Business Partners: Green Fund

Brief description of the company:

Business Partners Limited is a specialist risk-finance company that provides customised financial solutions, sectoral knowledge, mentorship, business premises and other added-value services for formal small and medium enterprises in South Africa and selected African countries. The company is passionate about funding, supporting and mentoring entrepreneurs.

Type of funding/investment instrument:

Blended debt and equity finance offerings for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Brief description of the fund:

Business Partners Ltd recognises the benefit that green industries can bring to the country. It is for this reason that the company has chosen to introduce the Business Partners Green Fund, a fund aimed at financing resource efficiency initiatives in South Africa.

Funding/investment thresold:

Applications from viable businesses requiring up to R50 million. The Fund will consider first round funding up to a maximum of R10 million with a focus on deals between R500 000 to R3.5 million.

Funded business activities:

Funding is considered for viable businesses that require finance for expansion; Working Capital; Equipment; Management buy-outs; Property finance to obtain own premises. In addition, there is a Technical Assistance Programme which offers interest-free loans to Business Partners Limited’s clients in order to procure technical support services. Based on the commercial viability of the business, the investee companies may access technical assistance funding for an amount up to 30 percent of the investment finance provided. For this reason, the technical assistance funding is provided to the entrepreneur not as a grant, but as an interest-free loan that must be repaid during the term of the principal facility.

Non-funded activities:

On-lending activities; Underground mining; Direct farming operations; Non-profit organisations.

Eligibility criteria of applicants:

The business must exhibit economic merit in terms of profitability and sustainability. The applicant must avail the following documents: Business plan; Annual financial statements; Up to date management accounts; Cash flow forecast; CV of entrepreneur/s.

Fund application instructions:

To apply for finance, you will need to submit your business plan to enquiries@businesspartners.co.za or deliver it to any of our offices country-wide (refer to website). You are also welcome to submit a finance enquiry online and one of our investment personnel will contact you.