FINCA Ventures

FINCA Ventures is an impact investing initiative of FINCA International that leverages a global microfinance network to catalyze market-based solutions to poverty. It does so by providing patient capital and pre- and post-investment support to high-impact, early-stage social enterprises that offer affordable, high-quality and life-enhancing products and services for low-income families.

Ami Dalal

MD

Alex Evangelides

Investment Director

15 past transactions

Kwara

Seed Round in 2023
Kwara GmbH is a company that operates a digital banking platform tailored for savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOs). Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, with an office in Nairobi, Kenya, Kwara provides a cloud-based solution that facilitates loan applications and approvals for members. The platform also includes integration services, customer support, real-time financial tracking, and compliance assistance. Additionally, Kwara offers a product called Kwara Pronto, designed for effective loans management. The company's mission focuses on enhancing the financial cooperative movement, which significantly benefits the lives of numerous individuals.

Kentaste

Venture Round in 2022
Kentaste Products Limited processes, produces, packages, and distributes coconut based products. The company offers coconut milk, creams, and oil for customers who use it in sauces, drinks, curries, and desserts. Its products are available in supermarkets in Kenya. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Kuunda

Seed Round in 2021
Kuunda operates a B2B advisory platform that focuses on providing financial services tailored for developing economies. The company offers a range of tools, including liquidity management and data insight solutions, which help clients meet their financial requirements through a digital interface. By enabling users to access liquidity, Kuunda supports underserved agents, merchants, and consumers, facilitating their ability to maintain their standard of living, grow their businesses, and enhance economic resilience. Additionally, Kuunda's platform promotes increased network productivity and expands the distribution of products, yielding tangible and measurable results for its clients.

Nature Lock

Venture Round in 2021
Nature Lock is a food manufacturing company engaged in the production of ready-to-eat stews such as Tayari kula ndengu. The company's main aim is to fight food waste throughout Africa by utilizing fresh produce for natural, tasty, nutritious and affordable foods for all, right at the source. The company is a subsidiary of Fibered Fresh Partners Ltd.

Ignitia

Series A in 2021
Ignitia AB specializes in producing high-resolution weather forecasts and climate data tailored for tropical regions, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company offers a range of services that include short-term forecasting, monthly and seasonal forecasts, rain forecasting, and climate statistics, aimed at supporting various sectors such as agriculture, industry, mining, and offshore applications. Since its commercial launch in 2015, Ignitia has focused on delivering hyper-local weather updates via SMS based on GPS locations, primarily to assist small-scale farmers in navigating the challenges posed by changing climate conditions. The company's technology is adept at predicting rain patterns in the tropics, where small-scale systems can develop rapidly, providing critical information that helps farmers mitigate adverse weather impacts. Additionally, Ignitia offers early warnings for storms and extreme weather events, enhancing its value in agricultural planning and decision-making. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Ignitia leverages licensed satellite images and near real-time data to support its forecasting capabilities.

MDaaS Global

Seed Round in 2021
MDaaS Global Corp. owns and operates diagnostic centers in clinically-underserved communities in Africa. Its diagnostic centers offer radiology, cardiology, and lab services. The company also offers SentinelX, that enables patients to track their health over time and easily access primary care both in-person and virtually. The company also retails, leases, installs, and maintains medical equipment for hospitals. It caters to the healthcare industry. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Lagos, Nigeria with an additional office in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

ImaliPay

Pre Seed Round in 2021
ImaliPay is a financial health platform offering financial products to freelancers and blue collar gig workers in partnership with gig platforms.

Good Nature Agro

Series A in 2020
Good Nature Agro is a social enterprise based in Chipata, Zambia, dedicated to supporting small-scale farmers. Established in 2014, the company facilitates a community-driven approach by enabling groups of farmers to nominate a Private Extension Agent (PEA) from among themselves. These PEAs receive training to enhance their problem-solving skills and agronomic knowledge, allowing them to provide tailored support and training to fellow farmers during the growing season. Good Nature Agro supplies quality legume seeds and offers farmer-friendly loans to improve productivity. At harvest time, the company guarantees a market for the certified legume seeds produced by these farmers, encouraging them to focus on high-value crops, which significantly boosts their income compared to traditional cash crops like maize and cotton.

East Africa Fruits

Series A in 2020
East Africa Fruits Co. distributes fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains to retailers, wholesalers, local vendors, cafes, hotels, and exporters. The company buys fruits and vegetables from small holders farmers and process them by cleaning, sorting, packing, and marketing. It integrates sellers with buyers and supports smallholder farmers on crop planning in alignment with marketplaces. The company also provides delivery services. East Africa Fruits Co. was founded in 2013 and is based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

East Africa Fruits

Series A in 2020
East Africa Fruits Co. distributes fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains to retailers, wholesalers, local vendors, cafes, hotels, and exporters. The company buys fruits and vegetables from small holders farmers and process them by cleaning, sorting, packing, and marketing. It integrates sellers with buyers and supports smallholder farmers on crop planning in alignment with marketplaces. The company also provides delivery services. East Africa Fruits Co. was founded in 2013 and is based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Amped Innovation

Series A in 2019
Amped Innovation PBC designs and manufactures solar appliances aimed at providing affordable energy solutions for off-grid markets, particularly for individuals living on less than four dollars per day. The company’s product lineup includes solar home systems, lanterns, charge controllers, and electrochlorinators for solar water irrigation, as well as various medical lighting equipment. Notably, Amped Innovation’s flagship product, the Blossom, is a cost-effective solar home power system that features a software-enabled Pay-As-You-Go interface, allowing customers to pay in installments comparable to their current kerosene expenses. This system not only delivers enhanced power and performance but also enables users to charge devices and operate appliances such as televisions and sewing machines. Founded in 2016 and based in Palo Alto, California, Amped Innovation is committed to delivering quality and sustainable energy solutions across energy, water, and medical fields.

MDaaS Global

Seed Round in 2019
MDaaS Global Corp. owns and operates diagnostic centers in clinically-underserved communities in Africa. Its diagnostic centers offer radiology, cardiology, and lab services. The company also offers SentinelX, that enables patients to track their health over time and easily access primary care both in-person and virtually. The company also retails, leases, installs, and maintains medical equipment for hospitals. It caters to the healthcare industry. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Lagos, Nigeria with an additional office in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ignitia

Series A in 2018
Ignitia AB specializes in producing high-resolution weather forecasts and climate data tailored for tropical regions, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company offers a range of services that include short-term forecasting, monthly and seasonal forecasts, rain forecasting, and climate statistics, aimed at supporting various sectors such as agriculture, industry, mining, and offshore applications. Since its commercial launch in 2015, Ignitia has focused on delivering hyper-local weather updates via SMS based on GPS locations, primarily to assist small-scale farmers in navigating the challenges posed by changing climate conditions. The company's technology is adept at predicting rain patterns in the tropics, where small-scale systems can develop rapidly, providing critical information that helps farmers mitigate adverse weather impacts. Additionally, Ignitia offers early warnings for storms and extreme weather events, enhancing its value in agricultural planning and decision-making. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Ignitia leverages licensed satellite images and near real-time data to support its forecasting capabilities.

Eneza Education

Series A in 2018
Eneza Education Limited, founded in 2011 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, specializes in providing mobile technology-based education services. The company offers a virtual tutor and teacher's assistant, enabling students and teachers to access curriculum-aligned courses, assessments, and interactive support from live instructors via mobile devices. Its platform includes locally-adapted tutorials, tips, assessments, and features such as a leaderboard and live teacher chat, accessible through various formats including USSD/SMS, a web app, an offline desktop app, and an Android app. Eneza Education targets individual parents, students, and teachers with subscription-based access to its educational resources, ensuring that learners across Kenya, from urban centers to rural areas, can benefit from comprehensive, on-demand educational support.