IYBA toolbox for supporting early-stage African businesses

It reviews a sample of tools that have been effective in supporting early-stage businesses (ESBs) and that can be useful for practitioners either to improve existing projects or to support the sustainability, scalability, or replicability of the examples selected.  

Produced within the framework of the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) “Investing in Young Businesses in Africa” (IYBA), this toolbox aims to illustrate instruments and IYBA-related programmes that work and could be replicated in isolation or as part of integrated approaches at the country level, e.g. in support of entrepreneurship policies/institutions or sectors.

Addressing various sub-stages of an entrepreneur’s journey and financing needs

This document presents an initial selection of 15 tools addressing private sector capacity building and access to finance challenges, at each stage of the entrepreneurial journey (from business incubators to Venture Capital/Private Equity funds). A few others, such as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and EIB Technical Assistance (TA) to banks and to funds, make the link between Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) development priorities and market and beneficiaries needs. Some tools involve a clear institutional and regulatory effort (e.g. asset-based lending).  

In addition, the toolbox addresses cross-cutting issues, such as vehicles features or eligibility criteria that benefit women-owned businesses or specific projects/tools that support the green economy. 

An evolving document waiting for your inputs

Each of the tools follows the same structure and describes its unique focus, organization, stakeholders involved, and additionality. As many practitioners will read and comment on this toolbox, the IYBA Toolbox should be seen as an evolving reference manual, and hence, we welcome your direct suggestions on other tools and access to finance instruments that have proven effective in supporting early stage businesses in Africa.