BALIM is an open-ended debt fund that provides financing to small businesses in Africa, primarily within the sustainable agriculture value chain and related sectors such as water and renewable energy. The fund targets enterprises that improve smallholder farmer incomes, enhance food security, reduce environmental impact, and generate employment. BALIM’s approach includes not just debt financing but also tailored technical assistance and robust impact measurement to support long-term growth and sustainability.
The fund’s portfolio centers on agricultural processors of locally consumed foods, with additional investments in solar-powered irrigation and drinking water systems, renewable energy solutions like rooftop solar and mini-grids, and strategic financial institutions that expand rural access to capital. Through a holistic approach and sector-specific support, BALIM helps unlock the potential of small businesses driving inclusive growth and climate resilience in African communities.
The Refugee Investment Facility is an impact-linked debt fund launched in 2022 by iGravity in partnership with the Danish Refugee Council, providing concessional loans between $150,000 and $800,000 at interest rates of 6–8% to local businesses in Uganda, Jordan, and other markets across East Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The facility targets enterprises that create employment, skills training, and essential services for displaced and vulnerable populations, with pricing incentives tied to measurable outcomes such as refugee hiring, expanded service access, and increased lending to refugee-led businesses. The fund employs a blended finance structure combining debt and recoverable grant components, designed to mitigate risk and appeal to development finance institutions, family offices, and foundations. With an initial capitalization of $8 million and a target fund size of $25 million, the facility aims to demonstrate a scalable model for channeling capital toward economic integration and financial inclusion in refugee-affected regions.
The Charm Impact Bond is a $12.5 million blended finance initiative launched in 2022 that provides debt capital to renewable energy companies across Africa, with particular emphasis on small and medium enterprises. Structured as a bond offering, the fund deploys capital alongside a €200,000 first-loss reserve designed to mitigate currency volatility risk for borrowers by locking in exchange rates over the loan repayment period. The initiative is supported by Clasp and backed by the IKEA Foundation, combining commercial debt returns with measurable climate and economic inclusion outcomes. The fund targets institutions and foundations seeking to deploy capital in clean energy infrastructure while addressing market barriers that constrain financing access for emerging energy enterprises in Africa. By pairing concessional first-loss protection with market-rate debt, the structure aims to improve both repayment certainty and the financial viability of renewable energy projects in the region.
The SECO Startup Fund is a Swiss government-backed debt vehicle providing senior secured loans to post-revenue startups in emerging markets with Swiss connections. The fund offers flexible financing of up to 1.2 million Swiss Francs with loan terms spanning two to five years, targeting companies advancing decent work, climate-smart capacity, and access to essential goods and services. Operating across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, the fund pursues impact outcomes in employment creation, climate action, and financial inclusion. Since its establishment by the Swiss government in 1997, the vehicle has deployed capital across more than 120 countries, demonstrating sustained commitment to supporting scalable enterprises in underserved regions.
Ikea Foundation
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
