Cayleigh Bright
1 min read
HEVA Fund
Sector: Creative and cultural enterprises
We are a dedicated investment facility for financial and business support in the burgeoning creative industry, making a meaningful impact in East Africa and beyond. Since 2013, we’ve helped over two thousand creatives and more than forty businesses.
HEVA Fund is the first investor and dedicated sector catalyst of its kind in East Africa: an investment firm focused solely on supporting creative ventures. Since 2013, its team has performed rigorous research into the economic landscape of creative enterprises in the area, learning how they could best assist these companies. In 2015, the firm began its first round of investments and has since supported thousands of people in various fields, including fashion, television, music and gaming. HEVA Fund has extended its support to organizations and individuals in Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, Arusha, Lamu and Dar es Salaam, supporting cultural experiences that benefit the economies of these locations and enrich the daily lives of their citizens.
HEVA Fund hosts three initiatives. The first of these is the Cultural Heritage Seed Fund, which supports Kenyan startups in music, film, fashion and gaming, as well as projects that celebrate Kenya’s heritage, for both preservation and tourism. The second initiative is the Young Women in Creative Industries Fund, which supports women-owned or -led businesses and aims to help such businesses expand through increased production capacity or technological upgrades, or by broadening their distribution network. The final initiative, the Growth Fund, aims to provide capital to medium-sized and mature businesses so that they’re able to grow and increase their impact.
A key element of HEVA’s success is down to its discerning eye for selecting appropriate entrepreneurs to support and its regular communication with them. The fund meets with its investees on a regular basis, requests frequent reports from team members and keeps an eye on developments in the relevant markets. HEVA is also an active advocate for the creators it supports in both the public and private sectors. Through its network, it has become a dynamic fund capable of supporting the various needs of its investees with more than financing.
Checklist
- Understand your sector.
We’re seeking teams that have a deep knowledge of their industry’s history and future. The more you understand the field in which you work, the better you’ll be able to adapt to change. - Be committed to your goals.
A team that has a plan and is committed to fulfilling it is far more appealing than one that simply has an idea. We want to see that your company has invested time and energy, that your team is passionate about what they’re working on and that you are capable of realizing your goals. - Understand your audience.
In a creative industry, it’s important to be aware of how you are perceived and what audiences are looking for. No matter how great your offering is, it can’t succeed without a loyal consumer. - Find your weaknesses and focus on fixing them.
Self-awareness is a key value that we look for. Teams that are able to reflect on what can be improved beyond increased finances will perform better in the long term.
Applications can be sent via:
Main photo by HEVA Fund LLP