Private equity firm LeapFrog Investments which has raised $700 million is looking for high impact projects such as healthcare and financial services to invest in, including startups.
Where The Funds Would Go To
- The fund is focused on African and Asian economies.
- Kenya’s pharmaceutical chain Goodlife is one of the beneficiaries of the fund. Other companies LeapFrog Investments has invested in are: WorldRemit, the money transfer services provider and India’s SME focused financial institution, NeoGrowth.
- Leapfrog will put in equity investments of between $25 million and $30 million in emerging economies such as Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.
- Leapfrog aimed to raise $600 million from the fund drive but exceeded its target by $100 million.
- In the first quarter of 2019, East African economies benefited from Private Equity investments worth $110.9 million as per a report by I&M Burbidge Capital.
- Sixty per cent of the funds went into the Financial services sector with notable investments like the $12,000 capital injection into Sidian Bank by Danish firm Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU).
- The fund’s founder and CEO, the South African Andrew Kuper said:
“It is time for a better kind of capitalism. LeapFrog was founded on a philosophy of profit with purpose. That has proved a winning strategy, driving strong growth and returns while changing tens of millions of lives.”
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh, a Lagos-based Lawyer with special focus on Business Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Entertainment and Technology Law. He is also an award-winning writer. Working for notable organisations so far has exposed him to some of industry best practices in business, finance strategies, law, dispute resolution and data analytics both in Nigeria and across the world.