Private Equity Support Limited
Private Equity Support Limited is a Nairobi-based investment advisory firm that helps Sub-Saharan African SMEs become investor-ready, secure financing, and build capacity through advisory services and the PES Academy online learning platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Private Equity Support Limited does
Private Equity Support Limited (PES) is a Nairobi-headquartered enterprise support advisory consulting firm operating across Sub-Saharan Africa, with a secondary office in Kigali, Rwanda. Founded in 2017 with 16 employees, PES originates, de-risks, structures, and supports early-stage financing for SMEs, providing pre-investment support (business evaluation and packaging), transaction advisory (due diligence, deal structuring, negotiations), and post-investment support (strategic guidance, capacity building, value creation). The firm's documented track record includes supporting over 100 SMEs to raise more than $3 million in financing across nine Sub-Saharan African countries, with over 75% of supported SMEs being women-led. Its client base spans SMEs, institutional investors (commercial and impact), and development partners including GIZ, CBI, AfDB, AVPA, and MADE.
PES monetizes through three revenue streams: professional services fees for advisory engagements (typically project or retainer based), fees for training and capacity-building programs delivered in cohorts, and recurring subscription revenue from PES Academy. PES Academy is an online learning management platform offering courses in investor readiness, financial management, digital skills, governance, IFRS, and business development, available in English, French, and Portuguese on monthly, quarterly, and annual subscription tiers. Distribution mixes direct advisory engagement for enterprise clients with self-serve Academy access for SMBs and individuals globally. The technology stack is light: a web-based advisory front and a Next.js-powered Academy platform with Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn SSO; data handling is governed by a GDPR- and Kenya Data Protection Act 2019-aligned internal framework.
The go-to-market combines direct sales-led engagement with channel partnerships through development organizations and financial institutions that act as referral sources and co-implementers on donor-funded programs. Marketing relies on the company website, newsletter, social media, industry events (e.g., Africa Investment Forum, Kenya Climate Innovation Center workshops), and partner-driven referrals across memberships in EAVCA, IRSA, ASSEK, ICIFA, and CCAK. PES operates without disclosed external funding, public listing, or parent company, and remains privately held under Kenyan jurisdiction.
Private Equity Support Limited firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Private Equity Support Limited
- Legal name
- Private Equity Support
- Website
- https://privateequity-support.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Private Equity Support Limited is a Nairobi-based investment advisory firm that helps Sub-Saharan African SMEs become investor-ready, secure financing, and build capacity through advisory services and the PES Academy online learning platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Private Equity Support Limited industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB)
Keywords
Where Private Equity Support Limited is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nairobi
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Private Equity Support Limited business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Advisory and Consulting Services: Professional services fees for investment advisory including pre-investment support, transaction advisory, and post-investment support. Services are tailored to each client engagement and likely priced on a project or retainer basis.
- Training and Capacity Building Programs: Fees for investor readiness workshops, training programs, and capacity building initiatives for entrepreneurs and SMEs. Programs are delivered both in-person and virtually.
- PES Academy Subscription: Subscription-based online learning platform offering courses on business development, investment readiness, and professional skills. Operates on monthly, quarterly, and annual subscription models.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Subscription - PES Academy |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Quarterly Subscription - PES Academy |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Subscription - PES Academy |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Private Equity Support Limited product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Private Equity Support (PES) is an enterprise support advisory consulting firm that originates, de-risks, structures, and supports early-stage financing (SME investment) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The firm provides pre-investment support (business evaluation, valuation, packaging), transaction advisory (due diligence, deal structuring, negotiations), and post-investment support (strategic guidance, capacity building, value creation) for SMEs, development partners, and investors. Complementary to the advisory practice, PES operates PES Academy, an online subscription-based learning platform delivering courses on business development, investor readiness, financial management, and professional skills.
Product overview
Private Equity Support (PES) operates as an enterprise support advisory consulting firm offering a unified platform of investment advisory and capacity building services. The core offering consists of Investment Advisory Services with four integrated modules: Pre-Investment Support (business evaluation and packaging), Transaction Advisory (due diligence and deal structuring), Post-Investment Support (strategic guidance and capacity building), and Training Programs. Complementing this is PES Academy, a separate online learning platform offering business and investment courses. The company also provides specialized services including investor readiness preparation, governance frameworks, and transaction advisory for specific sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PES Academy: Online learning platform offering courses in business development, finance, management, and investment readiness for entrepreneurs and business owners across Africa.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported 100+ SMEs to raise $3 million+ in financing
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Private Equity Support Limited
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Private Equity Support Limited technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature3 records
Private Equity Support Limited partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries)corePES is the lead implementer for CBI's Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) programme Access to Finance component in Kenya. The project undertakes pilots with financial institutions to provide women-owned and led enterprises with export potential access to bespoke support addressing key barriers to lending. Services include financial management, business planning, digital marketing, technology, and investor readiness training.
- GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)coreMultiple GIZ partnerships: (1) GIZ WE4A - Women Entrepreneurship for Africa project, jointly implemented with SAFEEM and Tony Elumelu Foundation, supporting TEF female alumni in Kenya with investor readiness and access to finance; (2) GIZ DTC Kenya - Cyber Hygiene for SMEs project under the SKIIVE initiative, strengthening Kenya's digital economy through cybersecurity training for SMEs.
- GFA Consulting GroupminorPES was engaged by GFA Consulting Group to train SMEs on cybersecurity as part of the GIZ Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Kenya Strengthening Kenyan Intermediaries and Innovation Ecosystem (SKIIVE) project.
- African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA)coreAVPA organized a conference themed 'Catalyzing Africa's Sustainable Growth' bringing together supply and demand side ecosystem partners. PES conducted initial onboarding and desktop reviews of SME investor-facing materials, developed Individual Improvement Plans (IIPs), delivered 1-on-1 advisory sessions and mock pitch sessions for high-impact social enterprises across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa.
- African Development Bank (AfDB)corePES was engaged by AfDB to review 20 selected businesses for the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) 2019 Physical Bootcamp in Johannesburg, provide feedback on pitches, and deliver one-day investor readiness training addressing documentation gaps.
- Michigan Academy for Developing Entrepreneurs (MADE)corePES serves as the Enterprise Development Organisation (EDO) for MADE in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi). MADE provides a repeatable, scalable, transferable and profitable service platform to develop entrepreneurs. PES empowers local entrepreneurs to make strategic, evidence-based decisions.
- SAFEEMminorSAFEEM is a joint implementing partner with PES and GIZ for the Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (WE4A) project, providing investor readiness and access to finance support to TEF female alumni.
- Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)minorTony Elumelu Foundation is a joint partner in the WE4A project. TEF alumni in Kenya are targeted for investor readiness and access to finance support through the GIZ WE4A initiative.
- Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)minorPES conducts capacity building and business development training sessions at Kenya Climate Innovation Center, supporting entrepreneurs in the climate innovation space.
- EAVCA (Emerging Africa VC Association)minorIndustry association membership providing networking, knowledge sharing, and visibility within the African private equity and venture capital ecosystem.
- IRSA (Investor Relations Society Africa)minorIndustry association membership for investor relations professionals, supporting best practices in investor communication and relations.
- ASSEK (African Society for Savings Institutions)minorIndustry association membership supporting savings institutions and microfinance organizations across Africa.
- AGPO (Access to Government Procurement Opportunities)minorKenyan government initiative providing procurement opportunities for youth, women, and persons with disabilities-owned enterprises.
- Association of Countrywide Innovations HubsminorNetwork of innovation hubs across countries, supporting knowledge sharing and collaboration in the startup and innovation ecosystem.
- Institute of Certified Investment and Financial Analysts (ICIFA)minorProfessional body for investment and financial analysts, providing certification and professional development standards.
- Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK)minorIndustry association supporting clean cooking solutions and companies, aligning with PES's clean energy and sustainability focus.
- Office of the Data Protection CommissionerminorKenyan data protection regulatory body ensuring compliance with data protection laws and privacy standards.
- Development aidminorDevelopment aid platform providing resources and connections for international development projects.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Private Equity Support Limited competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Village Capital: Impact-focused venture support organization running peer-selection investment readiness and post-investment programs. Comparable in running cohort-based investor readiness for early-stage impact SMEs.
- All On (Shell Foundation impact venture): Nigerian impact venture investor providing both capital and enterprise support to off-grid and clean energy SMEs. Comparable in combining DFI-aligned capital with advisory / readiness services for African SMEs.
- Briter Bridges: Africa-focused market intelligence and advisory platform covering SME, venture, and innovation ecosystems. Comparable as an information and advisory intermediary serving investors and SMEs in African markets.
Direct peers
- FATE Foundation: Nigerian enterprise development organization providing training, mentoring, and investor readiness to African SMEs. Directly comparable to PES in mission, target segment, and donor-funded program delivery model.
- GroFin: SME finance and business support provider operating across Africa with both capital deployment and advisory services. Comparable end-to-end SME support model, though GroFin is also a direct capital provider rather than purely advisory.
- BFA Global (BFA Catalyst): Global consulting firm focused on financial inclusion and SME finance in emerging markets, with deep Africa presence. Comparable in delivering advisory and capacity-building programs for SMEs and investors funded by DFIs.
- Open Capital Advisors: Africa-focused investment advisory firm providing diligence, value creation, and capital raise support to growth-stage businesses across East and Southern Africa. Closest functional peer to PES in the SME investment advisory category.
- African Management Institute (AMI): Pan-African business and management training provider serving SMEs and entrepreneurs across the continent. Comparable to PES Academy's capacity-building function and to PES's training-program delivery for development partners.
Broad incumbents
- Acumen: Global impact investor with deep Africa portfolio and Pioneers of Prosperity / advisory programs for investee SMEs. Adjacent in the impact investing + SME capacity-building intersection that PES operates in.
- Africa Finance Corporation (AFC): Pan-African multilateral development finance institution investing across infrastructure, industrials, and SME value chains. Comparable in the broader African SME financing ecosystem where PES operates, though AFC is principally a capital provider.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Private Equity Support Limited social profiles
Digital presencePrivate Equity Support Limited financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Private Equity Support Limited leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Private Equity Support Limited funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Private Equity Support Limited M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Private Equity Support Limited
What does Private Equity Support Limited do?
Private Equity Support (PES) is an enterprise support advisory consulting firm that originates, de-risks, structures, and supports early-stage financing (SME investment) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The firm provides pre-investment support (business evaluation, valuation, packaging), transaction advisory (due diligence, deal structuring, negotiations), and post-investment support (strategic guidance, capacity building, value creation) for SMEs, development partners, and investors. Complementary to the advisory practice, PES operates PES Academy, an online subscription-based learning platform delivering courses on business development, investor readiness, financial management, and professional skills.
Is Private Equity Support Limited a public or private company?
Private Equity Support Limited is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Private Equity Support Limited founded?
Private Equity Support Limited was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Private Equity Support Limited based?
Private Equity Support Limited is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does Private Equity Support Limited make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advisory and Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are training and Capacity Building Programs and PES Academy Subscription.
Who are Private Equity Support Limited's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Village Capital, All On (Shell Foundation impact venture) and Briter Bridges. Direct peers are FATE Foundation, GroFin, BFA Global (BFA Catalyst), Open Capital Advisors and African Management Institute (AMI). Broad incumbents are Acumen and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).
Does Private Equity Support Limited have an API?
No public API is recorded for Private Equity Support Limited.
What industry is Private Equity Support Limited in?
Private Equity Support Limited's product category is Investment Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure), with a secondary code of FSAKAGAB, SME Term Loans & Growth Capital. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.