Photo by EcoEnterprises Fund
What do companies that produce organic dried goldenberries or acai smoothies have in common with a high-class eco-tourism operator or a company that offers biological crop protection? They all have a strong-felt commitment to preserve the rich biodiversity and vulnerable working landscapes of the countries they operate in, and help to mitigate the impact of climate change on our planet’s valuable natural resources and eco-systems. And: they are all part of EcoEnterprises Fund II portfolio.
On Monday at the offices of the MIF in Washington D.C., we hosted Tammy E. Newmark, the Fund’s CEO and Managing Partner, for a presentation on the fund and its track record in impact investing. EcoEnterprises Fund has pioneered the field of conservation and climate finance since its inception in 2000, when it delivered its proof of concept with Fondo Ecoempresas and investments in 23 small impact companies across Latin America. In 2010, EcoEnterprises Fund II was launched, taking the Fund’s investment approach to the next level of scale and providing otherwise unavailable growth capital for to date 8 sustainable companies. Results are impressive: Both funds combined have so far created 4,400+ jobs, benefited 300 rural communities and conservation groups and over 20,700 small producers, generated $470 million in sales, and conserved 7 million acres of land. We at the MIF are proud to have invested in both their first and second funds, and also to serve as the representative for the Global Environmental Facility (GEF)'s investment in the second fund. And the good news is that the story continues as the Fund II is almost fully invested and the third fund will be launched by year-end.
The audience that joined us for Monday’s presentation was impressed by the Fund’s results and track record and equally impacted by the fact that there are no other funds in the impact investment space that offer a comparable investment focus and expertise. Just as surprising is that for all these years the investors behind EcoEnterprises Fund have been an exclusive group of dedicated institutions and private individuals, with a long standing commitment to conservation issues. One would think that with the current excitement about the proven power of impact investing and after the Paris climate conference, more stakeholders would reach into their deep pockets to walk the talk and dedicate additional dollars to vanguard investments like those done by EcoEnterprises Fund.
For now, enjoy a video that provides a flavor on the impressive job EcoEnterprises Fund has done for the past 18 years and that MIF has proudly supported.