infoDev has released the Enhancing Access  to Finance  for Technology Entrepreneurs in Southern Africa report.

This report examines the financing gaps for early stage and growth that high-growth technology entrepreneurs are facing in the information and communication technology (ICT), climate technology, and innovative agribusiness sectors in Zambia and Mozambique, with a more regional review of Namibia and Botswana as possible. It analyses the unmet needs of these entrepreneurs—perceived demand and latent demand—as well as the existing sources of supply of private capital for seed and early-stage investment, and defines the adequacy to meet these needs. The report also explores the challenges that angel investors have experienced in the past when attempting to finance early- and growth-stage start-ups in the region and, if and where appropriate, make recommendations relating to infoDev‘s  possible interventions.

This report:

1. Explores the most pressing unmet needs of entrepreneurs, including capital requirements;

2. Analyses sufficiency of current sources of [early-stage] capital;

3. Presents challenges potential angel investors would experience in the countries of study; and

4. Presents options for infoDev to intervene.

infoDev  has a vision and mandate to address obstacles to entrepreneurship globally, including access to finance. It has undertaken some pilot and more advanced work attempting to match angel investors with entrepreneurs, but it seeks to understand specifically the financing gaps that exist in Southern Africa.

The report can be downloaded here.