Amsterdam, November 2, 2020
The StartGreen Sustainable SME Fund and Invest-NL are joining forces to help sustainable SME entrepreneurs, who cannot or do not wish to turn to a bank, during the corona crisis. The StartGreen Sustainable SME Fund contains over €10 million, of which Invest-NL contributes €5 million.
Various agencies estimate that approximately half of SME entrepreneurs are experiencing or will experience liquidity problems over the next 6 months as a result of the second corona wave. For many sustainable entrepreneurs and family businesses, it proves difficult to find financing when they experience liquidity shortages. The business model of the former is often seen as risky, especially in an economic recession. Family businesses often finance themselves and therefore have less access to regular financing when they need it. Both types of companies are often the engine of innovation and the driver of an economy that does not exhaust itself. For a sustainable restart of the economy, it is important that these companies emerge from the crisis healthy.
The StartGreen Sustainable SME Fund was established this year to help companies with a sustainable or social impact. These are entrepreneurs who contribute to one or more ‘Sustainable Development Goals’. These have been established by the United Nations and are seen as global goals for sustainable development. The fund is brought together by Invest-NL and various (former) entrepreneurs and currently has over €10 million at its disposal. With this, the fund can provide SME Corona Guarantee loans (BMKB-C) between €200,000 and €2 million to sustainable entrepreneurs. The Guarantee loan offers opportunities for companies that can offer little security to financiers, as this is partially covered by a state guarantee.
Jorine Zandhuis, Business Developer Invest-NL: “We want to make the Netherlands more sustainable and innovative. Sustainable entrepreneurs are of great importance for this. Also during the Covid-19 pandemic. Especially now! With this fund-in-fund investment, we help sustainable entrepreneurs realize their ambitions, so they can give our economy the sustainable restart it needs.”
Jakoba van der Mei, Fund Manager StartGreen Sustainable SME Fund: “Many entrepreneurs find it less easy to turn to the bank during these difficult times. With the StartGreen Sustainable SME Fund, we want to help entrepreneurs by financing their liquidity shortage with a BMKB-C loan. With this fund, we can offer personal guidance and speed. We do this because every case is unique and entrepreneurs often want a concrete solution quickly to be able to continue their business.”
For more information about the fund and registration, see https://www.startgreenfondsduurzaammkb.nl
StartGreen Sustainable SME Fund
The StartGreen Sustainable SME Fund was established to provide financing to sustainable entrepreneurs who are experiencing liquidity problems as a result of the corona measures or who need to invest in their company. Invest-NL and former entrepreneurs have brought the fund together. The fund is managed by StartGreen Capital, one of the largest fund managers in impact financing in the Netherlands. StartGreen Capital was founded in 2006 and has over 40 employees. For more information, see www.startgreenfondsduurzaammkb.nl and www.startgreen.nl
Invest-NL
As an impact investor, Invest-NL invests in companies and projects that make the Netherlands more sustainable and innovative. The focus is on the energy transition and on innovative fast-growing companies (scale-ups). Invest-NL finances and advises innovative entrepreneurs according to the principle ‘impact is the goal, return is the means’. Invest-NL always works together with other financiers and is the Dutch partner for European investment institutions. 50 employees work at Invest-NL from the office in Amsterdam. For more information, see www.invest-nl.nl
