IFU

Urgent need for #DFI investment into #Ukraine’s private sector to respond to conflict and destruction. This was the outset for an #OECD session this week where IFU’s deputy-CEO Søren Peter Andreasen participated. The focus was to explore solutions for how we can engage more private capital into Ukraine’s recovery. “As a Development Finance Institution, we need to be part of finding the answers. There is a need to move fast to respond to the needs arising from the conflict. We cannot take two-three years to design a blended finance tool. We were in the situation that the Danish Government gave IFU the opportunity to continue to invest despite the conflict in Ukraine at a time of high need. Alongside this urgent response DFIs have to work on different types of instruments that will allow a longer-term response at a higher scale. Guarantees is one of the tools that will play an important role too,” said Søren Peter Andreasen. Over the last two years, IFU has provided additional financing for existing portfolio companies and invested in multiple new projects in Ukraine, serving as a catalyser of job creation in Ukraine’s economy at a critical time. Read more about the panel session here: https://lnkd.in/ea7cDgeh #BlendedFinance #OECDconference #Ukraine #SDGs #dkpol 

The Danish Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) announced at the end of January an investment of 25 million euros in the construction of a #solar plant in the state of Minas Gerais, which will supply #electricity to more than 150,000 Brazilian families. The solar plant will generate 307 GWh of renewable #energy per year, with commercial operations scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026. The total capital cost of the solar plant is estimated at 85 million dollars - around 82,7 million euros -, an amount that will be financed in part through the IFU loan. The solar plant will be built near the municipality of Urucuia, in the north of Minas Gerais. The project will generate jobs in the #construction and #operation stages of the plant, with a focus on professional training for #women. Read more: ▶️ https://lnkd.in/dv-sXh55

🖋️ IFU welcomes Frederik Bjørn as new General Counsel and CCO 🖋️ Frederik Bjørn joined IFU on 1 January 2025. He will head IFU’s legal team, a vital part of IFU’s transactions and responsible for corporate legal issues. Moreover, he will oversee compliance functions across the organisation and lead IFU’s sales and investor relations efforts related to fundraising. Frederik Bjørn has been part of the senior leadership in several leading Nordic financial institutions for more than 20 years, latest as Executive Vice President in Danske Bank.

Thrilled to have recently had a productive meeting with Ms Tina Kollerup Hansen, Senior Vice President of IFU and Andrew Githaiga, DSIF Investment Director, as part of the Government of Makueni County's continued efforts to advance sustainable infrastructure development. Under the stewardship of H.E. Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior we explored collaborative pathways with these development partners, focusing on water as a key priority for Makueni County while leveraging the Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) as an enabler. Chairman of Kedar Green Agriculture Products Yariv Kedar shared the success story of Lower Masimbani in Makueni County where irrigation innovations are being used to complement broader initiatives to tackle water scarcity while improving livelihoods. The Government Of Makueni County is championing sand dams because they are a cost-effective, sustainable solution that recharge aquifers, filter water and store it underground, minimising evaporation and strengthening community resilience. Through our joint efforts, the development of sand dams will significantly boost water security and livelihoods across the region. #MakueniCounty #SustainableDevelopment #GreenGrowth #WaterSecurity #RenewableEnergy #Partnerships #ClimateResilience #SDG17

Private investeringer i udviklingslande er afgørende, men de kræver de rette modeller. Så hvordan sikrer vi, at privat kapital spiller en reel rolle i den grønne omstilling af udviklingslande? Det spørgsmål er mere aktuelt end nogensinde. Der er ingen tvivl om, at behovet for investeringer er enormt, men de traditionelle barrierer som politisk ustabilitet, økonomiske udsving og strukturel risiko har gjort det svært for private investorer at engagere sig i udviklingen af det globale syd. I PenSam har vi allerede investeret via IFUs SDG-fond, hvor en ny model sikrer, at private investorer kan se sig selv i projekterne. Som jeg siger i dagens artikel i Børsen: Der er en forhøjet risiko i at investere i udviklingslande. Så vi har behov for en professionel forvaltning, der kan gøre området investerbart for os. Ved at kombinere offentlige og private midler og tilbyde en balanceret risikodeling, skaber vi en vej frem. Uden disse modeller ville investeringerne ganske enkelt ikke finde sted, og vi ville gå glip af en vigtig mulighed for at skabe reel forandring samtidig med et godt, langsigtet afkast til vores medlemmer i FOA-faggrupperne. Vi håber, at flere følger trop, så vi sammen kan drive en grønnere og mere bæredygtig udvikling globalt.

🍃New solar project generates green electricity to over 150,000 Brazilian households🍃 Brazil’s energy sector is one of the least carbon-intensive in the world. However, drought has challenged Brazil’s reliance on hydropower, creating energy shortage and price volatility. To help diversify Brazil’s energy mix, Scatec ASA, a leading renewable energy provider, is constructing a solar plant in the state of Minas Gerais, southeast Brazil. We are contributing to the project with an💰EUR 25 million debt facility. The solar park will generate 307 GWh renewable energy per year, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of more than 150,000 households 👨👩👧👦. Furthermore, the construction of a solar plant requires staff. So, this investment not only strengthens Brazil’s energy supply; it also creates jobs, committing to gender empowerment by training and employing female workers. Read full story in comments 👇 Natalia Svejgaard I Andreas Austrell #SDGs #Impactinvestments #greentransition #cleanenergy #Brazil #dkpol

🩺NEW INVESTMENT WILL PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE TO 8 MILLION PATIENTS IN BANGLADESH EACH YEAR🩺 Pharmacies are often the first place the population in Bangladesh meets healthcare professionals. So the expansion of pharmacies is crucial to improving health in the country. Therefore, IFU is investing 💰 USD 12.5 million into AKS Khan Pharmaceuticals (AKPL), Bangladesh’s leading chain pharmacy operator. The investment will support AKPL’s vision to increase access to world-class healthcare throughout Bangladesh. With the funding in place, AKPL will be able to expand their retail pharmacy chain to 80 locations and roll out 30 new diagnostics centres throughout Bangladesh. This will not only increase the population’s possibility to receive qualified healthcare, but also create jobs and drive sustainable economic growth. In the photo from the left: Samanzar Khan, Managing Director, AKS Khan Pharmaceutical Ltd., Dr. Niti Pall, board member, AKS Pharmacy, Lars Bertram, CEO of IFU, Rokeya Sultana, COO, AKS Khan Pharmaceutical Ltd., Klaus Prebensen, Investment Director, IFU, Andrew Smith, board member, AKS Pharmacy Read full story in comments 👇 #SDG #impactinvesting #dkpol #healthcare #Bangladesh

⚡ IFU INVESTS USD 15 MILLION IN PROMOTING ACCESS TO CLEAN AND RELIABLE ELECTRICITY IN AFRICA ⚡ Access to affordable and reliable electricity remains a big challenge in Africa. Especially in the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where 570 million people currently live without connection to power. This challenge is also addressed in the Danish government’s recent Strategy for Africa pushing for more Danish climate investments on the African continent. Aligned with that, IFU is investing 💰 USD 15 million in PowerGen Renewable Energy as part of a joint investment with the The Private Infrastructure Development Group, EDFI ElectriFI - The Electrification Financing Initiative, and the African Development Bank Group (SEFA). PowerGen is a leading distributed renewable energy (DRE) company striving to provide clean, reliable and affordable power across Africa. The joint investment will support PowerGen to scale their business, targeting deployment of up to 120MW portfolio of renewable mini-/metro-grids and commercial and industrial (C&I) power solutions, inclusive of battery energy storage. The deployment is expected to increase access for more than 68,000 households and reduce the cost of power for 7,000 businesses, with an initial focus on Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Sierra Leone. Besides supporting Africa’s green transition, the increasing of access to reliable and affordable electricity is also expected to enhance business productivity, create indirect jobs, drive sustainable economic growth and improve livelihood in rural Africa. Henrik Henriksen, Aaron Cheng, AMINE AMAR, Luke Foley, Juliette Bulté, Benjamin Curnier, Magnus Nilsson, Jean-Denis Collin, CFA, Thomas Hougaard #africa #renewableenergy #impactinvesting

🌍 Uniting for a sustainable future: Mobilising capital for climate investments 🌍   The World Economic Forum’s Giving to Amplify Earth Action (GAEA) initiative is leading a transformative approach to climate investments by mobilising USD 200 billion in impact capital. The Danish SDG Investment Fund II (SDG Fund II), managed by IFU, is highlighted as a prime example of how to mobilise capital for climate initiatives. GAEA’s 4P model - public, private, and philanthropic partnerships - addresses market failures, accelerates decarbonisation and mobilises institutional finance to scale green markets. As Jon Johnsen, CEO of the Danish pension fund PKA states: “Four Danish pension funds collaborated with IFU to establish the Danish SDG Investment Fund. This is an example of how to bridge the gap and mobilise financing for climate and nature solutions in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies. This is how we drive systemic change, transforming market inefficiencies into opportunities for sustainable growth.” 🔗 Read more about the GAEA initiative and how it's shaping the future of sustainable finance: https://lnkd.in/gT-qkiaR Read more about the Danish SDG Investment Fund II here: https://lnkd.in/grJm6pkR #Sustainability #ImpactInvestment #ClimateAction #GAEA #IFU #CollectiveImpact #GreenFinance #SDGInvestmentFund

🏘️ IFU INCREASES FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO FURTHER GROW SUSTAINABLE HOUSING IN MEXICO 🪴 The Mexican company Vinte has become the largest domestic homebuilder after its friendly takeover of Javer, another large Mexican homebuilder. The deal was financed by a large funding round of private and public capital exceeding USD 114 million. IFU has been an investor in Vinte since 2020. In the current financing round IFU contributed with an equity investment of an additional 💰 USD 20 million. Vinte is building affordable houses for low and middle-income families in Mexico. The company is focused on building sustainable houses reducing the use of building materials, water and energy and was the first company to build World Bank EDGE certified homes in Mexico. The takeover of Javer will increase the number of EDGE certified homes in Mexico significantly. 🍃 EDGE certified homes contribute to both reduced water consumption and lower power consumption, thereby leading to reduced CO2 emissions. “Vinte has a demonstrated track record of being a clear leader in the sustainable housing sector and has thereby set a new industry benchmark. We are proud to support Vinte in this growth trajectory. Mexico has both a critical shortage of affordable housing and needs more energy and water efficient housing to cope with rapidly depleting water resources,” said Alexander Wisse, Investment Manager in IFU. The investment is made on behalf of the Danish SDG Investment Fund, which is backed by large Danish funds and private investors. Reik Haahr Müller, Oliver Stanek Villsen, Karoline Lund, Rikke Carlsen, Magdalena F., Proparco, SURA Investments #impactinvestment #sustainablehousing #mexico #SDG