa

<p>The Bank Populaire offers financial services focused on farmers, agribusiness enterprises, private individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises. The solutions include deposit schemes, loan schemes, credit funds and guarantee funds.</p>

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySub-Saharan Africa
Rwanda
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeStart-ups
IB TopicsGender
Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO)
Global

<p>The Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO) offers financing solutions for private sector projects and supports microfinance institutions, commercial banks, non-bank financial institutions, and investment companies and funds. Through its MSME Support Fund, BIO provides grants to co-finance feasibility studies and technical assistance programmes.</p>

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Grants and awards, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeLarge companies, Start-ups
BRAC Bank
South Asia

The BRAC Bank offers financial solutions for entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises in Bangladesh including long term loans, short term loans, revolving loans, bank guarantees, and overdraft.

Type of OrganisationPrivate equity fund/ Private equity fund manager/ venture capital fund
Region/CountrySouth Asia
Bangladesh
Finance OfferingDebt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
IB TopicsGender
British International Investment
South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa

BII is the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor with a mission to help solve the biggest global development challenges by investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation.

BII invests between £1.5 and £2 billion every year in green infrastructure, technology and other sectors that need their capital the most.

BII currently partners with over 1,000 businesses in emerging economies, and have total assets of £7.5 billion.

Type of OrganisationDevelopment Finance Institution, Govt/Donor/State-owned enterprises
Region/CountrySouth Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Guarantees
Exact Amount
Focus TypeNot specified
Capital 4 Development Partners
Global

Capital 4 Development Partners (C4D), formerly ICCO Investments, provides financially-viable social businesses operating in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia with investments between EUR 200,000 and EUR 1 Million. C4D connects investees with its local and international network of technical assistance and financial providers to support them in becoming financially sustainable and independent. As of 2017-18, C4D is only actively sourcing deals in Asia.

Type of OrganisationImpact investment fund/ impact investment fund manager/ impact focused venture capital fund
Region/CountryGlobal
Finance OfferingEquity, Debt finance, Guarantees
Amount$150,000 - 500,000
Exact Amount$240,000 - 1.2 million
Technical Support OfferingPartnership brokering, investment facilitation, networking
Focus TypeStart-ups
Focus StageGrowth Companies