Arghan Joshua had always wished to start a renewable energy firm. His dream came true in 2008 when he founded Continental Renewable Energy Company and began to deal with waste management, making composite, roofing tiles, and fencing posts from recycled plastic waste.

However, to set the company on a growth path, he needed to attract angel investors.

He turned to GrowthAfrica – the local version of the popular Shark Tank – a small and medium businesses accelerator to pitch his business, gain exposure and access money.

Well, six years down the line, his decision has paid off.

“My business was struggling to attract investors. But the exposure that has come participating at GrowthAfrica has been immense. So far, my business has managed to get Sh4.5 million in funding,” he said.

He is not the only one who has enjoyed the helping hand of a business angel.

In 2012, Catherine Mahugu, Gwendolyn Floyd and Ella Peinovich came together to form Shop Soko, an online fashion and jewellery store.

To attain their goal of connecting online consumers to global jewellery makers as well as semi urban and rural artisans, they pitched their idea at GrowthAfrica and began their journey to success.

Other beneficiaries include Christine Khasina–Odero’s Super Mamas, an online platform that allows mothers to purchase and sell products for children, Judith Owiga’s jua kali mobile and web outfit that connects the youth in jua kali trade to industries and homes requiring technical assistants.

Also enjoying GrowthAfriuca’s financing and expertise is Jooist, a gaming business. In the past 18 months, Jooist has managed to reach over 100,000 users every day with its product besides securing Sh2.2 million in funding.

In the same period, Ecofuels Kenya, which produces biodiesel and fertiliser using non-productive crops from 2,000 local farmers has attracted Sh27 million in funding, while Zana Africa has sold over 50,000 locally produced sanitary pads developed from farm waste after getting Sh90 million in investments and grants. Similarly, 270 aspiring entrepreneurs and 82 startups have passed through GrowthAfrica.

The funding accessed by these two businesses is the brainchild of Johnni Kjelsgaard, a local entrepreneur and angel investor. “We invest in four main sectors,” Mr Kjelsgaard notes. “Our focus is usually on enterprises that have a positive impact on society such as provision of income to low earners or provision of innovative products and services in agriculture, health, education, manufacturing and ICT.”

According to Mr Kjelsgaard, since its establishment, GrowthAfrica has so far helped create over thousands of jobs besides injecting at least Sh360 million in small and medium local businesses.

“In the past two years alone, we have identified and trained 240 entrepreneurs and assisted their businesses to raise Sh2.8 billion through 82 social enterprises. This has come with 11,300 new jobs with 87 per cent of all these business reporting sustainable profits,” he adds.