Investing in Young Businesses in Africa (IYBA)

Transformational Potential:

• To increase the number of newly created MSMEs and to help grow (very) early-stage companies in African partner countries
• To increase the quantity and quality of public and private investment in MSMEs at their early stages
• To thereby generate much-needed decent jobs across the continent, empower women and young people and create opportunities even in the more fragile countries

Team Europe Proposal:

The specific objective is to support and develop  the new and early stage business ecosystem actors as well as increase the quantity and the quality of financial instruments and technical assistance for these enterprises (bringing together public and private funding).

The activities include support to:

• Building block 1: Pre-seed financing and technical assistance - Increase financial and technical support for pre-seed stage MSMEs, with financial needs up to €200,000
• Building block 2: Early stage financing and TA – Increase access to finance for SMEs at seed and early stages, financial needs of between €200,000 and €5 million
• Building block 3: Ecosystem Support