Strategy
- OUR STRATEGY -
We believe aligning values with investment is the only way forward
Oryx Impact unlocks growth opportunities in Africa and increases private capital flows by investing in funds with strong local presence and networks and by seeking co-investments into companies, ultimately providing growth capital to SMEs and businesses generating essential goods and services. Oryx Impact applies a gender lens at SME and fund level, proactively seeking women-led management teams that in turn are more likely to invest in female-led businesses.
Oryx Impact fosters the eco-system of impact fund managers investing in Africa, with a substantial focus on local, women-led and emerging fund managers. Through its trajectory, Oryx Impact has been able to validate its thesis by meeting with and conducting analysis on more than 280 fund managers investing in Africa. Additionally, Oryx Impact will support emerging funds with a Technical Assistance (TA) facility to professionalize ESG and Impact measurement and management (IMM) practices.
- INVESTMENT FOCUS -
Each outcome area has a number of key impact indicators that help us track progress of each investment
Economic Development & Job Creation
More SMEs offer stable/ high quality jobs producing long- term economic value.
Oryx Impact indicators include:
- Employment growth
- Total wages paid
- Formalization rate (percentage of permanent jobs)
Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation
More sustainably managed natural resources and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
More SMEs offer access to clean energy.
Oryx Impact indicators include:
- Energy saved or conserved (MWh)
- CO2 Saved or GHG emissions avoided
- Clients provided with access to clean, affordable and reliable energy
Gender Equality
More SMEs integrate gender equality.
More SMEs offer products and services that empower women and girls.
Oryx Impact indicators (2X Challenge compliant) include:
- Percentage of workforce that is female & Percentage of leadership that is female
- Product or service specifically or disproportionately benefits women
- INITIAL SCREENING CRITERIA -
Oryx Impact screens potential investee funds according to the following criteria:
I. The fund exclusively invests in Africa or would consider a segregated mandate for Africa
II. The fund invests with an impact intentionality and aligns with at least one of Oryx Impact’s impact themes
III. The fund is a Private Equity, Venture Capital or Private Debt fund
IV. The fund’s minimum size is US$30m and targets market rate returns
V. The fund does not invest more than 50% in a single country
VI. The fund has a proven track record or the team has a proven individual investment track record investing in Africa
VII. The team has strong local presence in Africa
VIII. The fund includes impact considerations at screening in its investment process and excludes activities in the IFC Exclusion List
IX. The fund works with underlying companies to strengthen ESG practices and scale and deepen their impact
X. The fund is willing to measure and report on Oryx Impact’s ESG and impact metrics on Economic Development & Job Creation, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation and Gender Equality
XI. The fund has in place or is willing to develop the following policies: Responsible Investing Policy, Code of Conduct, Whistleblowing Policy and Anti-corruption and Bribery Policy
- OUR VALUE-ADDED -
We foster local talent. Together we build our future
We aim to add value to our partners through:
- Assistance in formulating, managing and monitoring impact objectives
- Guidance on how to implement impact in the investment process, based on in-house expertise and standard industry practice developed by Impact Europe (formerly EVPA), GIIN, IFC, etc.
- Enhancing ESG criteria, based on milestones aligned with the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) applied in the investment process
- Reduction of the ESG risk through improvement of ESG management, especially related to:
- Environmental impact objectives
- Anti-discrimination policies
- Governance policies
- Provision of technical assistance to emerging fund managers
Furthermore, Oryx Impact has a long term vision of working with Africa-based partners and as such aims to help build stable and well experienced impact-focused teams of fund managers, who would become reference names for impact investing in Africa.
In 2021, Oryx Impact has been selected part of SpainNAB, The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG)’s Spanish representative, aiming to build an ecosystem committed to impact investing. SpainNAB joins forces with all stakeholders in the Spanish sector with the objective of building a committed impact investing community, ensuring the integrity of this rapidly growing industry in Spain and beyond. From Oryx Impact we will contribute to the promotion and consolidation of an economy that fosters positive social and environmental impact.
Since early 2022, Oryx Impact has been a member of Impact Europe (formerly the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA)) to learn from and support the European impact investing sector. Impact Europe is a lively community of organisations sharing the same vision and a common goal: creating positive societal impact through venture philanthropy and social investments.
By joining the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA) in early 2024, Oryx Impact has become a part of this dynamic network united by the goal of enhancing impact investments in Africa. The AVPA’s mission is to build a community of diverse ventures that are committed to enhancing impact investments across the African continent.
In 2023, Oryx Impact was selected as an Emerging Impact Manager (EIM) for the ImpactAssets 50™ 2023 (IA 50). The ImpactAssets 50™️ (IA 50) is the first publicly available database that provides a gateway into the world of impact investing for donors and/or investors and their financial advisors, offering an easy way to identify experienced impact investment firms and explore the landscape of potential investment opportunities. The IA 50 is intended to illustrate the breadth of impact investment fund managers operating today, though it is not a comprehensive list. Firms have been selected to demonstrate a wide range of impact investing activities across geographies, sectors and asset classes.
- WHY AFRICA? -
Africa presents an enormous economic opportunity for investment, whilst ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic growth
