CEED develops and connects entrepreneurs who want to grow as leaders, build their companies and give back to their community. Building a community of entrepreneurs is paramount in our approach.
Our vision is to be the most valuable resource for entrepreneurs in their growth by developing sustainable local communities, around the world.
Our History
CEED was created by SEAF, an impact investing firm to support entrepreneurs in the growth of their companies.
About SEAF
SEAF is an investment management group that provides growth capital and business assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging and transition markets underserved by traditional sources of capital. Through our network of investment funds around the world, we invest in entrepreneurs seeking to build successful businesses, hoping to realize both returns to our investors and strong development impact in local communities.
Establishing CEED
With over 30 years of experience in SME investing, about 430 SME investments and 1000 technical assistance interventions in frontier and emerging market SMEs, SEAF is intimately aware of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the management of their businesses. SEAF found that entrepreneurs were generally not as equipped to deal with rapid business growth. They frequently lacked knowledge and tools to assess new markets and struggled to gain access to capital.
Entrepreneurs also lacked the right networks with other entrepreneurs who had experience entering regional and international markets bringing their businesses to scale. CEED was created to address these challenges by enlisting successful entrepreneurs to mentor those looking to grow their businesses. CEED was developed using a peer to peer model where entrepreneurs would share their experiences, help others overcome challenges, and develop trust in others in the network.