Accion

At Accion, our vision is to build a financially inclusive world – one in which every individual has access to high-quality, affordable financial services. Accion is the sponsor of two venture investment funds in Africa as well as a think tank.

Accion’s Frontier Investments Groupis a venture equity fund that invests capital and technical expertise in companies with novel business models (known in the industry as “disruptive”) with the potential of enhancing the efficiency, reach, and scope of products and services for people living in poverty worldwide. We invest in growth-stage, post-revenue companies that have moved beyond the seed stage and are seeking capital to bring their business models to scale. Our initial investments are typically between U.S. $1 and $3 million, with follow-on investments as appropriate. We also seek co-investors who share our vision and bring complementary skills and experience.

 Accion Venture Lab is an investment initiative that provides patient seed capital and support to innovative financial inclusion start-ups, fostering experimentation and promoting business models that improve financial access for people living in poverty worldwide.We will typically invest U.S. $100,000 to $500,000 in equity or quasi-equity instruments, depending on the circumstances. We welcome opportunities to co-invest with like-minded investors and bring others to the table, particularly for later-stage investment into portfolio companies.Venture Lab prefers to be an active investor and bring to bear the people and resources of the global Accion network to maximize the chance of success. In addition to day-to-day support from the Venture Lab team, investee companies may get connected to Accion’s in-house technical experts (technology, risk management, etc.), microfinance teams and customers from partner institutions around the world, and the global banking and investing community.

The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion (CFI) is an action-oriented think tank that engages and challenges the financial services industry to better serve, protect and empower clients. We develop insights, advocate on behalf of clients and collaborate with stakeholders to achieve a comprehensive vision for financial inclusion. We are dedicated to enabling 3 billion people who are left out of – or poorly served by – the financial sector to improve their lives. As an industry-facing body, our business model is intentionally participatory, collaborative and consultative. We value deeply and benefit greatly from the input of our partners, sponsors, and peers that collectively contribute to our mission of achieving financial inclusion. We welcome partnership and collaboration and build it into our model.