<h1 style="text-align:center;">RENEW Participates at the Wharton Club Africa 2016 Investment Summit</h1>Last week, the Wharton Club of Africa hosted the 2016 Investment Summit and CEO forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. According to the WCA’s website, the event is a “premiere, global, and high impact Pan-African Executive Investment Summit” that features over 100 of the continent’s top investors, wealth managers, family offices and investors from 35 countries from across the globe.*Matt Davis, CEO of RENEW, joined Africa’s “leading regional and international investors, executive game-changers, Ministers, industry titans, and award-winning entrepreneurs” with the goal of brainstorming, collaborating and delivering “game-changing” industry intelligence on investing, investment operations, financial returns, business leadership and development on the continent.*<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:98.76%;"><img src="/uploads/wca_6954a77b6f.jpg"></figure>The following are Matt’s takeaways from his time at the event and as a speaker on the entrepreneurial leadership and impact investing panel:• I was impressed with the audience and speakers that the event attracted, which was a mix of investors and business people all interested or experienced in doing business and investing in Africa.• The chemistry on our panel was great thanks to: 1) a diverse group of people with different philosophies about impact investing, 2) people who have actually invested on the continent, and 3) a great facilitator who had deep experience in the impact investment industry and knew how to steer the discussion.• We also had a good audience that asked interesting questions: the most memorable being whether we had any investors reject a deal because the financial returns were too high - the audience member was working with an office that had rejected a deal on these grounds and they wondered if this was common. My response was that I personally had never experienced such a situation, nor had I heard of any investor rejecting an investment on the grounds that the financial returns were too high; however, this is an interesting problem in the impact investment space. As capital comes from a variety of sources (foundations, donor advised funds, private investment accounts, etc.) unique criteria arise that traditional investment managers may have not encountered before.• I emphasized that those in the industry should be open to a wide range of definitions about impact investing, because the space needs to grow and mature. But, investors and their managers should still be clear about how they individually define their impact investment philosophy and approach.• And, while a broad approach at the moment is appropriate, I also encouraged investors and managers to remember that in the end, impact investing is investing and needs to deliver a financial return. If the industry, which is garnering a lot of attention as of late, goes too long without these returns, we may see a correction; like what happened with the microfinance industry.• I ended by saying that RENEW is more keen on Africa's economic prospects - specifically Ethiopia – versus the broader growth of the impact investment space. In the end, for RENEW and our investors, impact investing is filling a gap in financial markets in countries like Ethiopia, between microfinance and larger private equity, and addressing the problem of the “missing middle”.Overall, I enjoyed the event and hearing the various perspectives from the fellow panelists. A special thanks to Aubrey Hruby, who chaired the panel. Aubrey is the Co-Founder of the Africa Expert Network. And to Lisa Lambie, who organized the whole conference.*<a href="http://www.wcaexecsummit2016.com/why-unique.html">WCA Executive Investment Summit &amp; CEO Forum 2016</a>

Partner Matt Davis speaks on an entrepreneurial leadership and impact investing panel.

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RENEW Participates at the Wharton Club Africa 2016 Investment Summit

<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:52.3%;"><img src="/uploads/etat_feb_26_to_mar_4_2012_069_1_dbba254f5c.jpg"></figure><h1 style="text-align:center;">10 Things You Should Know About Ethiopia’s Business Environment</h1>The World Bank recently published its <a href="http://www.enterprisesurveys.org/data/exploreeconomies/2015/Ethiopia">2015 Enterprise Survey</a> on Ethiopia, which outlines some very interesting information about the biggest obstacles private sector companies face in Ethiopia. The survey summarizes “key factual indicators at the country and regional levels” for twelve business environment categories, including: corruption, crime, finance, firm characteristics, gender, informality, infrastructure, innovation and technology, performance, regulations and taxes, trade and workforce.*The RENEW team compiled 10 takeaways. We mainly focused our analysis on the outliers – indicators that were significantly&nbsp;different in Ethiopia as compared with the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region as a whole.1. Access to finance is the number one obstacle for Ethiopian firms: The World Bank asked 848 companies in Ethiopia to rank the most prevalent obstacles that they face while doing business in Ethiopia. From the list of 15 common obstacles presented, access to finance was identified as number one. This comes as no surprise. Ethiopia’s current financial services sector, like that in many developing economies, is simply not equipped to provide adequate financing options for growing small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which in turn creates a “missing middle” in the country’s economy. The good news is that companies like RENEW and the Impact Angel Network are stepping in to help <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/devinthorpe/2016/01/13/impact-investor-in-ethiopia-fills-financing-gap/#64f4de8e50b3">fill this financing gap</a> through private equity investments.2. Customs and foreign exchange are constraining growth: While it takes on average 19.2 days to clear import from customs, about 3 days longer than the SSA region’s average, the proportion of inputs and/or supplies that are of domestic origin are significantly higher than SSA - 82.5% versus 66.1%. This may be a result of forex issues and protectionist trade policies.3. Regulations and taxes are not as bad as we think: RENEW was surprised to find that, although the amount of time senior management spends dealing with the requirements of government regulations in Ethiopia is higher than that of SSA (11.9% versus 7.6%), the remaining indicators are all lower. Examples include the number of days it takes to acquire an operating license (5.4 versus 19.1), number of visits required to meet with tax officials (1.6 versus 2.2), the percentage of firms identifying tax rates as a major constraint (22.8% versus 33.2%).4. Productivity is low but growth is high: While capacity utilization and labor productivity are lower in Ethiopia than the SSA region, real sales and labor growth rates are higher. We see this as a good sign, since productivity can be can be improved with stronger management systems and training, along with investments in better technology and capital goods; both of which RENEW and the IAN address through our investments and portfolio management.5. International certifications could be a source of competitive advantage: Ethiopian firms are not doing well with gaining international quality certifications as compared to the SSA region: 4.3% versus 14.7%. This is another area where foreign investors assist Ethiopian companies in achieving the next level of business and economic development.6. Firms need more electricity and faster access to the grid: Generator use is much higher in Ethiopia than SSA (48.9% versus 26.5%), which is to be expected given that the country is quickly industrializing but in need of more power. In fact, electricity was listed as the second highest obstacle that firms face in Ethiopia. It takes companies 194.3 days to obtain an electrical connection upon application, versus the 33.0 days for the rest of SSA. On a positive note, roads are better in Ethiopia, which shows in the survey’s last indicator: percentage of firms identifying transportation as a major constraint is 8.3% versus 22.8% for the SSA region.7. Firms need to hire more women executives – especially CFOs(RENEW’s opinion): One indicator that stuck out to us is that only 4.5% of firms in Ethiopia have a female top manager. And while the country did better in other gender indicators than SSA, RENEW’s takeaway from the entire Gender section of the survey is that we, as outside investors, need to encourage Ethiopian companies to hire qualified women into senior management positions.8. Ethiopia’s business environment is still closed: The proportion of private domestic ownership in a firm versus the private foreign ownership in a firm (95.9% versus 3.8%) shows that RENEW and the IAN are part of a very small percentage of foreign investors doing business in Ethiopia. Private equity investment is still very much an unknown concept to business owners, an issue that RENEW sets out to address in each of the <a href="../2015/why-are-angel-investors-important.html">trainings</a> we provide on financing options to entrepreneurs, banks and government employees.9. Firms could leverage foreign investors as a source of capital: If you have a free moment, this is the section of the survey to spend some time on. To RENEW, all of the indicators point to a "financial anemia" of sorts. The main indicators that stood out to us concern how and where investments come from: 83.3% of investments were financed internally, versus 7.8% financed by banks, 0.3% financed by supplier credit, or 0.8% financed by equity of stock sales. Only 16.4% of firms in Ethiopia use banks for working capital loans, in comparison to the 21.8% of companies in SSA.10. Yes, there's corruption; but not as bad as some: While it is evident that corruption still occurs in Ethiopia, the survey’s indicators demonstrate that Ethiopia is doing better than the SSA region as a whole.Overall, we are encouraged by these survey results and remain bullish on Ethiopia.*<a href="http://www.enterprisesurveys.org/data/exploreeconomies/2015/Ethiopia">World Bank 2015 Enterprise Survey on Ethiopia</a>

RENEW analyzes the World Bank’s recent survey on Ethiopian enterprise and finds some surprises.

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10 Things You Should Know About Ethiopia’s Business Environment

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Stories of Impact &amp; Inspiration</h1>Last weekend, members and guests of the Impact Angel Network (IAN) joined us in Washington, D.C. to attend the second annual <a href="weekend-connections-discussion-and-positive-impact.html">National Gathering</a>. The goal of this event was to create opportunities for guests to connect with like-minded individuals and hear from thought leaders in the fields of impact investing, angel investing and global development.One of the goals for the weekend was to share real stories of impact and innovation (#WhatsYourStory), which culminated during the dinner portion of Friday evening’s event when four conscious capitalists stood up and shared their inspirations and personal experiences with the IAN in front of the group. These are their stories:JODI MORRIS, SAN FRANCISCO<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/dscf2434_29708951873_o_3ca7714184.jpg"></figure>“Personally, I'm a global traveler. Professionally, I'm a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodimorrissf">global investor</a>. I have a particular passion for emerging economies. I was introduced to RENEW by a long-time client of mine, a wealth manager with SignatureFD, David Fisher.I believe that global experiences change our perspective; that investing is a powerful tool for social change; that world-class entrepreneurs and businesses are everywhere.Currently, I work independently, investing my money, time, and talent in people and firms who share my beliefs, with a focus on Africa. Community is so important – I have so much to learn, but also lots to share. That's why I'm a member the RENEW's Impact Angel Network, and why I'm attending my second National Gathering.Just as my friend David introduced me to RENEW and this community, I wish to toast those here this weekend that have joined me - my husband Bob Morris and friends Victoria Odinotska, Amanda Arch and Adam Pisoni, and Lisa and Scott Halsted.”JOHN GARDNER, WASHINGTON DC<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/dscf2439_29708950033_o_af4090fc69.jpg"></figure>“18 months ago, I was pleased and honored to attend this gathering as the guest of a remarkable woman, <a href="https://renewcapital.com/blog/2015/i-had-farm-africa">Whitney Ball</a>. Sadly, that was one of the last public events she attended, as she passed away from breast cancer last August.As the founder of Donors' Trust, she was deeply committed to both getting returns on investment and to helping the poor and underprivileged through economics - giving them a chance to participate in the economy, build businesses, and build societies committed to economic liberty. She invited me to this dinner, and to the possibility of investing here, because of these commitments. I was impressed by what I saw and am glad to say that <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gardner-b499941">I have invested</a> in two projects that fulfill these goals.I honor her memory tonight and am glad that her legacy continues. Whitney, you were so sick that you could not enjoy a drink last year; I toast your memory now and thank your for 25 years of friendship.”SABEL MARQUETTE, MINNEAPOLIS<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/dscf2445_30305229316_o_98849c0910.jpg"></figure>“I am here tonight with my parents, Beth &amp; Joel Marquette, who are members of the IAN advisory board. A few years ago, I spent 6 months living in Ethiopia with my family. During my time there, I made lifelong friends, experienced Ethiopia's welcoming culture, and learned many things. One of the most important things that I learned was to be accepting and open to experiencing new things.Tonight, I toast to my generation of Ethiopians; may the economic growth in your country bring you more opportunities.”DAVID GRIZZLE, WASHINGTON, DC<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/dscf2448_29708948173_o_0ea45615ce.jpg"></figure>“I was in Addis Ababa visiting a missionary friend of mine who had been there for four years working with kids living in the sewers. He asked me if I wanted to meet an amazing American couple that was in Ethiopia doing social impact private equity investments. We went to a hotel to meet Matt and Laura. I remember that the hotel was very nice, but maybe it was just nice in comparison to the sewers we’d been traipsing around in.Matt and Laura spent about 30 minutes explaining what they were doing, and I was sold. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgrizzle">My son and I</a> and our family foundation have now made more than five investments and more to come.I’d like to offer a toast to divinely appointed encounters that can change our lives and maybe even the world.”RENEW is proud to have such inspiring individuals as members of the Impact Angel Network.

#WhatsYourStory toasts at the 2016 National Gathering recognize community, divinely appointed encounters and the legacy of a very special woman.

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Stories of Impact & Inspiration

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Mark Your Calendars!</h1>Matt and Laura Davis, partners of RENEW, will be heading from Ethiopia back to the U.S. to meet with investors across the States and Canada from mid-March through April. They will be traveling to the cities of Washington D.C., New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Denver.We will be hosting informal gatherings in New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Denver. The purpose of RENEW’s multi-city visit is to meet with existing members of the Impact Angel Network, foster new connections with potential members and provide an opportunity for members to walk through several of our upcoming investment pipeline deals with the partners.RENEW, along with the members of the Impact Angel Network (IAN), share a vision for changing the way investors view Africa, and the vehicles in which they use to invest in its emerging markets. Many of our members were referred to RENEW and the IAN via word-of-mouth by a trusted friend or colleague, who have in turn shared their experience with others who share in our vision. We are proud of the progress we've made so far, but we're just getting started!Continued growth of our investment pipeline and our investor community go hand-in-hand. If you have time to meet Matt and Laura, or know other like-minded investors in these cities who would be interested in learning more about RENEW, the IAN or our upcoming deals, then please reach out and let us know. We hope to see many of you in the coming weeks!<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/2017_roadshow_2dd8ec2fed.jpg"></figure>

RENEW partners Matt and Laura Davis will be traveling across the U.S. and Canada to meet with investors.

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Mark Your Calendars!

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Angels Descend on Addis!</h1>2017 has already proven to be a busy year, with RENEW hosting an Econ-Tourism Trip for members of the Impact Angel Network from Delaware, Colorado and the United Kingdom this past week. The group met with Ethiopian entrepreneurs, from both RENEW’s portfolio and investment pipeline, and visited a number of businesses in and around Addis Ababa.The investors were introduced to companies spanning multiple sectors – from commodities and food manufacturing to textiles and consumer goods several of which are being considered for upcoming investments. The group also visited current <a href="../../marketplace/portfolio.html">portfolio investments</a> of the IAN, including Desta, Mama Fresh, METAD and our Ethiopian sesame company.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/econ_tourism_feb_20172_582382b4de.jpg"></figure>One of the many highlights of the trip was the first ever SME pitch session hosted by RENEW at <a href="https://www.renewcapital.com/companies">The Exchange,</a> wherein carefully selected entrepreneurs presented their companies to the participating angel investors. This event made the company visits that occurred later in the week by the investors more productive and provided them with them background required to ask the right questions. This, in turn, engendered interest and confidence in investors’ minds regarding the potential financial and social impact of the opportunities. The pitch event was followed by a happy hour and networking event at the Exchange with development partners and members of the Addis Ababa business community.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/econ_tourism_feb_20171_6f33f487d4.jpg"></figure>Throughout the trip, the group experienced Ethiopia’s rich history, culture and delicious cuisine. During the first day, the entire group went on a sightseeing tour of Addis Ababa, took a look back in history with a stop at the National Museum of Ethiopia, home of the infamous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(Australopithecus)">Lucy skeleton</a>, and went on a food and drink tour with local food guides from <a href="http://goaddistours.com/">Go Addis Tours</a>. Later in the week, Mama Fresh hosted the investors for lunch at their visitor’s center and several members also spent some time exploring <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/18">Lalibela’s</a> famous 11 monolithic rock-hewn churches.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/econ_tourism_feb_2017_f040b8e0a3.jpg"></figure>RENEW is in the midst of planning the next Econ-Tourism Trip, which is slated for September 17-22, 2017. Contact us to learn more about participating in an upcoming Econ-Tourism Trip!

Members of RENEW’s Impact Angel Network visit Ethiopia to review investment opportunities.

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Angels Descend on Addis!

<h1 style="text-align:center;">The Second Annual Impact Report</h1>RENEW announces the Impact Angel Network’s (IAN) second annual impact report. We hope it will give you key insights into the IAN’s vision, the portfolio in Ethiopia and the IAN itself, and in doing so, we will take you back to the source of some of Ethiopia’s greatest resources.With seven investments in Ethiopia, the IAN now supports 1,490 jobs, with 812 having been created post investment. Our portfolio companies now source from more than 4,300 small holder farmers. Read our Impact Reports: •<a href="https://latest-api.renewcapital.com/uploads/RENEW_Impact_Report_2017_c0d6c8251c.pdf"> Impact Report (June 2017)</a> • <a href="https://latest-api.renewcapital.com/uploads/RENEW_LLC_Impact_Report_2016_d7bb848962.pdf">Impact Report (June 2016)</a><figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/renew_report_cover_fotor_001380ba9e.jpg"></figure>

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The Second Annual Impact Report

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Upcoming Econ-Tourism Trips</h1>Join RENEW for our upcoming Econ-Tourism Trips to Ethiopia. IAN Members will have the opportunity to visit their investments, meet local entrepreneurs, and experience the country’s culture. Our two upcoming trips are being held:<ul><li>September 17 to 23, 2017</li><li>February 18 to 24, 2018</li></ul>RENEW encourages investors to travel to Ethiopia to gain a better understanding of the economic and investment environment of the country. RENEW believes these trips allow our members to come away with a deeper appreciation for the diverse culture and investment opportunities Ethiopia has to offer.Learn more&nbsp;about Econ-Tourism Trips and read about IAN members Andrew Umhau, Beth Marquette and Jodi Morris' personal trip experiences.Contact Erin O’Connor at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:eoconnor@renewcapital.com">eoconnor@renewcapital.com</a> if you are interested in learning more or participating on one of these upcoming trips.&nbsp;

Fall and Winter Econ-Tourism Trips to Ethiopia

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Upcoming Econ-Tourism Trips

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Back to the Source: Cotton</h1>In December 2015, members of the Impact Angel Network closed an investment in a family-owned textile and apparel manufacturing facility, Desta PLC. Established in 1992, Desta PLC is a multi-faceted company that oversees several production lines, including embroidery, knitting, cut-and-sew, fabric and garment manufacturing. The company’s dedication to quality and timely service has garnered trust and confidence from domestic and international customers.One could say, though, that this dedication is not only applied to Desta’s customers but its employees as well. At any given time, Desta employs more than 550 individuals, mostly young men and women, and ensure that each day they have access to a healthy subsidized meal, a fair wage, a medical nurse, team trainings and opportunities for advancement. Desta is committed to the fair treatment of its employees and adherence to guiding principles of sustainability, setting it apart from the trajectory this industry has taken in many other low and middle-income countries. Desta is accredited by international standard and compliance organizations. It passed an audit by BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), proof that Desta has created suitable working conditions and takes care of employees. In addition, Desta undergoes a social audit twice a year by SGS, a leading inspection and certification company headquartered in Switzerland. Worldwide Response Accredited Production has also certified the company.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/cotton_blog5_216389c621.jpg"></figure>The company’s commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility is assisting Desta in becoming a market leader in an industry that is just now starting to take hold in Ethiopia and the East Africa region. While the first textile mill in Ethiopia was established nearly 80 years ago, the entire cotton-textile-apparel (CTA) value-chain has been one of the country’s least developed industries, only marginally contributing to the country’s GDP. The reasons for this are many, but two significant causes are lower cotton cultivation rates and a lack of vertical integration across the value chain (1).If you know anything about Ethiopia and the important role that agriculture plays in its GDP, this may actually come as a surprise. While cotton has long been considered a “cash crop” that is grown by commercial and smallholder farmers alike, cotton cultivation has yet to reach its full potential. Ethiopia currently cultivates only 3% of the total 2.6 million hectares that are suitable for cotton production, and out of 84,000 hectares of land that are under cotton cultivation, only 35,000 hectares are irrigated while the remaining is rain-fed (2). This translates directly into the country’s export figures. In 2012, total CTA exports amounted to roughly $27.2M, of which only $4.7M was directly from cotton production (1) - as a comparison point, coffee exports for the same year amounted to $694.6M (3). In addition to lower cultivation rates, up to 70% of cotton that is grown in Ethiopia and the East Africa region is exported to other countries (1). To date, only a handful of textile and garment manufacturers are vertically integrated from “dirt to shirt,” leaving the remaining facilities to import costly raw materials from other countries and stunting the overall textile industry (1).Bringing this point closer to home, 60-70% of what Desta produces is made from 100% cotton or a cotton blend. Of these cotton products, only about 20% is actually made from locally grown Ethiopian cotton, while the remaining 80% is made from imported cotton or polyester-cotton blends. However, this reliance on expensive imports may not be for long. Global sourcing for apparel is currently undergoing a significant realignment due to a rise in labor wages in China, the world’s largest textile exporter; buyers are now looking elsewhere to source apparel (1). So, where might these buyers be looking? You guessed it - Ethiopia.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/dsc_0159_10ddd9e6bc.jpg"></figure> To put this in context, the East Africa region currently produces approximately $1B in cotton products (cotton fiber through apparel) on an annual basis, whereas China exported $159.6B in garments alone in 2012 (1). “If one-half of one percent of China’s current garment exports were to relocate, this would represent a near doubling in the value of all CTA exports from East Africa” (1). And Ethiopia is well positioned to take advantage of this shift. The country is rapidly becoming a top destination for textile manufacturing on account of competitive labor costs, government incentives, and low energy costs. Companies such as H&amp;M, Tesco, Gap, Belk, and Walmart, among others, are now sourcing textile products from the country (4).In light of these global shifts, the government of Ethiopia has recently taken steps to further ensure the future success of the sector in naming the CTA industry, across the entire value chain, as a priority sector under the Growth and Transformation Plan II (GTP II). According to <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201607151027.html">AllAfrica</a>, the country plans to “increase cotton output from the land productivity level of 15 quintals/ha in 2015 to 28 quintals/ha by 2020. In the long-term, Ethiopia has set out to become self-sufficient in lint cotton supply” by the completion of GTP II. The country is also taking advantage of initiatives such as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Common Markets of East Africa (COMESA) and other bilateral trade agreements with Western countries that offer free trade benefits and access to the global and regional markets. And to ensure that facilities are taking full advantage of these agreements, the Ethiopian government has established a National AGOA Center under the Ministry of Trade to help companies better utilize AGOA.In strengthening the cotton cultivation segment of the CTA value chain, Ethiopia will not only support full integration of the important textile industry (one that is expected to significantly contribute towards Ethiopia’s future GDP), but it will also positively affect food and income security for rural populations. “In addition to production for the value chain, by-products include cotton oil and cotton seedcake for home use and cattle feed. Cotton production for smallholder farmers has a strongly positive impact on food security through raising rural incomes. It is highly suitable to be grown in rotation with other staple crops and provides the cash necessary for the farmer to invest more heavily in food crops” (1)All in all, the continued development of the CTA value-chain not only positively affects textile manufacturers, like Desta PLC, but it will also economically benefit the country and the lives of the farmers who are involved in cotton cultivation.

The RENEW team takes a closer look at the cotton, textile, apparel value chain and its role in Ethiopia’s economy.

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Back to the Source: Cotton

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Blended Finance 101</h1>MINDING THE GAP:In 2015, the United Nations released a multi-faceted plan of action for the world to meet 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and 169 targets by the year 2030. These goals range from clean water and sanitation to gender equality and quality education, with one of the more ambitious goals being the complete eradication of poverty, in all of its forms. It will require an enormous undertaking to achieve all 17 SDGs, and part of the challenge lies with the funding gap that is present in most developing countries, which is estimated to be “between $1.9 trillion and $3.1 trillion each year between now and 2030.”* The development community at large recognizes that significant additional financial resources will need to be mobilized over the coming 15 years. However, current political climates across many developed countries hint at foreign aid cuts instead of increases, raising the question “where will this needed capital come from?”<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/un_sdg_0_51da451f50.png"></figure>CUE THE PRIVATE SECTOR:It is the belief of many that private sector investment will play an important role in assisting frontier economies address the development funding gap that they are currently facing. The reason is that many private investors (from equity funds to investment bankers) are increasingly looking to developing countries for their next investment opportunity. Emerging markets have historically offered strong investment returns, something that has not been ignored by savvy investors. “Private equity investment in emerging markets reached $57 billion in 2014, with increased interest from LPs resulting in fundraising totals far exceeding previous years.”**Emerging markets are truly on the cusp of a “perfect storm” for economic growth - young demographics, a growing middle class and increasing incomes - which will likely continue to translate to spectacular economic growth, even in the double digits for some countries. In fact, overall growth rates in frontier markets are exceeding that of developed, “with projections of market growth of 4.0% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016, compared to 2.0% and 2.2% for advanced economies over the same period.”**So, let’s recap: we have a development funding gap, a need for traditional aid needs to be delivered in more effective ways, and a private sector that is increasingly becoming a major player in economic growth for frontier markets. What happens next?THE BLENDING OF TWO FINANCES:Development funders and private sector actors are joining forces under what is commonly being referred to as blended finance. You’re probably saying to yourself, “Great! Another buzzword I have to memorize” and wondering how the substance and meaning behind this phrase differs from others like “venture philanthropy” or “impact investing”? <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanmlarrea">Joan Larrea</a>, CEO of Convergence, does a great job in defining this relatively new term in her publication in <a href="http://impactalpha.com/sizing-up-blended-finance-a-guide-to-a-new-financing-approach-to-fuel-sustainable-development/">Impact Alpha</a>, Sizing Up ‘Blended Finance’: A Guide to a New Financing Approach to Fuel Sustainable Development:“Boiled down, blended finance simply encourages more private sector investment by being strategic with the money already at work from official development assistance and philanthropic sources. Blended finance transactions combine funding from development institutions, philanthropic entities, and profit-seeking investors and puts that capital to work in a way that is aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”Joan goes on to elaborate that there are three defining characteristics in any blended finance activity, including 1) the deal is intended to yield a financial return, 2) the transaction contributes towards achieving SDGs in a frontier economy, and 3) the development funders are the catalytic force behind the deal.It is this third point where a lot of the magic happens. Investment opportunities that normally be passed over by large venture capital firms (for being too small), or passed over by microfinance institutions (for being too large), are now seeing the light of day. What’s painfully obvious but often overlooked is that these small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent the backbone of any developing or developed economy, and without them, a missing middle in the economic pyramid is created, resulting in unstable or stagnant growth. Finally, with the assistance of governments, foundations, donor agencies, development and commercial banks, and private investors, these SMEs are given access to much-needed capital, which in turn allows them to scale operations, create sustainable jobs, grow into market leaders and attract additional sources of financing.KEY STAKEHOLDERS &amp; PLAYERS:There are several key stakeholders in the blended finance field. Governments agencies, such as USAID, GAC or DFID, and philanthropic institutions, such as the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation or The Rockefeller Foundation, play an important role given their higher tolerance for investment risk and lower return expectations (relative to commercial or investment banks). These institutions deploy their capital using a range of investment instruments and securities, accounting for $135.2 billion in OECD Official Development Assistance in 2014.**Blended finance provides private sector investors and lenders the opportunity to reduce the uncertainty and costs related to high-risk investments in an emerging market by leveraging the financial support, project administration, and local expertise that development funders can provide, allowing for a wider range of investment activities to take place.**This relationship between the private sector and public sector can also be categorized under a public-private partnership model, which RENEW and the Impact Angel Network currently use in Ethiopia. By working with development funders who cover the high transactions costs of operating in an emerging market, RENEW is able to manage a diverse portfolio of companies, be our investors eyes and ears on the ground in-country, source an exciting pipeline of investment opportunities and connect U.S. angel investors with driven entrepreneurs, all without charging a management fee.If you’re interested in learning more about RENEW, the Impact Angel Network or our unique business model, then be sure to stay tuned for an upcoming announcement of a new partnership between RENEW that pretty perfectly exhibits the power of blended finance.

How the “blending” of development funding and private sector investments could lead to sustainable economic growth.

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