The EcoEnterprises Fund offers a new twist on venture capital by targeting environmentally responsible and conservation-minded businesses. The fund will invest an average of $100,000 to $200,000 in small start-up ventures in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The fund, also known as Fondo EcoEmpresas, is a joint effort of the Inter-American Development Bank and the Nature Conservancy. It will identify potential investments, provide start-up funds, on-going technical training, and management services. The fund was created to support small- and medium-sized businesses in the regions, and at the same time to encourage conservation and protection of the environment. “By investing in market-driven enterprises with strong benefits to conservation, we are putting our money where our mouth is…,” says Alexander Watson of the Nature Conservancy.
One stipulation for funding is that the businesses must be sponsored by a non-profit organization based in Latin America or the Caribbean and have at least one partner in the private sector. The fund is currently working with 24 prospects. For more information, contact Patricia Leon at the Nature Conservancy: (703)841-4252.
Environmental News Network
