Gender Lens Investing (GLI) Initiative
At Kuramo Foundation, we recognize that achieving inclusive economic growth in Africa requires addressing the systemic underrepresentation of women in the private investment ecosystem. Our GLI Initiative, the Moremi Platform, responds to this challenge by empowering women-led and gender diverse fund managers across the continent through democratizing access to knowledge and tools on fund management and investing and collaborating with mission aligned partners to deploy catalytic facilities and products that promote inclusive economic empowerment of female-led funds and businesses in Africa.
The Problem and the Opportunity
Africa's gender financing gap is stark, and solvable.
200+
Private investment fund managers
in subsaharan Africa
12%
Senior female investment professionals
73%
Private investment fund managers
9%
Women led/managed fund managers
6%
are partners at PE/VC firms
Women receive less than 7% of private equity and venture capital in emerging markets
Only 3% of African private equity firms are women-led
Less than 1% of global AUM is managed by women or people of color
In Sub-Saharan Africa, there's a $49 billion gender financing gap
Fewer than 10% of investment committee roles on the continent are held by women
Just 6% of women are partners at PE/VC firms
Why Gender-Diverse Investment Teams Matter
The data is clear: investing in and through gender-diverse teams leads to better outcomes:
3x more likely to invest in female CEOs
2.6x more likely to back women-led companies
2x more likely to fund gender-diverse founding teams
Deliver 30% higher MOIC at exit than all-male teams
Gender-diverse teams are not just more equitable, they are more effective, more profitable, and more attuned to untapped markets.
Our GLI Framework
Through the Moremi Accelerator, we strengthen the operational capacity of women-led and gender-diverse fund managers. This includes technical assistance, leadership training, and investment readiness support.
The Moremi Fund of Funds addresses barriers faced by female-led fund managers in accessing capital from limited partners, enabling them to support impactful, high-growth businesses in their regions. The fund will serve as anchor capital for first-time female fund managers, helping them attract additional investments.
Our Partners
We collaborate with a growing network of visionary organizations, including:
How we Measure Impact
Funds raised by female-led and gender-diverse managers from limited partners
Capital deployed by female-led and gender-diverse managers into women-led and gender-smart SMEs
Jobs created, including direct and indirect employment within the African continent
Jobs for Women & Youth, highlighting inclusive job creation
Growth of Female Leadership in supported fund management teams and investee companies
Improved ESG Outcomes and Performance in female-led and gender-diverse funds supported and their portfolio companies
