HEVA x NCBA
HEVA and NCBA have entered into a strategic partnership to expand access to affordable and responsive business financing for creative entrepreneurs. The partnership will deliver financial products designed around the unique cash-flow patterns, business models, and growth cycles of creative enterprises, enabling them to build, scale, and compete more effectively in the market.
Key Highlights
To empower the creative industries, HEVA and NCBA will offer five financing products: Event Financing, Invoice Discounting, LPO Financing, Working Capital Financing and Start Up Incubator Financing.
Step 1: An initial KES 20 million (50:50 match between HEVA and NCBA) Target: Early stage creative businesses Interest rate: 9% (concessional).
Insights from HEVA on financing the creative sector will be leveraged to unlock more capital with NCBA.
What will be included:
Equipment and working capital starting from KES 50,000
Up to 80% financing for confirmed orders, contracts or events
Repayment aligned to creative cycles (90 days to 36 months*)
Disbursement directly to suppliers, vendors and platforms — keeps production moving
Minimum requirements and detailed features will be shared during rollout in Jan 2026
OVERVIEW
Through strategic partnerships, HEVA has already deployed KES 450M to creative entrepreneurs and businesses in 2025, with a plan to disburse KES 900M to the sector by the end of 2026. This new partnership with NCBA builds on that progress and extends it into the commercial banking sector, representing a major milestone in making creative finance accessible at scale.
The partnership is part of HEVA's broader mission to bridge the gap between finance and the creative industries, unlocking even more capital for a sector that continues to grow in economic importance. It also reflects the rising confidence among commercial banking institutions in the power, potential, and GDP contribution of creative MSMEs in Kenya.
Through a shared-risk financing approach, HEVA and NCBA are strengthening the pathway for creative businesses to access intentional, responsive, and affordable capital, allowing them to grow, scale, create meaningful jobs, and continue contributing to Kenya's economic transformation.
PARTNERSHIP WINS
✔ 12 years of HEVA’s insights on designing tailored financing for creatives
✔ Flexible financing aligned to creative income cycles
✔ Capital designed for MSME growth
✔ Delivered through commercial banking channels through partnership with NCBA
✔ Supported by business and skills programs
✔ Accessible to young people, young women and men.
WHAT’S NEXT
Financial product roll-out in Jan 2026
Business support opportunities to be launched in Q1 2026:
Investment-readiness coaching
Technical assistance across key creative sectors
Wellbeing & resilience support
Market access facilitation
Strengthened reporting and performance support for bankability
LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH
If you want to receive updates on how you can access funding, project incubation, mentorship, and invaluable resources that will fuel your growth and help you achieve your creative aspirations, join our mailing list and we’ll keep you posted.