DOB Equity

DOB Equity is a Dutch-East African impact investor founded in 2011 (with roots dating back to the Tobé family's philanthropic activities from 1997), operating from offices in the Netherlands, Nairobi, and Dar es Salaam. The firm is backed by the Tobé family, which built and sold a European retail conglomerate of 1,500+ discount pharmacies across Western Europe and the UK in 2003, and redirected the proceeds into impact-focused foundations and investment vehicles.

The firm has deployed approximately €75 million across 26 portfolio companies in East Africa, taking direct equity stakes in businesses that are innovative, scalable, and impactful. The portfolio spans food distribution (Twiga Foods), plastics recycling (Mr. Green Africa), clean water (SPOUTS International), off-grid energy (PowerGen), agricultural diagnostics (Cropnuts), e-commerce (Copia), coconut processing (Kentaste), waste management (Zanrec), and more. DOB Equity operates as an evergreen fund, reinvesting proceeds rather than returning capital on a fixed timeline, which gives portfolio companies genuine patient capital. The firm's most notable outcome to date was the sale of a significant stake in Twiga Foods (valued at €250 million at the time) to Decathlon family investors. Co-investment partners have included Global Innovation Fund, Unilever, and Hooge Raedt Social Ventures.