$50M+ in Action: What Happens When 15 Funds Invest with Women in Mind

The challenge

Across emerging markets, women-led SMEs serve as proven engines of job creation and innovation. Value for Women's work with investors and enterprises demonstrates that women founders consistently generate significant employment opportunities—particularly for other women—while pioneering innovations in health, agriculture, clean energy, and financial inclusion: sectors essential for resilient economies yet chronically underinvested by mainstream capital.

This performance stands in stark contrast to their access to funding. The IFC estimates that women-owned enterprises in emerging markets face a $1.9 trillion credit shortfall, while women-led startups receive only a fraction of global private equity and venture capital. This funding disconnect prevents markets from fully capitalising on the transformative economic potential that women entrepreneurs represent.

Recognising the importance of channeling more capital to women-led businesses, many of the leading development finance institutions and investment funds we partner with are setting ambitious targets. One example is the Dutch Good Growth Fund, an initiative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands managed by Triple Jump and Price Waterhouse Coopers (DGGF), with whom we recently partnered alongside Tetra Tech to deliver a technical assistance programme for 15 investment funds.

These results demonstrate the scalable impact of targeted technical assistance in gender lens investing: participating funds formalised gender strategies, mobilised over $50M in assets, advanced women into leadership roles, and supported nearly 40 portfolio companies to adopt gender-forward business models.

These outcomes, as well as the practical tools and fund journeys behind them, are captured in a report designed for fund managers and DFIs looking for actionable ways to put gender lens investing into practice.

Below, we showcase highlights from this experience as a powerful example of what is possible when investors are equipped with the right knowledge and practical support to move from intention to action.

Our approach

In partnership with Tetra Tech, Value for Women designed and delivered a targeted GLI Technical Assistance programme for 15 funds in the DGGF portfolio from January 2023 to July 2025. The programme combined:

• Bootcamps and hands-on coaching: in Amsterdam and Nairobi, followed by six months of tailored support.

• Practical tools and roadmaps: templates, diagnostics, and guidance to ensure that more investable women can be identified and funded.

• Portfolio-level engagement: strategies for working directly with investee companies to embed business practices that unlock more economic opportunities for women in business or value chains.

Results at a glance

• $50M+ in assets under management by Ugandan and Peruvian funds now managed with gender-lens investing practices, integrating investment principles to broaden opportunities for women.

• 4 funds embedded 2X-aligned gender strategies; up to 80% of their portfolio companies now meet the 2X criteria.

• 31 investment professionals from 20 funds trained to integrate GLI into decision-making.

• 44 fund managers trained in GLI principles, 22 completed GBVH prevention training, and 15 received tailored TA.

• Real-world changes:

  • A Ugandan fund increased investment in women-led businesses by 19% and made a public GLI commitment.

  • A Peruvian fund redesigned its investment process after training, enabling its team to spot more opportunities to back women-led businesses.

  • A Singaporean fund refined its evaluation tools to identify a broader pipeline of women-led companies..

  • A West Bank fund expanded its pipeline to prioritise women in leadership and technical roles.

Why it matters

Practical support transforms commitments into business results: more than $50M mobilised, 15 funds strengthened, and over 40 investment professionals equipped with tools to integrate inclusion into their portfolios. These changes mean SMEs are better positioned to grow, attract capital, and create quality jobs.

Beyond the numbers, the impact is also human. This experience is yet another reminder of what our team continues to witness across our technical assistance projects: when women are at the centre of business, everyone benefits: investors, SMEs, and the communities they serve. Ultimately, these shifts build stronger, more resilient markets, expand opportunities for women, and generate gains that ripple across entire societies.

With Phase 2 now underway, this approach is scaling across more funds, opening the door to even greater impact.