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Transforming Startup Financing: The Rise of Venture Debt and Alternative Finance in MENA
The venture capital ecosystem in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) experienced a 23% drop in funding and a 34% decline in the number of transactions closed in 2023. But as Reem Goussous at Village Capital and Dunya Bashiti at Capifly explain, alternative capital solutions are emerging to fill the gap — including venture debt, which reached $757 million in the region last year, a staggering 50-fold increase from 2020 levels. They explore how venture debt provides an important financing tool for early-stage, high-growth startups in MENA, enabling them to access funding without diluting their equity.
- Categories
- Investing
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Analysis: How Nigeria’s GetEquity Is Pivoting to Survive Global Capital Shortage
GetEquity is now providing private investments to both individuals and institutions through its platform and API infrastructure.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Announcing Kiva’s Bold New Impact Strategy: The Nonprofit Microfinance Pioneer Shares its Refined Approach — And Unveils the Process Behind its Development
Both social enterprises and nonprofits need inspiring missions to thrive, and when those missions are coupled with well-crafted impact strategies, the change they seek to make is more likely to become reality. Kiva CEO Vishal Ghotge announces the pioneering microfinance nonprofit's latest impact strategy, explains how it will shape Kiva's next phase — and reveals the process behind its creation, so it can serve as a resource for other organizations.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Social Enterprise
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The Coca-Cola Foundation to Support Under-Represented Entrepreneurs
Kiva assists people who do not have access to commercial bank services to lenders through crowdfunding microfinance.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Finance, WASH
- Region
- Global
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Pangea to Unlock Diaspora Remittances as Funding Source for African Startups
Pangea Trust, through its equity crowdfunding platform Connect, is unlocking diaspora remittance inflows as funding source for early and growth-stage startups in Africa.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Tugende Raises $17 Million in Debt to Expand Vehicle, Equipment Financing for MSMEs in Kenya, Uganda
Tugende, a financial technology (fintech) firm specializing in vehicle finance in Uganda and Kenya, recently raised USD 17 million in debt funding.
- Categories
- Finance, Transportation
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Pandemic is Not Over for Social Enterprises: Here’s How Impact Investors and Other Funders Can Help Them Survive COVID-19
Social enterprises are developing innovative, sustainable and scalable solutions to the world's deepest economic and social issues, but many of these businesses are at risk of disappearing due to COVID-19. According to Alethia Kang at Acceso and Luke Seidle at Kiva, impact investors and other funders must step up to keep the social enterprise field afloat. They share five steps funders can take to bolster these businesses, and discuss how the partnership between their two organizations illustrates the value of flexible funding support during a crisis.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Supporting Farmers and Food Systems: How Crowdfunding Can Address Funding Challenges for Agricultural SMEs in Africa
Agriculture employs over 70% of the working population in Africa, making it a cornerstone of the continent's economic progress and livelihood development. But as Esther Mweru and Jerry Sellanga at 2SCALE explain, the financial strain of COVID-19 — combined with previously existing market inefficiencies — is putting many vulnerable farmers and agricultural small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at risk. They explore how crowdfunding can provide a financial lifeline to these smallholders and businesses, and discuss how 2SCALE is using it to support agribusinesses in Mali, Nigeria and Kenya.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance, Technology
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