MDIF manages its investments through a fund structure that includes private equity, debt and hybrid funds. With a current portfolio of more than $120 million, all of our funds provide financing to independent media in countries where access to free and independent is under threat. They include:
Emerging Media Opportunity Fund I
EMOF I is a $12.9 million private equity fund, providing early- to mid-stage growth capital to independent media companies in select emerging and frontier markets. It has deployed capital in countries including India, Brazil and Indonesia to a portfolio that includes rapidly growing digital players and younger startups. EMOF I is now fully invested and closed to investors.
MDIF Media Finance I
MMF I is a blended-value loan fund, providing affordable loans to independent media in OECD-DAC countries. It has invested in companies in countries including Malawi, Serbia, Ukraine and India. In a ground-breaking partnership, MDIF and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) provide investors with 55% first-loss protection. The fund pays a coupon of 4% to investors. MDIF closed the first round at $6 million and the second round at $5.1 million.
MDIF General Fund
MDIF’s original evergreen fund currently invests in more than 20 countries. Since 1996 it has provided more than $100 million in debt and equity investments to leading independent media in 40 countries. The fund is currently open to investors.
MDIF Ventures
MDIF Ventures is an investment pool that invests in young and growing media companies with a positive social impact and the potential to scale. It focuses on projects located or serving audiences in countries where access to free and independent news and information is under threat. It is investing $1 million in approximately 12 young and growing media companies and builds on Digital News Ventures, a $3.8m seed fund focused on information and news-related startups launched in 2012. MDIF Ventures is not open to investors.
Find out more about investing in MDIF’s funds here.