ABN Amro launches €425m fund for sustainable impact companies

ABN AMRO is proud to announce the Sustainable Impact Fund (SIF), a fund investing in companies accelerating the transition towards a sustainable and inclusive society.

ABN AMRO SIF will make private equity investments of €4m to €30m in companies that have a proven business model and that are ready for the next phase of their growth. The fund will also make venture capital investments ranging from 500,000 euros to €4m in companies with a proven concept. Three themes have been selected for these investments: the circular economy, the energy transition and social impact. The fund, which is owned and funded by ABN AMRO, has its own investment policy and will pursue a combination of social and financial returns.

Rutger van Nouhuijs of ABN AMRO’s Executive Committee explains, “Our bank finances countless sustainable initiatives, in the form of loans and credit. However, in some situations, companies need equity investments. Our new fund is able to offer this as a solution. Companies that link sustainable returns to a strong business plan can apply to ABN AMRO SIF.”

The new fund made its first two venture capital investments last month, in Envision and Foodlogica. Envision is a Dutch company that develops software for ‘smartglasses’. Combined with an app and innovative AI technology, the glasses translate images and written text into sound to make life more accessible for the visually impaired. Foodlogica solves the challenge of last-mile transport of refrigerated food in densely populated cities with a sustainable fleet that is free of greenhouse gas emissions. Fiberline Composites A/S also recently received private equity funding. This Danish company is developing a specific technology to increase the size of rotor blades for wind turbines. This investment was made by the Energy Transition Fund, which becomes part of ABN AMRO SIF.

The Netherlands and other countries nearby

In terms of geography, the new fund will focus on the Netherlands, but also companies from other countries in Northwestern Europe are eligible for investments. The fund reflects ABN AMRO’s strategic direction, which includes sustainability and a European focus as its key components.
New and mature companies

With the fund investing both private equity and venture capital, early-stage enterprises as well as established companies qualify for investment through this fund. Rutger van Nouhuijs adds, “What we want is to provide a solid financial basis for companies with potential that will help to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable society.”

Source: FinExtra

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