MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Peruvian Fintech Lender Prestamype Concludes $5m Equity Funding Round Led by Acumen Subsidiary ALIVE Ventures, Oikocredit

The Peruvian lender Prestamype recently raised USD 5 million in equity in a pre-Series A funding round. The investment package was led by

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: IDB Invest, Oikocredit Subscribing to $20m Bond from CJA to Finance MSMEs in Ecuador, Targeting Underrepresented Groups

Ecuador-based Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Jardín Azuayo (CJA), with support from IDB Invest, a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, is issuing bonds to raise a total of USD 20 million. The Netherlands-based cooperative Oikocredit and IDB Invest each have committed to purchase

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit Loans MyCredit $2.6m for SME Financing in Kenya

Oikocredit, a Netherlands-based cooperative, recently lent MyCredit, a Kenya-based non-bank financial services company, USD 2.6 million for lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). MyCredit CEO George Mbira commented, “The secured funding will support MyCredit’s strategic

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Investors Buy $173m in Equity in Fusion Microfinance of India; IPO Allows Exits by Early Shareholders, Promoters

In the run-up to the recent IPO by India’s Fusion Microfinance, 17 investors paid approximately INR 3.3 billion (USD 40 million) for equity stakes in the microlender. The actual IPO was oversubscribed by a factor of two, as Fusion raised INR 6 billion (USD 72 million) in fresh cash, and early investors and promotors sold shares for a total of INR 5 billion (USD 61 million). Among those selling their entire holdings in the company was

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Standard Life Organization Borrows $3m from Oikocredit to Invest in MSMEs, Education in Nigeria

Standard Life Organization, an NGO in Nigeria, recently agreed to borrow USD 3 million for three years from Oikocredit, a Dutch cooperative. Standard Life provides health services and skills training as well as lending to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises, including many

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit, Aqua for All to Invest $17m in Water, Sanitation in Africa, Cambodia

Two Dutch entities, the cooperative investor Oikocredit and the nonprofit Aqua for All, recently launched a two-year partnership to facilitate access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in Cambodia as well as unspecified countries in East and West Africa. Oikocredit has agreed to invest up to EUR 15 million (USD 15.6 million) in

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bankingly of Uruguay Raises $11m in Equity Round Led by Dalus Capital to Help Financial Institutions Boost Digital Inclusion in Africa, Asia, Latin America

Uruguay’s Bankingly recently secured an investment package totalling USD 11 million, which it plans to use to expand in Latin America and Africa as well as enter Southeast Asia. Bankingly provides financial institutions with software-as-a-service (SaaS) that helps them serve customers via websites, mobile apps, chatbots and other tools, thus “facilitating the financial inclusion of millions of people…”. Bankingly CEO and Founder, Martin Naor, expressed the hope that

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit Loans Ecoligo $5.7m to Fund Solar Energy for 15 SMEs, NGOs in Ghana, Kenya

Oikocredit, a Dutch cooperative investor, recently loaned EUR 5 million (USD 5.68 million) to Ecoligo, a German firm that provides solar-as-a-service solutions, to expand its operations in Ghana and Kenya. The loan is to finance solar energy equipment that will provide power to 15 clients, which will pay Ecoligo for the power on a monthly basis. Siebren Wilschut, an investment officer at Oikocredit, said,

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Annapurna Raises $35m from Accion, Encourage Capital, Oikocredit to Support Green Microfinance, Digitalisation

Annapurna Finance, a microfinance institution (MFI) based in the Indian state of Odisha, recently raised INR 193 billion (USD 35 million) from US-based NGO Accion, US-based impact investor Encourage Capital and Dutch cooperative investor Oikocredit. The funding is to be used to boost the digitalisation of Annapurna’s operations and for developing

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit Lends $5.6m to Union des Caisses de Credit Mutuel du Sénégal (CMS) to Promote Rural Financial Inclusion

Union des Caisses de Credit Mutuel du Sénégal (CMS), a microfinance institution (MFI) in Senegal, recently borrowed EUR 5 million (USD 5.6 million) from Oikocredit, a cooperative based in the Netherlands. With this funding, CMS aims to

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit, Opportunity International Commit $100m to Education Finance in Low-income Countries

Opportunity International, a US-based nonprofit providing microfinance and other services in 30 countries, and Oikocredit, a Netherlands-based impact investor, recently announced a three-year partnership valued at USD 100 million. Through increased funding of financial institutions partnered with Opportunity International’s EduFinance program, Opportunity International and Oikocredit aim to

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit Lends $13m to Microfinance Institution Fundación Génesis Empresarial of Guatemala

Oikocredit, a cooperative based in the Netherlands, recently funded a 4-year loan of EUR 9.6 million (USD 13.1 million) in favor of Guatemalan microfinance institution (MFI) Fundación Génesis Empresarial. Génesis CFO Jim López said that the loan will allow the MFI “to support more rural Guatemalans in advancing their development path and improving their quality of life” and

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: African Guarantee Fund to Back Additional $25m in Lending by Oikocredit to Microfinance Institutions; Small, Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs); Women-led Businesses – Including in Agriculture, Renewable Energy Sectors

Oikocredit, a cooperative investor based in the Netherlands, recently signed an agreement valued at USD 25 million with the African Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (AGF). The deal increases the parties’ 10-year loan guarantee volume to USD 43 million, allowing Oikocredit to increase its

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit Lends $9m to Sidian Bank for SMEs in Kenya

Oikocredit, a cooperative investor based in the Netherlands, recently lent KES 990 million (USD 8.9 million) to Kenya’s Sidian Bank for on-lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Sidian is a commercial institution with 42 branches offering corporate services,

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit Providing $2.7m Loan, Technical Assistance to Fin’Elle to Support Women-owned SMEs in Côte d’Ivoire

The Netherlands-based cooperative Oikocredit recently lent EUR 2.3 million (USD 2.7 million) to Fin’Elle, a microfinance institution (MFI) that aims to empower female entrepreneurs in Côte d’Ivoire. Fin’Elle is a