Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan’s governmental agency for official development assistance, announced an investment of $40 million into Aavishkaar Capital’s ‘Global Supply Chain Support Fund’ to support enterprises across Asia and Africa to unlock inclusive and sustainable growth.
The decision was announced in a speech by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the “Economic Partnership in Indian Ocean – Africa Forum.” The forum was convened in conjunction with the TICAD 9 (Tokyo International Conference on African Development), which is being held in Yokohama, Japan, throughout the week. The fund is being managed by Aavishkaar Capital, a leading impact investment group which is headquartered in Mumbai, India.
Utilizing JICA’s upcoming contribution to the Fund, Aavishkaar Capital, as a fund manager, provides credits to private corporates operating in Africa, India and other parts of emerging Asia. These investees are involved in a variety of international business supply chains, including those in agriculture, food processing and manufacturing. JICA’s commitment aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) whose businesses have a significant social and environmental impact.
By investing in the Global Supply Chain Support Fund, JICA will help the Aavishkaar Capital expand into the emerging markets of Africa and Asia, after India, thereby contributing to the development of the wider Indian Ocean region and the global supply chain.
The Global Supply Chain Support Fund (GSC Support Fund) was set up in partnership with KfW, a German state-owned development bank, and is the 8th Fund of Aavishkaar Capital that aims to invest in emerging corporates across the global south, driving them toward global success through bespoke non-dilutive capital solutions. The fund invests in businesses that operate across global supply chains and in sectors that have a significant climate and social impact. The GSC Support Fund has already made 8 investments across Asia and Africa.
Speaking at the event, Mikio Hataeda, Senior Vice President, JICA, said, “We are honoured to invest in the Aavishkaar Fund, with which JICA has a long-standing relationship and has achieved significant impact in India. By investing in the fund and entering a new chapter of collaboration with the Aavishkaar Group, we hope to elevate the well-established India-Japan partnership and further strengthen our commitment to impact investment in Africa and Asia.”
Talking about the investment, Vineet Rai, Founder, Aavishkaar Group and Managing Partner, Aavishkaar Capital who also delivered a short speech at TICAD, said, “We are honoured to welcome JICA’s strategic investment in our Global Supply Chain Support Fund targeting the global south. This collaboration builds upon a decade of our relationship and reflects the long-standing tradition of Indo-Japan economic cooperation. Together, we are committed to advancing shared values of sustainable growth and transformative opportunities for SMEs across the African & Asian continent and look forward to a long and an impactful alliance.”
Monu Jain, Partner, Aavishkaar Capital, said, “With JICA’s catalytic support, we aim to scale the Global Supply Chain Support Fund’s reach across Asia and Africa, empowering SMEs with growth capital to build resilient-, climate & social Impact aligned – supply chains that can thrive in global markets.”
The investment by JICA will accelerate Aavishkaar Capital’s vision in supporting ambitious and innovative enterprises to generate livelihoods, create climate impact, and empower communities across emerging markets.
About JICA
Established, by a specific law, as an incorporated administrative institution under the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aims to contribute to the promotion of international development cooperation, as a sole Japanese governmental agency in charge of ODA implementation, the world’s largest bilateral development agency, works as a bridge between Japan and emerging countries, and provides assistance in forms of loan, equity investment, grant and technical cooperation so that the emerging countries can strengthen their capabilities.
About Aavishkaar Capital
Aavishkaar Capital is an impact fund manager focused on the Global South. A pioneer in adopting an entrepreneurship-based approach to scaling businesses for impact, Aavishkaar Capital’s strategy has enabled its investee companies to impact over 136 million lives. The firm invests in sectors such as Sustainable Agriculture, Financial Inclusion, and Essential Services across India, Emerging Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Aligned with 13 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Aavishkaar Capital has raised eight funds, delivering commercial returns with approximately USD 550 million in assets under management. It serves as the impact investing arm of the Aavishkaar Group, a broader impact platform with operations in Microfinance, MSME Lending, and ecosystem development across India, Emerging Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Aavishkaar Group, with its mission to bridge the opportunity gap for the emerging 3 billion, currently manages over USD 1.3 billion in impact assets.
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