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Alongside Helios Investment Partners, Proparco strengthens its climate commitment in Africa
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By investing in the Helios Climate Fund, Proparco is deepening its strategic partnership with Helios Investment Partners and reaffirming its ambition to accelerate Africa’s low-carbon transition by mobilizing private capital for sustainable climate and economic impact.
Proparco has invested in Helios Climate, the climate-focused fund managed by Helios Investment Partners, marking a new milestone in its commitment to low-carbon transition and sustainable development across the African continent.
This investment forms part of an expanded strategic partnership between Proparco and Helios Investment Partners. In 2024, Proparco committed USD 20 million in Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, an investment holding company dedicated to supporting businesses in the sports, cultural, and creative industries with strong ties to Africa.
Françoise Lombard, Chief Executive Officer of Proparco, said: “The Helios Climate Fund seeks to mobilize private capital for Africa’s climate transition, where needs are immense and opportunities for transformation equally significant. By partnering with Helios Investment Partners, Proparco is backing an ambitious strategy that supports the scaling up of African companies while delivering measurable climate, economic, and social benefits.”
The Helios Climate Fund has successfully completed its second closing, bringing total commitments to approximately USD 250 million. The fund brings together leading development finance institutions, including the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Dutch Development Finance Company (FMO), British International Investment (BII), the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM), Swedfund, and the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO), alongside private investors such as InfraCo, Standard Bank and the Emerging Markets Climate Action Fund (EMCAF).
Helios Climate: accelerating Africa’s low-carbon transition
Helios Climate introduces a distinctive climate strategy within the Helios Investment Partners fund portfolio. Its ambition is clear: to help scale up Africa’s low-carbon transition at a time when public funding covers only around 10% of the continent’s total climate finance needs.
To achieve this objective, Helios Investment Partners has assembled a dedicated team with recognized expertise across the targeted sectors. The fund will make significant minority or majority investments ranging from USD 20 million to USD 50 million in companies active in green growth and decarbonization. Helios Climate aims to address around 15 sub-themes, from affordable renewable energy and sustainable agriculture to green mobility.
Helios Investment Partners: a leading African private equity firm
Helios Investment Partners stands out in the African private equity market for its ability to deploy large investment tickets through a pan-African large-cap strategy, combined with a strong focus on value creation within its portfolio companies. The firm has a solid track record, with more than USD 2.5 billion invested in 39 companies across 35 countries and a broad range of sectors. Its competitive net internal rates of return (IRR) place Helios Investment Partners among the continent’s top-performing private equity players.
An investment fully aligned with Proparco’s impact strategy
Proparco’s investment in Helios Climate is fully aligned with its impact strategy, particularly its priorities around environmental protection and the promotion of sustainable and resilient economic development in Africa. The fund also contributes directly to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 13 – Climate Action; SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth; and SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.