XSML Capital

This week, I attended our IFC SME Ventures Forum in Istanbul where I had the pleasure to connect with many impact investors, DFIs, and fund managers focused on investing in frontier markets. I am thrilled to see the incredible progress we've made in supporting SMEs, while also taking stock of the many challenges ahead of us. Here are some key takeaways:   💡Our funds are accelerating gender equality: 60% of SMEs in our funds' portfolio have women in senior leadership roles and 40% are female-owned. In these companies, women make up 40% of the workforce, with a 20% increase in female employment by the time our fund managers exit the investments. Additionally, one-third of the funds managed under the SME Ventures Program have women in leadership positions.   💡Our IFC SME Ventures Program is growing: From its inception 15 years ago with four funds raising $80 million, the program has expanded to 27 fund investees raising over $1.4 billion. These funds have supported more than 590 companies, supporting over 220,000 jobs across 50+ countries.   💡Overcoming Barriers: Fund managers in fragile and conflict-affected countries often struggle to attract capital due to underdeveloped local PE markets and high perceived risks. To help, we’re collaborating with other investors and DFIs to leverage blended finance that can de-risk investments and catalyze additional capital into these nascent markets.   Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their insights. Let's continue to collaborate and support the growth of SMEs in emerging markets! 🚀   📲 Learn more about the impact of our IFC SME Ventures program here: https://lnkd.in/dRwVP4wB   IFC Disruptive Tech, VC & Funds, IFC - International Finance Corporation, Proparco, Nicholas Vickery, Carlos Mayorga, Amanda C., #IFCSMEVentures #IFCfunds #frontiermarkets #EmergingMarkets #GenderEquality #InclusiveGrowth #EconomicDevelopment #PE #PrivateEquity #impactinvesting #SMEs #SMEfinance

As we get ready for the 12th edition of the IFC - International Finance Corporation #SMEVenturesForum, let's hear an inspiring story from one of our fund managers, XSML Capital. In this video, Barthout van Slingelandt, Managing Partner of XSML, talks about challenges and opportunities of investing in frontier markets and how the SME Ventures program was instrumental in getting their first fund off the ground by providing capital and helping attract other investors. Watch the video to learn more about the impact of SME Ventures and the opportunities that lie ahead. 📲 Learn more about our program here: https://lnkd.in/eqCAESPA #SMEVentures #FrontierMarkets #Investment #PE #PrivateEquity #IFCfunds #emergingmarkets #impactinvesting #SMEs #smefinance

🎊 Celebrating 10 years of impact with DGGF 🎊 DGGF - Financing Local SMEs has been committed to enhancing access to finance for the 'missing middle' SMEs, driving sustainable development and supporting underserved entrepreneurs, including women, youth, and entrepreneurs in fragile states. Today, during the DGGF 10 Year Event, we bring together DGGF’s investees, co-investors, partners, and policymakers to reflect on the past ten years of transforming the SME finance sector and focus on developing effective strategies and collaborations for scale. 👏 As we celebrate a decade of empowering SMEs in emerging markets, we are also excited to announce the publication of the new DGGF impact report "Ten years of enabling entrepreneurship in frontier markets". ✨ Interested in the impact that DGGF has made since its inception❓ Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/egHgj3q8

🌟 Reflections on My Session at the Zambia Impact Investment Summit #ZIIS2024🌍 Last week was busy for me both professionally and personally, and I wish I could have shared my feedback from the ZIIS panel discussion sooner. Nonetheless, here I am! I had the privilege of representing XSML Capital at the #ZIIS2024, discussing “Navigating Zambia’s Business Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities in Accessing Finance and Support for Growth” alongside esteemed panelists. A key takeaway from our discussion is the urgent need to bridge the financial literacy gap between capital seekers and providers. Improving this understanding fosters better communication, allowing both parties to engage more meaningfully. Often, communication breakdowns arise when capital providers explain their reasons for not investing, leaving capital seekers confused due to differing perspectives on investment structures. I believe that enhancing financial literacy on both sides can create more opportunities for growth. Thank you #NABII for allowing me to participate in this important conversation, and I look forward to continuing these discussions! #ImpactInvesting #FinancialLiteracy #Zambia #BusinessGrowth #InvestmentOpportunities

💥10 years of enabling inclusive growth💥 By ensuring economic growth is fairly distributed across society, inclusive growth supports the objective of creating opportunities for all. DGGF - Financing Local SMEs objective has always been to support youth and women entrepreneurs, and SMEs in fragile states. We have the following impact results as of December 31, 2023: 🍀 Youth entrepreneurs: Youth-owned or led SMEs constitute 36% of our portfolio, and since our inception we supported the creation of more than 50,000 jobs 🍀 Female entrepreneurs: Women-owned or led SMEs constitute 36% of our portfolio, and since our inception we supported the creation of more than 30,000 jobs. 🍀 Fragile states: Our support has reached 4,825 SMEs in fragile states, and since our inception we supported the creation of more than 33,000 jobs. The commitment of DGGF - Financing Local SMEs to inclusive growth remains as we advance into the years to come, striving for greater impact and broader economic inclusion. 🙏 Want to know more about our efforts? Check out how DGGF - Financing Local SMEs contributes to inclusive growth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo together with Kobo Hub and XSML Capital’s African Rivers Fund: https://lnkd.in/eubZJ6J3