Africa Ecosystem Catalyst Facility 2025

About the Program

The Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility (AECF) is a USD 4M investment facility designed to unlock early-stage capital for startups in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania that are advancing economic mobility and climate resilience. Managed by Village Capital, the Facility leverages a locally-led investment model by partnering with in-market Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs). These ESOs help identify strong founder teams and contribute to the investment evaluation process, ensuring capital is invested where it has greatest local impact and fit for purpose.

The Facility is backed by (FMO) the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank, and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), two leading institutions championing sustainable development through entrepreneurship. FMO brings decades of experience investing in entrepreneurs and financial institutions in emerging markets, while RVO supports ecosystem-building efforts that reduce systemic barriers to growth. 

Together, the three partners are catalyzing a new approach to early-stage investing, one that shifts power closer to local ecosystems and accelerates the flow of capital to where it’s needed most.

Eligibility

• Locally-led and have raised less than USD 2M to date

• Healthy unit economics with a path to financial sustainability

• Post-MVP with early revenue

• Currently raising between USD 75K and USD 500K

• Developing context-specific solutions that advance economic mobility and climate resilience

• Driving innovation through process improvements, business model innovation, or disruptive products

Explore the full eligibility criteria and country-specific application details by visiting the websites of our ESO Venture Partners below.