Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund

The Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, a bold initiative catalyzing risk capital for SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa, is entering a new phase.

After three years of impactful contributions, Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) will transition its role as Fund Advisor to Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA). This transition represents a key step in the evolution of the fund of funds, which has championed gender-diverse, African-owned investment vehicles to drive sustainable development. 

I&P is thrilled to announce the release of its Annual Impact Report for the year 2023.

The report offers a comprehensive overview of I&P's activities, achievements, and impact throughout the year, showcasing the growth and transformational changes spurred by the organization's commitment to entrepreneurship in Africa.

The anual impact report notably covers an overall look at I&P's activities and a detailed review of our impact, following our 6 impact pillars

The Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, of which I&P is Fund Advisor, is proud to announce the approval of 3 new investment funds: Chui Ventures, VestedWorld, and SME Impact Fund 2, which bring to 5 the number of funds supported since the launch in December 2022.

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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.

I&P, through its dedicated program I&P Development (IPDEV 2), is proud to take part in the launch of Inua Capital, a gender-lens and impact-focused investor that provides patient growth capital to small- and medium-sized enterprises in Uganda.

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.

The first investment of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund (whose launch was announced last week) goes to Aruwa Capital Management, a gender-lens 20mUSD fund dedicated to Nigeria's SMEs, managed by a first-time woman-led fund manager.

I&P is proud to be part of an innovative and bold initiative for the investment industry in Sub-Saharan Africa: the USD$200 million Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, a Fund of Funds which works through African investment vehicles to support early-stage, growth-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the continent.