Women and Youth Focused Impact (WYFI) Fund
To address the finance gap in Sub-Saharan Africa, PearlBridge Capital Managers will launch a gender-smart, close-ended fund with an overall target size of $50,000,000. The primary aim of this fund will be to improve funding access to SMEs that are led by women or provide financial liberation to the youth and/or women. This fund will be a hybrid of debt and equity financing allowing the investees the ability to convert their debt to equity. The Mezzanine Fund shall invest through the following instruments; namely subordinated debt, redeemable preference shares, convertible instruments, zero coupon bonds and equity (where it is determined strategic to do so).
Environmental Context
Globally, 70% of women-owned SMEs have inadequate access to financial services. In Africa, despite being the backbone of the African economy, female entrepreneurs are handicapped by a $42 billion finance gap. This exacerbates the already high levels of poverty and inequality amongst vulnerable women and youth in these communities.
Investment Thesis
STRONG ESG FOCUS
In alignment with UN Development Goals, WYFI will target SMEs that address at least 6 SDG objectives and at least 7 of the UN Global Compact principles
SUSTAINABLE FINANCING
Provide customized and tailored financing options that will accentuate and ensure long-term growth in the identified SMEs
STRATEGIC TARGET
Target export-oriented SMEs and import replacers in the growth stage
INCUBATION SERVICES
Offer SMEs business advisory services to build their knowledge capabilities, share present knowledge, and deepen the impact of the capital deployed
WOMEN AND YOUTH
Commit to centering women-led enterprises and SMEs that are large employers of the youth
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Key Features
Some of our pipeline transactions
