Swedfund International

Swedfund International AB, established in 1979, is a Swedish government-owned investment firm specializing in high-risk, emerging markets. It provides risk capital, including equity, loans, and expertise, to seed, start-up, and mature companies in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Sweden. Swedfund invests between SEK 5 million and SEK 100 million, seeking a minority stake not exceeding one-third of the total investment. It typically invests in companies that do not manufacture or sell weapons, tobacco, or alcohol, and avoids investing in Swedish businesses of Swedish companies. Swedfund takes a Board seat in its portfolio companies and seeks to exit investments within five to ten years. It does not invest alongside private individuals or co-operatives, provide donations, or engage in sponsorships.

Björn Areskog

Senior Investment Manager

Benoît Bourban

Investment Analyst

Agnes Carlström

Investment Manager

Dahlfors, Håkan

Director of Project Accelerator

Gayk Dzharayan

Investment Manager

Julia Ekberg

Investment Analyst

Anthony Foulgoc

Investment Analyst

Sofia Gedeon

Investment Director Sustainable Enterprises

Helen Hagos

Senior Investment Manager

Junehee Han

Investment Analyst

Jérémie Hoffsaes

Senior Investment Manager

Sara Jolind

Investment Analyst

Jonas Kolijn

Senior Investment Manager

Jakob Larsson

Senior Investment Manager

Alejandro Navarro

Investment Manager

Jane Niedra

Investment Director, Financial Inclusion

Jane Niedra

Investment Director Financial Inclusion

Gunilla Nilsson

Investment Director Energy and Climate

Gunilla Nilsson

Investment Director Energy and Climate

Jonas Nilsson

Investment Manager

Audrey Obara

Senior Investment Manager and Head of Regional office, Nairobi

Arvid Raa

Investment Manager

Sofia Ragnhammar

Investment Manager

Johan Selander

CFO

Filip Stubbfält

Investment Analyst

Anton Ståhl

Investment Manager

Sebastian Süllmann

Investment Manager

Elin Thesleff

Investment Manager

Esther Wachira

Associate Senior Investment Manager

Tomas Wadström

Senior Investment Manager

Björn Areskog

Senior Investment Manager

Tomas Wadström

Senior Investment Manager

Past deals in Francophone Africa

Groupe Cofina

Debt Financing in 2024
Cofina Mali is a microfinance institution focused on supporting the growth of informal micro-enterprises in the region. Established as part of Groupe COFINA, it aims to enhance financial inclusion by offering a range of financial services, including savings and credit options tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises. Cofina Mali plays a crucial role in the formalization of the African business market by providing medium and long-term financing to businesses that may not meet the criteria of traditional commercial banks. With a presence in multiple French-speaking African countries, Cofina Mali is dedicated to fostering the development of the private sector and contributing to economic growth in the region.

Kasha

Venture Round in 2020
Kasha is a Rwanda-based e-commerce company, established in 2016, that operates in Rwanda and Kenya. It specializes in distributing a wide range of personal care and health products tailored to women, including menstrual care, sexual health items, pharmaceuticals, and mom and baby care products. Kasha's online platform ensures accessibility to these products in both urban and rural areas, promoting women's health and well-being at various life stages.

Ecobank

Debt Financing in 2015
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), a public limited liability company under a private sector initiative spearheaded by the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry with the support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). In the early 1980’s foreign and state-owned banks dominated the banking industry in West Africa. Commercial banks in West Africa owned and managed by the African private sector were a rarity. Its founders created ETI with the objective of filling this vacuum. The Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce promoted and initiated a project to create a private, regional banking institution in West Africa. In 1984, Ecopromotions S.A. was incorporated. Its founding shareholders raised seed capital for feasibility studies and the promotional activities leading to the creation of ETI. In October 1985, ETI was incorporated with authorised capital of US$100 million. The initial paid up capital of US$32 million was raised from over 1,500 individuals and institutions from West African countries. The largest shareholder was the ECOWAS Fund for Cooperation, Compensation and Development (ECOWAS Fund), the development finance arm of ECOWAS. Ecobank signed a Headquarters’ Agreement with the Government of Togo in 1985, which granted it the status of an international organisation. This status came with the rights and privileges necessary for ETI to operate as a regional institution, including the status of a non-resident financial institution. ETI commenced operations with its first subsidiary in Togo in March 1988.

UAP Group

Venture Round in 2012
UAP Group is a pan-African financial services group with interests in insurance, investment management, property development and investments, securities brokerage and financial advisory. The history of the Group can be traced back by over 90 years while recent expansion and growth in the East African market have made UAP one of the key players in the financial services sector in the region. Currently, the group has businesses operating in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, DRC and Tanzania.
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