Maurizio Caio

The IFC - International Finance Corporation has announced a proposed equity investment of up to US$6 million in VC firm Catalyst Fund, which is aiming to raise US$40 million to support early-stage climate-tech startups across Africa. Read More: https://lnkd.in/dCZ4RfaG Join our Telegram Channel: https://lnkd.in/dehAYxsz Join Us on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/e-7fuNJW

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Proud to see the transformation of Beitbridge Border Post into a modern, efficient gateway on one of Africa’s most strategic trade arteries, the North–South Corridor, a backbone route for AfCFTA and regional transit trade. 🇿🇼 This milestone enables faster clearance, seamless traffic flow, and more predictable movement of goods and people. A confident step forward for regional connectivity and economic growth. #Beitbridge #ZimBorders #NorthSouthCorridor #AfCFTA #TradeFacilitation #RegionalIntegration #InfrastructureDevelopment #EfficientBorders

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I’m looking forward to speaking at the inaugural PAFMA - Pan Africa Fund Managers Alliance Conference in Nairobi next week. My topic: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 — and the question I’ll be pushing on stage: Domestic institutions hold long-term money. Infrastructure needs long-term money. So why do they still struggle to meet at scale? Every institutional allocator I meet wants the same thing: predictable cashflows, strong governance, and clarity on risk. And every African project developer is navigating the same reality: FX volatility, policy uncertainty, weak counterparties, documentation gaps, and a high cost of capital. That gap is where the work is. Constraints don’t disappear. But with the right design: fit-for-purpose structures, smarter risk allocation, and reporting discipline, constraints can become the architecture of capital. That’s what we’re committed to building at ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment Limited. If you’re in Nairobi for PAFMA, please say hello. I’d love to connect! #PAFMA #DomesticCapital #InfrastructureFinance #CapitalMarkets #AfricaInvesting

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The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK Foundation) funds early-stage social enterprises worldwide — including those in Africa — offering up to US $300,000 in grant or investment capital, combined with capacity-building, mentoring, and community support. DRK’s goal is to help high-impact ventures scale sustainably and transform lives in underserved communities. ⏳ Urgency / Timeline Applications accepted on a rolling, year-round basis — apply anytime. 💡 Why It Matters Many impactful social ventures struggle to scale after pilot success because they lack long-term funding, mentorship, or business support. DRK closes that gap — offering not just money, but also hands-on support, governance, financial strategy, and network access so these ventures can grow, sustain, and maximize social impact in vulnerable communities. 🎯 Grant Snapshot Funding Amount: Up to US $300,000 over up to 3 years Focus: Social enterprises tackling urgent social or environmental challenges using scalable, impact-first approaches Geography: Africa, Europe, India, USA (with some flexibility for select other regions) Stage: Post-pilot, early stage (pre-scale or seed to early growth) ✅ Who Should Apply Nonprofits, mission-driven for-profit ventures, or fiscally-sponsored social enterprises Organizations with a viable product/service and early evidence of impact Founders or leadership teams committed full-time, with clear vision for scale Ventures with a plan for financial sustainability (earned income or other models) 🧰 What Awardees Will Receive Up to US $300,000 in flexible capital (grant or investment) Hands-on operational support: board-level mentoring, organizational development, fundraising strategy, leadership & governance support Access to a global network of social impact funders, peer entrepreneurs, and alumni community Strategic support to scale and sustain impact over 3-year partnership period 📝 How to Apply Visit the DRK Foundation portal and submit an online application (executive summary or pitch deck/business plan + basic organizational info). Applications can be saved and resumed later. ✅ For Support… Comment “SUPPORT” if you’d like help preparing your application. 📌 If you want to stay months ahead of other organizations in 2026… Join the Impact Funding Insider 2026 waitlist and get first access to hidden and early-release grant calls. Waitlist → https://lnkd.in/dFn9Eev3 You’ll also get: The Grant Discovery Playbook (waitlist-only bonus) #FundingSpotlight #SocialEntrepreneurship #ImpactInvesting #DRKFoundation #NonDilutiveFunding #ScaleForImpact #drgozie #drgozieezeh #GlobalHealth #ClimateAction #AfricanEntrepreneurs

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WALK TOGETHER. THE WHO. Which investors actually move the needle in African venture capital? Not by reputation. By what the data can measure. In the second piece of the 'Walk Together' series, I publish the first data-driven ranking of investors by their measurable contribution to graduation and syndication across 3,544 African funding rounds. Syndication power. Graduation rates. Cross-referenced. Adjusted for small samples so that one lucky mega-round doesn't put you at the top. Some of what came out confirmed what insiders already suspected. Some of it didn't. A few findings I can share here: → The lead investor effect is stage-dependent. At Seed, it doesn't matter - the village does. At Series A, it matters again (I got this wrong in the first piece - the cleaned data says Seed and A are not the same, and I correct it openly). At Series B, it's decisive - over 5× the graduation odds. → Three of the top four Series B lead investors by graduation rate are DFIs. FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, IFC - International Finance Corporation, British International Investment. They are the backbone of growth-stage Africa. But at Seed, DFI involvement may actually crowd out the diverse syndicates that drive graduation. → The gap between reputation and measurable structural impact is, in some cases, bigger than you think. Some of the loudest names are structurally average. Some of the quietest are extraordinary. → Nigeria has 6 of the top 15 African syndication hubs. But South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Senegal, Ghana, and Madagascar all place. The infrastructure is more distributed than the narrative suggests. This isn't about naming a 'best' investor. These rankings will change. This is about putting a measurable framework around KPIs that seem to matter, at a point in time. Nothing more. Nothing less. My interpretation can and should be debated. The data is the data. Your thoughts, comments and pushbacks are always extremely welcome. The walk continues. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eyAuNd-t #Africa #AfricaTech #AfricaVC #VentureCapital #Ecosystem

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African Development Bank Group announces a #partnership with Mike Bloomberg, this partnership seeks to mobilize private #investment across #Africa, addressing the continent's #funding gaps for #development and #infrastructure. 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: To create a #financial framework that better serves Africa by mobilizing private #capital into areas that will boost #jobs, #innovation, and economic development. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: In the coming months, the AfDB and Bloomberg will work together to:  • Raise investor awareness of opportunities in Africa.  • Collect feedback from private sector partners.  • Identify new ways the AfDB can attract more private capital.  • Support the implementation of financial and policy innovations to boost investor participation. 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵: The continent has seen a surge in digital financial services, with fintech firms expanding rapidly. In 2024, the number of active fintech companies reached 1,263, a significant increase from 450 in 2020. 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: Multiple international and regional partners are actively involved in the sector's growth: Mastercard: Through the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance: Africa, Mastercard and the AfDB aim to provide digital access to critical services for 100 million people and businesses by 2034. The World Bank: Joined the MADE Alliance in August 2025 to align efforts toward digital transformation. US Government: The Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative was launched in 2022 to boost digital access and commercial engagement. IFC - International Finance Corporation: Reported committing a record $56 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries in fiscal year 2024, including those in Africa. Domestic investment: On October 1, 2025, Ghana's President John Mahama announced a $50 million fund to support local #startups and develop the #indigenous digital finance #ecosystem. 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮'𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 The new partnership and the larger investments in Africa's #digital economy reflect a significant need for and interest in private capital. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀: According to the AfDB's 2025 African Economic Outlook report, the continent requires over $1.3 trillion to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀: Infrastructure financing alone has an annual gap of $68 to $108 billion, which private and public-private partnerships can help address. 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀: The IFC notes that business-to-business and business-to-government opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa could generate $𝟭𝟮𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲. 👉🏽 Full article in comments below

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Unlocking Africa’s governance performance with data. What if you could measure institutional effectiveness across 54 countries using one integrated framework? The ADSC META Index™ delivers real-time, sector-specific governance metrics, revealing trends and actionable gaps for governments and development partners. Our latest analysis shows that institutional predictability and local capacity drive 78% of policy-to-performance outcomes. This evidence challenges the focus on regime type or corruption and shifts the conversation to measurable impact and trust. See how our proprietary META Index™ supports AU Agenda 2063, SDGs, and global benchmarks. Request a customised briefing or explore partnership opportunities with ADSC’s research, training, and advisory teams. #Governance #AfricanDevelopment #PolicyImpact #METAIndex #DataDriven #InstitutionalReform #CapacityBuilding #AUAgenda2063 #SDGs #DevelopmentStudies #EvidenceBased #ExecutiveEducation #Research #PublicSector #Africa

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I had the pleasure of co-authoring an article with Edwin Obonyo, Ph.D. on Navigating the equity landscape for growth Edwin Obonyo, Ph.D., SCVI - Strathmore Centre for Value Investing

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Moving from Selective Default (SD) to CCC+ signals restored confidence in Zambia’s creditworthiness and reflects tangible progress in debt restructuring. A step that should translate into more accessible credit at lower interest rates to support inclusive growth.

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