Enabling greater access to finance for rural SMEs
Our financing facility provides debt to early-stage digital innovators, based in sub-Saharan Africa, who are enabling greater access to finance for rural SMEs.
Our capital will act as a bridge to allow start-ups to reach future funding rounds and grow their success
A different kind of financing
Our goal is to see a thriving and well-funded ecosystem around rural focused small and medium-sized enterprises across Africa.
It is an exciting time for business and innovation in Africa, but currently there are insufficient debt products to meet this growing demand, particular for new and emerging business models that are powered by technology.
- We will provide funding for loan books for early-stage companies
- We will do this using a simple debt product, enabling founders to keep their precious equity
- We will be quick and responsive to the needs of entrepreneurs
A different kind of financing
Our goal is to see a thriving and well-funded ecosystem around rural focused small and medium-sized enterprises across Africa.
It is an exciting time for business and innovation in Africa, but currently there are insufficient debt products to meet this growing demand, particular for new and emerging business models that are powered by technology.
- We will provide funding for loan books for early-stage companies
- We will do this using a simple debt product, enabling founders to keep their precious equity
- We will be quick and responsive to the needs of entrepreneurs
Investment Portfolio
Coamana
Country
Kenya & Nigeria
Invested
May 2024
Coamana
Coamana improve market efficiency by supporting farmers and businesses with access to market trade services and , financing solutions in Africa’s physical market hubs.
Liquify
Country
Ghana
Invested
October 2024
Liquify
Liquify is a transformative player in trade finance for African SME exporters, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Credify
Country
Uganda
Invested
January 2025
Credify
Credify is on a mission to make trade seamless and transparent for SME exporters and importers across the continent.
Patasente
Country
Uganda
Invested
November 2023
Patasente
Patasente is a tech-enabled procurement, payments, and factoring platform that enables sellers and buyers to trade on favourable payment terms.
Vetsark
Country
Nigeria
Invested
April 2024
Vetsark
Vetsark helps farmers and agribusinesses access finance and increase productivit by helping farmers source inputs and sell their products at fair prices.
Sevi
Country
Kenya
Invested
November 2023
Sevi
Sevi is an innovative B2B platform in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) space, working with a range of SMEs to provide supply chain financing.
Proboutik
Country
Senegal
Invested
December 2023
Proboutik
PROBOUTIK is an invoice lending management platform for informal micro-businesses and SMEs in francophone West Africa.
Lendha
Country
Nigeria
Invested
January 2024
Lendha
Lendha is a cutting-edge fintech company providing access to finance for MSMEs in Nigeria.
Pumpkn
Country
South Africa
Invested
November 2024
Pumpkn
Pumpkn is a South African digital-first lender supporting SMEs operating in the agri and food value chain.
Country
Kenya & Nigeria
Invested
May 2024
Coamana improve market efficiency by supporting farmers and businesses with access to market trade services and , financing solutions in Africa’s physical market hubs.
Country
Uganda
Invested
January 2025
Credify is on a mission to make trade seamless and transparent for SME exporters and importers across the continent.
Country
Nigeria
Invested
April 2024
Vetsark helps farmers and agribusinesses access finance and increase productivit by helping farmers source inputs and sell their products at fair prices.
Country
Senegal
Invested
December 2023
PROBOUTIK is an invoice lending management platform for informal micro-businesses and SMEs in francophone West Africa.
Country
South Africa
Invested
November 2024
Pumpkn is a South African digital-first lender supporting SMEs operating in the agri and food value chain.
Country: Ghana
Invested: October 2024
Liquify is a transformative player in trade finance for African SME exporters, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Country
Uganda
Invested
November 2023
Patasente is a tech-enabled procurement, payments, and factoring platform that enables sellers and buyers to trade on favourable payment terms.
Country
Kenya
Invested
November 2023
Sevi is an innovative B2B platform in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) space, working with a range of SMEs to provide supply chain financing.
Country
Nigeria
Invested
January 2024
Lendha is a cutting-edge fintech company providing access to finance for MSMEs in Nigeria.
The right fit
We are focused on supporting companies that enable their customers and clients to thrive. If you can say yes to these questions then we want to hear from you:
- Are you a digital innovator offering credit with a rural/agri focus?
- Are you focussed on sub-Saharan Africa?
- Have you undertaken a pilot and achieved product-market fit?
- Are you at pre-Seed/Seed stage, requiring $50-$250k to grow your credit offerings to clients?
Please fill out the following details and attach a presentation about your company/the investment opportunity. Only applications with these documents will be considered and we will respond to you as soon as we can.
Thank you for considering us as a partner.
Working / Partnering with us
We are actively working with partners in the ecosystem to solve the funding gap that is needed to enable access to finance within this sector. If you are an incubator, accelerator, venture builder, co-investor or funder – or are just interested in our work – please get in touch.
We are excited to build partnerships to expand our pipeline and work with other investors.
Who we are
Alex Simuyandi
Principal
Alex is a Principal at Emerald Africa Financing Facility. He has nearly 20 years’ experience of work in agriculture, tech and investing, He has co-founded and worked in tech start up ventures in Africa, and has spent most of the last ten years focussed on increasing the availability of appropriate financing in Africa, particularly in agriculture.
Dublin 2, D02 VE40
Ireland
Our financing facility provides debt to early-stage digital innovators, based in sub-Saharan Africa, who are enabling greater access to finance for rural SMEs. Emerald Africa Financing Facility is incubated by Small Foundation.
© Small Foundation 2023. | Company Registration Number 447577 | Registered Charity Number: CHY 17841 & 20067151 | Design by Imprint
Our new financing facility provides debt to early-stage digital innovators, based in sub-Saharan Africa, who are enabling greater access to finance for rural SMEs.
1-2 Cavendish Row
Dublin 1, D01 K883
Ireland
© Small Foundation 2023. | Company Registration Number 447577 | Registered Charity Number: CHY 17841 & 20067151 Design by Imprint