Michiel Timmerman

📄 The State of AgTech Investment Report is now live! The report explores the evolving AgTech sector in Africa across three key sections: a decade-long analysis of AgTech investments, a look at last year's data to highlight 12 key trends and an outlook for the coming year. 📊 Some key findings: - Similar to other tech sectors in Africa, AgTechs raised the most funding in 2021-2022 before declining in 2023. This shift established a new trend characterised by a higher number of deals but lower funding volumes, with fewer active commercial funders such as corporate and venture capital firms. - In the last 12 months, the top two publicly disclosed ticket sizes for AgTechs were below $100K and more than $1 million. Deals below $100K accounted for 59% of deals in the last twelve months, up from just over a third in the previous period. Meanwhile, the share of deals exceeding $1 million remained steady at around 20%. - In the past decade, AgTech startups offering direct or indirect climate-smart solutions have accounted for 40% of total funding across all AgTech startups. Over the past twelve months, AgTechs offering climate-smart agriculture solutions have attracted 53% of total funding, with most of those products addressing both climate adaptation and mitigation. Download the report to explore more of these insights: https://lnkd.in/gFNb-fyd #AgTech #Investment #Africa #AgBase #AgTech #Investment #Africa #FundingFlows #Agriculture #MarketIntelligence #StateOfAgtechInAfrica2024

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The time to make your impact is here ⭐ 👉 https://ow.ly/x6uk50Umm12 CFA UK's Certificate in Impact Investing is the first qualification of its kind for investment professionals to learn how impact investing works, and how to apply it in any role 💼 🕚 There's still time to make your impact this year - sign up for the Certificate in Impact Investing today to see what it could do for your career. #impactinvesting #makeyourimpact

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“We want a new partnership with investors, businesses and charities. All the best examples of things that are built to last are when they have been built together,” says Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the foreword to the latest market sizing report from the Impact Investing Institute.   It is great to see charities​ and philanthropy referenced in the report.   As Lisa Nandy’s quote suggests, we cannot achieve the full potential for positive, sustainable change in our communities and the wider world without the effective deployment of capital across the full spectrum of capital.   Responsible business, ESG, impact investing, social investing and philanthropy all play different and important roles in driving positive change for people and planet. The more these different approaches are understood and supported to thrive, the better able we will be to build a sustainable future together.   This is the Impact Investing Institute's second report on the UK’s impact investment market showing £77 billion in total and a striking 10% ​annual growth rate.   The report is available at: https://lnkd.in/eT8Uy8eA

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AgDevCo, an investor in African agriculture, has announced the launch of AgDevCo Ventures, a new initiative aimed at supporting early-stage agribusinesses on the continent. The venture, backed by a $32 million investment from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), will provide crucial financial support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. AgDevCo Ventures will focus on smaller investments, ranging from $1 million to $3 million, targeting the "missing middle" – a segment often overlooked by private investors due to perceived risks and high transaction costs. Initially, AgDevCo Ventures will concentrate its support on East African countries where AgDevCo already has a presence, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Warren Maua Erik Wiersma Kweku Yeboah Koranteng Agnes Wekesa Mansoor Ahmad MBE Chris Isaac Rebecca Sankar Jonathan Mukoro Daniel Hulls John Jakobsson Hannah Ratcliffe Sandi Roberts Jim Henderson Andrea Renner Christine Mwangi Manfred Ntchatcho Melissa Manzo Amy Cuff Luisa Cerca Philemon Sithole Armand Lotter Chris Bishop Yesrine Korley, CA Sytske Muijs Onkgopotse Ezra Ramogapi Onkgopotse Mapulane Cindy Collins Siobhan Raffie Antoinette Kneuss Davina Bronstein Charlotte Dubois Shiloh Olatoye Joanna Malunga Alec Martin Roberta Spina Neil Willsher Ismail Sentissi Sanya Vilus-Cooper #empowerafrica #africa #investinafrica #AfricanAgribusiness #ImpactInvestment #SmallholderFarmers #SustainableAgriculture

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Very insightful piece from Songbae Lee on how first-loss capital can serve as a catalyst to de-risk investments and enhance returns, rather than the reverse. It reinforces the role of first-loss in absorbing risks, and this calculation illustrates it effectively.

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The share of deals allocated to #AgTechs with at least a woman founder is higher than in other tech sectors in Africa, where the average is 20% though funding volume is similar at 14%. Discover the details and what’s behind this trend in the State of AgTech #Investment in Africa 2024 report: https://lnkd.in/gFNb-fyd #AgTech #Investment #Africa #AgBase #Africa #FundingFlows #Agriculture #MarketIntelligence #StateOfAgtechInAfrica2024

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📌 Interesting reading: The Impact Investing Institute has released a new report on the size of the UK impact investing market “As challenges like climate change and social inequality intensify, the role of finance in shaping our collective future has never been more critical. The UK impact investing market represents an important pool of capital that can help address these challenges.” 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/emakwfJK

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📍 Save the date… The BVCA will publish its Manifesto for Growth in Parliament on Wednesday, 8 May. As we approach the General Election, the BVCA will outline six areas of opportunity for the next Government to bolster economic growth and attract inward investment through private capital in the UK: ◾ Stable Foundations for Growth ◾ Investing Pensions for Growth ◾ Future-proof Economy for Growth ◾ Innovation for Growth ◾ Financial Services Sector for Growth ◾ Workforce for Growth The #privatecapital industry represents a significant part of the UK economy with private capital-backed business directly generating 6% of UK GDP in 2022. It’s therefore essential that we get the right policy frameworks in place in order to keep the UK competitive and attractive for international investors. Learn more about BVCA’s work on public policy here ➡ https://lnkd.in/ePBDkEEC

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📢 New Report Alert: The UK Impact Investing Market is Thriving! 🌍💼 The latest report from the Impact Investing Institute, "The UK Impact Investing Market: Size, Scope, and Potential", highlights the incredible progress in growing the impact investing sector across the UK. 🎉 Based on feedback from investors spanning over 100 market actors, thought leaders, and policy makers, the Impact Investing Institute found that the market for impact investing is expanding despite persistent challenges within the global economy. The increasing popularity of impact investing has largely been driving by innovative partnerships between government, investors, and business. Some key findings: As of end-2023, the UK’s share of the global market for impact investment has frown to £76.8 billion in assets under management. This is an increase of £19.3 billion from the III’s inaugural report on Impact Investment. Private equity attracted 45% of impact capital, the highest proportion of all asset classes involved in UK impact investment. The UK impact investing market accounts for between 8% and 9& of the global market for impact investment. We are excited by the insights in this report. The City Corporation has been working to enhance the scale of impact finance and highlight the UK’s leadership in Sustainable Finance. Our partnership with the DCMS led to the establishment of the Impact Investment Institute, and we are incredibly happy with the support and recognition that has since been generated for impact investment. We will build on this momentum. In partnership with the BVCA, this October the City Corporation will be publishing a report on the UK’s strengths and attributes as a Centre of Excellence for Impact Investment. https://lnkd.in/emakwfJK

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‘We can see in the introduction of the policy that the FCA recognizes that we need capital to help with positive environmental and social change, and that is only possible if consumers trust sustainable products’ Fatna Chelihi, Lead Portfolio Analyst at T. Rowe Price. The FCA’s SDR marks a huge step forward for the sustainable investing industry, and it was so great to be joined by so many of you discussing it and the Sustainable Investment Labels. A special thanks to Fatna for sharing her insights, and a big thank you to all our attendees for contributing to the discussion. If you’d like to watch the webinar replay please get in touch through the link. https://lnkd.in/dPHjkwnZ #impactinvesting #sdgs #impactmeasurement

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Thanks to the Hertfordshire Pension Fund team and their advisers for recognising the economic risks today and the future risks to their portoflio associated with climate change and environmental degradation . This is no longer debatable (just ask the unfortunate residents of Florida ) , but managing environmental risks in a portoflio is a complex challenge and should if implemented correctly also target and provide economic upside. We appreciate your foresight , support and interaction over the past year. This sees our UK local authority AUM surpass £1 billion, a great responsibility and privilege to manage. #climatechange #assetmanagement #lowcarbon

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🌍 Unlocking Opportunities in Climate Finance 🌱 Are you looking to understand how innovative funding models can drive sustainable development and climate resilience? Join an upcoming webinar on Climate Finance to explore strategies for mobilizing resources, fostering public-private partnerships, and scaling impactful solutions. Don’t miss this chance to: ✔ Learn from experts shaping the future of green financing ✔ Discover funding opportunities for your climate projects ✔ Network with professionals driving sustainable innovation 💡 What innovative climate finance solutions have caught your attention recently? Let’s discuss! Let’s turn climate challenges into financial opportunities! #ClimateFinance #ClimateAction #GreenEconomy #Sustainability

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