FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank

We're thrilled to announce a €105 mln guarantee agreement through the European Commission for the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development, enabling a €240 top-up to the DFCD: https://lnkd.in/eXSGdben The DFCD is funded by the Dutch government (Inclusive Green Growth Department) and powered by a consortium with Climate Fund Managers (CFM), SNV, and Wereld Natuur Fonds (WWF-NL); it aims to curb #climatecange by scaling relevant business solutions. The DFCD Aya Land Use Facility boosts agriculture, forestry, and ecological system investments; with this top-up through the EU's commitment we'll not only provide climate adaptation and mitigation, but also improve the resilience of marginalized groups such as women and smallholder farmers, as well as that of vulnerable ecosystems in least-developed countries. Through the FMO-managed DFCD, we look forward to assisting the EU in meeting its #GlobalGateway ambitions as we invest in critical agricultural infrastructure across the globe. Huib-Jan de Ruijter, Co-CIO at FMO, said, "This new guarantee agreement with the European Commission represents a significant step forward in our mission to drive #foodsecurity and climate investments. By enhancing the DFCD Land Use Facility, we are better equipped to support local MSMEs, foster sustainable agricultural and forestry practices." Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eXSGdben

This week's weekend read from our digital magazine, Future-minded, features a story about scaling nature-based solutions. Through the DFCD, we work closely with Climate Fund Managers (CFM), WWF and SNV to ensure that high-potential businesses offering scalable solutions for climate adaptation and improved biodiversity can thrive and expand their impact. We interviewed Alex Downs, Asia Business & Investment Officer at SNV: “At the outset, FMO was equally enthusiastic about the project’s potential, and thereafter was engaged at all the key milestones along the derisking process. For example, by validating the ex-ante impacts we had identified. So rather than us at SNV completing everything and then handing it over to FMO, FMO was actively aligned throughout the journey, making the transition much smoother.” Read the piece here: https://lnkd.in/gEeHz6mf #impactinvesting #marketcreation #SMEs

At the GIIN Impact Forum next week, our Mobilising Finance for Forests’ Learning Convening and Influencing platform will be moderating the “Investing in Nature – Delivering climate and biodiversity impact at scale” session. Our panelists will discuss how to deliver nature-based and ecosystem solutions and associated climate, biodiversity, and social impacts at scale to generate lasting impact. If you are attending the forum next week, join our panel to learn about how we can secure the finance required to deliver on our global nature goals! The Global Impact Investing Network Learn more about our MFF program here: https://lnkd.in/eh8ka9-f Palladium: Make It Possible

We are excited to share that in just one week, we are hosting a celebration of the FMO Ventures Program on October 22, 2024, at the iconic A'DAM Tower in Amsterdam.   This event will celebrate FMO Ventures Program 1, launched in 2020 to support impactful, innovative businesses in emerging markets as part of FMO's Pioneer-Develop-Scale strategy. We look forward to hosting the founders and fund managers of the technology-enabled start-ups, scale-ups and VC funds in our portfolio for a day of sharing and learning.   In the afternoon, together with our valued stakeholders, investors, portfolio and ecosystem partners, and other FMO (VC) friends, we will raise a glass to the launch of FMO Ventures Program 2 as we look forward to continuing our journey of impact-driven innovation in the coming years!   📅 Date: October 22, 2024 📍 Location: A'DAM Tower, Amsterdam, Netherlands #impactinvesting #venturecapital #innovation #FMOventures #Amsterdam #celebration

How has the unique structure of our Dutch Fund for Climate and Development fared in creating unique and investible climate adaptation and climate resilience projects? https://lnkd.in/dWFkeXrz     Last week, we announced a €105 mln guarantee agreement through the European Commission, enabling a €240 top-up to the DFCD. In the light of this momentous news, we're looking back at the efficacy of this program. The Dutch government commissions an evaluation of the public programs managed by FMO every five years, with the aim to obtain lessons to better steer the fund, as collaboration initiatives like the DFCD will be needed increasingly going forward. The evaluation, carried out by SEO Amsterdam Economics, showed that the DFCD is seen as a unique and highly relevant model for climate adaptation and mitigation. We have also taken the recommendations onboard to improve the offerings together with our partners.     Read the evaluation below, or access the summary and management response here: https://lnkd.in/dWFkeXrz 

Today is International E-Waste Day, which is why we're shedding a light on what we're doing at FMO to minimize #electronicwaste, which is the fastest-growing waste stream globally. Together with Closing the Loop, we've prevented over 750 kg of electronic waste from ending up in landfills in emerging countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. How? By collecting and recycling 12,700+ scrap devices, which is equivalent to the amount of e-waste generated by ~2,500 phones, ~1,100 laptops, and 7 tablets at FMO. For each device we buy, we pay a fee to Closing the Loop to collect and properly recycle the same amount of e-waste, which leads to 95% of precious metals being recovered. More importantly, this initiative provides stable income to local e-waste collectors, and promotes an increase in responsible disposal and recycling of this waste. We're pleased to partner with Closing the Loop to showcase the viability of e-waste collection as a successful business model, and look forward to expanding efforts jointly to scale the success of this approach!

How did one company in Adeiso, Ghana, become a global leader in dried fruit snacks manufacturing, while also transforming the local region for the better? Find out how in our latest Future-minded: https://lnkd.in/eNEbTr6b HPW Fresh & Dry is the leading producer of dried fruit in #WestAfrica: they employ 2,000 local employees, process 30,000+ tons of fresh fruit sourced from their network of 1,900 smallholders, and export over 3,000 tons of #FairTrade certified dried fruit across the world. It was no easy journey to pull this off and stock global shelves, while ensuring equitable standards for all employees and farmers—but how did they pull it off? To learn more, we spoke with James Obeng, Managing Director of HPW Fresh & Dry, and Henry Apraku, the Business Development Manager, to better understand how FMO’s support and #marketcreation approach helped them expand both in Ghana and even into Burkina Faso. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eNEbTr6b

How can we secure the finance required to deliver nature-based solutions, and the associated climate, biodiversity and social impacts at scale?   Join us to explore this question at the GIIN Impact Forum on October 24th at 10:30 at the "Investing in Nature – delivering climate and biodiversity impact at scale" panel. Organized by Mobilising Finance for Forests' Learning, Convening, and Influencing Platform, the session features leading fund managers to look at how different but complementary investment strategies within #forestry, agriculture, and oceans are addressing pipeline and financing opportunities for nature.   We hope to see you there!   Access the the current GIIN agenda here: https://lnkd.in/ey96VRnf And learn more about our MFF program here: https://lnkd.in/eh8ka9-f #ImpactInvesting #SustainableForestry

Congratulations to our investee Verod on becoming the first private equity fund to achieve the Best-in-Class 2X Certification thanks to their commitment to gender-lens investing! Verod is an African investment management firm based in Nigeria that we've supported through technical assistance to implement a comprehensive #gendersmart framework into their investment process, as part of our "more than a bank" agenda. At FMO, we aim to close the gender gap and foster gender equality by ensuring women thrive as employees, in leadership positions, as entrepreneurs, and as end-users of the companies we support. That's why we're thrilled to see that Verod has been recognized with the 2X Certification, which shows their commitment to inclusive growth and value creation through responsible investing. We look forward to seeing how Verod continues to positively impact the continent of Africa's development through gender equality and equity!

We’ve just released the newest edition of our digital magazine Future-minded: Financing Future-Proof Agribusiness: https://lnkd.in/eC__KDiq Agri and forestry businesses play vital roles in ensuring food security and championing nature-based solutions. However, they often must navigate challenging paths to attain sustainable, long-term growth, particularly in developing countries. In this edition of Future-minded, we look at the different ways that we as FMO can provide support, and invite you to join us on this journey.   Travel with us to Ukraine, as we interview Kees Huizinga of Kischenzi Farms, and learn more of the immense struggles he’s faced due to the war and how he’s become more self-reliant through biogas digesters and solar panels. Then head to Vietnam, where we utilize our #marketcreation approach to help companies like Camimex Group become investment-ready. Or join us as we visit HPW Fresh & Dry in West Africa, a leader in the global dried fruit market that’s improved the lives of countless as the largest employer in the Adeiso region of Ghana. And that’s only the beginning.   Join us as we demonstrate how, together, we can empower some of the most innovative and impactful agribusinesses to overcome the challenges they face and thrive in the face of uncertainty. Dive into Future-minded now: https://lnkd.in/eC__KDiq