MCE Social Capital
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
MCE Social Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MCE Social Capital
- Legal name
- MCE Social Capital
- Website
- https://mcesocap.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MCE Social Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Impact Investing and Microfinance
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Credit / Direct Lending (FSAAAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG), SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB), Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)
Keywords
Where MCE Social Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
MCE Social Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Loan Guarantee Program: MCE leverages philanthropic loan guarantees from individuals and foundations to borrow capital from financial institutions. Guarantors sign agreements enabling MCE to draw capital, which is then disbursed as loans to FSPs and SGBs. Upon loan default, Guarantors share costs pro rata as tax-deductible charitable contributions.
- MESA Fund Management: MCE manages the MCE Empowering Sustainable Agriculture (MESA) Fund, a $41.6M investment fund that provides capital to FSPs with agriculture focus and SGBs in the agriculture value chain. The fund generates management fees and deploys capital to approximately 35 portfolio companies.
- Global Economic Opportunity Notes: MCE issues fixed-income notes to accredited investors with minimum investment of $100,000 (increments of $50,000), offering 3-year tenor at 0-3.0% interest or 5-year tenor at 0-3.5%. These notes fund MCE's lending to FSPs and SGBs.
- Grants and Donations: MCE receives grants from foundations and donors, including a $3.7M grant from Deutsche Bank Microcredit Development Fund, USAID support for MESA fund development, and donations through the Legacy Circle planned giving program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | FSP Guarantor Unit: $500,000 enables $500,000 in lending with average annual call of $9,400 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | SGB Guarantor Unit: $250,000 enables $250,000 in lending with average annual call of $5,915 |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Global Economic Opportunity Notes: Minimum $100,000 investment with flexible interest rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
MCE Social Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MCE Social Capital provides flexible debt capital to Financial Service Providers and Small and Growing Businesses in emerging markets through a pioneering philanthropic loan guarantee model, where HNW individuals and foundations guarantee MCE's borrowing from banks and accredited investors. It also manages the MCE Empowering Sustainable Agriculture (MESA) Fund, a $41.6M impact investment vehicle, and offers Global Economic Opportunity Notes to accredited investors as a fixed-income product funding its lending portfolio.
Product overview
MCE Social Capital is a nonprofit impact investing firm offering a single unified impact-first investment platform built around its pioneering philanthropic loan guarantee model. The core offering consists of providing flexible debt capital to enterprises in emerging markets through two main investment vehicles: the on-balance-sheet guarantee model and the MCE Empowering Sustainable Agriculture (MESA) Fund (launched October 2023, $41.6M). The organization supports Financial Service Providers (FSPs) focused on microfinance and Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) in agriculture value chains. Additional products include the Global Economic Opportunity Notes (investment product for accredited investors) and MCE Social Capital Stichting (EU-based European Union partner entity). The organization operates with offices in Washington, D.C., Barcelona, Spain, and Nairobi, Kenya.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Philanthropic Loan Guarantee Model MCE's core model that uses philanthropic loan guarantees from high-net-worth individuals and foundations to borrow capital from financial institutions and accredited investors, deploying the proceeds as loans to Financial Service Providers and Small and Growing Businesses in emerging markets. Designed for impact investors, foundations, and philanthropists seeking a leveraged, mission-aligned investment vehicle.
- MCE Empowering Sustainable Agriculture (MESA) Fund MCE's first investment fund, a $41.6M vehicle that channels capital into financial service providers with agriculture focus and small growing businesses in the agriculture value chain, with a focus on gender-inclusive agri-businesses in Africa and Latin America. For institutional investors, foundations, and development finance institutions seeking gender-lens and climate-focused exposure.
- Financial Service Provider (FSP) Portfolio Debt capital (7.5-10% interest in USD) provided to microfinance institutions, savings and loan cooperatives, and financial institutions in emerging markets that create opportunities and improve economic security of micro- and small business clients through loans, savings, and insurance products, with a focus on women and rural borrowers. Reaches 139+ FSPs across 53 countries.
- Small and Growing Business (SGB) Portfolio Catalytic loans (9-12% interest in USD) provided to small and growing businesses in agriculture and other sectors that create sustainable jobs in rural economies, raise smallholder farmers' income, and increase environmental resilience. Serves 42+ enterprises across 53 countries that are too big for microfinance but too small for commercial lending.
- Global Economic Opportunity Notes Low-risk, fixed income investment product for accredited investors funding MCE's lending to FSPs and SGBs in emerging markets. Minimum investment $100,000 with $50,000 increments; 3-year tenor at 0-3.0% interest or 5-year tenor at 0-3.5%. Unsecured but backed by loan guarantees equivalent to outstanding portfolio. 100% principal repayment since 2006.
- MCE Social Capital Stichting (EU Partner Entity) Netherlands-based EU partner entity of MCE Social Capital that enables MCE supporters in the Netherlands and broader EU to participate in MCE's philanthropic loan guarantee model. Registered with RSIN 859102154 and Chamber of Commerce number 72412526.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14.5M+ people reached since 2006
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use MCE Social Capital
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
MCE Social Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
MCE Social Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- ClarkHillminorClarkHill law firm, led by Mary Rose Brusewitz, provided legal support for the MESA Fund structure and closing.
- Council for Smallholder Agricultural Finance (CSAF)minorMCE is a member of CSAF, collaborating with peers committed to addressing capital gaps for enterprises serving smallholder farmers.
- Aceli AfricaminorMCE is a member of Aceli Africa, an initiative playing important roles in addressing capital gaps for smallholder agricultural finance.
- MCE Social Capital StichtingcoreMCE Social Capital Stichting is the European Union partner of MCE Social Capital, established in 2018 in the Netherlands to enable EU supporters to participate in MCE's guarantor model.
Scale indicators25 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MCE Social Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BlueOrchard Finance: BlueOrchard is a Swiss impact investment manager pioneering microfinance and SME private debt funds, including insurance-linked and emerging-markets vehicles. It is highly comparable to MCE's MESA Fund in fund structure and target borrower base, though operating at materially larger AUM.
- Oikocredit: Oikocredit is a Dutch cooperative impact investor that lends to MFIs, cooperatives, and smallholder agriculture SMEs in emerging markets, with a member-based capital base structurally similar to MCE's Guarantor pool. Both emphasize gender lens, financial inclusion, and agricultural value chain financing.
- Incofin Investment Management: Incofin is a Belgian impact investment manager focused on inclusive finance and smallholder agriculture, with debt and equity funds targeting MFIs and rural SMEs in emerging markets. It competes directly with MCE for the same FSP and SGB deal flow in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
- responsAbility Investments: responsAbility is a Swiss impact asset manager offering private debt and equity funds targeting financial inclusion, climate, and food/agriculture in emerging markets. Its agricultural SME and microfinance strategies directly mirror MCE's FSP and SGB/SGB-ag portfolios.
- Symbiotics: Symbiotics is a Swiss impact investment advisory and asset manager specializing in microfinance, SME, and sustainable debt funds across emerging markets. Its fund-of-funds and direct lending strategies are directly comparable to MCE's MESA Fund and FSP lending programs.
- Root Capital: Root Capital is a nonprofit impact lender providing working capital and trade finance to agricultural SMEs in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia — a near-perfect overlap with MCE's SGB agriculture thesis. Both share nonprofit status, gender/climate lenses, and emerging-markets rural borrower bases.
- Kiva: Kiva is a nonprofit that crowdfunds zero-interest loans for unbanked entrepreneurs via partner MFIs worldwide, reaching tens of millions of borrowers — comparable to MCE in mission and end-borrower focus, though Kiva uses a donation-funded crowdfunding model rather than institutional debt.
- Global Partnerships: Global Partnerships is a nonprofit impact investor that uses a Social Investment Fund structure to provide debt and guarantees to MFIs and social enterprises in emerging markets, making it the closest direct peer to MCE's loan guarantee and lending model. Both target the same end-borrower segments (rural, women, smallholder) with similar nonprofit governance.
Emerging players
- Aceli Africa: Aceli Africa is a market catalyst that provides concessional capital and incentives to lenders serving agricultural SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa. MCE is an Aceli member and overlaps directly on the SGB-agriculture thesis in East Africa, though Aceli focuses on supply-side incentives rather than direct lending.
Broad incumbents
- FMO (Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank): FMO is the Dutch DFI and a direct MESA Fund investor, operating a large emerging-markets debt and equity platform across financial inclusion and agriculture. As both investor and competitor for similar FSP/SGB opportunities, FMO is a relevant incumbent comparable at a much larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MCE Social Capital social profiles
Digital presenceMCE Social Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MCE Social Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
MCE Social Capital subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
MCE Social Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MCE Social Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MCE Social Capital
What does MCE Social Capital do?
MCE Social Capital provides flexible debt capital to Financial Service Providers and Small and Growing Businesses in emerging markets through a pioneering philanthropic loan guarantee model, where HNW individuals and foundations guarantee MCE's borrowing from banks and accredited investors. It also manages the MCE Empowering Sustainable Agriculture (MESA) Fund, a $41.6M impact investment vehicle, and offers Global Economic Opportunity Notes to accredited investors as a fixed-income product funding its lending portfolio.
Is MCE Social Capital a public or private company?
MCE Social Capital is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was MCE Social Capital founded?
MCE Social Capital was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is MCE Social Capital based?
MCE Social Capital is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does MCE Social Capital make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Loan Guarantee Program is the primary driver. The others are MESA Fund Management, global Economic Opportunity Notes and grants and Donations.
Who are MCE Social Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BlueOrchard Finance, Oikocredit, Incofin Investment Management, responsAbility Investments, Symbiotics, Root Capital, Kiva and Global Partnerships. Aceli Africa is listed as an emerging player. FMO (Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does MCE Social Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for MCE Social Capital.
What industry is MCE Social Capital in?
MCE Social Capital's product category is Impact Investing and Microfinance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAHAG, Private Credit / Direct Lending, with a secondary code of FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.