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Mission
Agora Partnerships' mission is to give developing world entrepreneurs the management tools, networks and financing needed to launch successful, socially-responsible companies. We work to find great entrepreneurs and give them practical, hands-on help and the opportunity to obtain equity financing from an investment fund specifically designed for them. We are mobilizing networks to encourage and support entrepreneurs on the front lines of development.
Our Name
Agora is a Greek word meaning marketplace or public square. In ancient Greece, citizens gathered in the agora to discuss ideas and exchange goods and services. Agora Partnerships seeks to create a modern day agora in which investors, graduate students, professionals and outstanding entrepreneurs can come together to make a lasting social and developmental impact.
Beyond Microfinance
Microfinance has changed the lives of millions across the globe through the powerful insight that the poor are credit-worthy. Agora believes it is time to extend this principle to developing world entrepreneurs, including those originally financed through micro-finance loans, who seek to launch or grow small and medium sized enterprises. These entrepreneurs hold the key to increasing exports and productivity, creating jobs and role models, and helping to build a culture of social responsibility and entrepreneurship.
For more information on innovations in the field of small and medium size business support and financing, click here to read a recent study of the sector.