Sinergi Burkina

BIOPROTECT is a production and marketing unit for organic inputs (biopesticides and organic amendments) based on local natural resources (mushrooms, plants, agricultural and livestock residues).  To date, it markets eight products on the Burkinabe market:

•  2 biostimulants/fungicides (to stimulate the natural defences of plants)
• 4 organic insecticides
• 1 food storage warehouse treatment product
• Compost.

Beyond producing and marketing organic inputs, BIOPROTECT offers other services that complement the input activity which are :

• The processing and/or marketing of raw products (tomato puree, green beans, sesame) from the exploitation of market gardeners and farmers accompanied by the company.
• The provision of services (technical support, training, assistance, advice) to natural and legal persons active or wishing to engage in ecological/biological production

ENTREPRENEURS

Mr. Arsène SAVADOGO, is a graduate of a double master's degree in strategy of agri-food companies and in economic and financial engineering of projects and public policies. Mr. SAVADOGO has been managing BIOPROTECT since its creation in 2011. He is currently coordinating a multi-stakeholder consortium (composed of INERA, IRD, ARFA, BIOPHYTECH and BIOPROTECT) led by BIOPROTECT-B which is working on a research and development programme on quality improvement of organic soil improvers funded by the EU.  

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SINERGI BURKINA

Bioprotect is supported by Sinergi Burkina through private equity.

EXPECTED IMPACTS

• Consolidation of existing jobs and job creation
• Development of sustainable agriculture
• Valorization of local products

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).  → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina

MAÏA AFRICA SAS is a social company based in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso developing solutions to protect African populations from malaria. The first product designed by the company, MAÏA® is a shea butter-based ointment that protects users from Anopheles mosquitoes more than 5 hours after application. After a successful prototyping and test phase, Maïa has just launched the first long-lasting anti-mosquito ointment for the Burkinabe population and more generally West Africa.

ENTREPRENEURS

Gérard Niyondiko is co-founder and managing director. He leads the research with technical partners. Gérard holds a Master's degree in water and sanitation from the 2iE engineering school (Burkina Faso) and a Master's degree in chemistry from the University of Bujumbura (Burundi). He previously worked as a chemistry teacher and technical director for an industrial company.

Franck Langevin is co-founder and president of the company. He is in charge of strategy, operations, marketing and partnerships. Franck has worked for 15 years in the field of marketing of innovative solutions and in international trade. He holds certificates in management from Stanford University (USA), Dublin University (Ireland) and NEOMA (France).

CONTRIBUTIONS BY SINERGI BURKINA

The objectives of partnerships include

• Organizational capacity building
• Financing of mass communication (posters and advertising spot)
• Acquisition of raw materials from local producers

EXPECTED IMPACTS

• Fight against malaria
• Protection of more than 100,000 lives
• Improvement of the incomes of shea butter producers and resellers

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).  → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for start-ups in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership is designed to support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises in order to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still poorly developed. Click here to learn more

The Société de Fabrication du Coton Burkinabè (SOFACOB) is a company that transforms local cotton fibre into hydrophilic cotton for medical use. Created in 2016, SOFACOB begins to impose itself on a market that was once driven by imports. The company employs about twenty people, 75% of whom are women assigned to packaging tasks.

SOFACOB is accompanied by Sinergi Burkina since 2019 as part of the Partnering to Accelerate Entrepreneurship (PACE) program in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

THE ENTREPRENEUR

SOFACOB was created by Dr Céline KOBEANE, senior pharmacist of the Savannah Pharmacy, and graduate of the University of Ouagadougou. Thanks to her experience, she masters the supply circuit of medicines and medical consumables. After training in China, she aims to put all cotton-based medical consumables on the local medical market.

CONTRIBUTION OF SINERGI BURKINA

The purpose of the accompaniment can be summarized in 3 points:

• testing new products intended for the mass distribution market
• structure the company's accounting department
• strengthen the company's working capital requirement

About Sinergi Burkina

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → Sinergi Burkina website.

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for start-ups in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership is designed to support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises in order to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still poorly developed. Click here to learn more. 

Created in 2003, MAMA is an industrial unit that is involved in the production and marketing of spring water in plastic bags and glass and fruit nectar. Since 2014, the company has set up a fruit nectar production line under the name "MAMAJUS". MAMA has been supported by Sinergi Burkina since 2019 as part of the Partnering to Accelerate Entrepreneurship (PACE) program in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

THE ENTREPRENEUR

MAMA was created by Amamatou MAIGA who naturally became involved in the management of the family business at a young age. She began her apprenticeship as a customer manager alongside her father in the TRANSMIF company, a family business that was involved in inter urban transport.

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SINERGI BURKINA

The USAID program funds the following activities:

• Strengthen the commercial action of the company, which will allow it to penetrate the fruit juice market through communication and the acquisition of a delivery vehicle.
• Rehabilitate the water production line MAMA CUP
• Strengthen the capacities of the company's accounting department by training agents and setting up management tools.

About Sinergi Burkina

Created in 2016, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → Sinergi Burkina website

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for start-ups in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership is designed to support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises in order to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still poorly developed. Click here to learn more

The Ferme d'Embouche Bovine (FEB) is a unit specializing in livestock farming, more specifically cattle fattening and butchery. As such, it markets several products (fattened beef, fresh meat, etc.).

THE ENTREPRENEUR

The Ferme d'Embouche Bovine (FEB) is an initiative of Donatien ZONGO. Holder of a Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Ouagadougou, he started breeding after several training courses and practical internships in two farms in Ouagadougou and Koudougou.

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SINERGI BURKINA 

Within the framework of the partnership with Sinergi Burkina, the objectives are as follows: 

- Implementation of accounting  
- Production equipment 
- Fittings and furniture 
- Computer hardware  
- WCR financing (purchase of cattle + zootechnical inputs) 

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA 

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina 

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for young companies located in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership will support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still underdeveloped. → Click here to find out more

FasoPro is a company that transforms food products based on edible insects. Since 2014 FasoPro offers a range of products based on shea and locust caterpillars. FasoPro is now one of the most successful and award-winning start-ups in the country, having won the special award for the best social impact in 2018.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

FasoPro is an initiative of Kahitouo HIEN. Holder of a Master's degree in Biochemistry-Microbiology obtained in 2009 at the University of Ouagadougou, and a Master's degree in Water and Environmental Engineering, Environment option from the International Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) obtained in 2012, his innovative vision for the company has earned him multiple national and international awards.

CONTRIBUTIONS BY SINERGI BURKINA

Fasopro has been supported by Sinergi Burkina since 2019 as part of the Partnering to Accelerate Entrepreneurship (PACE) program in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The objectives are as follows:

• Financing of mass communication (production of advertising spots and their broadcast on television).
• Reinforcement of FasoPro's production capacity through the purchase of production equipment (oven, fryer, semi-automatic welding machine, etc.) and the purchase of raw material (shea butter caterpillars)

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina 

ABOUT USAID PROGRAM

Investisseurs & Partenaires and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched in 2016 an innovative acceleration program for young companies located in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The partnership will support high-potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises to facilitate their access to financing in a region where the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship is still underdeveloped. → Click here to find out more

PALOBDE is a company specializing since 2018 in the production and marketing of washable sanitary towels. In addition to meeting a hygienic need where Burkinabé teenage girls cannot afford disposable pads, PALOBDE promotes a local raw material (cotton) while respecting ecological standards.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

The initiative was led by Emilie Palobde KYENDREBEOGO, also involved with the NGO Helen Keller International in Burkina Faso. Previously, she held the positions of accountant and finance administrator at IFDC Burkina Faso.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF SINERGI BURKINA

The company has been supported by Sinergi Burkina through private equity.

The objectives are to :

- Increase of the production capacity by the construction of a larger and more adapted production site on the one hand, and on the other hand through the acquisition of new machines and the control of the supply chain
- Implementation of an effective commercial strategy to develop the B2C positioning and strengthen the B2B

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina 

Created in the 2000s on the initiative of Mr Compaoré, the Institut Supérieur de Technologies (IST) is a private secular technical and vocational higher education institution. With more than 2,000 students spread over its 24 training courses, including 11 in management sciences, the institution currently has six sites, including three franchises.

IST prepares its students for BTS, Bachelor's and Master's degrees. It currently delivers 32 diplomas including 23 recognized by CAMES, thus placing the institution in 3rd place among the institutions with the highest number of recognized diplomas.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Company manager with more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and consultant, Issa Compaoré was trained as a State Engineer in Industrial Engineering with a specialization in Production Engineering at the Mohammedia School of Engineering (EMI in Rabat).

In 1995, back in Burkina Faso, he started teaching. He was then professor of physics, management and corporate culture at the National School of Telecommunications between 1997 and 2000. Parallel to his teaching duties, he also provides consulting services through his company called DEMAIN SARL (Développement et Management Industrie), created in January 1997. 

In 2000, driven by a strong entrepreneurial spirit, he decided to create IST (Institut Supérieur des Technologies).

PARTNERSHIP WITH SINERGI BURKINA

The objectives of partnerships include :

• The establishment of a reliable accounting information system
• Consolidation of contracts with franchises
• Trademark protection

The Institut Supérieur de Technologies also benefits from financial support and technical assistance within the framework of the I&P Acceleration in the Sahel program, in partnership with the European Union. To cope with the unprecedented situation of covid-19, some fifteen companies benefit from technical and financial support to maintain their activities and overcome the crisis.

IMPACTS

⇒ Consolidation of more than 150 full and part-time jobs

⇒ Reflection on a scholarship program for students in difficult circumstances

⇒ Establishing good governance 

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → Sinergi Burkina website

A family business created in 1999 at the initiative of Mrs TOURÉ, Rose Eclat is a company that operates in the agricultural field, more specifically in the processing of fruit and vegetables. Today, the company puts on the national and international market processed and/or dried fruits and vegetables certified BIO and HACCP such as mango (flagship product), banana, okra, strawberry, or onion. 

Rose Eclat works in partnership with more than 500 small producers, which she supports technically, organizationally and financially.
 

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Rosemonde Rita Evelyne TOURÉ has a postgraduate degree in law (DEA) and more than 20 years of experience in mango drying. She relies on her experience and a young and dynamic team to manage the company.

Her commitment and dynamism have earned her many distinctions such as :

• Knight of the Order of Merit of Commerce and Industry
• Green Africa" Quality Award, 2010
• UEMOA Quality Award 2017 awarded by ABNORMES
• Award of Excellence for the Best Exporter of the Year 2017

CONTRIBUTIONS BY SINERGI BURKINA

Rose Eclat is the first company run by a woman in the SINERGI BURKINA portfolio. The objectives of the partnerships are among others :

• The structuring and establishment of a management body
• Increasing annual production capacity 
• Customer and product diversification 
• Obtaining the British Retail Consortium (BRC) certificate

Rose Eclat also benefits from financial support and technical assistance within the framework of the I&P Acceleration in Sahel program, in partnership with the European Union. To cope with the unprecedented situation of covid-19, some fifteen companies benefit from technical and financial support to maintain their activities and overcome the crisis.

IMPACTS

• Formalizing and securing jobs
• Establishing good governance
• Payment of taxes and social contributions

ABOUT SINERGI BURKINA

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).  → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina

AGROSERV INDUSTRIE is an industrial unit processing maize into gritz and flour. Based in the industrial zone of Kossodo (Ouagadougou), the unit is equipped with two automatic production lines with a production capacity of 50 tons per day each.

The expertise developed by the promoter since the creation of the company in 2008 has allowed to him to conquer a significant portion of the national market.

In order to optimize the supply chain, AGROSERV INDUSTRIE decided to organize and support a network of small producers.

The entrepreneur

M. Siaka SANON holds a degree in IT Management. After graduating, he integrated the family business called EKSF (Establishment SANON Karidia et Fils), specialized in the collect and marking of cereals on local and international markets. This experience enabled him to get a full understanding of the maize supply chain. He managed the company for ten years and let its evolution towards AgroServ Industry, launched as a SARL in 2008.

Read the interview of Siaka Sanon (2022)

Partnership with I&P and Sinergi Burkina

Partnership with I&P and OikoCredit (2022 - now)

In 2022, Oikocredit and I&P (through its fund IPAE), with the support of BIO and EDFI AgriFI, completed the investment of €12.2 million in AgroServ Industrie.

This funding will allow Agroserv Industrie:

⇒ To build a new production unit in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso, which will increase Agroserv's processing capacity to 160 tons per day.

⇒ Agroserv also plans to diversify into higher value-added products, including high-energy flour, pre-cooked cornmeal and soy protein, which will be sold to households, the government for school canteens and the World Food Program.

⇒ Smallholder farmers supplying Agroserv are also expected to increase to 12,000 (from 6,000 today) through closer collaboration with local cooperatives, increased direct sourcing, and higher yields, thanks to technical assistance provided by I&P.

Read more about this new investment

Partnership with Sinergi Burkina (2017-2022)

AgroServ Industrie is the second investment of Sinergi Burkina, an impact fund sponsored by I&P and dedicated to small companies in Burkina Faso.

The collaboration between Agroserv Industrie and Sinergi Burkina had considerable impacts on the local economic fabric. It has notably allowed the strengthening of a network of some 6.000 small maize producers and the employees jobs' formalization. 

AgroServ Industrie is the first exit of Sinergi Burkina, after 5 years of successful collaboration.

Read more about the exit

In 2020, AgroServ also benefitted from financial support and technical assistance within the framework of the I&P Acceleration in the Sahel program, in partnership with the European Union. To cope with the unprecedented situation of covid-19, some fifteen companies benefit from technical and financial support to maintain their activities and overcome the crisis.

Main Impacts

• Structuring a network of more than 6,000 small maize producers

• Import substitution and sale of essential goods at affordable price

• Wages well above the legal minimum in Burkina Faso

About I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2 (IPAE 2)

IPAE 2 is an impact fund promoting the emergence of a new generation of responsible African entrepreneurs. IPAE 2 invests in equity and quasi-equity as a minority shareholder in startups and businesses located in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean, for amounts comprised between €300,000 and €5 million.

Read more

About Sinergi Burkina

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).  → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina