About Samata capital
Samata Capital: Accelerating Inclusive Growth in Emerging Markets
Samata Capital is a private equity firm that is committed to creating a more inclusive future by accelerating equal access to capital and opportunity for talented entrepreneurs in emerging markets. The company focuses on investing in gender diverse teams with high-growth concepts in East and West Africa that are committed to innovation, inclusion, and impact.
Founded in 2012 by Ashwin Naik, Anuradha Bhavnani, and Josep-Maria Fàbregas, Samata Capital has emerged as a leading player in the impact investing space. The company's mission is to generate both financial returns and social impact by supporting innovative businesses that address critical challenges such as poverty alleviation, healthcare access, education quality, environmental sustainability, and job creation.
Samata Capital's investment philosophy is based on three key pillars: purpose-driven entrepreneurship, gender lens investing, and value creation through operational excellence. The company seeks to partner with visionary founders who have a deep understanding of their local markets and are passionate about solving pressing social problems through scalable business models.
One of the unique aspects of Samata Capital's approach is its focus on gender diversity as a key driver of business success. Research has shown that companies with more women leaders tend to outperform their peers on various metrics such as profitability, innovation capacity, risk management ability, customer satisfaction levels etc. Therefore Samata believes that investing in women-led or co-founded ventures can not only create positive social outcomes but also generate superior financial returns for investors.
To date Samata Capital has invested over $100 million across multiple sectors including healthcare services (e.g., medical diagnostics labs), renewable energy (e.g., solar power plants), agribusiness (e.g., organic farming cooperatives), education technology (e.g., online learning platforms) etc. Some of its notable portfolio companies include Nepra Resource Management Pvt Ltd (a waste management firm), Suryoday Small Finance Bank Ltd (a microfinance institution), and M-KOPA Solar Ltd (a pay-as-you-go solar energy provider).
Samata Capital's investment process is rigorous and collaborative, involving multiple stages of due diligence, impact assessment, and value creation planning. The company has a dedicated team of investment professionals with diverse backgrounds in finance, strategy consulting, entrepreneurship etc. who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.
In addition to its core investment activities, Samata Capital also engages in various ecosystem building initiatives such as mentorship programs for entrepreneurs, capacity building workshops for portfolio companies' management teams, advocacy efforts for policy reforms that support impact investing etc. The company believes that by working closely with all stakeholders in the impact investing ecosystem it can create a virtuous cycle of positive change that benefits everyone.
Overall Samata Capital is an inspiring example of how private capital can be harnessed for social good while generating attractive financial returns. Its commitment to gender diversity and operational excellence sets it apart from other players in the market and positions it well for future growth opportunities. As emerging markets continue to face complex challenges that require innovative solutions there is no doubt that Samata Capital will play an important role in shaping the future of inclusive growth.