Agora Accelerator

Investment Opportunity : 5,000,000 USD
Organization : Agora Partnerships

From challenging global inequality to fighting extreme poverty to protecting our planet, Agora Partnerships believes entrepreneurs are key to reaching the SDGs and building a better future for all. The World Economic Form estimates there is a $2.5 trillion gap in financing that must be filled in order to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

The primary program Agora has is the Agora Accelerator, a four-month program that provides social enterprises across Latin America and the Carribean with the knowledge, networks, and capital needed to grow and increase their positive impact on the world.

Since 2011, Agora has worked with 215 companies across 21 countries. Collectively, these companies have raised over $86MM in capital, created 3413 direct employees, and maintained a 94 percent survival rate.

Agora is currently looking for an investment of $5MM to increase the number of companies the Agora Accelerator can work with, and also to integrate more earned-revenue into its existing business model.

The $5MM investment will be used to support the following:

– DC-Based Staff: CEO, Director of Operations and Finance, Communications Manager, Communications Support Staff, Manager of Business Development
– Field Staff : Managing Director, Program Manager, Bootcamps Senior Coordinator, Senior Coordinator Impact Investment, Two Associates, Four Program Consultants.
– Other Areas: As some of the revenue-generating models being explored require over-time payback, philanthropy will be needed to fill in gaps while waiting for entrepreneur payments.

Below is breakdown of the revenue and impact Agora plans to generate through this model:
– 1 Year: Service 80 companies annually and generate $450,000 in revenues
– 5 Years: Service 200 companies annually and generate $1,125,000 in revenues
– 10 Years: Service 350 companies annually and generate $2,000,000 in revenues

The investment will allow for Agora to transition its accelerator model from one that is philanthropically dependent, to one that has more earned revenue built in to its model. By 2020, Agora expects to have achieved a 50/50 parity of earned revenue to philanthropy; a parity the company plans to maintain.

Helping social entrepreneurs unlock the capital they need to grow is extremely difficult. In fact, there are multiple “missing middles” where financing is just not reaching entrepreneurs. Filling those gaps is often difficult and expensive, but is one of the most important pieces of the impact puzzle.