The Neycha Accelerator & Fund Cohort 4

The Neycha Accelerator & Fund (Neycha) is an initiative of SHONA Group, SHONA Capital, and Biovision Foundation that identifies and partners with growth-oriented Agroecological Enterprises (AEEs) in Kenya and Uganda, providing them with the capacity, capital and connections they need to grow their impact and businesses.

Neycha is launching its 4th cohort, supported by Partnerships for Forests, specifically dedicated to supporting the growth of 10 tree-based and forest-friendly, growth-oriented agroecological enterprises operating in the coffee, cocoa, macadamia nuts, apiary, shea, avocado, and bamboo value chains in Kenya and Uganda.

Through Neycha Cohort 4, our goal is to regenerate and protect tropical forest landscapes, empower local communities, and foster inclusive, long-term growth in Kenya and Uganda.

What it takes to qualify for the Program

Registration

Legally registered and based in Uganda or Kenya.
Locally owned – at least 50% of the enterprise is owned by a Ugandan or Kenyan.

Profile of enterprises

At least 2-3 years old, and generating at least USD 40,000 in annual revenue.
Commercially viable with a clear market opportunity and tested business model.
Operating in the coffee, cocoa, shea, macadamia, bamboo, avocado, or apiary value chains.
Farmer-centric business model, operating primarily in aggregation and/or processing.
Preference for women-driven enterprises (women-owned or women-led or majority women in the value chain).
Employing more than 5 people (including permanent and semi-permanent), with at least one founder employed by the business.
Evidence of basic financial management practices.
Evidence of basic traceability systems.

Impact criteria

Practicing and or promoting agroecological farming practices with an emphasis on the adoption of agroforestry practices within their value chain.
Potential to reach at least 3,000 Ha under sustainable production and double this within 5 years.
Potential to engage at least 3,000 smallholder farmers and double this within 5 years.

Leadership

Led by an ambitious, passionate, coachable entrepreneur with experience in the sector.
Interest in growing the business.

How to participate

To join the program, apply through the link below.

Benefits of participating in the program

Capacity

Business diagnostics: An analysis of the enterprise's key strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to build a successful tree-based or forest-friendly agroecological enterprise.
Agroecological enterprise growth planning: Support to build a 3-year agroecological growth plan, embedding agroecology and sustainable land management practices.
Specialised technical assistance: Provided by experts to help you solve key business challenges in financial management, certification, sales, marketing and more.

Capital

Access to flexible capital: Secure flexible, concessional working capital and asset acquisition financing ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to fund essential infrastructure and cash flow upgrades.

Connections

Networking: The opportunity to learn with and from peers and businesses, building successful tree-based agroecological enterprises. Connections to broader sustainable land-use initiatives.
Connections to investors for follow-on capital and markets to continue growing the business.

How is the Program structured?

Phase One

Recruitment, Pre-Accelerator Virtual Training & Due Diligence: Entrepreneurs submit applications and participate in assessment interviews to determine their alignment with cohort objectives. Twenty selected businesses will join the Pre-Accelerator Virtual Training. Simultaneously, the Neycha team will perform comprehensive business diagnostics and due diligence on the businesses.

Phase Two

Bootcamp - Strategy & Model Refinement: The top 10 businesses will transition to an intensive bootcamp to optimize their business models and three-year growth plan that will integrate agroecological and agroforestry practices.

Phase Three

Scaling & Technical Support: Over 15 months, businesses will receive specialized management support from dedicated analysts and technical assistance grants for expert-led sessions in finance, HR, and compliance. Participants also gain access to peer networks, exposure visits, and debt financing assistance.

FAQs

The Neycha Accelerator & Fund (Neycha) is an initiative of SHONA Group and Biovision Foundation. Cohort 4, specifically supported by Partnerships for Forests, is dedicated to accelerating 10 growth-oriented, tree-based and forest-friendly agroecological enterprises in Kenya and Uganda. We provide capacity, capital, and connections to help these businesses scale their impact and grow sustainably within specific forest-positive value chains.

Cohort 4 of The Neycha Accelerator & Fund is proudly supported by Partnerships for Forests. This collaboration enables us to deepen our support for tree-based enterprises across East Africa.

We are targeting growth-oriented, farmer-centric agroecological enterprises in aggregation and/or processing. These businesses must operate in one of the following tree-based and forest-friendly value chains: coffee, cocoa, macadamia nuts, apiary, shea nuts, avocado, and bamboo.

To be eligible, enterprises should generally meet the following criteria:

Business maturity: At least 2-3 years old.

Revenue: Generating a minimum of USD 40,000 (UGX 148 million or KES 5 million) in annual revenue.

Market: Possess a clear market opportunity and a commercially viable business model.

Operations: Evidence of basic financial management practices and basic traceability systems.

Impact: Potential to reach at least 3,000 Ha under sustainable production and double this within 5 years and potential to engage at least 3,000 smallholder farmers and double this within 5 years.

Geography: Registered and operating in Kenya and Uganda.

Ownership & Team: At least 50% owned by a Kenyan or Ugandan, with at least one founder actively involved in running the business, and employing between 5-10 people.

Preference will be given to women-driven enterprises (women-owned, women-led, or those with a majority of women in their value chain), reflecting our commitment to maintaining a portfolio with at least 30% women-led/owned businesses.

Neycha Cohort 4 is designed to help enterprises strengthen their practices, operations, and market readiness. Our support involves:

Business Diagnostics: In-depth analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.

Growth Planning: Support to build a 3-year agroecological growth plan, integrating sustainable land management.

Specialized Technical Assistance: Expert guidance on key challenges like financial management, certification, sales, and marketing.

Access to Flexible Capital: Loans from USD 10,000 to USD 50,000 for working capital and asset acquisition.

Networking: Opportunities for peer learning and building connections within the agroecological sector.

Investor & Market Connections: Facilitating links to investors for follow-on capital and markets for continued growth.

How to participate

To join the program, apply through the link below.