ACDI/VOCA officially registered its newest family member, AV Ventures, LLC, last Friday, September 23. A subsidiary of ACDI/VOCA, AV Ventures will serve as a global investment management and advisory company. AV Ventures will pilot, scale, and grow impact investment funds that provide “missing middle” financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide.
AV Ventures will immediately begin managing ACDI/VOCA’s first pilot investment vehicle, also registered on September 23. AV Ventures Ghana, LLC, will invest in high-potential, high-impact agri-SMEs in Ghana’s growing poultry value chain, thanks to funding from the USDA Ghana Poultry Program (GPP) and an anticipated loan from the U.S. government’s Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Coupled with the intensive technical assistance and support from GPP, AV Ventures Ghana will invest between $100,000 and $1 million each in select high-potential SMEs to catalyze their growth and expand opportunities for smallholder farmers.
International development nonprofit ACDI/VOCA has expanded economic opportunities worldwide for over 50 years. Our 20-year history in catalyzing investment and expanding financial services has resulted in a network of affiliated financial institutions that now have over 180,000 clients and a portfolio of over $250 million. The range of financial products offered by these institutions — from individual and group loans, to commercial banking services and equity investments — demonstrates the depth of our ongoing commitment to promoting financial inclusion and propelling the growth of SMEs.
“ACDI/VOCA is committed to expanding financing opportunities for SMEs worldwide,” stated ACDI/VOCA CEO Bill Polidoro. “We’re looking forward to this exciting next phase in our work in catalyzing investment.”
For further details, please contact Geoff Chalmers, Managing Director, at gchalmers@acdivoca.org.
