THE EBI FUND
THE EBI FUND
SME.NG’s Ebi Fund is a $30million “access to market” and “financial inclusion” fund – permanent capital vehicle for small, micro and quasi-micro women-owned businesses at the bottom of the pyramid. The fund is built on the values of gender equity and women’s economic empowerment. It provides innovative financing and support to its beneficiaries help them scale up their businesses primarily through targeted grants and debt. It also provides a business capacity develop training and investment readiness through an Accelerator – She Works Here.
PROBLEM
1. 96% of entrepreneurs operate in the “micro” bracket.
2. Approximately 21 million women are financially excluded
3. Women have challenges accessing market
RATIONALE
1.Investors think it’s risky to support bottom-of-the-pyramid businesses.
2. Bottom-of-the-pyramid women enterprises face difficulties attaining statutory required to grow their businesses.
3. Bottom-of-the-pyramid interventions change poverty brackets.
STRATEGY
1. Focus on women-led businesses.
2. Provide innovative financing and support to micro and “quasi” micro women owned/led focused enterprises to establish and scale their businesses primarily through targeted grants and debt.
3. Invest in improving women’s capacity to access markets.
4. Tiered investing based on performance.
5. Only finance SMEs that have graduated from the accelerator.
IMPACT
The Fund is built on the values of gender equity and women’s economic empowerment. It invests in:
1. Women’s agency-“The power of choice & voice “
2. Enhancing Women’s ability to compete in the formal economy.
3. Using technology to stimulate the growth and development of women’s enterperises.