Project Type

Facts & Figures

FUND SIZE

FCFA 590M

INVESTMENT POLICY

Education sector

INVESTMENT PERIOD

From September 30, 2017 to December 31, 2018

LEGAL STATUS

Simplified Stock Company (SSC)

FORM OF FUNDING

Risk capital, development capital

TICKET

Between FCFA 20M and 130M

PROGRESS

6 companies in the portfolio

TEAM/GOVERNANCE

Issa Sidibé and Adama Fofana

PARTNERS

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About the project

The Education Impact Fund (EIF) is an investment fund specialized in the financing and support of SMEs and start-ups in the education sector in Côte d’Ivoire. According to a report of the World Bank published in 2017, the education system in Côte d’Ivoire is experiencing major deficiencies. In this context, Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P), a pan-African fund dedicated to SMEs, and the Jacobs Foundation through its Transforming Education in Cocoa Communities (TRECC) program have decided to create an impact fund to help solve the different identified issues. 

Challenge

While education is a key sector in Côte d’Ivoire because of the fast-growing population and urbanization, SMEs in this space face numerous barriers preventing them from accessing much-needed funding.

Solution

EIF is a fund managed by Comoé Capital designed to provide seed and working capital (from FCFA 20M to 130M) to SMEs and start-ups in the Ivorian education sector. To further support their growth, EIF also provides technical assistance to its investees.

Results to date

After screening over 125 deals, EIF has invested a total of FCFA 450M in 6 different education companies.

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Funding Portfolio

Vallesse: Publishing house focused on schoolbooks and novels (Target Groups: Children and Youth).

Expected outcomes

    • Increased access to books in secondary cities and rural areas.
    • Strengthened publishing industry in Côte d’Ivoire.

Etudesk: Ed-tech start-up providing an online learning platform (Target Group: Youth).

Expected outcomes

    • Young people are supported in their professional development.
    • Young graduates and unemployed gain skills needed for a successful pathway toward employment.

IMGH: Hospitality management and catering school located in a popular neighborhood of Abidjan (Target Group: Youth).

Expected outcomes

  • Increased quality of hospitality workforce in Côte d’Ivoire.
  • Strengthened tourism and hospitality sector in Côte d’Ivoire.

Studio KÄ: Animation studio creating educational cartoons focused on African stories (Target Group: Children).

Expected outcomes

  • Children receive high quality education through animated movies.
  • Production of African stories promotes cultural awareness among African youth.
  • Strengthened edutainment industry in Côte d’Ivoire.

La Coccinelle: Affordable preschool network and early childhood development training center (Target Group: Children).

Expected outcomes

  • Affordable quality education is provided to children from lower-middle class families.
  • Private training is available for early childhood educators.
  • Strengthened early childhood education practices.

EIFP Michèle Yakice: Vocational training institute for hairdressers and seamstresses (Target Group: Youth).

Expected outcomes

  • Population with a low educational background are reintegrated into the workforce.
  • Quality training is provided, in particular to women.
  • Young graduates gain skills needed for a successful pathway toward employment.