Impact investing firm Goodwell Investments has launched a EUR20 million (US$23.3 million) fund dedicated to investments in the inclusive economy in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Goodwell IV fund will build a portfolio spreading across impact sectors and regions in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Half of the fund will be invested in financial services, as the financial sector is the driving force behind a thriving local economy, Goodwell said. The remainder of funds will go to ventures in the agriculture, health and sanitation, energy, and transport spaces.
There is a specific focus on technology-driven solutions due to the role of technology as an enabler for businesses to reach more consumers faster and at much lower cost, especially so on the vast African continent.
“The African continent presents great opportunity for investments in inclusive businesses that can achieve high social impact while presenting investor a good financial return,” says Wim van der Beek, founder of Goodwell Investments.
“Traditional perceptions of investing in Africa require radical rethinking. Digital pathways and new business models are paving over the lack of legacy systems. We have a special interest in technological solutions to provide basic products and services cheaper and faster to larger groups of consumers.”
Goodwell said the launch of the fourth fund aims to meet the growing demand for impact investments from private investors, family offices and foundations, and responds to the many investor requests the firm received following the successful closure of its predecessor fund – the EUR20 million (US$23.3 million) Goodwell III fund – earlier this year.
