Accion is a global nonprofit organization founded in 1961 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, dedicated to enhancing financial inclusion worldwide. The organization focuses on providing access to financial tools and services for underserved individuals, small businesses, and communities. Accion collaborates with financial service providers to deliver affordable and high-quality solutions, while also engaging with industry leaders and regulators to promote a more inclusive financial landscape. Through its Venture Lab initiative, Accion invests in innovative fintech startups that work to improve the accessibility, quality, and affordability of financial services for underserved populations. In addition to capital investment, Accion offers strategic and operational support to these startups, helping them scale and thrive in the formal economy. The organization emphasizes the use of technology and new business models to create impactful customer experiences, thereby fostering financial health and capabilities among those traditionally excluded from financial services.
Global Founders Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2013 and based in Berlin, Germany, with a focus on empowering entrepreneurs globally. The firm is stage agnostic, investing in companies across various sectors, including internet, software, fintech, e-commerce, and telecommunications. Global Founders Capital typically invests in the equity of young technology companies, with a preference for startups located in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Vietnam, Colombia, Europe, the United States, and China. Investment amounts range from €0.01 million to €10 million, with specific allocations varying by stage: seed investments typically between €0.1 million and €1 million, early-stage investments between €1 million and €3 million, and growth-stage investments between €3 million and €8 million. The firm often seeks to be the lead investor and aims to secure board representation in its portfolio companies.
Speedinvest is a European venture capital firm based in Vienna, Austria, founded in 2011. It focuses on early-stage investments in technology-related companies, targeting sectors such as fintech, insurtech, deep tech, and consumer tech. The firm typically invests between €250,000 and €3 million, aiming for minority stakes of up to 20% in its portfolio companies. Speedinvest emphasizes operational support and seeks to collaborate closely with entrepreneurs, often taking on operational roles for six months to a year. With a network that extends to Silicon Valley, Speedinvest positions itself as a pivotal investment and development hub within Europe’s start-up ecosystem, actively investing in Central and Eastern European markets including Austria, Germany, and the UK.
August Equity is a London-based private equity firm founded in 2001, specializing in mid-market investments in service-oriented businesses in the UK. They focus on sectors such as healthcare, education, business services, and technology that offer opportunities for long-term growth due to changing demographics, regulations, and technological developments. August Equity builds strong relationships with family-owned and founder-managed businesses, backing individuals with innovative ideas and a drive to succeed. Their investment process involves in-depth analysis of industries and markets to deliver well-informed proposals. With a long-term investment horizon, August Equity aims to support companies in high-growth sectors to sustain and expand their businesses successfully.
Quona Capital is a venture capital firm established in 2015 that focuses on investing in growth-stage financial technology companies in emerging markets, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The firm believes in the power of technology to enhance financial services for underserved consumers and businesses, aiming to foster financial inclusion globally. Quona Capital specializes in disruptive innovations within the fintech sector and provides equity investments to companies developing products and services beyond microcredit, including alternative lending, remittances, insurance, and prepaid services. With a commitment to supporting startups dedicated to financial inclusion, the firm also invests in adjacent sectors such as agriculture, health, education, commerce, and mobility. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Quona Capital has additional offices in Bengaluru, Lima, Cape Town, and Mexico City.
Inventures is a European venture capital fund that builds a better world through a portfolio of investments in sustainable businesses. The firm has two funds: Inventures I & Inventures II. Inventures was created to support early stage smart and innovative European businesses, to support sustainable job growth and empower entrepreneurs. Inventures empowers citizenship co-investments through a crowdfunding platform, MyMicroInvest.
Riverside Company is a global private equity firm specializing in investments in growing businesses with enterprise values of up to $400 million. Established in 1988, Riverside has completed over 480 transactions and manages a diverse international portfolio of more than 80 companies. As one of the largest private equity firms in the world, Riverside Company focuses on both control and non-control investments to support the growth and development of companies across various industries.
Encomenda is a Venture Capital specialized in seed investments in technology startups. We open the door to investors and professional business angels to capitalize their investments through collective investment vehicles. We minimize investment risks thanks to the diversification of the portfolio and preferential access to the best projects in search of financing.
Playfair Capital is an early-stage investment fund based in London, dedicated to supporting ambitious founders globally. The firm adopts a sector-agnostic approach, investing in a diverse range of industries, including deep tech, SaaS, marketplaces, and B2B companies. By merging the advantages of angel investing with a structured fund, Playfair Capital provides substantial backing to innovative startups. The fund has supported the founders of over 50 companies, demonstrating its commitment to fostering entrepreneurial talent and driving growth in various sectors.