About the Programme
The Investment Catalyst Facility (ICF) is the Global Distributors Collective’s flagship initiative to help member companies professionalise and access the financing they need to grow. It is a strategic cooperation between GDC, public and private financiers, with financial support from the Energising Development programme (financed by Germany, Switzerland, Norway and The Netherlands) and the UK government, via the Transforming Energy Access platform. ICF will provide tailored financial and technical support to 15 high-potential GDC member companies preparing to raise debt investments between €50,000 and €500,000.
Through the ICF programme, GDC aims to strengthen investment readiness, support successful due diligence, and catalyse funding for locally led and women-led enterprises delivering energy access across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Need working capital to grow? The GDC Investment Catalyst Facility helps last mile distributors prepare for investment and access debt.
Why the Investment Catalyst Facility?
Accessing debt finance remains one of the biggest challenges for last mile distributors. Many businesses struggle to secure loans because of high transaction costs, complex collateral requirements, and perceived risk.
The Investment Catalyst Facility (ICF) aims to help bridge that gap. It equips distributors to strengthen their financial systems, engage confidently with investors, with the objective to secure small-ticket debt that drives growth. The Facility will also work with investment partners to make smaller ticket size debt transactions available for last mile distributors.
By backing locally-led and women-led enterprises, the ICF aims to unlock smaller ticket size debt transactions for last mile distributors selling clean energy products.
Programme objectives
The Investment Catalyst Facility supports last mile distributors (LMDs) to move from investment readiness to financial close.
The programme will:
- Strengthen financial foundations: improve accounting systems, complete audits, and prepare investor-ready documentation.
- Build investor confidence: through tailored support, financial screening, and one-to-one guidance.
- Enable real financing outcomes: supporting at least seven companies to reach financial close and unlock working capital.
- Share learnings sector-wide: helping more locally-led distributors access debt in the future.
The role of investment partners in the ICF Programme
Through the Facility, investment partners:
- Can apply for transaction de-risking grant enabling them to lend to early-stage or underserved companies. Up to €10,000 per transaction in subsidy.
- Collaborate on due diligence and monitoring, helping to ensure responsible financing and mutual learning.
- Test innovative financing models, sharing lessons on how to unlock more private capital for last mile distribution.
We are keen to learn from and work with other investment partners who are interested in supporting last mile distributors so please contact us here if you are an investor and want to find out more.
