2024 update:

In 2024, we completed Phase One of the initiative to identify 14 high-performing community-led entrepreneur support organizations. These 14 ESOs from Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania worked collaboratively on ecosystem-specific problem statements and strategies to best identify and support high-potential startups in their ecosystems. In addition, these organizations benefited from Village Capital’s strategic support and deep dives with world-class Thematic Experts in blue economy, renewable energy, climate adaptation and food security. 

We have just completed the selection of one ESO partner per market to co-lead Venture Programs in 2025-26. Each of the five selected ESO Partners will receive up to US$260,000.00 in funding to contribute towards their team time, workshops for ventures and startup grants in their market. Two nominated members of each ESO Partner will effectively come on secondment with Village Capital (up to 70% of their time) as part of the program teams. They’ll get deep exposure to our way of supporting startups, in addition to contributions to leadership team time to participate in key activities such as venture selection, program design and facilitation.

Commitment:

In 2024, Village Capital will launch a three-year initiative focused on building capacity for more than a dozen Entrepreneur Support Organisations (ESOs) in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania focused on leadership development, technical climate-focused training, and organizational management. The initiative will result in direct entrepreneurship support training for 500 high-growth potential, climate-focused startups and is intended to catalyze and mobilize $100M in follow-on capital for climate-focused startups, including via an innovative Venture Partner Model.