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Stepping in for Social Enterprises
With nearly a decade and a half of working in the social enterprises space, Paul Basil firmly believes that there is a huge gap in funding for-profit ventures that cater to the bottom of the pyramid. There are funds available at the angel space and then at the Series A stage, when the ventures get their first round of funding from VC firms. But, between the angel and the Series A stage, there is a huge gap.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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Viewpoint: Impact Start-Ups Left Out of India’s Funding Boom
Aasaanjobs’ fund-raising journey has been a bit different so far from most impact start-ups. Last January, the Mumbai-based company picked up $1.5 million in seed capital from Inventus Capital Partners and IDG Ventures India. Both are mainstream venture capital firms and generally don’t back businesses that focus on consumers at the bottom half of the pyramid. This week, the two firms increased their investment when the company raised $5 million in a Series A round led by Aspada Advisors, the venture capital firm backed by Soros Economic Development Fund.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- impact investing
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Sanergy, Inc., Which Wastes Not, Secures $1.7 million
Sanergy, Inc., a social enterprise that makes prefabricated concrete toilets that turn human waste into fertilizer, has raised $1.7 million to expand operations in Nairobi, where it is headquartered.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Sanergy, Inc., which wastes not, secures $1.7 million
Sanergy, Inc., a social enterprise that makes prefabricated concrete toilets that turn human waste into fertilizer, has raised $1.7 million to expand operations in Nairobi, where it is headquartered.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- social enterprise, waste
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How Africa Internet Group Became Africa’s First Venture Capital-Backed Business to Be Valued at $1 Billion
Africa Internet Group (AIG), parent company to e-commerce brands like Jumia and Jovago, has become Africa’s first venture capital-backed business to be valued at $1 billion dollars after an $83 million investment from insurance company AXA for an 8% stake.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- venture capital
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African Equity Crowdfunding Portal Launches Call for Applications
Impact-focused equity crowdfunding portal Malaik has launched a call for applications to African entrepreneurs with impact focused businesses, aiming to help connect businesses with investors.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Bill Gates Doubles Down to Scale Up Financing for New Impact Fund Managers
When Bill Gates agreed a couple years ago to put a small piece of his personal fortune into a fund that invests in companies serving low-income customers in India, he invited the fund managers to return with a plan to scale up their investments and their social impact. The fund managers recently took such a plan to Gates, and have again come away with not only a check, but an endorsement from the world’s richest man. Gates also co-chairs the world’s biggest philanthropy, but his new personal investment in the Capria Accelerator Fund is about business, not charity.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- impact investing
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Uganda Preparing Law to Regulate Microfinance Institutions
Government is in advanced stages of establishing a law that will pave way for the formation of an autonomous institution that will license, regulate and supervise non-Microfinance Deposit Taking Institutions (MDIs), an official has disclosed.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- microfinance, regulations
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