<h1>Press Release: Inputi Receives an Investment to Grow Smart Technology for Food Security</h1>Renew Capital Angels want to see the private sector put more food on African tables.&nbsp;<a href="https://renew-new-api.madtechet.com/uploads/2022_10_Press_Release_Inputi_cbf114f1af.pdf">Download the Full Press Release</a>Kampala, Uganda, October 11, 2022 —Food security. It’s a challenge in many parts of the world, especially as global supply chains break down and environmental imbalances leave lands barren. The Ugandan tech company Inputi is improving the odds in its region with funding from Renew Capital, an impact investment firm growing small and medium-sized businesses in East Africa through its network of investors, Renew Capital Angels.&nbsp;Inputi is an online marketplace, aggregator and distributor for farm inputs. Through versatile digital platforms, it delivers quality crop and livestock inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides to 1,000 rural agro shops, 20 dairy cooperatives and 12 meat cooperatives, sending them directly to buyers or to regional agro and vet shops at a fixed transportation cost. Inputi is projecting 50% growth in the coming year and, with the Renew Capital investment, it hopes to profile and aggregate input dealers, farmers and farmer groups to provide linkages in trade and to financial institutions and insurance firms.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/INPUTI_IMAGES_24_2000px_f11f0a57a9.jpg"></figure>“We cannot eliminate famine caused by climate change, but we can mitigate that by improving food distribution systems,” says Inputi chief executive officer David Lukwago. “The private sector plays a critical role in building efficient, effective and sustainable means to move food from one point to another point where the food is needed. Sustainability can be achieved if the private sector is fully empowered and brought to the table of food security.”&nbsp;“We are excited about the end-to-end value chain connectivity solution for crop and livestock farmers that Inputi is building. This solution delivers agri inputs to the farmer at an affordable cost while providing farmer-centric training to create a thriving agricultural ecosystem sustainably,” says Renew Capital Head of Shared Growth Services JC Oelofse.

Renew Capital Angels want to see the private sector put more food on African tables. 

INPUTI IMAGES 24 2000px.jpg

Press Release: Inputi Receives an Investment to Grow Smart Technology for Food Security

<h1>Renew Capital’s East Africa Investment Survey Results</h1>At Renew Capital, we believe that Africa's economic potential hinges on its ability to develop and expand its small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially as it rolls out its African Continental Free Trade Area.&nbsp;In an effort to confirm gaps and needs for entrepreneurs, Renew Capital launched an&nbsp; East Africa Investment Survey recently. The responses from more than 300 companies across the region confirmed that Renew Capital’s gender-smart ecosystem-building work remains crucial and is helping us further refine our capacity building efforts.&nbsp;The top three findings from the survey are:<ul><li>Women-owned Company Growth Lags Behind -&nbsp;The survey showed that female entrepreneurs continued to lag behind their male counterparts in building high revenue companies.&nbsp;Male-owned companies in the sample were able to hire more employees and began experiencing higher revenues at an earlier phase. While majority female-owned companies appeared to catch up as they grew, they fell behind in revenue again by the time they reached maturity.&nbsp;</li><li>Companies are Missing Regional Trade Opportunities&nbsp;-&nbsp;Approximately half of the companies in the sample have yet to take advantage of the broader regional market through cross-border trade. In addition, SMEs reported difficulty accessing capital and&nbsp;consistently reported access to markets as one of the most significant barriers to growth. Infrastructure issues and skilled management were also frequently reported as primary barriers to growth.&nbsp;</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/Regional_Trade_by_Country_fa0255669d.png"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/Barriers_to_Growth_0c47a7fb64.png"></figure><ul><li>No Surprise, Entrepreneurs are Optimistic&nbsp;-&nbsp;Despite these barriers, entrepreneurs remained optimistic about the economic outlook. Most companies expressed a basic level of security about economic prospects within their countries as well as across the region. Even politically, few companies predicted that the economic situation in their country or region would deteriorate.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/Regional_Economic_Outlook_444d1991db.png"></figure>&nbsp;Survey respondents were asked questions along six dimensions: Access to Capital; Growth and Trade; Gender Equality; Climate/Environmental Sustainability; Management Capacity; and Outlook on the Future. Respondents include 323 unique companies that have headquarters in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda,&nbsp;Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The full results are available&nbsp;<a href="https://renew-new-api.madtechet.com/uploads/Investment_Survey_Report_Aug_2022_34abc5dac8.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here.</a>“Surveys like this are integral to Renew Capital’s decade-long effort to refine our management capacity building offerings, support ecosystems and grow the missing middle of the African economies,” said Renew Capital Managing Partner Laura Davis.&nbsp;This blog post and the August 2022 East Africa Investment Survey report were authored by Raisa Chowdhury, senior consultant and monitoring and evaluation lead.&nbsp;

Survey Results  confirm need for capacity building, additional support for women entrepreneurs and an opportunity for regional trade.


Newsletter – 3@2x.jpg

Renew Capital’s East Africa Investment Survey Results

<h1>RENEW’s Legal Corner: October 2022</h1>Our take on developments in the investment ecosystems of East Africa<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/LWN_6417_94da49e087.jpg"></figure>ETHIOPIAEthiopia Positions to Open The Banking Sector To Foreign Investors&nbsp;The Ethiopian Council of Ministers approved the draft policy on opening the banking sector to foreign investors. In Ethiopia, the finance sector, which includes banking, insurance, and microfinance, has been among the protected areas closed to foreign companies. The government of Ethiopia has decided to amend laws to allow foreign investments in the country’s banking sector. Once the new policy is published, the preparation of other legal frameworks like proclamations, regulations, and directives will follow. The NBE is already revising the existing banking business proclamation, and the long-lasting Banking Service Code is also expected to be amended accordingly.&nbsp; The newly approved policy allows foreign banks to enter using four commercial modalities. Foreign banks can open subsidiary arms in Ethiopia, open branches in Ethiopia, and will also be allowed to acquire shares in existing local banks. Based on this policy, foreign banks can acquire up to a 30% direct stake in local banks. Foreign individuals are allowed to acquire up to 5% and foreign non-bank investors are allowed to acquire up to 5% in any local bank. However, the policy excludes insurance and microfinance from the scope of activities open to foreign investors. The change Ethiopia is making in opening up the sector to foreign investors will enable it to support the sector’s services with technology, enhance the networking of the country’s economy with the international market, improve the forex shortage, and strengthen the competitiveness and efficiency of the finance sector.&nbsp;A New Limit On Birr And Forex Holdings Is Introduced&nbsp;The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has issued a directive to limit the amount of birr and foreign currency held in the territory of Ethiopia. The Directive FXD/81/2022, entered into force on September 5, 2022, states that it has become necessary to limit the Birr holding amount for a person entering into and departing from Ethiopia, and sets conditions, limitations, and circumstances under which an Ethiopian, a resident of Ethiopia, and a non-resident or any other person may process and utilize foreign currency. According to the Directive, a person entering into and departing from Ethiopia may hold up to a maximum of Birr 3,000.00 (Birr Three Thousand) per trip to and from Ethiopia, and a person residing in Ethiopia entering the territory of Ethiopia shall convert all foreign currency he/she is carrying at an authorized forex bureau for the equivalent sum in Birr, or deposit to his/her foreign currency account within 30 days of entry to the territory. The directive also sets a time limit for holding and conversion of foreign currency for foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin or Ethiopian nationals not residing in Ethiopia who enter into the territory carrying foreign currency.The Government Has Introduced A New Directive For Imported Personal AppliancesThe Ministry of Finance has introduced a new Directive regarding taxation of personal appliances (i.e.,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ecc.gov.et/web/guest/%E1%88%98%E1%88%98%E1%88%AA%E1%8B%AB%E1%8B%8E%E1%89%BD/-/document_library/iqHSSioaLJqF/view_file/911902?_com_liferay_document_library_web_portlet_DLPortlet_INSTANCE_iqHSSioaLJqF_redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecc.gov.et%2Fweb%2Fguest%2F%25E1%2588%2598%25E1%2588%2598%25E1%2588%25AA%25E1%258B%25AB%25E1%258B%258E%25E1%2589%25BD%3Fp_p_id%3Dcom_liferay_document_library_web_portlet_DLPortlet_INSTANCE_iqHSSioaLJqF%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview">Personal Appliances Import Directive No. 923/2022</a>, hereinafter the “Directive”) this month. This directive is more restrictive on importation of personal appliance goods compared to the previous law. The categories of goods which have duty and tax-free privilege are reduced from 102 categories to 16 categories under the new law. In addition, persons who accept a personal appliance as a gift shall pay a 30% income tax if they do not have a tax identification number. Furthermore, individuals are not allowed to receive a personal appliance product more than two times in a year. The Directive mentions the main purpose for the amendment is to fight illegal activities which are impacting the import trade negatively and the introduction of this Directive is expected to alleviate this problem.&nbsp;NBE Has Come Up With A New Insurance Directive&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ethiopian government is introducing big changes to the financial sector.&nbsp; Recently, the fintech and banking sectors have opened for the private sector and foreign investors. In September, the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) came up with another big move which greatly impacted one of the financial sectors in the country, the insurance sector. NBE introduced a new directive for insurance companies. Under&nbsp;<a href="https://nbebank.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/directives/insurancebusiness/scan0054.pdf">Minimum Paid-Up Capital for an Insurance Company Directive No. SIB 57/2022</a> (hereinafter the “Directive”), the minimum paid up capital for new insurance companies has increased to ETB 400 million from the previous ETB 60 million amount. In addition, the Directive introduced provisions which impact the current operating insurance companies and new businesses which will join the sector. Increasing competition in the sector and enhancing the retention capacity of insurance companies are mentioned as the key rationales for introducing the new Directive.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Agricultural Sector Is Expected To Benefit From The Supplier Credit Scheme&nbsp; The agricultural sector contributes the lion’s share to the Ethiopian economy. However, investors engaged in this sector used to complain about its neglect from access to finance and credit for a longer period. To their satisfaction, NBE has introduced a new&nbsp;<a href="https://nbebank.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/directives/insurancebusiness/scan0054.pdf">Minimum Paid-Up Capital for an Insurance Company Directive No. SIB/57/2022</a> which allows supplier credit for importers of agricultural machines/inputs. In addition, liquefied petroleum gas importers are also mentioned as the beneficiary of the supplier credit under the directive.&nbsp; However, the directive sets a maximum cap on the borrowing capacity of the importers. The debt-to-equity ratio of the company may not exceed 60:40 of the registered capital in the business license. If the importers fulfill the rest of the document requirements stipulated under the directive, they can benefit from the supplier credit scheme. The introduction of this directive is expected to increase agricultural productivity and to modernize the agricultural sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>UGANDAEU Resolution on EACOP Causes Stir Amid Progress on Oil PipelineAn emergency resolution passed last month by the EU parliament has come under heavy scrutiny by the citizens of Uganda at large. The resolution passed by a majority of the house in essence seeks to halt operations of Uganda's oil projects in particular the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and Tilenga.&nbsp;The legislative body of the European Union bases this decision on the insistence that there should be a feasibility study for the span of 12 months to ‘identify an alternative route that would preserve the environment and consider other projects based on renewable energy,’ as mentioned in an article by the Independent Uganda. The body has gone ahead to request that&nbsp; drilling activities should not commence around protected green areas such as the Murchison Falls National Park. They also requested that human rights violations such as arbitrary arrests of activists and inadequate compensation for those expropriated from their land by EACOP be remedied.This decision was met with a lot of dismay by the Uganda government who have said it is rooted in hearsay and misinformation about the realities of Uganda’s pipeline projects. The Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development stated this month in regard to the route that ‘the Hoima- Tanga route was selected as the best route&nbsp; for Uganda after careful evaluation based on the best pipeline routing principles. In addition, Uganda has up-to-date stringent laws on the environment and protected areas, which are strictly followed in developing oil and gas projects.’While addressing the concerns on human rights violations and compensation for Projected Affected Persons (PAPs), the minister stated that ‘a specific Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) was undertaken and measures were put in place to address any potential adverse effects on land-based livelihoods.’ He also added that EACOP in Uganda affected 3,648 PAPs as opposed to the alleged 100,000 that the EU parliament had projected and 2,662 have already signed compensation agreements with 1,977 fully paid already.3<hr>RWANDANew Land Law To Outline Different Avenues For Dispute ResolutionMatters of land conflicts related to boundaries and systematic land registrations under the new&nbsp; Law n° 27/2021 of 10/06/2021 governing land will now be handled by the National Land Authority and Districts or the City of Kigali. This was an evident switch from the earlier mass land registration from 2008 to 2013 where over 12M parcels were registered in the Land Administration Information System (LAIS). The new land law outlines the process of handling land disputes and enables the National Land Authority and local government institutions to make decisions on disputes related to boundaries and systematic land registration only.According to an article in The New Times, ‘Disputes outside of that scope do not fall under the powers of the National Land Authority. For example, land transfer disputes are not included in the new law because the transfer contract is signed between individuals and does not directly engage the institution. To implement this provision, Ministerial Order No 004/MoE/22 of 15/02/2022 determining modalities and procedures for resolution of disputes related to land boundaries and systematic land registration was published to set procedures to be followed when a person is filling the land case.’The new law emphasizes alternative dispute resolution as an effective remedy to these disputes but also gives the parties the option to pursue court proceedings as is their constitutional right. It has also enabled the courts to reduce the backlog of land disputes appearing before them which had proven to be a deterrent to effective and fair justice earlier in the year.Merits Of The ACFTA For Women And Youth In TradeThe African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’s Protocol on women and the youth is a significant step in the right direction towards Intracontinental trade having included the two most dominant demographics in the trade industry. The protocol is being mulled over by the body’s Secretariat putting into account the immense contribution of youth and women to the continent’s economic growth. According to the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Mr. Wamkele Mene, ‘they are the drivers of the African economy. SMEs run by women account for close to 60 percent of Africa's GDP, creating about 450 million jobs.’&nbsp;He also stated, in response to what the AfCFTA offers women who contribute to 70 percent of informal trade in Africa, that ‘we offer scale. Women will now be able to expand their market and have access to new markets in East Africa, in Southern Africa, in Central Africa. We offer an opportunity to expand into a market of 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion.’Despite this protocol still being in the negotiation stage, the studies conducted to create inclusive legal provisions for youth and women within this protocol will offer a myriad of opportunities for young Africans developing cutting edge technological solutions for everyday problems and deviate from the traditional trade agreements that seemingly benefited mainly larger corporations. &nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.ug/eu-resolution-on-eacop/">1) https://www.independent.co.ug/eu-resolution-on-eacop/</a>2) &nbsp;<a href="https://chimpreports.com/uganda-eu-resolution-on-eacop-hinged-on-hearsay/">https://chimpreports.com/uganda-eu-resolution-on-eacop-hinged-on-hearsay/</a>3) &nbsp;<a href="https://chimpreports.com/uganda-eu-resolution-on-eacop-hinged-on-hearsay/">https://chimpreports.com/uganda-eu-resolution-on-eacop-hinged-on-hearsay/</a>4) <a href="https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/1494/news/business/land-disputes-now-resolved-differently-pursuant-to-new-land-law-in-rwanda">https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/1494/news/business/land-disputes-now-resolved-differently-pursuant-to-new-land-law-in-rwanda</a>5) https://www.un.org/osaa/news/what-afcfta-holds-women-and-youths-20226) https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/1329/news/business/why-the-afcfta-protocol-on-women-and-youth-in-trade-is-indispensable&nbsp;

Our take on developments in the investment ecosystems of East Africa

_LWN6417.jpg

RENEW’s Legal Corner: October 2022

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Press Release: Easy Matatu Expands its Ridesharing Minibus Services in Uganda</h1>Renew Capital Angels invest in Easy Matatu's vision to disrupt Ugandan transport.<a href="https://renew-new-api.madtechet.com/uploads/2022_10_Press_Release_Easy_Matatu_docx_a34d0591e2.pdf" download="download">Download the Full Press Release</a><hr>Kampala, Uganda, October 4, 2022 – In Kampala, a bustling city of 3.6 million people, commuting can be fraught with challenges. An estimated 80% of Kampala's transportation system is matatus—local minibuses which are often dirty, overcrowded, poorly maintained and a major contributor to the city's carbon monoxide pollution. Many matatu drivers are also underpaid, lack formal training and operate congested and time-consuming routes.But Easy Matatu, a minibus ridesharing service, is leading the charge to reform such conditions with an investment from Renew Capital, an impact investment firm growing small and medium-sized businesses in Africa through its network of investors, the Renew Capital Angels. The investment will help Easy Matatu to grow its already successful end-to-end technological platform in which riders reserve a seat on a well-maintained and refurbished matatu through a smart phone app, and once aboard, their highly trained, competitively paid drivers take them on a faster, safer and more comfortable commute. Some of the matatus even come with refreshments and Wi-Fi.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/Renew_Strategies_Easy_Matatu_6_0ae6f34755.jpg"></figure>“We realized that beyond just building an app that connects people from Point A to Point B, public transportation in African cities needed to be reformed or disrupted, and technology really presented the best tool to do that,” says Easy Matatu co-founder Carl Andrew Lema.Thanks to this investment, Easy Matatu will grow its fleet of vehicles and increase its capacity to handle more than 200,000 monthly rides. Moving forward, Easy Matatu hopes to scale its platform to provide safe, clean and reliable transportation in other African cities.“Public transport in Africa is broken. Every day, 50 million commuters on the continent struggle to get to work, home or move around. We want to be part of the solution that fixes that,” Lema added.&nbsp;"Commuters in Kampala, where I live, and many cities across the region, face huge challenges simply getting to and from work. The current mobility solutions are not sufficient. The problem is even more acute for women commuters,” says Renew Capital Senior Investment Manager for Uganda, Diana Njuguna. “Easy Matatu is not only revolutionizing the transport sector by making it safer for commuters, but also by using data and analytics to create optimized routes that increase efficiency. In addition, Easy Matatu offers a properly serviced fleet, cutting down on emissions and pollution. It's a great company for these many reasons, and for the fact that it’s playing a pivotal role in driving infrastructure development. We're proud to add them to our expanding Uganda portfolio."For more information on Renew Capital visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.renewcapital.com/">www.renewcapital.com</a>.About Renew CapitalRenew Capital is an Africa-focused impact investment firm that backs innovative companies with high-growth potential. With a presence in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda, Renew Capital manages investments made on behalf of the Renew Capital Angels, a global network of angel investors, foundations and family offices who seek financial returns and sustainable social impact. Since the establishment of the network in 2012, the Angels have been actively investing in the region, mobilizing millions of dollars into Africa's middle market.

Renew Capital Angels invest in Easy Matatu's vision to disrupt Ugandan transport.

Renew Strategies_Easy Matatu_6.jpg

Press Release: Easy Matatu Expands its Ridesharing Minibus Services in Uganda

<h1>Renew Capital Releases Gender Smart Investment Playbook to the World</h1>Two weeks ago, we launched the SME Gender Growth Acceleration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.renewcapital.com/newsroom/What%20is%20the%20SG2X%20Playbook%20">(SG2X) Playbook</a> hosted by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.2xcollaborative.org/">2X Collaborative</a> and designed with support from USAID. The gender-smart tools and resources of the playbook can be found on this dedicated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.2xcollaborative.org/entrepreneurs">website</a>.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/SG_2_X_2x_9ff530eb9f.jpg"></figure>If you missed the event, here a a few links to help you start or continue your gender-smart investing journey:<ul><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDorejDWjc">Introduction to the project and event&nbsp;</a>(remarks from Jessica Espinoza, CEO of the 2XCollaborative and Jennifer Hansel, Senior Women’s Economic Empowerment Advisor from USAID’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub (GenDev))</li><li>Here is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCA7EYuGqCA&amp;feature=youtu.be">Live walk-through</a> of the SG2X Playbook website</li></ul>Additionally, for those testing out the SG2X Playbook, we hope that this resource will improve and expand with your help. There is a feedback form on the website so you can add additional comments and recommendations as you test the Playbook.As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We look forward to continuing to build a gender-smart investment community together.

Tools and resources to upgrade your gender smart investing strategy

_LWN6567.jpg

Renew Capital Releases Gender Smart Investment Playbook to the World

&nbsp;<h1 style="text-align:center;">Press Release: RENEW LLC Becomes Renew Capital</h1>A new name and a new orange signal Renew Capital’s expansion across Africa<a href="https://renew-new-api.madtechet.com/uploads/2022_09_27_Press_Release_Renew_Capital_651b8fa71b.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" download="download">Download the Full Press Release</a><hr>&nbsp;DENVER, COLORADO, September 27, 2022&nbsp;—&nbsp;More than a decade after launching an innovative public-private finance model for growing small and medium businesses in Africa, the impact investment firm RENEW LLC has relaunched under a new brand, Renew Capital.&nbsp;The firm’s name change signifies a major push forward in Renew Capital’s&nbsp;ambition to expand their investment work to half of Africa’s 54 countries by 2027.&nbsp;The new brand’s bolder color palette and the shift of the Renew Capital arrow from left to right in the brand mark also symbolizes the forward momentum of the firm’s pioneering investment work on the continent.“The refreshed visual identity better communicates the boldness of our mission, our forward trajectory and the vision we are forging for a prosperous Africa,” said Managing Partner Laura Davis.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/Renew_Capital_Brand_Refresh_Before_After_hires_55340aa035.png"></figure>&nbsp;The Renew Capital name change also extends to the Renew Capital Angels, the firm's growing impact investor network. Formerly called the Impact Angel Network, the refreshed name more clearly denotes the relationship between the investment firm and the global network of for-purpose investors, which founder and CEO Matthew Davis plans to grow to a membership of more than 1,000 individuals and families by 2027.“With blended finance commitments in place to fund Renew Capital for the next seven years, the timing is right for Renew Capital to make a big push forward,” Matthew Davis said.&nbsp;“We strongly believe Africa’s private sector is the future of the continent, and we are more committed to our mission to grow companies, build nations and leave a legacy than ever,” Laura Davis said. “Our refreshed Renew Capital brand is our reflection of this commitment and our firm’s values of bringing integrity, intelligence, beauty and grit to this important and timely work.”Explore the new Renew Capital brand at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.renewcapital.com/">www.renewcapital.com</a>.About Renew CapitalRenew Capital is an Africa-focused impact investment firm with a goal to help change the way the world engages Africa—from giving to investing. Through an investment model that works with development partners to successfully connect entrepreneurs with impact investors, Renew Capital builds private sectors and investment ecosystems by addressing capital and capacity gaps in Africa’s middle markets. Founded in 2007, Renew Capital is headquartered in Denver, CO, U.S., with offices in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda. For more information, contact&nbsp;connect@renewcapital.com.About Renew Capital AngelsThe Renew Capital Angels network is a global community of angel investors, foundations and family offices who seek financial returns and sustainable social impact by making impact investments into growth-oriented businesses in Africa. Since the establishment of the network in 2012, Renew Capital Angels has mobilized millions of dollars into Africa’s middle market. &nbsp;

A new name and a new orange signal Renew Capital’s expansion across Africa

RenewCapital-BrandRefresh-Addis-hires.png

RENEW LLC Becomes Renew Capital 

<h1 style="margin-left:auto;text-align:justify;">SG2X Playbook Advantage: From the Entrepreneur's Perspective</h1>We look forward to seeing you on September 22 to celebrate the launch of USAID and RENEW’s SME Gender Growth Acceleration (SG2X) Investment Playbook (or “the Playbook”) hosted by the 2X Collaborative. The Playbook is part of their growing toolbox of resources for the responsible investment community.&nbsp;In our past communication, we focused on the purpose of the Playbook and the trainings, templates, tools, etc. it contains. Today, we want to share feedback from entrepreneurs who have first-hand experience with the training and related materials.&nbsp;Most of the SMEs with whom we spoke said the implementation training program changed the course of their companies as well as their day-to-day lives.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsfumorzMsGNFbdSErJAJWZ99xB9aJMEn9"><img src="https://latest-api.renewcapital.com/uploads/SG_2_X_Promo_V2_2x_253a849373.jpg"></a></figure>“We covered certain foundational principles that I simply didn’t know. This information was not available to me in other business or entrepreneurship training programs that I’ve taken. Things like board governance, gender-smart marketing, cashflow management – I didn’t realize how important they were until after I took the program.”Many of the participating companies joined the training after seeing how their businesses were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and needed to decide how to manage cash flows, add new business lines, or pivot to a new industry.“My company is pivoting in what we do because of COVID-19, and I found the tools to be immensely helpful in executing our new strategy and managing my time as CEO.”“My business badly needed this overhaul at this point in time, especially after COVID-19. My understanding of executive management and having the business move to a more secure future is now much more clear.”Since men still typically dominate the executive space, participants also came to learn the value of gender inclusion and promotion in the business environment.“I appreciated that the program had a consistent message throughout that gender equality contributes to the bottom line. Financial performance and gender equality don’t have to be at odds with one another.”“Even as a female executive, I didn’t understand why I had to intentionally pursue gender equality, but now I understand why it’s so important, which makes it easier to implement. Now that I understand the “why” and have that reasoning in hand, I feel that I can now go to my team and properly explain.”One of the consistent praises from those that have interacted with the Playbook is how accessible and user-friendly it is. We can all understand the frustration of opening up a guidebook and staring down countless pages of description and methodology without a clear step-by-step implementation plan and practical tools to support the process.&nbsp;“I loved the fact that they were brief! I don’t have the time to read really long documents; one to two pages is enough. When you produce a piece of information that’s 30 pages, it’s hard to maintain your attention. The tools are easy to talk about and drum into people’s minds. In fact, my eyes were opened to the potential of tools already at my disposal. I now have a fresh perspective on how to leverage the simplest of tools, like my calendar.”<a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsfumorzMsGNFbdSErJAJWZ99xB9aJMEn9">REGISTER TODAY</a> to learn more about this innovative toolkit and how it can benefit you and your business(es).&nbsp;<ul><li>DATE: Thursday, September 22, 2022</li><li>TIME: 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. EST; 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. EAT</li></ul>

Hear from entrepreneurs who have directly benefited from the training encapsulated in the SG2X Playbook and how that training transformed their business.

_LWN6506_1.jpg

SG2X Playbook Advantage: From the Entrepreneur's Perspective

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Join us at the Audacious Angels Summit &amp; Future of Impact Summit 2022!</h1>RENEW is thrilled to announce that its founders and other members of the Impact Angel Network will be participating in two online global impact investing summits.During the September 12 to 14 <a href="https://www.jellycorn.io/impact-summit2022">Future of Impact Summit 2022,</a> &nbsp;hosted by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/xoco-unlimited/">XOCO Unlimited</a>, RENEW Managing Partner Laura Davis will serve as a panelist for a plenary session titled Women Entrepreneurs, Debunking Stereotypes through Innovation. The summit brings together hundreds of impact-driven entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem players from more than 50 countries to connect, learn and inspire action towards an equitable, inclusive and sustainable future on the journey to the SDGs 2030. And, as noted by its title, the plenary session seeks to showcase amid a male-dominated businessworld the unique ways women creatively tackle and solve complex problems.“I appreciate Jessica Espinoza’s approach to change and am happy to lend my perspective on this important topic as a female entrepreneur who works with other female entrepreneurs in East Africa,” said Laura Davis recently.RENEW's CEO Matt Davis, who is also a co-founder of RENEW’s Impact Angel Network, will facilitate a panel of angel investors which includes two of our own IAN members, Aaron White and Maureen O'Shea during the September 15 to 16 <a href="https://www.jellycorn.io/angels-summit2022">Audacious Angels Summit 2022</a>. That summit brings together aspiring and experienced angel investors from around the world to demystify angel investing and “supercharge” the next generation of diverse angels.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/Audatious_2x_dce2e59d7d.jpg"></figure><ul><li>Future of Impact Summit - September 13 - Women Entrepreneurs – Debunking Stereotypes through Innovation - 4 PM EST - <a href="https://www.eventbrite.de/e/future-of-impact-summit-2022-tickets-335868400427">Get Ticket&nbsp;</a></li><li>Audacious Angels Summit -&nbsp; September 15 - A Showcase of Renew Capital Angels, 17:00 - 18:00 CET, 11:00 - 12:00 PM EST, 11:00 - 00:00 AM Singapore - <a href="https://www.eventbrite.de/e/audacious-angels-summit-2022-tickets-336000706157">Get Ticket</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;</li></ul>100% of tickets are charitable donations for <a href="https://xocounlimited.org/">XOCO</a> empowering vulnerable girls to escape gender-based violence and leapfrog to digital jobs of the future!&nbsp; <a href="https://xocounlimited.org/empowergirls">Learn more here</a>.&nbsp;

RENEW is thrilled to announce that its founders and other members of the Impact Angel Network will be participating in two online global impact investing summits. 

Future-of-Impact-Summit_2022-4.png

Join us at the Audacious Angels Summit & Future of Impact Summit 2022!

The African Resilience & Investment Series for Executives (ARISE) project helped 2000+ African women in agriculture-focused SMEs with coaching and skills training to help their recovery from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

<h1 style="text-align:center;">ARISE Re-launches on the Last Week of September 2022</h1>Over the course of 2021, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and RENEW reached 1,382 women-owned and -led agri-businesses in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through the design, launch and successful execution of the African Resilience &amp; Investment Series for Women Executives (ARISE) Program in 2021.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/BOLG_2x_841ad93c4d.jpg"></figure>The ARISE program was designed with the knowledge that agriculture holds the key to broad-based economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in Africa, and with the understanding that the COVID-19 global pandemic had a severe impact on women-owned and -led agri-businesses in Africa. The ARISE program had the goal of addressing issues that can help the businesses boost their capacity to cope, recover and build resilience to future shocks.The ARISE program covered critical and relevant business and skills capacity topics over a series of five training programs, including recovery during a crises and business contingency planning, executive and financial management, leadership skills, investment readiness and pitching to secure third party finance, as well as emotional support and networking sessions. The training programs included the&nbsp; Investment Seminar, Accelerated Women Executives’ Program, Investment Preparation, Pitch Coaching sessions and Peer-to-Peer Support (i.e., virtual coffee sessions).&nbsp;&nbsp;While the ARISE program was successful in engaging with strong and dynamic women and creating a platform through which agri-businesses could come together to learn best practices, attend coaching and support sessions, obtain essential tools to implement learnings, and network with industry peers and discuss the ways to recover and build the groundwork of resilience for their businesses, there’s more to be done.&nbsp; AGRA’s promotion of women’s economic empowerment within the agriculture sector and addressing the persisting problems they face is not meant to be a one time thing, rather it’s a continuous expedition of breaking the barriers impeding growth of agri-businesses in Africa.&nbsp;With the feedback, learnings and key takeaways from the ARISE program the AGRA and RENEW project teams will be enhancing the ARISE program and providing strengthened and further tailored training programs over the coming 4 months. During this period, members of AGRA’s VALUE4HER platform will have the opportunity to go through an intensive upskilling and reskilling program, wherein the original suite of training programs will all be improved to better address self-identified business and skills gaps, as well as bridge the confidence, self-esteem and ambition setting gaps that were observed as part of the post program survey for the original ARISE program. The ARISE project teams believe the enhanced trainings will better meet women-led and -owned agri-businesses’ needs in terms of content, tools and engagement, and we look forward to working with AGRA-supported companies again in the coming months.&nbsp;Note: Be sure to watch your inbox, the Value4Her platform and RENEW’s marketing channels for announcements regarding training dates and times for the above mentioned key sessions. We encourage you to be one of the futuristic, growth-minded and exemplary women agri-preneurs who participate and strive to make a mark on economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in Africa.&nbsp; &nbsp;

ARISE Re-Launches The Last Week of September 2022!