The Zidicircle Coop is a community of Diaspora, International, and African Angel investors. We are on a learning journey to demystify venture capital, and we deploy our expertise by guiding startups/SMEs and investing in them.
The Zidicircle Coop was initiated by an organized group of diaspora individuals from Zidi B. V’s Venture Backers programme and other professionals, entrepreneurs, and like-minded international angel investors to enter into investment agreements with start-ups or small and medium-sized businesses as an investor for and on behalf of the member who has decided to invest in the business concerned. The beneficial ownership from those investments lies with the members.
The Zidicircle Coop aims to reduce the knowledge, resources, and funding gap for startups and small and medium-sized businesses founded by underserved entrepreneurs who are driven by a positive impact on the environment, and society and support the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Who can Join
- Individuals based anywhere globally
- Diaspora groups or organizations
- Professionals or Entrepreneurs
Who gets Funded?
The Zidicircle Coop seeks to reduce the knowledge and resources gap for ventures in the following sectors:
- Green Economy
- Sustainable Manufacturing
- Technology for Good
How it Works
- Individuals or groups join the community as Members(s)/Venture backers
- Those with prior knowledge of angel investing follow a virtual angel investing programme
- The venture backers participate due diligence process through the deal champions
- Once investor-ready businesses are published on the platform, the Venture backers make their own investment decision based on their due diligence and background check on the company they intend to invest in
- The Venture backers decide on the investment either individually or join in a group to decide on the investment
- The Coop supports the venture backers in making their angel investments
- The benefits of those investments flow back to the member(s) as beneficial owners
Changing the financing Narrative
The venture backers are reducing the SME finance gap that has been propelled by complexities that come with traditional funding, even so true for diaspora entrepreneurs, African entrepreneurs and other minorities who do not have access to financing(our research shows up to 80% are excluded). Providing financing to diverse founders is core to establishing a vibrant Startups ecosystem towards sustainable economic growth.
Are you new to angel investing? Dont worry, we have a programme to get you started! Apply below!
Venture Backers Training Programme
The issue of SME funding in Africa as an alternative source of investment is lagging behind. There is a general lack of investment infrastructure for retail investors and a lack of know-how to navigate the ecosystem- many diasporas often ask, where do I start? How will I do it and who can I trust?
Our intervention comes in as Zidicircle has a vast experience in facilitating SME investments in Africa as well as diaspora engagement experience. Zidicircle offers the diaspora venture backers programme that provides training to first-time diaspora and international angel investors and a technology-aided investment vehicle called the Zidicircle Coop through which angel investments are aggregated and channeled to SMEs.
Zidicircle provides a self-phased virtual learning platform to diaspora, international or aspiring angel investors from across Africa where they can learn the basics of angel investing. We also provide the programme in partnership with development partners.
Recently Zidicircle and SNV (The Netherlands Development Organisation) Ghana partnered to offer the Green Venture Backers Programme whose main aim was to train aspiring angel investors both in #diaspora and in #Ghana on how to invest in Green startups and SME’s in Ghana.
Going forward, interested parties can join the general programme that focuses on investing across Africa and the EU diaspora, or a country-focused programme.
Qualifications & Requirements: –
Interested candidates should meet the following criteria:
-Have a business or professional experience
-Have a strong interest in developing skills and experience as investors
-Be dedicated to changing the current funding ecosystem
-Be able to dedicate approximately 2 hours per week for four weeks to the program
-Be willing to invest in Ghana’s green sector
-Be ready to commit funds in first investments in any of the below ticket sizes; Euros 1000-5000,5000-10,000,10,000-50,000 or 50,000-100,000.
Costs=until September 2022 intake the cost was fully covered under the green project, but members paid the Zidicircle coop membership fee of 200 euros to start investing. Moving forward, the participants are required to pay 200 euros which give them access to the online learning platform and free membership to Zidicircle Coop.
You can join the self-paced investor programme here to learn at your own pace.