We’re Proud to Announce
Our New Partnership!
Anza Entrepreneurs Named ESO Venture Partner for Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility to Strengthen Early-Stage Entrepreneurship in Tanzania
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 14th July 2025 — Anza Entrepreneurs is proud to announce its partnership with Village Capital through the Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility (AECF), a USD 4M facility established to invest in startups developing context-specific solutions that enhance economic mobility and climate resilience in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
The AECF, managed by Village Capital with support from (FMO) the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), has partnered with Anza Entrepreneurs as a Venture Partner to leverage the organization’s deep local expertise to identify and evaluate high-impact startups. Anza Entrepreneurs will play a critical role in ensuring capital is directed to context-relevant solutions, ultimately strengthening the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem and amplifying the Facility’s impact.
“This partnership with Village Capital, facilitated through the AECF, reflects our deep commitment to empowering local entrepreneurs who are developing solutions to address Tanzania’s most pressing challenges. By aligning our mission with catalytic capital, we aim to accelerate inclusive economic growth and strengthen climate resilience,” said Joshua Elias, Managing Director of Anza Entrepreneurs.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Anza Entrepreneurs as a partner in the Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility (AECF),” said Susan Nakami, Africa Region Lead at Village Capital. “We’ve had the privilege of working alongside Anza over the years and have seen firsthand their commitment to Tanzania’s entrepreneurs. Their deep local insight and track record of supporting founders will be invaluable as we work together to channel catalytic capital into startups building solutions for climate resilience and economic mobility.
For more information about the startups or program activities in Tanzania, contact Acley Mbilinyi, Business Development Manager at Anza Entrepreneurs ( acley@anza.co.com ).
For Facility-wide inquiries, contact Eva Waweru at Village Capital [eva.waweru@vilcap.com].
About Anza Entrepreneurs
Anza is a not-for-profit organization founded on the belief that ‘Entrepreneurs will transform Tanzania’s economy’. Anza provides entrepreneurs with strategic capacity building, affordable capital, and business community linkages (the 3Cs). Focused on businesses that improve livelihoods through job creation and the provision of life-enhancing products, Anza has empowered more than 3,000 entrepreneurs in agriculture, clean energy, water and sanitation, health, education, financial inclusion, and technology over the past decade. Through accelerator programs like the Investment Readiness and Business Foundation Accelerators, Anza helps businesses refine models, validate markets, and prepare for investment and growth.
About the Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility (AECF)
The Africa Ecosystem Catalysts Facility (AECF) is a USD 4M investment facility designed to unlock early-stage capital for startups in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania that are advancing climate resilience and economic mobility. Managed by Village Capital, the Facility pioneers a locally-led investment model by partnering with in-market Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs). These ESOs help identify strong founder teams, shape investment pipelines, and advise on due diligence, ensuring capital is invested where it has the greatest local impact and fit for purpose.
The Facility is backed by (FMO) the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), two leading institutions championing inclusive, sustainable development through entrepreneurship. FMO brings decades of experience investing in entrepreneurs and financial institutions in emerging markets, while RVO supports ecosystem-building efforts that remove systemic barriers to growth. Together, the three partners are catalyzing a new approach to early-stage investing, one that shifts power closer to local ecosystems and accelerates the flow of capital to where it’s needed most.
Application Deadline: 18 August 2025
