Worldwide—INVEST

INVEST is a flexible, efficient buy-in mechanism that helps the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) mobilize private capital. Increasingly, private investors and businesses are looking to emerging markets for better returns and new market opportunities. This represents an opportunity for USAID, but it requires new forms of collaboration with the private sector.

Through the large and growing INVEST partner network, USAID can access new and underutilized partners with the expertise USAID needs, including support for investment assessments, structuring funds, and transaction advisory services.

INVEST is designed to address challenges and make it easier for USAID to work alongside the investment community. It ensures rapid procurement—within four to six weeks—so USAID can act within investors’ timelines. It enables flexible, specialized project design and implementation. And, it focuses on learning and adaptation to drive innovation in mobilizing private capital.

Based in Washington, D.C., INVEST is USAID’s flagship blended finance initiative and includes subcontractors CrossBoundary, Tideline, and Convergence. It has built a network of approximately 250 partners that provide the niche, technical expertise USAID needs on-demand. INVEST has supported transactions in enterprise development, infrastructure, and financing instruments or funds. INVEST has worked in more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Ghana, Haiti, India, Kenya, and Tunisia.

Sample Activities

• Assess market conditions and investment opportunities.
• Support design and structure of financial entities such as blended finance funds, investment platforms, and risk-mitigation instruments.
• Provide transaction and investment advisory services.

Select Results

• Mobilized $$299.6 million in capital and supported 136 transactions, including 82 closed deals. An additional $1.25 billion in transactions are projected based on current capital-raising efforts.
• Completed a rapid assessment of Gender Lens Investing opportunities in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa, identifying 25 opportunities and recommendations for USAID’s GenDev programming. Provided catalytic capital for gender-lens investing funds, including Women’s World Banking’s Capital Partners Fund II.
• Conducted a market assessment and designed a blended finance funding platform for USAID/India to mobilize resources and invest in the tuberculosis, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), environmental, energy, and health sectors.
• Provided transaction advisory support to Power Africa for solar energy and mini-grid expansion in Kenya, raising more than $60.5 million in equity transactions.
• Assisted in the development of the “Blended Finance Roadmap for Global Health.”
• Produced the “Corporate Investment Partnerships for Growth and Stability report,” on how companies, international development agencies, and investors align around purpose and profit.
• Grown the USAID Finance and Investment Network from 26 in 2017 to more than 470 members in 2022. This diverse network has expertise in a wide range of sectors and works in 195 countries.
• Mobilized capital across the globe, of which 55 percent has been invested in firms in Africa and funds targeting the African continent.
• Issued 196 subcontracts to 101 partner firms to develop and implement technical activities. Thirty-three percent of subcontracts were issued to U.S. small businesses and 69 percent were issued to new or underutilized partners.