Cayleigh Bright
1 min read
AHL Venture Partners
Sector: Energy access, financial inclusion, food and agriculture
We are an investment firm with a focus on scalable businesses that aim to make a lasting impact on the social and environmental challenges that African development faces.
Founded in 2007, AHL Venture Partners has supported more than thirty-five impact-driven businesses and funds across twenty-seven African countries through the Adolf H. Lundin Charitable Foundation. The fund makes direct and pooled investments in energy access, financial inclusion, and food and agriculture. It also makes investments in sector-agnostic funds in frontier markets. AHL Venture Partners focuses on supporting entrepreneurs and businesses that have a responsible outlook in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
and that seek to help people in their respective communities. It supports the growth of SMEs because it sees them as catalysts for inclusive job and wealth creation, strengthening local economic foundations and improving livelihoods on a sustained basis. Its investments to date have resulted in eleven thousand people securing employment.
AHL Venture Partners has achieved its success through the efforts of team members with decades of experience in African business, as well as its keen eye for opportunities that are scalable and capable of increasing their impact in proportion with rising profits. CEO Rosanne Whalley has spent her career in impact investment in Africa, from being the second hire at a fund for commercial farmers on the continent to working for InfraCo Africa, which invests in the distribution of solar PV minigrids. Currently, her efforts are focused on hiring and building a Nairobi-based A-team while she remains active in the strategic and transactional aspects of the organization.
Thanks to the continued long-term support of high-net-worth, mission-aligned investors, AHL Venture Partners is able to remain flexible and make quick adaptations in how its resources are deployed, while always remaining supportive of its investees. Alongside capital, the firm provides support to the companies in its portfolio in terms of strategy, people and governance, including promoting greater gender equality.
Checklist
- Build a strong management team.
We invest in core teams that are based in the market they serve. We want to work with people who are passionate about making an impact, while also driving commercial return. - Present data that underpins your idea.
We need to be able to see that a business’s narrative is substantiated with cogent data. We back realists who deliver on their plans while weathering any challenges. - The boring stuff matters.
If you want to scale, be on top of the boring stuff: processes, tax, structuring, HR. We’re looking for operators who are able to scale a business. - Be prepared to synergize.
We have an extensive portfolio of investments and are always looking for companies that can work with others inside of that system. Variety is also a key factor – our ideal investee has a unique offering but is able to complement other entities within our portfolio.
Applications can be sent via:
Main photo by Samir Khan - FAVCA