Growth Summit 2026 | Funding What Matters: High-Growth Firms

High-growth firms play a critical role in driving productivity, employment, and economic transformation. Yet many promising businesses in low- and middle-income countries continue to face significant barriers to scaling. In this session from Growth Summit 2026, funders, investors, and practitioners discuss practical approaches to supporting high-growth firms, strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, and improving access to finance, markets, and business support. The discussion highlights lessons from organizations working directly with growth-oriented firms across Africa and other emerging markets, and explores how strategic partnerships and investment can help businesses scale and create quality jobs. Moderator: • Matthew Guttentag - Alliance Manager, Growth Firms Alliance. Scene-setting: • Nicholas Colloff - Executive Director, Argidius Foundation. • James Foster - Learning Director, Gatsby Africa. Speakers: • Joshua Bicknell - Co-Founder and Director, Balloon Ventures. • Elizabeth Brown - Executive Director, Building Markets US. • Naomi Kirungu - Director of Marketing and Communications, African Management Institute. • David Munnich - Executive Director of I&P Acceleration and Development, Investisseurs & Partenaires. • Maryanne Ochola - Regional Managing Director, Endeavor Kenya. About Growth Summit 2026: Growth Summit 2026 brought together leading researchers, policymakers, funders, and practitioners to explore practical pathways to economic growth in low- and middle-income countries. The summit was organized by the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) in partnership with the Center for Global Development (CGD) and Growth Teams (GT), and took place in Rabat, Morocco, from March 24-26, 2026. Learn more: https://www.growth-teams.org #GrowthSummit2026 #EconomicGrowth #Development #Africa #GrowthTeams