FSD Africa

While at the AFSIC - Investing in Africa 2024 conference, we were honoured to have the Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds chair a roundtable discussion on how the UK ???? government and the City of London Corporation can help mobilise private finance for #ClimateAction and #SustainableDevelopment in #Africa. With domestic capital in Africa estimated at $2 trillion – 40x the annual flow of development assistance – there is enormous potential. Yet, even this is dwarfed by the institutional capital under management in international financial centres such as London and New York. ? As many African economies face unsustainable debt, tapping into global capital markets is critical for meeting climate goals and supporting Africa’s young, growing population. We heard inspiring stories, like how early-stage finance from Persistent Energy LLC, supported by FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi) and backed by the UK, is helping to nurture Africa’s innovators and create a pipeline of investible projects. ? To fully engage institutional investors, we must offer scale and liquidity while addressing regulatory challenges. Initiatives like credit guarantees from InfraCredit and export finance from Acre Impact Capital (both #FSDAi investees) are already helping bridge the #FinanceGap. However, more action is needed, and there were plenty of ideas on how the UK ???? can unlock international capital at the scale Africa needs. ? Thanks to Dr. Frannie Leautier, Daniel Hanna, Olukorede (K.O) Adenowo FCA (FirstBank UK Limited), Amal-Lee Amin (British International Investment), Chinua Azubike, Chris M., Toukam Ngoufanke, Arunma (AEEM) Oteh, Dr. Olufunso Somorin (African Development Bank Group), Hana Tehelku (Ethiopian Capital Market Authority), Rob Rudy (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), 'Tokunboh Ishmael, CFA, Greta Bull (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) and Mark Napier for a fascinating discussion and to our co-host Barclays for their support. ?-- #MakingFinanceWork #AFSIC2024 #SustainableFinance

FSD Africa @ #AFSIC2024: Unlocking the investment opportunity in nature-based solutions/projects in Africa, moderated by Dorothy Maseke ,CFIRM, our Lead for Nature and TNFD. During this session, we explored sectors with high potential, such as forestry, agriculture and water management. Adrian Mill (Managing Director, Lion Rouge), Paul Ouma (Partner & Co-Lead of Africa Advisory, CrossBoundary Group), Dr Nicola Ranger (Director, Global Finance and Economy Group of the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford), Anete Garoza (Chief Climate Officer, 1MTN and Michael Musgrave (Manager, Professional Development, School of Wildlife Conservation, AFRICA LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY, discussed financial products specifically designed to support #NatureFinance projects in #Africa?through powerful case studies. Closing off the session, Kelvin Massingham (Director, Risk and Resilience) shared valuable strategies for navigating regulatory challenges and leveraging policy support to drive the growth of nature finance on the continent.? -- #MakingFinanceWork, AFSIC - Investing in Africa, African Natural Capital Alliance

FSD Africa at #AFSIC2024: From insurtechs to Blue Carbon: The Role of Innovative Financing in Building #Africa’s Climate Resilience, moderated by Elias Omondi, our Principal for Innovation for Resilience. In this session, our speakers, Ted Pantone (CEO/Founder, Turaco), Maxime Bayen (Operating Partner, Catalyst Fund), Sarah Makena (Senior Green Finance Specialist, FSD Kenya) and Sitara Merchant-Carter (Chief Executive Officer, Swiss Capacity Building Facility - Verein zur, shared insights into the current state of #ClimateResilience financing in #Africa, exploring the landscape and opportunities in this critical area: In his opening remarks, Kelvin Massingham (Director, Risk and Resilience) discussed innovative financial instruments such as climate risk insurance and blended finance as key forces driving the future of climate resilience. Our speakers also delved into the identification of best practices and successful case studies to inform future initiatives towards developing strategic recommendations for stakeholders to advance climate resilience financing in Africa.? -- #MakingFinanceWork, AFSIC - Investing in Africa

FSD Africa @ #AFSIC2024: Financing the Frontier: Mobilising private capital across the financing continuum; moderated by Mary M. Njuguna, our Principal Specialist, #CapitalMarkets. This session showcased innovative solutions aimed at driving private capital into underfunded sectors of the real economy, often referred to as ‘the frontiers.’ Our distinguished panellists Wairimu Karanja, Partner and Chief Legal Officer - Persistent Energy Capital LLC, 'Tokunboh Ishmael, CFA, Managing Partner – Alitheia Capital, Chinua Azubike, Chief Executive Officer – InfraCredit and Olamipo Ogunsanya, Executive Director - Cygnum Capital, emphasised the importance of directing long-term financing toward #SustainableDevelopment, particularly in critical areas like #Climate, infrastructure, and #MSME growth, where there is a notable shortage of long-term capital. They also offered practical examples of how #Innovation in financial structuring and models can, on the one hand, meet huge financing gaps while at the same time addressing domestic and international institutional investors’ investment needs and the need for a creative approach to designing financial products that meet green and sustainable objectives, #FinancialInclusion, #JobCreation, #ClimateAction, #WomenEmpowerment and the energy transition in #Africa.? -- #MakingFinanceWork, AFSIC - Investing in Africa

In a transformative step toward tackling Africa's critical social and green infrastructure challenges, Acre Impact Capital has secured a $25 million commitment from U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. This strategic investment will directly support infrastructure projects that promote sustainable development, create jobs, and drive long-term economic growth across the continent. As an anchor investor in Acre Impact Capital, FSD Africa Investments is pleased with this news that will see more capital mobilised towards Africa's social and green infrastructure -- #MakingFinanceWork #SustainableDevelopment #ImapctInvestement #ClimateAction #Africa -- Anne-Marie Chidzero, Amos Gachuiri, Beatrice Mubia, Stephen K. Macharia, Zee de Gersigny, Judith Nekesa, May Yego, Keziah Kibata, Alphonce Mwangi, Olasunkanmi Olafare, Ian Muiru, Golda Bagaja, Waithera Njiiri, Loreen Njeri, Nicolas Kirui, Sharon Chweya

"The challenge isn’t just funding small businesses, but building a network of investors who can nurture and grow talent." — Geetha Tharmaratnam, Investment Committee Chair, FSD AI Nyala Facility at the Early Stage Finance Conference, Nairobi. Conversations like the one raised by Geetha Tharmaratnam echoed across various panel discussions. Attendees—investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers—deeply discussed the complexities of scaling startups in Africa. While access to capital was a common theme, many participants, emphasised that the more pressing issue was finding the right type of investor. We want to hear from you! What do you think is the biggest challenge for startups—access to funding or finding the right investors to offer more than just financing? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below -- #MakingFinanceAfrica #EarlyStageFinance #InnovativeSolutions -- Juliet Munro, Anne-Marie Chidzero, Reshma Shah, Mary Kashangaki, Shannon Wangwe, Waithera Njiiri, Keziah Kibata, LENAH MORAA, Judith Nekesa, May Yego, Zee de Gersigny, Loreen Gitonga, Golda Bagaja, Amos Gachuiri, Nicolas Kirui, Ian Muiru -- Nithio, Holocene, First Circle Capital, Five35 Ventures, iungo capital, Linea Capital, Catalyst Fund, FrontEnd Ventures, Africa Climate Ventures, Climate Resilient Africa Fund, Persistent Systems

?? Juliet Munro, our Director, Early-Stage Finance, reflects on the importance of uniting financial intermediaries at the #EarlyStageFinanceConference. This event sparked collaboration and growth in the sector, proving that when we unite diverse voices and ideas, we can unlock exciting investment opportunities across #Africa. Catch the highlights in our recap! -- #MakingFinanceAfrica #EarlyStageFinance #InnovativeSolutions -- Juliet Munro, Anne-Marie Chidzero, Reshma Shah, Mary Kashangaki, Shannon Wangwe, Waithera Njiiri, Keziah Kibata, LENAH MORAA, Judith Nekesa, May Yego, Zee de Gersigny, Loreen Gitonga, Golda Bagaja, Amos Gachuiri, Nicolas Kirui, Ian Muiru -- Nithio, Holocene, First Circle Capital, Five35 Ventures, iungo capital, Linea Capital, Catalyst Fund, FrontEnd Ventures, Africa Climate Ventures, Climate Resilient Africa Fund, Persistent Systems

We are at AFSIC - Investing in Africa Conference 2024 happening in London ???? from October 7-9! #AFSIC prides itself on being so much more than a conference – it is where networking turns into real deals. With dynamic panels focused on hot industry sectors, this year’s plenary sessions are set to address key issues shaping #Africa's finance and investment landscape. Our session highlights on ??? Wednesday from ?? 9:00am: ?? Mary M. Njuguna, our Principal Specialist, #CapitalMarkets, will lead a powerful session on Financing the Frontier. The session will explore creative solutions to mobilise private finance across the capital continuum, driving much-needed capital to enterprises in underfunded sectors of Africa’s real economy. ?? Elias Omondi, Principal, Innovation for Resilience, will moderate a cutting-edge panel on Innovative Financing for Climate Resilience, spotlighting Africa’s insurtechs, blue carbon and more, as we dive into #ClimateResilience financing. ?? Dorothy Maseke ,CFIRM, Lead, Nature & TNFD, will host a deep-dive session on Unlocking Investment in Nature-Based Solutions - from forestry to agriculture, exploring high-potential sectors and the innovative financial products tailored to support them. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/dEwMkC3x We’re proud to sponsor this conference, which is all about connecting Africa’s leading investors with some of its most exciting opportunities. Stop by our booth, W10, to meet with our team at this premier investment event! #AFSIC2024 #MakingFinanceWork #InvestInAfrica #SustainableFinance -- ?Mark Napier, Evans Osano, DBA, Anne-Marie Chidzero, Kelvin Massingham, Kevin Munjal, Juliet Munro, Reshma Shah, Kaara Wainaina, Wanjiru Kamau, Angellah Khamala, Cynthia Burudi, Stephen Bevan, Zee de Gersigny, May Yego, Jonathan Israel

The countdown to this year’s BimaLab Africa Insurtech Conference is on! Join us in Rabat, Morocco for a deep dive into technology and innovation in the financial sector and collaborative strategies to scale insurtech solutions across Africa’s diverse landscape. ?? Location: Rabat, Morocco ?? Date: October 31st, 2024 ?? Focus: Scaling innovative solutions for African markets. ?? In partnership with Autorité de Contr?le des Assurances et de la Prévoyance Sociale (ACAPS) - MAROC Register to attend here: https://lnkd.in/eGF7TXM5 -- #MakingFinanceWork #Insurtech #InsuranceInnovation #SustainableDevelopment #FinanicialInclusion -- Elias Omondi, Elizabeth Njambi, Titus Kisenga.

?? What did attendees think about the FSD Africa Early-Stage Finance Conference? We asked and they answered! In our latest recap video, we captured the energy and insights from some of our amazing attendees who shared what they enjoyed most about the event. From the groundbreaking discussions on early-stage finance to the innovative climate solutions showcased, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive! ???? Here are some of the highlights: ?The opportunity to network with visionary leaders and fund managers driving impactful change across Africa. ?Engaging sessions on gender-inclusive financing, ESG, and building stronger capital pipelines for early-stage businesses. ?Real-life success stories and climate innovations that are transforming Africa’s economic landscape. Whether you were there or missed out, watch the recap video to hear first-hand what made this conference unforgettable! ?? #MakingFinanceWork #EarlyStageFinance #InnovativeSolutions #Africa -- Juliet Munro, Anne-Marie Chidzero, Reshma Shah, Mary Kashangaki, Shannon Wangwe, Waithera Njiiri, Keziah Kibata,LENAH MORAA, Judith Nekesa, May Yego, Zee de Gersigny, Loreen Gitonga, Golda Bagaja, Amos Gachuiri, Nicolas Kirui, Ian Muiru -- Nithio, Holocene, First Circle Capital, Five35 Ventures, iungo capital, Linea Capital, Catalyst Fund, FrontEnd Ventures, Africa Climate Ventures, Climate Resilient Africa Fund, Persistent