In a new report entitled “Using Catalytic Capital to Foster African Entrepreneurs in Underserved Markets,” published in partnership with the Catalytic Capital Consortium, I&P showcases the effectiveness of catalytic capital in supporting African SMEs, offering recommendations to expand its use.
From June 14 to 17, I&P and The African Club of Entrepreneurs hold the 9th edition of the Entrepreneurs’ seminar. This 3-day training session dedicated to digital gathered about sixty African entrepreneurs operating in a dozen sub-Saharan African countries.
Created in 2012, and supported by I&P since last year through the I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2 (IPAE2) fund, HERi Madagascar is a company that specializes in the distribution and financing of solar energy solutions in rural areas of Madagascar.
So Fresh is Nigeria’s pioneer and market leader in the healthy food Quick Service Restaurant space (serving notably salads, juices, smoothies, sandwiches, parfaits, etc.).
The company was founded in 2010, initially selling whole fruits and vegetables, and later evolved in 2013 with the introduction of healthy meals.
Today, So Fresh operates 15 outlets in Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja), and also offers delivery services to selected communities, through its website and social media channels.
So Fresh was co-founded by Olagoke Balogun ("Goke") and Abimbola Balogun.
Olagoke Balogun is the CEO of So Fresh. He has accumulated a wealth of experience spanning some 20 years across several industries and functions including food & beverage, oil & gas, marketing, sales, production and operations. He is also a graduate of the Stanford SEED program.
Abimbola Balogun studied law and was called to the Nigerian bar in November 2006. She had a 5-year stint as a legal practitioner and now 10 years as an entrepreneur. She is a Human Resource professional, and an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). She is a Goldman Sachs Scholar and has a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management.
The partnership between SoFresh and I&P, through its fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2, aims to:
• Support with further expansion across Nigeria
• Enhance the ESG impact profile of the business
• Strengthen senior management
• Expand product offerings by introducing prepackaged meals sold through 3rd party vendors
•Support with marketing and brand management
• Providing decent direct employment opportunities, especially for women, with each new outlet opened
• Sourcing over 90% of inputs from local suppliers
• Reinforcing the company’ ESG strategy, and notably providing health insurance, transport allowance and housing allowance for all staff
• Providing Nigerians with healthy, quality and fresh meals
Voltacars Rental Services (VRS), a full service car rental company operating in Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, has secured a new round of financing from Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) and Adiwale Partners.
I&P is pleased to present its Annual Impact Report, that presents the collective results of our different programs and funds.
The report presents an overview of I&P's activities and impact methodology and goes through our six impact pillars : developing Africa entrepreneurship, creating decent jobs, providing SDG-aligned goods and services, promoting women's empowerment, strengthening the local economic fabric and fostering environmentally-friendly development.
In this article from Le Figaro, Anne Cheyvialle describes the rise of the Burkinabe agricultural processing company Agroserv, now the leading player in the maize value chain in Burkina Faso and on its way to becoming one of the most important players in West Africa, and how I&P, through its various financing and support vehicles, has contributed to this growth.
As I&P celebrates its 20th year of activity, the team is pleased to present its "Manifesto for the financing and support of entrepreneurship in Africa.
Based on 20 years of learning, entrepreneurial adventures, successes as well as failures and challenges, this manifesto aims to share with you the five best practices or core approaches that we believe are essential if we want to accomplish our mission to serve African entrepreneurs.
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