AA-013397-001 Boost Venture Africa Technical Assistance Facility

The Boost Venture in Africa BVA programme builds on the EIB extensive experience in VC (venture capital) funding to address market failures in Africa's VC sector. Its primary objective is to increase the availability of investments for VC and innovative impact PE (private equity) in Africa, supporting the establishment and growth of VC and innovative impact PE funds, and facilitating the development of start-ups from early-stage to more mature stages. By facilitating co-investment with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and private investors using Junior Catalytic Tranches and Senior Tranches, the programme aims to catalyse additional funding into the sector. The BVA programme consists of two instruments: a) The EIB Investment of up to EUR 129m (INTPA and MENA window), which leverages the EIB extensive experience in VC in Africa, positioning it as a key player in the region. This initiative seeks to unlock additional investments from both public and private sectors, aligning with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Senior investors will commit to investing in Senior Tranches into eligible VC funds, contingent on the EIB deploying the corresponding Junior Catalytic Tranches. The EIB will provide liquidity for these Junior Catalytic Tranches, backed by a guarantee from the European Commission (EC). Totalling EUR 129m, these Junior Tranches will be 100% supported by the EFSD+ guarantee and will absorb the first loss, protecting Senior Tranche investments in the underlying funds supported by BVA, thus acting as a catalyst for investment. The EIB will also contribute Senior Tranches to further strengthen the investment structure. The size of each Junior Catalytic Tranche will be determined by criteria that increase protection for funds targeting higher-risk segments, such as first-time teams with limited track records, funds focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and funds that meet the 2X Challenge gender criteria with at least 30% of their portfolio. These investments will unlock critical capital for VC funds in Africa and foster coordination among European DFIs under the Team Europe approach. b) A Technical Assistance Facility (TA), which will address market failures relating to capacity/training of VC fund managers (FM) and their existing and expected investee companies (ICs), The TA will then complement the implementation of the Catalytic Tranches and the BVA investments by providing support to VC/PE Funds managers and their investee companies and ensure the coordination among VC investors. The overall objective of the project of which this contract will be a part is aims to create a sustainable impact that extends well beyond the implementation period. FM will benefit from advanced training and strategic guidance, enabling them to make informed investment decisions and manage funds more effectively. Similarly, IC will receive customized support to scale their operations, improve governance, and access new markets. These interventions are expected to foster a robust ecosystem of capable investors and high-potential businesses, which will continue to attract investment and drive economic growth in the region long after the programme has concluded. The purposes of this contract are as follows: • Enhance the organisational, managerial and operational capacity of VC fund managers to improve investment processes, portfolio management, ESG practices, fundraising capabilities and strategic decision making. • Strengthen the technical and business capabilities of investee companies to enable them to scale, access follow on finance and implement sound governance, financial and ESG management systems. • Facilitate structured coordination and knowledge sharing among DFIs, TA providers and ecosystem stakeholders, reducing fragmentation and enhancing complementarity of support programmes. • Promote a more conducive environment for early stage and digital entrepreneurship, including through ecosystem wide activities such as joint trainings, flagship capacity building programmes and visibility initiatives.