How we invest
A consistent process, from first look to exit.
The Secretariat sources, screens and conducts or coordinates due diligence. Members decide individually whether to invest.
The process
Seven stages
Stage 01: Sourcing
The Secretariat builds pipeline through open enquiries, ecosystem partners, member referrals and pitch events across Sierra Leone and the diaspora.
Stage 02: Screening
Businesses are checked against SAN's published criteria: registration, market traction, revenue, unit economics and the credibility of the founding team.
Stage 03: Founder pitch
Shortlisted founders present to members at a pitch session, followed by structured questions and written feedback.
Stage 04: Due diligence
The Secretariat conducts or coordinates diligence — legal, financial, commercial and governance — often with members who bring relevant expertise.
Stage 05: Investment decision and deployment
Members decide individually whether to participate. Capital is generally deployed through a member consortium or a deal-specific SPV, and may be released in milestone-based tranches.
Stage 06: Post-investment support
Investee businesses receive mentorship, financial systems and governance support, KPI tracking and introductions from members and the Secretariat.
Stage 07: Exit planning
Exit routes are discussed from the outset — trade sale, secondary sale, founder buy-back or structured repayment — and revisited as the business matures.
What we assess
The six questions behind every decision
Founder quality
Credibility, resilience, honesty and willingness to be coached.
Governance basics
Registration, records, decision-making and financial control.
Market opportunity
Real demand, a defined customer and room to grow.
Traction
Evidence that customers pay and keep paying.
Scalability
A model that can grow without costs growing just as fast.
Unit economics
A clear-eyed view of margin, cost to serve and the path to sustainability.
Important clarification
A network, not a fund.
SAN does not pool capital, manage money on behalf of members or operate a collective investment scheme. Members are individual investors who make their own decisions on each opportunity.
When members choose to back a business, capital is generally deployed through a member consortium or a deal-specific special purpose vehicle, and may be released in milestone-based tranches agreed with the founders.
Investment opportunities are shared with members only. Nothing on this site is an offer or solicitation to invest.
Next step
Investors can apply for membership. Founders can send an enquiry with a short description of the business and what they are raising.