Securing purpose-driven investments that impact communities.
To raise capital for any business one needs to leverage the power of storytelling to communicate the potential of its mission along with quantitative data to support it. In South Africa, data is expensive, digital literacy is lacking, and most people don’t have access. Inequality in the technological space continues to widen. Lacking access to numerous essential resources limits those in what they can do and who they can become. When it comes to putting an investment mission in place that facilitates increased access to affordable telecommunications and generates competitive investment returns, it’s our objective to begin closing the ever-increasing digital divide. Welcome to Infra Impact.
In this article, we’ll cover.
- Our response to the digital divide
- The success of one of our portfolio companies
- What makes a purpose-driven investment profitable
- Our investment philosophy guides us in our focus on mid-market infrastructure
Building SA’s digital bridge
With telecommunications being one of our four target investment sectors, we hope to expand access to affordable broadband infrastructure and connectivity. As digital sector investors, we provide capital for the procurement of hardware and construction of networks that will improve the availability of digital communication and improve the affordability of internet access for metro, peri-urban and rural areas. Our sector expertise, mission-driven investment strategy, and value-add approach assist our portfolio companies to be sector leaders in their respective markets.
This is demonstrated by how we assisted Eagle Towers in participating in the Vodacom Deep Rural Program. Our team’s input supported the business to ensure it won the RFP, along with the provision of correctly structured financial resources required to deliver the solutions that the client required.
Setting up a successful infrastructure business requires an experienced and dedicated team focused on providing market-leading infrastructure assets.
Navigating impact using our investment philosophy
We’re shaping the future by providing access to connectivity which further opens the door to education, job opportunities, and new partnerships. We are grounded by our responsible investment philosophy that propels us forward into action. Our partnership ethos emphasises:
- Long-term relationships with our management teams, colleagues, investors and other stakeholders
- In-depth specialised knowledge leading to swift decision-making and unlocking value-add
- A well-defined post investment value-add strategy
When evaluating for investment opportunities, we focus on our target sectors and leverage our extensive sector expertise to unlock value for the benefit of all stakeholders.
To conclude
Since day one, we have been committed to backing beneficial businesses, delivering market beating financial returns and making a significant impact. Our digital infrastructure investment strategy is testament to how our portfolio companies are facilitating digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide. It’s hard! But our passion, drive and expertise enable us to deliver on our mission and the clients’ mandates. As a result, telecommunications gaps have been bridged so that those in need have access to their full potential.
Note to Editors : Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
The United Nations has set out 17 core Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are intended to be targets for both governments and corporations to work towards, and to inform decision making around ongoing capital investment, international aid, policy making and regulation. They include no poverty, zero hunger, improved health and education for all, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable clean energy and reduced inequalities among others. They were set out by the UN General Assembly in 2015, which asked member countries to seek to achieve these goals by 2030.
Media contacts
Mark van Wyk, Co-Managing Partner
Morné Edas, Co-Managing Partner
About Infra Impact
Infra Impact Investment Managers Proprietary Limited (“Infra Impact”) is a specialised infrastructure and impact investment management business, based in Cape Town, South Africa. Infra Impact manages the Infra Impact Mid-Market Infrastructure Fund 1, a dedicated, closed-ended third party investment fund that makes equity and mezzanine investments primarily in the water, waste, green energy, telecommunications infrastructure and related sectors. Infra Impact Investment Managers Proprietary Limited is an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP 872).