Interested in this fund?
Log in or create an account to request more information.
Gain a deeper and comprehensive understanding of how this fund generates positive impact in the themes and SDGs that matter to you, with insights provided by our dedicated team of expert analysts, and receive notifications about new available impact products, exciting investment opportunities, and relevant updates in the world of impact investing.
Verde Ventures Fund
United States of America
Last updated 13 May 2020, by Impactyield.
Fund geography
Verde Ventures invests directly in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by providing debt financing to businesses that benefit healthy ecosystems in addition to human well-being. These types of businesses include but are not limited to:
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Alternative Energy
- Agroforestry
- Ecotourism
- Sustainable harvest of natural products (such as coffee, honey and cocoa)
- Sustainable fisheries
Verde Ventures support has enabled our partners to help protect and restore more than 1,138,399 acres (460,694 hectares) of important lands. Verde Ventures business partners also employ more than 53,000 local people across 13 different countries.
The Verde Ventures business philosophy is based on our steadfast belief that economic development and responsible stewardship of the Earth are at the core of successful conservation.
Within the complex layers of the global and local markets, it has become apparent that small and medium sized enterprises play a vital role in conserving biological diversity and in creating sustainable economic opportunities that help to preserve natural resources for future generations. Verde Ventures aims to fill the “Missing Middle,” by funding the organizations that are too large for microfinance, but too small to receive traditional commercial credit.
Financial description
The investment range for VV is between US$30,000 and US$500,000, with the average investment to date of US$182,000 as of June 30, 2011. Our portfolio is made up of two main types of loans. About 81% of VV loans are one year loans that are used to grow or harvest agricultural products. The other type of loan is a term loan that is repaid in 3‐5 years. These are generally used for capital investments or as operating capital to help ongoing operations. Most term loans and some agricultural loans are secured by local collateral under local law. In addition to interest payments, VV is also increasingly using quasi-equity instruments, such as royalty payments, to increase financial returns as the invested business grows. Most investments have a 1% closing fee to cover due diligence and legal expenses.
23 years
of track record
2001
the year funded
27,250,000 USD
AUM
Interested in this fund?
Log in or create an account to request more information.
Gain a deeper and comprehensive understanding of how this fund generates positive impact in the themes and SDGs that matter to you, with insights provided by our dedicated team of expert analysts, and receive notifications about new available impact products, exciting investment opportunities, and relevant updates in the world of impact investing.
Asset manager
SDG goals
SDG targets
Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and sustainability reporting
Sustainable food production and resilient agricultural practices
Double the improvement in energy efficiency
Expand and upgrade energy services for developing countries
Full employment and decent work with equal pay
Increase access to financial services and markets
Key performance indicators
Fund overview
Asset manager: Conservation International
Product track record: Fund has 23 years of track record
Target IRR: 8%
Committed Capital: 12,250,000 USD (US Dollar)
Target return category: Below risk-adjusted market-rate of return
Fund domicile: United States of America
Product status: Open - committed capital
Style/Stage:
Inception year: 2001
Vintage year: 2001
Target region: Global
Target close date: n.a.
Product term: 3-5 year term
Assets under management: 27,250,000 USD (US Dollar)
Investment size: Min: 30,000; Max: 500,000; Avg: 182,000
Co-investment policy:
Currency of investments: USD (US Dollar)
Currency for fund / product figures: USD (US Dollar)
Fund investments to date: 98
Fund investments to date exited or repaid: 89
Management fee: n.a.
Carried interest: n.a.
Hurdle rate: n.a.
GIIN Investors' Council Investment: Yes
Limited Partners / Investors: L’Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Fonds Français pour l'Environnement Mondial (FFEM), The Global Environment Facility (GEF), The International Finance Corporation’s Environmental Business Finance Program (EBFP), The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Starbucks Coffee Company
Limited Partner / Investor Type: Development Finance Institution (DFI), Other Institutional Investors, Retail Investors
Contact
E-mail: e.johansen@conservation.org
Website: http://www.conservation.org/sites/verdeventures/Pages/partnerlanding.aspx
Phone number: 703.341.2400
If you wish to have your details removed from this database please email gdpr@impactyield.com
Lorena Garcia-Bustos
Program Manager
Neel Inamdar
Fund Manager
Impact Performance
n.a.
Impact thesis
Verde Ventures provides debt and equity financing to businesses that benefit healthy ecosystems and human well-being, such as agroforestry, ecotourism, sustainable harvest of wild products and marine initiatives. Verde Ventures contributes to successful conservation outcomes through economic incentives and efficient social-oriented solutions.
The fund’s investments enable SME partners to advance the important role of small business in conservation and responsible development. They employ local people in jobs that give them and their communities a personal and economic stake in safeguarding their local natural resources.
Underlying its success is a set of principles that reflect the specific challenges of small businesses, as well as the need to engage people and businesses at all levels to achieve conservation in effective and lasting ways:
•Conservation-based employment is essential to provide economic incentives for conservation.
•The small business sector is a key partner in the intersection between human well-being and conservation.
•Available and affordable capital ensures the viability of the sector and enables these partners to participate in and benefit from sustainable conservation efforts.
•Positive changes in the triple-bottom line results of enterprises will build lasting business that will deliver long term conservation and economic benefits.
Impact Management
n.a.