Kua Ventures, an impact investment firm based in Kenya, has invested more than $1 million (Ksh. 145 million) in SMEs across the country. The milestone follows four rounds of funding over the last three years that have seen 20 growing local SMEs added to the Kua Ventures portfolio.
Kua Ventures is committed to supporting Kenyan small businesses to realize their social impact in job creation and poverty reduction. The firm’s model for partnering with SMEs for growth is founded on the three pillars of Capital, Coaching, and Community (3Cs).
Capital: Kua Ventures provides growth capital of between $50,000 – 100,000 (approximately Ksh. 7 million – 14 million) mostly through straight debts, revenue shares, and convertible notes.
Coaching: Kua Ventures provides one-on-one mentorships to help entrepreneurs navigate different phases of their businesses.
Community: Kua Ventures provides a community of like-minded entrepreneurs where founders connect, fellowship, learn, and share their entrepreneurial experiences.
“We have found that our 3C model clearly works in Kenya and that there are many growth-oriented businesses led by impact-driven entrepreneurs throughout the country,” says Peter Fry, Kua Ventures Executive Director. “As revenue grows, the businesses add hardworking employees to their workforce and sustain their own vision of local outreach. In turn, this gives us great optimism about helping more local entrepreneurs grow their businesses and support their communities.”
With more than $1 million investment already committed to supporting Kenyan SMEs, and an additional $2 million set aside to almost double the portfolio over the next 10 months, Kua Ventures is poised to positively impact the SME sector of the country while fostering socio-economic growth of individuals and communities.
- Kua Ventures’ impact investment approach focuses on supporting businesses that have a positive social or environmental impact.
- The firm’s portfolio includes businesses in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, education, healthcare, and technology.
- Kua Ventures is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion in its portfolio, with over half of its investments going to women-led businesses.
- The firm is also committed to environmental sustainability, and all of its investments must meet certain environmental criteria.
Kua Ventures is a valuable asset to the Kenyan entrepreneurial ecosystem, and its investment in SMEs is helping to drive economic growth and social impact in the country.
