The Blended Impact Finance Bootcamp, held from October 28 to 30, 2024 as part of the Impact Together! program, marked a key milestone in the structuring of hybrid impact finance in Morocco. Led by HAPPY SMALA, in partnership with Impact Europe (formerly EVPA) and funded by the European Union, this bootcamp brought together entrepreneurs, experts, and financiers around a common goal: to accelerate the growth of high-impact companies through innovative financing solutions.
An ecosystem undergoing transformation
For more than a decade, high-impact entrepreneurship has undergone remarkable growth in Morocco. Incubators, acceleration programs, training, and financing mechanisms have contributed to the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs committed to social, environmental, health, and financial inclusion issues.
However, once the initial launch phase is over, these companies often face a “valley of death”: a pivotal moment when access to appropriate financing becomes a major obstacle to their growth. It is precisely this need that the Impact Together! program aims to address.
A program dedicated to impact finance
Launched by Impact Europe and implemented by HAPPY SMALA in Morocco, Impact Together! aims to strengthen the impact finance ecosystem through five areas of focus:
- The creation of a financing vehicle dedicated to high-impact companies.
- Technical and financial support for support structures (SESO).
- Support for financial innovation to develop hybrid investment mechanisms.
- Promotion of impact investing at the national level.
- Advocacy for a more favorable environment for responsible finance.
The concept of blended finance
Blended finance conbines several sources of capital—public, private, and philanthropic—to maximize social impact while ensuring the economic viability of the projects supported. This model, often reserved for large infrastructure projects, has been applied here for the first time to high-impact Moroccan companies, paving the way for a new approach to inclusive and sustainable financing.
The Bootcamp: three days of immersion for high-impact entrepreneurs
Over three days, the selected companies received intensive support to structure their impact framework, strengthen their business model, and prepare for fundraising.
The program focused on three main areas:
- Impact framework: defining, measuring, and planning impact according to international standards (intentionality, measurability, additionality). in addition to collaborative workshops and feedback sessions with mentors and investors.
- Finance: in-depth work on profitability, projections, and valuation with coaches specializing in business modeling.
- Pitch training: personalized support to refine presentations to the investment committee.
The bootcamp concluded on October 31, 2024, with the Moroccan Impact Finance Forum, a unifying event that brought together investors, institutions, and players in the ecosystem.
Relive the highlights of the Blended Impact Finance Bootcamp!