J.-M. Severino and I&P Team wish you a Happy New Year!

The whole I&P team is wishing you the best for 2015!

A perfect time to review the main highlights of 2014 and outlooks for the coming year.

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Some major achievements in 2014, to be pursued in 2015

IP Afrique Entrepreneurs (IPAE), our fund intended for Small and Middle size companies, continues to expand.   Three new countries have entered our IPAE Portofolio in 2014, broadening the scope of I&P in Sub-Saharan Africa. With these three new partners established in Gabon, Ghana, and the Comoros, IPAE now counts 16 companies in its portfolio. Our investment pace is expected to go steady and fast as we plan to invest in 20 companies in the two coming years.

2014 has been a particularly active year for IPDEV 2, a project specifically designed to support African start-ups and small companies. IPDEV 2 is conceived as the first incubator of African investment funds, meant to develop local expertise. In line with Sinergi Niger, launched in 2007 on the initiative of I&P and local entrepreneurs, our objective is to launch 10 local investment funds within the next decade. Sinergi Burkina was inaugurated in March 2014 and we are preparing to open Terenga Capital in Senegal. IPDEV 2 received a very encouraging welcome so far and has notably won, in September 2014, the Argidius ANDE Finance Challenge, a competition aimed to stimulate small businesses in emerging markets. I am convinced that this innovative financing mechanism could dramatically stimulate the growth of African SMEs!

2015 is going to be a year of opportunity for I&P. Many projects are under development to reach our initial goal: support a new generation of African Entrepreneurs

The year 2015 will be the one of thematic partnerships, in order to develop innovative and useful solutions for growth and development in Sub-Saharan Africa. I&P has decided to support the Schneider Electric Energy Access (SEEA) Fund to enhance the development of entrepreneurial initiatives around access to energy. I&P also associates with InfraMed to launch InfraAfrica Development, a long-term investment fund dedicated to small infrastructure in Africa.

In order to generate synergy effects among the companies of our portfolio, we decided to officially structure the community of entrepreneurs. As our last annual seminar has proven, entrepreneurs are very keen to develop stronger relationships. I&P should start putting in place this network in 2015.

Because it is also important to communicate about our companies and their impact, I am very glad to announce the official launching of the project Les Grands Moyens (Small is Powerful) initiated by I&P and the photo-reporter Joan Bardeletti. Focusing on five African SMEs, the project’s aim is to propose a new vision of the continent. Though small in size, these enterprises have a great role to play in Africa’s growth and development!

Happy New Year 2015 to all of you! 

Jean Michel Severino

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