EMIF Group

What EMIF Group does

EMIF Group Inc. is a privately held Canadian blended-finance investment firm founded in 2019 and headquartered at 77 Bloor Street West, Suite 1600, Toronto. The firm invests private catalytic capital, roughly $2-3 million per project, into mid-stage sustainable urban infrastructure projects in low- and middle-income countries, with the explicit objective of bridging the gap between project feasibility and bankability so that downstream institutional and development-finance capital can underwrite construction. Its target customers are emerging-market cities and municipal governments, project developers and promoters, and institutional investors including development banks, family offices, small pensions, impact funds, and foundations.

EMIF's core offering is a standardized project-preparation process applied across renewable energy, water, mobility, waste, and affordable housing, comprising technical development, environmental and social assessment aligned with IFC Performance Standards, permitting, structuring, and tender preparation. The firm's investment vehicle is the Sustainable Infrastructure Project Fund (SIPF), and revenue is generated through investment management fees and advisory fees, with a success-based model designed to align concessional and commercial capital providers. The firm describes itself as functioning like a project-preparation facility but structured as a private investment vehicle.

EMIF's go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement with cities and governments, supplemented by strategic partnerships with UN-Habitat, the Cities Investment Facility, the Blue Dot Network (a U.S. State Department infrastructure certification initiative), and the UN Global Compact. The investment team comprises four Managing Partners (John Safrance, CEO; Thomas Eveson, Sustainable Finance Business Development; Len Eberhard, Infrastructure Development; Henry Barclay, Investor Relations) and an advisory board that has expanded through 2024-2025, with affiliate partners added in 2024 across the UAE, South Africa, and Colombia to extend regional reach.

Name

EMIF Group

Legal name

EMIF Group Inc.

Website

https://emifgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EMIF Group Inc. is a Canadian blended-finance investment firm founded in 2019 that deploys roughly $2-3 million per project in catalytic capital to prepare mid-stage sustainable urban infrastructure projects in emerging markets for downstream institutional financing, serving cities, governments, and project developers across Africa, Asia, LATAM, and the Middle East.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blended-Finance Infrastructure Investment

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Sector & Blended Finance Arms (IFC-type) (BPADACAJ), Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds (BPADACAO), Development Finance & Blended Finance Facilities (BPADAOAD)

Keywords

• Blended finance investing
• Infrastructure project preparation
• Sustainable urban infrastructure
• Emerging market investment
• Catalytic capital deployment

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Management and Advisory Fees: EMIF Group generates revenue through investment management fees from their investment vehicle (SIPF - Sustainable Infrastructure Project Fund) and advisory services fees. They invest private catalytic capital in infrastructure projects and earn returns through successful project financial close, with alignment between concessional and commercial capital providers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EMIF Group is a Canadian blended-finance investment firm that invests private catalytic capital in mid-stage sustainable urban-infrastructure projects across emerging markets, deploying roughly US$2–3 million per project to complete technical, legal, and financial structuring that turns feasible concepts into investable, bankable assets. The firm earns revenue through investment management fees from its Sustainable Infrastructure Project Fund (SIPF) and advisory service fees, working across renewable energy, water, mobility, waste, and affordable housing sectors with cities, governments, and project developers.

Product overview

EMIF Group operates as a single unified investment and advisory platform focused on blended-finance infrastructure development. The firm provides catalytic capital to bridge the gap between project feasibility and bankability, investing private capital in mid-stage development of sustainable urban infrastructure projects across emerging markets. Services include technical development, environmental and social assessment aligned with IFC Performance Standards, financial structuring, permitting, and tender preparation across renewable energy, water, mobility, waste, and affordable housing sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infrastructure Project Investment and Advisory Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over US$20 billion in equity capital mobilized through advisory, active development, construction equity, and M&A activities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• UN-HabitatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMIF Group has established a partnership with UN-Habitat, a key United Nations agency focused on sustainable urbanization. Henry Barclay was instrumental in facilitating this partnership, which helps grow EMIF's investible project pipeline. The partnership positions EMIF as a bridge between project developers and international development standards.
• Cities Investment FacilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMIF Group partners with the Cities Investment Facility, an initiative that connects cities with financing opportunities for urban infrastructure development. This partnership supports EMIF's mission to accelerate sustainable urban infrastructure in emerging markets.
• Blue Dot NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMIF Group has active representation on and contributes to the Blue Dot Network, a U.S. State Department initiative that certifies infrastructure projects meeting robust international quality standards. This certification supports project credibility for institutional investors.
• UN Global CompactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMIF Group is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, committing to the organization's ten principles governing sustainable and responsible investment. This membership provides credibility in the sustainable finance space.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• International Finance Corporation (IFC):

Broad incumbents

• Climate Investment Funds (CIF): Multilateral climate fund housed at the World Bank channeling concessional capital toward clean technology, renewable energy, and climate-resilient infrastructure in developing countries. Overlapping mission with EMIF but at vastly greater scale, with a broader mandate across multiple sectors.

Direct peers

• Climate Fund Managers (CFM): Joint venture between the Dutch fund manager FMO and Sanlam InfraWorks Investments, deploying blended-finance climate infrastructure funds in emerging markets. Highly comparable to EMIF given its focus on catalytic capital, project preparation, and renewable energy / water deals across Africa, Asia, and LATAM.
• PIDG (Private Infrastructure Development Group): Multi-donor facility backed by UK FCDO and other DFIs that mobilizes private investment into infrastructure in frontier and emerging markets. Directly comparable to EMIF's project preparation and catalytic-capital model, particularly in its earlier-stage project development facility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/emifgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emifgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EMIF Group