C4D Partners

Check the gate first

C4D lists its criteria on the funds page. Before applying, check that you meet each of them:

• You are raising growth capital at Pre-Series A, Series A or Series B.
• You have at least 12-18 months of operations.
• You have a maximum of 250 employees.
• Your business has direct livelihood impact on an underserved population.

What to prepare

• An investment deck.
• Financials for the past 2 years, along with the current year's projection.
• A clear account of who your customers or workers are and how the business improves their livelihoods, since impact is one of the three things the firm says drives its decisions. Climate and gender are the other two.

How to apply

• Use the application form on the funds page. The site calls it a one-time submission, so submit it complete.
• C4D states it reviews and responds within five working days.
• Questions on new investments can go to the investments inbox on the firm's website. General queries go to the info inbox.

This is equity investment, not a grant, so be ready to discuss ownership and returns alongside impact.

C4D Partners is a gender-smart impact fund manager. Its India arm, C4D Fund Management (India) Pvt. Ltd., has its head office in Bengaluru. The parent, C4D Partners B.V., has its registered office in Arnhem in the Netherlands. The firm says it was incorporated in 2013, and that its journey of impact started with two employees. It describes itself as a gender-smart fund management company that wants to balance meaningful impact with healthy financial returns.

What it backs

C4D invests in small and medium enterprises that work toward the Sustainable Development Goals. It says three factors drive its investment decisions: livelihood for underserved communities, climate, and gender. It applies a gender lens in all its processes. Its first fund, the C4D Asia Fund, was launched in 2017 and closed in 2018. It invests across India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nepal and Cambodia. Its India-dedicated C4D Bharat Shubharambh Fund was launched in 2022. The site describes that fund as a SEBI Registered Category I AIF that invests in equity and equity-linked instruments, is sector agnostic with a focus on technology-led climate action and sustainable development, and targets early-stage rounds prior to Series B.

Who fits

The funding criteria on the site are specific. The company should be raising growth capital at Pre-Series A, Series A or Series B. It should have at least 12-18 months of operations and a maximum of 250 employees. It also needs direct livelihood impact on an underserved population. Portfolio examples on the site include Ananya Finance, LabourNet, Saahas Zero Waste and Mirakle Couriers in India.

How to reach C4D

The funds page asks you to prepare an investment deck and financials for the past 2 years along with the current year's projection, and to fill in the application form for a one-time submission. It states that applications are reviewed and responded to within five working days. The contact page lists a separate role inbox for new investment matters and another for general queries, both on the firm's own domain.

This is an equity investor that takes a stake in the company, not a grant, so expect due diligence on your business and its impact.