The Innovative Capital Mobilisation in Africa (ICAMA) Initiative was launched at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, marking its third high-profile introduction. It aims to reduce Africa’s significant funding gap for startups and growth companies by designing and setting up innovative investment vehicles to mobilise capital, advance development, and create jobs.
While Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is growing, African startups are heavily underfunded, receiving only 0.8% of global venture capital in 2024. ICAMA will focus on tapping into local institutional money, especially Africa’s massive pension funds (around USD 455 billion in assets), and channeling it through targeted, blended-finance vehicles. These include a Fund-of-Funds, a Pan-African Secondary Fund, and support for emerging female fund managers.
Implemented by GIZ, the initiative is now in its implementation phase, focusing on feasibility, structuring, and securing anchor investors. Its success depends on continued collaboration across investors, fund managers, and policymakers, offering a clear pathway for stakeholders to engage in transforming Africa’s capital mobilisation landscape.
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