Small Enterprise Assistance Funds Explained

SEAF
Former Name:Small Enterprise Assistance Funds
Industry:Impact Investing
Location City:Washington, D.C.
Location Country:United States
Locations:20+ offices (2017)
Area Served:Worldwide
Key People:Hubertus van der Vaart
(Executive Chairman)
Aum: $600+ million (2017)
Num Employees:145
Num Employees Year:2017

SEAF (Small Enterprise Assistance Funds) is an international investment management group that provides growth capital and business assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging and transition markets underserved by traditional sources of capital.[1] [2]

History

Founded in 1989 as the private equity investment subsidiary of the international development organization CARE International, Small Enterprise Assistance Funds ("SEAF") evolved in 1995 into an independent organization specializing in the sponsorship and management of investment funds targeting growth-oriented, emerging enterprises located in countries underserved by traditional sources of capital.[3]

SEAF has managed or is managing 36 Funds across more than 30 countries with over US$1 billion in aggregate committed capital, of which over US$600 million has been invested through over 400 investments in SMEs, with more than 300 completed exits (through December 31, 2017). Investors in SEAF-sponsored funds represent a cross-section of public and private institutions, including multilateral financial institutions, private foundations, pension funds, insurance companies, family offices, banks, and other independent financial institutions.

SEAF employs over 140 investment professionals worldwide within a network of 20+ regional offices.[4]

Impact on development

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are often overlooked and referred to as the "missing middle" in the developing world. Data results, analysis, and case highlights (reports can be found below in the "Publications" section) demonstrate how SMEs can generate employment opportunities in their local communities, serve as links to regional and international markets for smaller local suppliers, and address market deficiencies and customer needs that would otherwise go unaddressed.[5] [6]

Funds

Below is a list of SEAF's active and historic funds and the countries in which they operate:

Global

Central and Eastern European Funds[7]

Latin American Funds[8]

Asian Funds[9] [10]

CEED

In 2006, SEAF set up the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED), a legacy institution of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and SEAF, born out of USAID grant funding in SME equity investments made by SEAF throughout the Balkans, and EBRD in Slovenia. CEED centers provide business development training and technical assistance to entrepreneurs in emerging markets.[11] [12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SEAF- Who we are. 20 August 2021 .
  2. News: UN's ESCAP and SEAF join hands to 'catalyse' women empowerment through 'impact investment' in Asia . March 5, 2020 . International Business Times .
  3. Web site: The SEAF Mission . November 4, 2024 . SEAF.
  4. Web site: Welcome to SEAF . 2009-10-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090808054627/http://www.seaf.com/our_history.htm . 2009-08-08 . SEAF History
  5. Web site: SEAF . 2009-10-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120229004701/http://seaf.com/Economic_Impact_Documents/From%20Poverty%20to%20Prosperity.pdf . 2012-02-29 . SEAF Report on Development Impact
  6. Web site: Defining SMEs: A Less Imperfect Way of Defining Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Countries . September 2008 . Brookings . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606094837/http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2008/09_development_gibson/09_development_gibson.pdf . June 6, 2011 . Gibson . Tom . van der Vaart . H.J. .
  7. Web site: USAID's Description of SEAF's Work in Serbia and Montenegro . August 2, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090802004224/https://serbia-montenegro.usaid.gov/code/navigate.php?Id=78 . 2009-08-02 .
  8. http://www.peru.com/finanzas/idocs2/2009/2/6/DetalleDocumento_541131.asp Peru.com Report on SEAF's Work in Peru (Spanish)
  9. Web site: Kumar . John Satish . SEAF India to Launch Agribusiness Fund . 2023-03-14 . WSJ . en-US.
  10. Web site: If you can take the heat invest in Afghanistan - report on SEAF's Work in Afghanistan . Reuters . https://web.archive.org/web/20120229004614/http://seaf.com/news/If%20you%20can%20take%20the%20heat%2C%20invest%20in%20Afghanistan%20%7C%20Reuters.com.pdf . 2012-02-29 .
  11. Web site: CEED - Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development - . 2009-10-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091028114724/http://www.ceed-global.org/web/default.aspx . 2009-10-28 . CEED Homepage
  12. Web site: CEED has launched its first training in Varna and Burgas . https://web.archive.org/web/20090910153359/http://www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/press/success/2006-03-22.html . September 20, 2005 . 2009-09-10 .

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