Barka

Barka Fund in Action Across Africa 🌍 From Togo's Youth Summit for Sustainable Agriculture where Sara Myrtille Bedje, our analyst engaged with twenty (20) promising agri-entrepreneurs, to Cape Town's #EarthshotWeek where Karimi Fondaumiere, our coaching & leadership guru represented our partnership with The Earthshot Prize, and Cameroon where Christ G. Lokonda is leading our Restoration Business Scoping project. Proud to be a pan-African team building bridges across the climate ecosystem and championing Africa's entrepreneurs in climate action. Go to earthshotprize.org to find out how you can stream the Awards live tonight! #impactinvesting #climateaction #EarthshotCapeTown 

Last week, our young colleague Sara Myrtille Bedje did a fabulous job representing Barka at the MITA 2024 in Lome, Togo. The event was organized by CORAF | West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development and GGGI Africa from October 21 to 25, 2024, as the first edition of the West and Central African Youth Summit on climate-smart agriculture. #impactinvesting #climatesmartagriculture #youth

In an era where new technology and #AI are driving innovation in geospatial monitoring, the importance of local data remains paramount. By integrating geospatial data with local insights, we can achieve greater accuracy, gain a better understanding of local contexts, and foster meaningful change. Watch the recording of our session "Harnessing AI and Satellite Monitoring for a Nature-Positive Future" at #ClimateWeek NYC to hear more from Barka's Rekia Foudel and other experts. 🌱 https://bit.ly/3Ydrcys

Meet two remarkable founders who, just 13 weeks ago, had never heard of Barka. Their journey with us has included: 1) an in-person kickoff meeting in Abidjan, 2) a 10-week Virtual Learning Labs series, 3) a site visit 4) a comprehensive business assessment through 200+ diagnostic questions and 5) an investor showcase event. Watch this video to hear their perspective on the transformation achieved through our partnership! Bezos Earth Fund #impactinvesting #climateaction #entrepreneurship #africa

One distinctive strength of our entrepreneurship support program lies in our on-site visits. Our senior leadership insists on visiting companies in our program to assess their operations firsthand and meet the communities they serve. Last August, border complications prevented our planned visit to Goma, DRC. Undeterred, we flew into Goma last Saturday and successfully completed our mission, visiting four companies in our program. Three operate as aggregator+, partnering with thousands of smallholder farmers to provide technical assistance and market access in the cocoa and fruit trees value chains, while one provides marketplace solutions for Eastern DRC's agricultural sector. We take pride in supporting these resilient founders in Goma who, despite challenging business conditions, are building sustainable enterprises that generate both economic and environmental value for their communities. Bezos Earth Fund #impactinvesting #climateaction #entrepreneurship

It's a wrap! We've completed our 2nd Investment Readiness Program for 10 climate-focused companies from Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda. Our innovative speed-dating format replaced the traditional demo day approach, enabling founders to conduct 10 (ten) focused 5-minute pitches with investors, partners, and ecosystem builders. Barka is proud to pioneer this approach, replacing traditional podium presentations with intimate conversations, enabling entrepreneurs to refine their pitches and forge meaningful connections through multiple interactions. Bezos Earth Fund #impactinvesting #climateaction #entrepreneurship

Day 3 of our Founders' Showcase is going well as we prepare to connect with investors and key stakeholders in climate and restoration initiatives across the Lake Kivu and Rusizi Basin region. The energy is vibrant and engaging! #impactinvesting #entrepreneurship #climateaction

Barka is back in the Lake Kivu and Rusizi Basin for the culmination of our second investment readiness cohort. Our Founders' Showcase event highlights the entrepreneurs' achievements, presents their ventures to prospective investors and key stakeholders, and marks a significant milestone in the region's investment community. We are beyond thrilled to reconnect with these companies, valuing our time together, and remain committed to advancing their fundraising journey. Bezos Earth Fund #impactinvesting #climateaction #entrepreneurship

What a wonderful week in Accra, where our colleagues Christ G. Lokonda and Will Higgins supported the World Resources Institute's Land Accelerator program. They worked with restoration champions to help them refine their stories, perfect their pitches, and connect with investors to secure capital for scaling their impact. It’s an honor to contribute to building resilient, successful, and impactful businesses. #impactinvesting #entrepreneurship #restoration

We are proud to be one of the World Resources Institute's Land Accelerator program partners, attending their 2024 "Top 15 Bootcamp" in Accra, this week. Since its inception in 2018, this prestigious program has been instrumental in nurturing entrepreneurs dedicated to land restoration across Africa. Its impact is substantial, attracting nearly 3,400 applicants and boasting 293 alumni from 45 countries. These alumni report creating over 9,000 jobs, collaborating with 250,000 farmers, and restoring 201,000 hectares of land. Our colleagues Christ G. Lokonda and Will Higgins (in transit) are representing us at this year's event, further strengthening our commitment to restoration and entrepreneurship in Africa. #impactinvesting #climateaction #restoration