05 Sep SEAF Launches Wise Venture Capital in Morocco
SEAF announces the launch of Wise Venture Capital, a Morocco-based investment company focused on early-stage investments.
Morocco – Wise Venture Capital is a new investment company providing matching capital and technical assistance to a broad range of qualified early-stage businesses and investors in Morocco. Wise Venture Capital has more than 35.000.000 MAD in capital to invest, and is a fully owned subsidiary of SEAF (Small Enterprise Assistance Funds), which was awarded the management of a USAID-supported investment initiative program in Morocco. SEAF, an experienced international investor, is providing operational support and best practices to Wise Venture Capital.
This USAID-funded project addresses many of the gaps in the Moroccan financial sector including a lack of available capital and necessary advisement for early stage businesses, and risk-averse early stage investors. This initiative will encourage increased equity investments in qualified early stage and growth businesses, while contributing to the development of the investment ecosystem.
Wise Venture Capital will help provide resources to the unmet capital and technical assistance needs of small and medium businesses (SMEs) struggling to grow and expand in Morocco, helping to reduce a funding gap that exists for these businesses. Wise Venture Capital will provide various investment tools, combined with continuous mentoring and strategic guidance to improve investees’ systems and governance.
Wise Venture Capital matches new private sector investments with selected investment partners and/or angel investors to support both qualified businesses and investors. Wise Venture Capital will invest directly in businesses, with investment tickets from 500.000 MAD to 5.000.000 MAD (with up to 50% of the investment amount funded by co-investor(s) who can invest more amounts than Wise Venture Capital) per company depending on its internal development stage. Wise Venture Capital is generalist in term of sectors and has a preference for sectors with higher impact on job creation, a commitment to personnel development and continuous improvements in workers’ conditions, as well as on positive impacts for the environment, such as agro-business, certain manufacturing, renewable energies and services. Wise Venture Capital will also co-invest directly in other investors, which includes venture capital funds, incubators and accelerators in Morocco. Tickets for co-funding with other investors can be more than 5.000.000 MAD.
Mouad Bouirig has been appointed as the Managing Director of Wise Venture Capital and is a member of its investment committee.
Wise Venture Capital is happy to announce its presence in the market with an initial capital of more than 35.000.000 MAD immediately available, which will allow high potential SMEs in Morocco to access to the next development level and create national and regional champions in the future. The company is fortunate to be backed by SEAF, an institution with an international track record of more than 400 investments in SMEs in emerging markets.
SEAF is also present in Morocco through CEED Morocco, part of CEED – Centers for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development. CEED Morocco has been active since 2014 and is proud to launch Wise Venture under this USAID-supported investment initiative. SEAF has also plans to expand its investment activities in Morocco through new projects in the near future.
About SEAF
SEAF is a global fund management group headquartered in Washington, D.C. that invests growth capital in early stage and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging and frontier markets, seeking both financial returns and developmental impact, with value-added technical assistance to improve company performance. SEAF has 28 years of experience with 36 funds (with committed capital of $881 million) in 31 countries with over 400 investments and 290 exits. SEAF also supports 13 Centers for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development around the world, including in Morocco, providing training, mentoring, peer networking, and global access to entrepreneur-backed companies. www.seaf.com