Leja a French-Kenyan fintech company, originally founded in Sweden through Norrsken Impact accelerator and backed by Swedish Investors, is dedicated to unlocking growth opportunities for African MSMEs by enhancing the accessibility and affordability of financial services.

Leja’s main program objectives were to build partnerships with local financial institutions, structure and raise a debt facility, and develop their impact framework. During the program, they secured 23 commitments, made 16 qualitative introductions, and were introduced to investors. 

The Leja team demonstrated high accountability and made significant progress in networking opportunities and impact measurement. Key achievements from the program included introductions to key people and other alumni, as well as gaining insights into the Swedish lending market. Commitments with UNDP were particularly beneficial, as they assisted in developing an impact framework and key metrics. This enabled Leja to understand their direct and indirect impacts and “measure what matters.” 

PANTER offers a digital platform for managing reusable packaging in the takeaway sector for businesses selling food and beverages. The platform allows customers to borrow reusable packaging instead of disposable containers, which is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Before the program, PANTER aimed to enhance publicity, receive advice on their value proposition and business model, find solutions for payment flow, and gain introductions to strategic investors and potential partners.

With Mastercard’s assistance, they explored their solution and gained valuable contacts in the event industry and connections to investors. Through UNDP, they received crucial feedback on their SDGs, refining them into specific indicators. Additionally, their LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) was reviewed and validated by experts, enabling them to confidently utilize it in future initiatives. With the help of Synch, they gained valuable insights into options for attracting strategic corporate capital and structuring different alternatives. 

FUZED blends gaming with physical activity and exercise, helping young gamers build healthier habits around what they love, and encouraging kids to do what they naturally do best – get active. FUZED is a free, inclusive platform for all, driving digital innovation, community, and contributing to sustainable, equitable urban development. 

One of FUZED’s goals for the program included securing introductions to banks and financial institutions. Throughout the program, they met with Swedbank, Float, SEB, and in parallel closed their 10M SEK seed round. 

Another goal was to find partners to help them scale and grow. This was achieved through introductions to City Possible, a global network aimed at making cities more inclusive and sustainable. They also participated in an expert workshop where they discovered public sector connections in Norway. With Synch’s help, they streamlined their legal procurement, contracts, and GDPR compliance. Additionally, they were introduced to various institutions aimed at accelerating growth and building trust and knowledge, including Nordea, Unga Forskare, Swedbank, and Techarenan.

FUZED also sought clarity on how to measure and communicate their impact. Conversations with UNDP and UNICEF helped them create a clearer commitment, target their SDGs, and define their impact statement. 

Carbon Centrum is empowering individuals with automated creation of their carbon footprint, just like a fitness App. Through CarbonIDs, users gain insights, join challenges, earn actual additional income, and make eco-conscious choices effortlessly. 

Prior to the program Carbon Centrum needed support with their methodology and B2B2C business model. Throughout the program they had 2 partnership dialogues and 20 commitments with board members.  

Through workshops with Mastercard, discussions about their products and services took place, and connections were made with previous alumni such as Doconomy, Klimate.co, and Aiia (acquired by Mastercard). Additionally, commitments were established with UNDP, focusing on methodology. With Swedbank, the discussions centered around their CarbonID presentation and pilot definition. Melanie Rideout facilitated connections to alumni and workshops, and also connected them with potential trainees in data science and AI. Simon Engelbrecht (Skarp ApS) and Kristaps Prusis (VNTRS) assisted in scouting for potential corporate customers. 

Vistalworks has created data intelligence products to help law enforcement agencies, online marketplaces, and regulated businesses keep ahead of illegal trade. With innovative technology, Vistalworks is helping to empower communities, safeguard prosperity, and advance global security.

The program helped Vistalworks with input from experts on how to craft their communication and narrative. They were introduced to investors and received valuable guidance on their pitch deck, investment plan, go-to-market strategy and target markets. Additionally, they connected with 9 fintechs, AML, fraud, and banking partners, including Fintech Mundi, Triodos Bank, and Riscrecon. They were also introduced to three NGOs and impact stakeholders.

Another significant achievement from the program was gaining clarity on their impact metrics and measurement. Discussions with UNDP provided valuable input that enabled them to translate their impact into quantifiable numbers.