– Amethis Investment Fund Manager S.A., together with Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity, announced the final closing of Amethis Fund III S.C.A., SICAV-RAIF (“AFIII”) at €406M, in line with its target.
– AFIII is the third vintage of Amethis’ flagship pan-African strategy, targeting around 10 investments in African small and mid-sized companies.
– Investment focus includes manufacturing & distribution (including agribusiness), business services (including logistics & technology), healthcare, infrastructure & energy-related services.
– Investment tickets range from EUR 25–40M, with majority or minority stakes.
AFIII strengthens Amethis’ impact strategy, aiming for measurable improvements in:
Employment quality
Gender equality
Environmental performance
Responsible governance
– The Fund is classified as “Article 9” under the EU Sustainable Finance
– Disclosure Regulation, the first fund in Africa to pursue this approach.
– AFIII features an ESG-linked carry mechanism, aligning a portion of the investment team’s carried interest with predefined impact and sustainability objectives.
– The Fund has backing from private investors, including corporates, foundations, international family offices, and several African financial institutions.
– Development institutions supporting AFIII include: European Investment Bank (EIB), IFC – International Finance Corporation, Bpifrance, AGENCIA ESPAÑOLA DE COOPERACION INTERNACIONAL PARA EL DESARROLLO – AECID, Swedfund International, FinDev Canada, BII, Proparco, KfW DEG, AfricaGrow (AllianzGI advised by DEG Impact), and OeEB Oesterreichische Entwicklungsbank AG – The Development Bank of Austria.
– Fund deployment is underway: four investments signed/closed and one additional transaction in final stages.
– Amethis’ investment teams are rigorously assessing opportunities across Africa, targeting deals with strong impact potential and attractive financial returns.
– The Fund aims to bridge global investors and African entrepreneurs, channeling capital for sustainable growth and meaningful impact.
– François-Xavier Vucekovic (Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity) emphasized the Fund’s role in long-term, responsible investment that empowers entrepreneurs and builds resilient African businesses.
– Co-Founders Luc Rigouzzo and Laurent Demey thanked investors and highlighted their commitment to mutually empowering collaborations that fuel innovation and sustainable growth in Africa.
– Khady Koné-Dicoh and Jean-Sebastien Bergasse, Senior Partners for AFIII, noted the renewed trust from Fund II investors and the team’s on-the-ground experience, fully aligned with African market realities.
