PROSPER Salone
PROSPER Salone is a grant matching facility financed by the UK Government. We support investment in Sierra Leone by funding activities aimed at reducing the risks of market entry, such as scoping trips, feasibility studies, pipeline development, due diligence and business viability.
The general PROSPER Salone window is open to all eligible investors and applications on a rolling basis. Our targeted CLIMATE grant window is now open for applications. Visit our current windows to find out how to apply.
Achievements to date
PROSPER Salone grantees mobilised investments worth $16.9 million¹ into seven Sierra Leonean companies in the space of 1.5 years and supported six firms to become more productive and investment-ready. View our PROSPER Salone Overview Infographic here to learn more.
¹ Figure includes new and repeat investments.
ACUMEN
Acumen is an international impact investment firm. It received a PROSPER grant which it has used to:
Run a seven-week bootcamp for 12 Sierra Leonean entrepreneurs to increase their investment-readiness
Host an impact investment deal summit where bootcamp entrepreneurs were able to pitch their business plans to seven international investors
Award a US$10,000 prize to a Sierra Leonean entrepreneur to develop and scale their business
Invest and mobilise additional investment into two companies worth $7.2 million
TRUESTONE
Truestone is a British impact investor which manages a portfolio of early stage and high growth firms in Sierra Leone. It received a PROSPER grant which it has used to:
Develop an impact report using globally recognised metrics to better articulate their impact proposition to investors
Design a fundraising proposition targeting institutional investors
Provide technical assistance and advice to firms in their portfolio to increase their investment readiness
Facilitate investment in three companies worth $8.34 million
CORDAID INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Cordaid Investment Management is a global social impact investor. It received a PROSPER Salone grant which it used to:
Develop a pipeline and conduct diagnostic of potential companies for investment
Conduct outreach to institutional investors for fundraising
Build an impact-first investment fund – the West Africa Bright Future Fund – and raised EUR 17 million for investment in Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea
Invest $1.3 million in two firms operating in the clean energy and microfinance space in Sierra Leone