Overview
This flagship project consists in setting up a regional impact fund to facilitate access to finance for social enterprises, thus supporting innovative business models relevant for young people and women in the Southern Neighbourhood.
This project is part of the regional Team Europe Initiative “Jobs through Trade and Investment", notably its pillar on inclusive entrepreneurship, aiming at generating jobs through support of the private sector. It is co-financed by DG MENA and BMZ under a joint TEI initiative.
The impact fund will consist of two components:
- loans either directly or through financial intermediaries to social enterprises. This addresses smaller, less structured enterprises which are organised in different legal forms.
- direct investments in medium-sized social enterprises through equity which may be supported by mezzanine finance and other forms.
In addition to the two components, technical assistance is foreseen to support the social enterprise ecosystems and its institutional actors.
