Category: Mirepa Capital

Last week, Mirepa Capital LTD. and Mirepa Investment Advisors contributed to the second phase of the Scaling Readiness Program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Led by Reach for Change (Ethiopia) and funded by the Mastercard Foundation, this year-long initiative provides capacity building and financial support to 13 Ed-tech businesses, helping them scale and enhance learning outcomes.

The current state of Education in Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s education system is facing a significant challenge. This is evidenced by the alarming statistic that nearly half of the schools administering the university entrance exam in 2023 had a 96% failing rate. This issue has severe implications for the future prospects of Ethiopian youth.

Strengthening the Growth of Ed-tech Businesses

Building on the foundation established last year during Phase 1, the second phase began with an immersion week in February. This stage introduced key frameworks and strategies to help Ed-tech entrepreneurs accelerate their journey towards scale and long term impact. The Mirepa team worked closely with assigned coaches, offering tailored guidance to the 13 selected companies.

To deepen engagement, the Mirepa team conducted site visits alongside coaches, assessing business models and journey maps to provide hands-on recommendations for scalability. Coaching sessions focused on business development, financial sustainability, market positioning, and impact measurement.

Advancing Education Solutions

The Mirepa team is committed to strengthening EdTech enterprises that address challenges in affordability, accessibility, adaptability, and engagement. Through structured coaching, these businesses are equipped with the tools and networks necessary to refine their models and scale sustainably.

Looking Ahead

As the program advances, Mirepa remains dedicated to supporting these transformative Ed-tech ventures. The collaboration with Reach for Change and the Mastercard Foundation highlights the vital role of public-private partnerships in driving educational progress.

With Phase 2 well underway, the program continues to empower entrepreneurs with the knowledge and resources needed for long-term success. Mirepa Capital LTD. and Mirepa Investment Advisors are proud to be part of this impactful initiative, helping to shape a more inclusive and innovative education system in Ethiopia.

Mirepa Capital Ltd. (MCL) has successfully wrapped up the final bootcamp for the Kosmos Innovation Center Ghana (KIC) Capacity Building for MSMEs Booster Program. This 3-day residential bootcamp was designed exclusively for Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) in the agricultural sector, spanning industries such as clean tech, poultry farming, food processing, natural cosmetics, and digital marketplaces.

The program was structured around three core learning areas:

✅Business Model & Market Readiness: Helping entrepreneurs refine their business models, assess market demand, and develop strategies for sustainable competitiveness.

✅Financial Management & Growth Strategies: Providing insights into financial planning, investment readiness, and revenue growth tactics.

✅Strategy Execution & Long-Term Growth: Focusing on operational efficiency, leadership, and long-term business sustainability.

Beyond training, the bootcamp fostered a vibrant environment for peer-to-peer learning, collaboration, and networking. Participants actively engaged in discussions, case studies, and interactive sessions, enhancing their ability to navigate challenges and seize growth opportunities in their respective fields.

Through the KIC Capacity Building for MSMEs Booster Program, MCL remains committed to supporting these businesses through a 5-month tailored coaching and ongoing mentorship. Our goal is to ensure these businesses are well-equipped to access financing, attract investment, and contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s economic development.

👏 Congratulations to all the dedicated entrepreneurs who participated in this transformative experience. Your vision, resilience, and drive are paving the way for a thriving agricultural sector in Ghana!

Mirepa Capital Ltd. (MCL) successfully facilitated another impactful bootcamp for  MSMEs in the Kosmos Innovation Center Ghana (KIC) Booster Program.

From 27th–28th February, this group, comprising early revenue-generating businesses, engaged in an intensive two-day capacity-building session focused on key pillars essential for business success.

This bootcamp was more than just training; it provided a dynamic environment for peer learning, collaboration, and networking. The businesses exhibited remarkable passion and commitment, reinforcing the potential of Ghana’s MSME sector to drive economic growth and job creation.

By addressing critical challenges faced by agricultural MSMEs—particularly in accessing financial markets—the KIC Capacity Building Program equips these businesses with the tools and strategies needed to enhance operational efficiency, secure financing, and scale sustainably.

Looking ahead, we are committed to supporting this cohort through tailored coaching and aftercare support, ensuring they are well-positioned to attract investment and achieve long-term growth.

👏 Congratulations to all the participants for their dedication and drive. The nation’s MSME sector is promising with such visionary entrepreneurs at the forefront!

Last week, Mirepa Capital Ltd. (MCL), as part of its role in implementing the Kosmos Innovation Center Ghana (KIC) Capacity Building for MSMEs Booster Program, successfully conducted a transformative bootcamp for Group 1 of the business cohort.

Over two impactful days (20th–21st February), 18 dynamic businesses—predominantly women-led, engaged in intensive capacity building sessions covering key areas crucial for business growth:
✅ Entrepreneurship & Business Planning
✅ Marketing & Sales Strategies
✅ Financial Management
✅ Risk Management
✅ Accessing Finance

The bootcamp wasn’t just about training; it was a powerful platform for peer learning, collaboration, and networking. The energy, commitment, and determination showcased by these businesses were truly inspiring.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to address the significant barriers agricultural MSMEs face in accessing financial markets. By equipping these businesses with practical knowledge and technical support, the KIC Capacity Building Program is paving the way for them to secure financing, enhance operational efficiency, and scale sustainably.

We are excited about the journey ahead for this cohort and look forward to supporting them through tailored coaching and aftercare support designed to help them attract investment and create jobs.

🙌 Kudos to all the participants for their hard work and dedication. The future of Ghana’s MSME sector looks bright with such promising businesses leading the way!

Over the last four (4) months, the Mirepa Team on behalf of SNV Ghana, conducted a market study to assess the availability of blended finance options for co-funding and de-risking mechanisms for GrEEn businesses (Agribusiness, Renewable Energy and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene-WASH) in the Ashanti and Western regions.

The findings of the study were presented by Sandrah Baafi and Esienam Agbenorto to a gathering of ecosystem players at the 3rd edition of the annual GrEEn Investment Forum organized by SNV on Thursday, 3rd November 2022 in the Ashanti region.

The key insights from the study are:

• 1. Blended finance is still not well understood by both the suppliers and MSMEs.
• 2. MSMEs access to finance has largely unchanged since 2020 when the initial study was done.
• 3. Among GrEEn sectors, agriculture remains the dominant target and recipient of blended finance options.
• 4. The business model of microcredit suppliers generally targets female clientele.
• 5. Blended finance options like capacity building and portfolio management are less helpful without funding to stimulate MSMEs operations.
• 6. The terms of available blended finance options are not always favorable.

Mirepa SME Ventures portfolio company, Wear Ghana, launched a new experience center in Dzorwulu, a suburb of Accra, strategically located off one of the major highways in Accra.  This brings the number of physical locations the company has to two (2).  Although a majority of the company’s business is generated online and via virtual engagement, Wear Ghana finds that the physical experience centers compliments its eCommerce business very well.

Wear Ghana is a well-known brand in Ghana that employs unique infusion of African and contemporary western design to create new categories of apparel lines that appeal to a wide demographic of customers willing to connect to the African identity.  The company is a female-led and owned business that currently employs over 20 women in its workforce while strengthening the livelihoods of many others in its supply chain.

Mirepa SME Ventures (MSV) is a value addition vehicle that supports local businesses by making small investments of USD 10K – USD 100K from Mirepa Capital’s balance sheet.  The team works with dedicated entrepreneurs who run businesses with high growth potential and the ability to scale their products and services across borders.

This past week, members of the Mirepa team, welcomed 6 entrepreneurs/fellows from the Ashesi University Venture Incubator (AVI) to the Investment House (Airport West, Accra).  The Mirepa team supported the AVI fellows to undertake Financial Simulations that would prepare them to become investment ready.

The objective of the Financial simulations was to imitate the process of acquiring funding where fellows presented their pitches to a panel made up of Mirepa team and obtained feedback on their approach to access funds, a great learning process for their businesses to prepare for real world experiences.

According to the Ashesi University website, the AVI is a student-led incubator set up to support student-run businesses by providing them with the resources and funding that they will require in their early stages, in order to grow into fully-fledged companies. Ventures accepted into the incubator can be at any level of maturity, from simple ideas to existing businesses.

Present at the event were members from the Mirepa Capital team, the Mirepa Investment Advisors team as well as Nelly Sai Palm from the Mirepa US team. This initiative is part of a broader effort by Mirepa to help develop and strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Earlier this month, members of the Mirepa Capital and Mirepa Investment Advisors team visited women producer groups and cooperatives in three regions in northern Ghana.   The membership of these producer groups and cooperatives collectively exceeded over 2000 and formed critical parts of the supply chains of female-led/owned businesses that the Mirepa team is supporting through one of its interventions for a client.

It is heartwarming to know that our interventions go to improve the livelihoods of these women, who work in various agricultural value chains including rice and shea as well as basket production.  Mirepa’s support is a value-chain driven approach that strengthens several supply chains by helping the businesses that source from them to stabilize and scale their operations.  In all 10 female-led/owned businesses that work with these producer groups and cooperatives are being supported by Mirepa.

This value chain approach forms a key part of Mirepa’s gender lens and job creation strategies for its investments.  By investing in businesses using this approach, significantly larger numbers of indirect jobs and livelihoods are impacted.