Are you a Dutch SME looking for financing to grow your international business, but not able to find the right finance solution at your house bank? Invest International offers a variety of friendly financing arrangements to support your company in realizing growth ambitions abroad and make impact, thereby achieving the SDGs. Whether it is for importing, exporting or investing. From start-ups, scale-ups to established SMEs. Discover what we can do for your business!
Invest International is here to help your business grow with funding and increase international business opportunities. We finance international activities that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on Decent Work and Income (SDG8) and Climate Action (SDG 13).
As a financing institution funded by the Dutch government we are additional to the market and step in when financing through traditional financing channels like your house bank is a not an option. We then can meet the financing requirements ourselves or partner up with your bank to for example derisk the investment.
1. Advice on sharpening your business plan and support you with business development.
2. Giving you access to a broad network of local, national and global partners
2. (Tailor-made) financing solutions for international business.
We support start-ups and scale-ups (early stage) with a range of friendly financing solutions. Like, for example, with a (first) import transaction or investments abroad. A big plus: our Investment Managers help you sharpen your business plan and the associated impact.
This concerns tickets between EUR 50,000,- upto 600.000,-.
During an event for start-ups in Amsterdam, we asked a number of entrepreneurs how financing from Invest International helped them kickstart their ambitions and create impact. Including start-up Johnny Cashew with their sustainable cashew nuts and eBee, a Kenyan startup with Dutch roots bringing the power of electric bicycles to the African continent.
This is how we helped Dutch impact start-ups kickstart their business
eBee is a Kenyan electric bicycle company, with Dutch roots. The startup sells, leases and services electric bicycles to consumers and businesses. Their ebees promote environmental responsibility while providing a healthy, fun, and economical alternative to mobility. The extra boost makes it easy to get up hills, with half of all riders using their e-bikes daily to earn a living. eBee received startup financing through the Dutch Good Growth Fund, the fund we manage on behalf of the ministry of Foreign Affairs.
We can also help you with financing export transactions for small tickets related to capital goods that often are cut off from traditional financing channels.
This concerns export finance for tickets from EUR 100.000,- euro upto 5 million.
For these transactions we have partnered up with fundmanager OHV and export credit insurer Atradius Dutch State Business. The latter being responsible for the Bills of Exchange.
Dutch company Spark is a good example of using the export finance option. Spark provides people in emerging economies with solar energy. Thanks to their Energy Kits, even the smallest communities in remote areas gain access to energy. For example farmers in rural Africa benefit from this. As such Spark actively contributes to SDG 7 (Affordable and sustainable energy), among other SDGs.
Do you want to import goods from a developing country or emerging market and grow your international ambitions? Then we may be able to help you finance it with our finance solutions for importing goods.
We can finance the import of sustainable products by Dutch entrepreneurs up to a maximum of EUR 1.5 million.
Financing to directly support a local supplier in its local growth is also an option if there is sufficient Dutch link.
Almacena Platform, a Dutch AgTech company launched an online coffee marketplace, targeting the African market. Enabeling sustainable and transparent supply chains with the goal to enrich the lives of coffee producers and consumers globally. Invest International played an instrumental role at the start of Almacena by providing finance for the import of coffee and developing the platform, in line with the Agri-food strategy.
By doing business in developing countries and emerging markets, as an entrepreneurs you contribute to economic and social developments in these countries. But it is often difficult to get financing for these (high risk) investments at your bank. Invest International is here to support you in doing business in developing countries and emerging markets with tailor made financing.
This concerns investments of up to EUR 15 million; guarantees and direct financing with a repayment obligation, such as loans and equity investments in projects.
For this we can make use of the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF) we manage on behalf of the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Invest International provided a €6,8 million loan to Iribov Holding B.V. for expanding their plant breeding and production services in Ghana. The loan through the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF) will finance new laboratory facilities for tissue culture and enable Iribov to expand their greenhouses in Sogakope, Ghana. This expansion will create at least 200 new jobs locally and, in the long term, help contribute to food security in West Africa through the production of disease-free vegetable plants. The loan was possible due to collaboration with Rabobank.
Who is my to-go partner when looking for SME financing?
Banks are important to Dutch SMEs with their financing solutions. But, what if you are a startup company and just don’t have the long-term, solid annual results you need to show? Or if you are doing business in a country with greater risks involved and your house bank does not (yet) dare to finance your project (for 100 percent)? Then Invest International may be able to support your company. With 100 percent financing from our own assets or in collaboration with your own bank, and partners such as OHV Asset Management and Atradius Dutch State Business.
Financing by a bank or Invest International or a combination?
Invest International is, as it is called, additional to the market. As a financier, we only step into your entrepreneurial adventure if you cannot arrange financing with your bank or other investors. For example, because the bank thinks the risk is too high. However, we also work together with banks to get the best of both worlds and strengthen each other (see Iribov example). After all, we have the same goal; supporting Dutch SME entrepreneurs in their growth ambitions and build the sustainable markets of tomorrow.
Which SME financing solutions does Invest International offer?
Investments abroad, import and export transactions. Whether it concerns an investment loan, working capital, export financing or a friendly financing arrangement based on public schemes such as the Dutch Good Growth Fund and the Dutch Trade and Investment Fund. For the latter two we work together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Call us at +31 (0)88-0428600 (Mo-Fri 8:30 - 17:00 h)
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