Bankability diagnostic for SMEs and project owners
You have a project or a funding need, but do not yet know whether your file is ready to be presented? The bankability diagnostic objectively assesses strengths, weaknesses and points to reinforce before you approach a bank, a microfinance institution or an investor. Pharaon Advisory carries it out for SMEs and project owners in Douala, Cameroon and the CEMAC zone.
What is the bankability of a project?
Bankability is the ability of a project or company to be understood, assessed and financed by a financial institution or an investor. A bankable project does not automatically obtain financing: it brings together what is needed to be seriously analysed.
- A clear business or idea, in an identifiable market.
- An understandable business model and a justified funding need.
- Realistic financial assumptions and a credible repayment or profitability capacity.
- Financial, legal and operational information available, and a team able to carry the project.
Why run a diagnostic before seeking financing?
Many requests fail not because the project lacks potential, but because it is presented incompletely, with poor numbers or inconsistently. A diagnostic upstream lets you:
- Know whether your project is ready to be financed.
- Detect inconsistencies between your strategy and your numbers.
- Anticipate the questions of banks and investors.
- Avoid submitting a premature file and prioritise the actions to take.
It is particularly useful after a refusal, when the business is growing faster than its financial organisation, or before a major investment.
What we analyse
| Dimension | Points examined |
|---|---|
| Business and value proposition | Offer, customers, positioning, value creation |
| Market and competition | Demand, segments, competition, trends |
| Business model | What you sell, at what price, to whom, through which channel, at what margin |
| Organisation and team | Key skills, responsibilities, processes, reinforcement needs |
| Financial position | Financial statements, profitability, cash, debts, instalments |
| Forecasts and funding need | Revenue, margin, cost and investment assumptions, use of funds |
| Risks | Commercial, operational, financial, regulatory, human, and mitigation measures |
What the diagnostic includes
| Deliverable | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Scoping interview | Understand your project, your need and your context |
| Document review | Examine the financial, commercial and legal information available |
| Bankability diagnostic | Assess strengths, weaknesses, risks and blocking points |
| Gap analysis | Identify what is missing to make the project more financeable |
| Prioritised action plan | Define the steps to complete before a financing request |
At the end of the diagnostic, we point you to the next step: business plan and forecast, bank loan file or fundraising.
Our 4-step method
- Getting to know the projectBusiness, market, team, funding need and documents available.
- Bankability analysisConsistency of the business model, market, organisation, numbers, risks and any security.
- Identifying the gapsMissing elements, assumptions to consolidate, information to document, inconsistencies to correct.
- Action plan and guidancePrioritised action plan and guidance towards the appropriate support.
Signs that a project needs a diagnostic
- You do not know what amount to request or how to justify it.
- Your business plan exists but is not convincing.
- You received a refusal without a clear explanation.
- Your business is growing faster than your financial organisation.
- You want to raise funds without knowing where to start.
Our track record
The firm reports 100 bn FCFA secured for its clients. Several of our engagements are publicly documented:
- Our case studies
- Article: can a business grow sustainably without structuring itself?
- DBS TV case study (PDF)
What we do not do
Frequently asked questions
What is a bankability diagnostic?
It is an analysis that assesses the ability of a project or company to be presented to and financed by a bank, a microfinance institution or an investor. It identifies strengths, weaknesses, risks and the actions to take.
Does the diagnostic guarantee financing?
No. It helps you understand whether your project is ready and to strengthen the elements needed to present it.
Do I need a business plan already?
No. The diagnostic can be carried out before the business plan is written: it identifies the information to gather and the analyses to perform.
How long does the diagnostic take?
It depends on the complexity of the project, the sector, the stage of development and the availability of documents. After the first discussion we give you a schedule.
Can you diagnose a business start-up project?
Yes. We support project owners who want to assess the viability of their idea, structure their business model and prepare the basis for a future file.
What happens after the diagnostic?
We give you a prioritised action plan. Depending on needs, we can support you on the business plan, the bank file or the fundraising.
Submit my file
Do you have a project to finance, a file to rework or numbers to make reliable? Send us the first information about your company and your need. Our team analyses your situation and tells you the next steps.