As part of a research project funded by the Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3), I&P is analyzing its investment portfolio of more than 250 African small and medium-sized enterprises to identify how, when, and why to use catalytic capital, and how to evaluate the social and financial outcomes of these investments.
Selected for the ImpactAssets 50 ranking, I&P is pleased to join once again this year's "Emeritus Manager" category, which includes impact funds that have achieved IA 50 recognition for at least 5 years and have consistently demonstrated their commitment to generating positive impact.
I&P is positioning itself alongside other "Emeritus Managers" in 2023, such as ACCION International, Bamboo Capital Partners, Calvert Impact Capital, Capria Ventures, LeapFrog Investments and Root Capital.
From January, 31st to February, 3rd, I&P organized a regional meeting in Cotonou, Benin, for a training seminar aimed at strengthening the skills of stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem (accelerators, incubators, public and private intermediaries) and thus promote the development of an SME-friendly environment.
We are pleased to share with you the first newsletter of this year 2023, including the latest news from I&P, its partner funds and portfolio. And we'll go into a little more detail about the launch of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, a major initiative for our entire sector.
I&P is pleased to present its Annual Impact Report, that presents the collective results of our different programs and funds.
The report presents an overview of I&P's activities and impact methodology and goes through our six impact pillars : developing Africa entrepreneurship, creating decent jobs, providing SDG-aligned goods and services, promoting women's empowerment, strengthening the local economic fabric and fostering environmentally-friendly development.
In this article from Le Figaro, Anne Cheyvialle describes the rise of the Burkinabe agricultural processing company Agroserv, now the leading player in the maize value chain in Burkina Faso and on its way to becoming one of the most important players in West Africa, and how I&P, through its various financing and support vehicles, has contributed to this growth.
As I&P celebrates its 20th year of activity, the team is pleased to present its "Manifesto for the financing and support of entrepreneurship in Africa.
Based on 20 years of learning, entrepreneurial adventures, successes as well as failures and challenges, this manifesto aims to share with you the five best practices or core approaches that we believe are essential if we want to accomplish our mission to serve African entrepreneurs.
Sutura (also know as 2AD) is a company producing and marketing sanitary pads in Bamako, Mali. The main mission of Sutura is to reduce the taboo around menstruation and to help teenagers and young girls to blossom during their menstrual cycle by offering them adapted and environmentally friendly sanitary pads.
The entrepreneurs
The company was created by Awa and Adam Drabo, two twin sisters who both completed internships at the National Laboratory of Mali and the Institute of Rural Economy of Mali (IER) before launching into entrepreneurship in 2019. Awa manages the production and the purchase of raw materials, the storage and the management of the relationship with the different suppliers. Adam handles the sales and marketing side and manages the brand's communication on the various social networks.
Partnership with I&P and Zira Capital
2AD Company is supported by Zira Capital through I&P Acceleration program in Sahel. This partnership has mainly for objective to :
⇒ Improve the production tool and the quality of finished products
⇒ Increase sales to middle class customers through the implementation of an adapted commercial strategy
⇒ Support the company in strengthening the technical skills of human capital
⇒ Structure the organization and cost management through the implementation of internal procedures
Video report
In 2024, I&P produced a video report on the company and its impact:
Fa Confection by Naty is a young company specialized in traditional and professional clothes and articles in Senegal.
The entrepreneur
Fa Confection was founded by Aminata Ka, a Senegalese entrepreneur with a passion for fashion design. She holds a master's degree in International Business from the American Business School in Paris and has a strong experience in the banking sector in France and in Senegal.
Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital
This young company is supported by I&P and Teranga Capital through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. This partnership aims at :
increase production capacity to meet the growing demand
strengthen the services offered to customers by developing new value-added business lines
increase the company’s visibility and ensure efficient business development
structure the company’s activities on the operational, fiscal, accounting and financial levels