The EBI FUND

Problem

• 96% of entrepreneurs operate in the “micro” bracket.
• Approximately 21 million women are financially excluded.
• Women have challenges accessing markets.

Rationale

Investors think it's risky to support bottom-of-the-pyramid businesses.

Bottom-of-the-pyramid women enterprises face difficulties attaining statutory required registrations to grow their businesses.

Bottom-of-the-pyramid interventions change poverty brackets.
‍

strategy

• Focus on women-led businesses.
• Provide innovative financing and support to micro and “quasi” micro women owned/led and focused enterprises to establish and scale their businesses primarily through targeted grants and debt.
• Invest in improving women’s capacity to access markets
• Tiered investing based on performance
• 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 enterprises.
‍