What happened
ALMA set up a $100 million fund aimed at businesses run and led by women in developing economies, with the plan detailed in a Thursday statement. The effort concentrates mostly on sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and follows a financing agreement anchored by a guarantee tied to Aegon Asset Management.
How the financing works
GuarantCo, an affiliate of the Private Infrastructure Development Group, will provide a $75 million guarantee that shields the loan extended by Aegon and other investors. ALMA will also commit a $10 million first loss facility, a capital cushion that takes initial hits to help crowd in more funding.
Where the capital goes
The fund is built for women-run firms. "All of it goes to women-run businesses," said Guillaume Carta, investment director at GuarantCo. He pointed to potential investments spanning "small-scale agriculture deals, water treatment, small-scale infrastructure, e-mobility deals."
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Why it matters for investors
The pairing of a guarantee with a first loss buffer can reduce risk and unlock credit in markets that often lack financing. PIDG, which backs GuarantCo, is a development finance institution supported by the governments of the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Germany and Canada. For portfolios seeking real-economy exposure in faster-growing regions, the pipeline here runs through essential services like utilities, transport and agriculture.
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