INVEST IN AFRICA SUMMIT 2023

The Hague Marriott Hotel, Netherlands

MÉLANIE KEÏTA MARIAM

Co-founder & CEO, Melanin Kapital, impact investment Expert in Africa

Named by Forbes in the 2021’s 30 under 30 list, Melanie is the CEO and co-founder of Melanin Kapital, the 1st climate finance platform dedicated to Africa and its Diaspora, based in Kenya, France and Germany. 

With her team, she helps lenders assess the carbon footprint of their portfolio and disburse green lending into SMEs at scale. Melanin Kapital’s ambition is to build the #1 climate finance platform providing $1bn credit into Africa’s SMEs by 2030. 

For this innovation, the fintech was awarded by the Hewlett Packard Foundation for best climate innovation in 2022, by AfricArena for the “Most Promising Entrepreneur” Award and by the GITEX Top Africa Awards.

As a French-Congolese private equity professional, Melanie built her career in impact management funds in Paris, Nairobi and Frankfurt-am-Main. She has always endeavoured to leverage on her inter cultural perspective and her financial expertise to contribute to the efforts of economic development on the African continent. 

She has worked in the impact investment field for the past seven years in Africa and in the Middle East, supporting due diligence processes aiming at investing in SMEs, start ups and financial institutions. Over the years working in different impact ventures such as Investisseurs et Partenaire, the United Nations and Finance in Motion, she has particularly developed a deeper knowledge in corporate finance, fundraising and impact assessment. Besides her investment activities, she teaches in business schools and universities.

Currently in ESCP Europe she delivers an elective class on impact investing in emerging markets. She offers similar lectures for entrepreneurs in accelerator programs like Bridge for Billions or GIZ-SAIS program.

Mélanie holds a Master’ s in Corporate Finance from ESSCA business school, MSc International Sustainability from ESCP Europe and is certified as a Microfinance expert from Frankfurt School of Finance Management.