Krutham, a renowned research-led consulting firm focused on capital markets and financial services in emerging economies, has officially announced the winners of the third annual Africa Impact Investment Awards. The awards ceremony was held during the 2025 edition of the Africa Impact Summit, a prestigious gathering that brings together top voices in sustainable finance and social entrepreneurship across the continent.
Recognising Leaders in Africa’s Impact Investment Ecosystem
Organised by Krutham—previously known as Intellidex—the Africa Impact Investment Awards aim to celebrate individuals and organisations that are shaping the future of African finance by integrating social impact, sustainability, and profitability into their investment models.
The 2025 awards attracted 64 competitive nominations, which were evaluated by a distinguished panel of 11 judges drawn from Africa’s leading development finance institutions, venture capital firms, and impact-focused organisations.
🔥 Highlights from the 2025 Africa Impact Investment Award Winners
Here are the standout winners of this year’s awards, selected for their measurable, intentional, and scalable impact across key sectors:
🏆 Impact Funder of the Year: Nithio
Recognised for its innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) and geospatial data to assess credit risk. Through its FAIR platform, Nithio is channeling catalytic capital to clean energy SMEs across Africa, accelerating energy access and climate action.
🏆 Impact Fund of the Year: KawiSafi Ventures
This East Africa-focused fund exceeded its impact targets, reaching 213 million people with clean energy solutions and averting over 45 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, making it a global benchmark for climate-focused investment.
🏆 Financial Structure of the Year: Acre Impact Capital
A pioneer in using export credit agency-backed finance to crowd in private capital for large-scale infrastructure. The firm has successfully mobilised over 5.6x per dollar invested, setting a new precedent for financial innovation in African project finance.
🏆 Impact Intermediary of the Year: Edge Growth
Honoured for supporting black-owned SMEs in South Africa through tailored enterprise and supplier development. Edge Growth’s approach has consistently delivered job creation, economic inclusion, and long-term business sustainability.
🏆 Impact Enterprise of the Year: Cherehani Africa
A standout fintech empowering over 30,000 rural women entrepreneurs in Kenya. Cherehani combines access to credit, financial literacy, and digital tools, with a ripple effect impacting more than 130,000 lives across underserved communities.
🏆 Trailblazer of the Year: Evelyn Castle
Recognised for her cross-sector leadership in healthcare, gender equity, and venture building. Evelyn Castle’s portfolio of women-led ventures has raised over $250 million, cementing her influence as one of Africa’s foremost impact leaders.
🏆 Special Judges’ Award: AfriFORTIFIED
Acknowledged for its game-changing work in food innovation. The startup supports early-stage SMEs in Kenya to develop nutrient-rich products, tackling both malnutrition and market entry barriers in Africa’s growing food economy.
🗣️ Krutham’s Vision: Making Capital Work for People, Planet, and Profit
“The world cannot be changed without investment,” said Dr. Stuart Theobald, Executive Chairman of Krutham. “These awards shine a light on the pioneers demonstrating that investing in people, planet, and purpose can also unlock new paths to financial return. Their work proves that Africa can lead the way in redefining how capital delivers inclusive prosperity.”
Krutham’s long-term vision for the awards is to amplify stories of impact-driven innovation and to encourage more private capital to flow toward inclusive and sustainable growth.
Why These Awards Matter for Africa’s Investment Future
As Africa grapples with challenges like climate change, financial exclusion, and food insecurity, the Africa Impact Investment Awards serve as a beacon for what’s possible when investment is used as a tool for change. The winners this year reflect a diverse and growing ecosystem of entrepreneurs, funds, and intermediaries committed to solving some of the continent’s most pressing problems—while delivering strong returns.
