Situation
Innovative early-stage businesses struggle to secure financing needed to realize their potential for scale. These businesses, often outside of major cities, have limited access to early-stage investors. Moreover, as young businesses, they are seldom investment ready, requiring support to fully develop their operations and strategy to the rigorous level required by commercial investment committees.
In partnership with five early-stage investors, OCA worked with USAID to bridge this gap for high potential early-stage businesses in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
Our Process
- Identified high-potential early-stage businesses, leveraging our networks to find previously unknown, innovative companies
- Assessed each company on its current operations, potential, and needs. We shared these assessments with all companies and provided guidance as applicable.
- Provided tailored business support services for the best candidates as selected by the investor partners. Each business received unique services matched to their needs, including market sizing, operational optimization, strategy development, among others.
- Raised capital for the businesses, supporting the due diligence process for supported companies.
Over the course of this 24 month program, we performed diagnostic surveys of more than 220 small businesses. In all cases, we have shared the results of our survey and advised them on their business models, their market, and recommendations to strengthen their operations & strategy.
We provided in-depth profiles on the 60 highest-potential businesses to our investor partners, who will select 15 businesses to receive intensive, tailored support from Open Capital, including support through a capital raise.
