Startups
MEDA is an international economic development organization whose mission is to create business solutions to poverty. Founded in 1953 by a group of Mennonite business professionals, we partner with the poor to start or grow small and medium-sized businesses in developing regions around the world.
Our expertise includes a full range of economic development tools: financial services, improved technology, business training, better access to markets and equity investment. Our work most often focuses on women, youth and the rural poor.
We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to earn a livelihood and that unleashing entrepreneurship is a powerful way to alleviate poverty.
#FinancialServices #BusinessTraining #BlendedFinance #ImpactInvesting #MarketSystems #ValueChains #EconomicEmpowerment
Our expertise includes a full range of economic development tools: financial services, improved technology, business training, better access to markets and equity investment. Our work most often focuses on women, youth and the rural poor.
We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to earn a livelihood and that unleashing entrepreneurship is a powerful way to alleviate poverty.
#FinancialServices #BusinessTraining #BlendedFinance #ImpactInvesting #MarketSystems #ValueChains #EconomicEmpowerment
Overview
Location
Canada, Ontario, Waterloo
Employees
201-500
Phone
+1 800-665-7026
Founded date
1953
Mentions in press and media 8
| Date | Title | Description |
| Sign up to see | Sign up to see | Sign up to see |
| Apr 29, 2025 | MEDA, Capital Connect Africa, and Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund collaborate to support African SMEs | In order to increase investment in micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs), which find it difficult to obtain the funding they need to develop, grow, and create jobs in Africa, the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund has part... |
| May 22, 2024 | MEDA Backs Obuntu Foundation to Empower Emerging African Fund Managers | Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Op... |
| Mar 23, 2023 | Exclusive: GIIN launches performance benchmark for agriculture impact investment funds ‘living in a vacuum’ | The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) has launched a new tool for agriculture impact investment funds to measure the impact of their investments against others. Eighteen agriculture impact investment funds have contributed data about s... |
| Dec 5, 2022 | Female-founded early-stage fund Aruwa Capital Management announces final close of oversubscribed fund, secures global institutional LPs backing. | Aruwa Capital Management (Aruwa or Aruwa Capital) is pleased to announce the successful close of its first institutional fund. The oversubscribed fund surpassed its initial target of $20 million. Aruwa Capital is a Lagos-based female-founde... |
| Dec 5, 2022 | Female founded and led Aruwa Capital Management announces oversubscribed final close on Fund I | Aruwa Capital Management (“Aruwa” or “Aruwa Capital”), a Lagos based female founded and led early-stage growth equity and gender lens investment fund, is pleased to announce the successful close of its first institutional fund, which was ov... |
| May 31, 2022 | Closing the gap: gender lens investing and the future of finance | Public perception of gender equality issues runs in a repetitive cycle. We’ve all seen it. A scandal breaks out, or a study discovers yet another damaging disparity. Think pieces are written, hands are wrung, and companies promise to do bet... |
| Aug 15, 2018 | Beyond The Civil War, Libya Has An Emerging Startup Ecosystem | Inspired by the Arab Spring which started in Tunisia, anti-government protesters took to the streets in Benghazi in February 2011. This was the beginning of what is now popularly known as the First Libyan Civil War. The protests turned viol... |
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FAQ about MEDA
When was MEDA founded?
MEDA was founded in 1953.
What has the press written about MEDA?
Parsers VC has collected 8 articles mentioning MEDA, among them “MEDA, Capital Connect Africa, and Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund collaborate to support African SMEs” (Apr 29, 2025) and “MEDA Backs Obuntu Foundation to Empower Emerging African Fund Managers” (May 22, 2024).
Is MEDA still active?
Yes, MEDA is active; its latest activity on Parsers VC dates from Dec 24, 2025.