ImpactAlpha, October 5 – Development Partners International invests in growth-stage companies serving Africa’s growing consumer and middle classes. The $2.8 billion investment firm’s impact themes focus on job creation, gender and climate change.
Its third African Development Partners fund raised $800 million from external investors; DPI is committing $250 million in co-investment capital. DPI says the fund is “one of the largest funds dedicated to investing global capital in Africa.”
Early portfolio companies include fintechs Channel VAS and MNT-Halan; Tunisian tomato producer SICAM; and Kelix Bio, which is enabling access to generic pharmaceuticals.
Gender lens
DPI’s third African Development Partners fund was the first 2X Flagship Fund approved by the 2X Challenge gender-lens investing initiative. (for context, see “Development financiers seek to hook private investors on gender-lens investing”)
“We’re applying a gender lens investing strategy at both a firm level, within the business of DPI, and also within our portfolio companies,” said DPI’s Takudzwa Mutasa.
