Most aspiring entrepreneurs in poor countries are caught in a development blind spot. Too big for microfinance, too small for traditional lending, they represent perhaps the greatest under-utilized asset of poor countries.

Agora Partnerships is a community of development and investment professionals, volunteer consultants and entrepreneurs committed to launching and growing successful, socially-responsible businesses in emerging markets. We leverage investment in areas where inefficient capital markets and other formidable barriers to entrepreneurship have prevented talent from achieving its full potential.

They provide emerging market entrepreneurs with the same arsenal of tools available to their counterparts in wealthy countries: seed capital, business networks, personal mentors and strategic management consulting.

First, they identify outstanding individuals and teams of entrepreneurs who possess an intriguing business idea that will create positive social impact. Second, they match these entrepreneurs with business students from leading international universities who provide in-depth consulting to ready the idea for investment. Third, they invest in select entrepreneurs through direct equity and debt for those ventures that demonstrate strong potential for financial sustainability and/or growth. Finally, they help execute the launch of the firm, providing management expertise through incubation services that include financing, accounting and legal assistance, as well as access to local and global business networks.