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Fund Profile:
EcoEnterprises Fund
4245 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203
Telephone: (703) 841-4164
Fax: 703-841-9059
Website: www.ecoenterprisesfund.com
Email: ecoenterprisesfund@tnc.org
Key Personnel:
Tammy Newmark, Fund Manager
Michele Pena, Director of Business Development
Established: 2000
Total Committed Capital: $5.2 million.
Amount Invested: $6.3 million
Geographic Focus: Latin America and the Carribean
Background
EcoEnterprises Fund was established by The Nature Conservancy and the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank to offer venture capital to environmentally and socially responsible businesses. The Fund offers both risk capital to finance sustainable business growth, and technical assistance to help build capacity and ensure long-term success for environmentally and socially responsible enterprises in Latin America and the Caribbean. EcoEnterprises Fund has been a leader in expanding investment capital flows into biodiversity-based businesses, supporting successful conservation business partnerships and providing the engine for the evolution of this market niche.
Since 2000, EcoEnterprises Fund has invested more than $6 million and $350,000 in technical assistance in 23 projects. Through its efforts, an additional $25 million in co-investments and nearly $75 million in follow-on project financing was leveraged. Collectively, the Fund’s portfolio companies have worked with 200 NGOs and community groups, created nearly 700 jobs, impacted the lives of 145,000 people, and generated $90 million in sales. Portfolio projects have helped to restore and protect habitat, conserve biological corridors, and promote the sustainable management of natural resources.
EcoEnterprises Fund is launching a new fund in 2009 with projected committed capital of $30 million.
Investment Information
EcoEnterprises Fund includes two components:
- an investment fund that provides venture capital to profitable businesses involved in sustainable agriculture, sustainable forestry, ecotourism, and other environmentally compatible businesses; and
- technical assistance funds to provide business advisory services to prospective projects.
EcoEnterprises Fund invests in ventures at all stages of all development. Preference is given to businesses that are unable to secure financing from conventional sources due to their small size, the innovative nature of their business and/or the financial risks involved. The companies are required to collaborate with a nonprofit conservation or community partner, either by paying fees for monitoring services, sharing profits, or other financial arrangements. In this way, the Fund ensures that business success promotes conservation progress.
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