Buxeros Capital: new investments in emerging economies

Buxeros Capital, the recently established public-private investment fund focused on Dutch companies in emerging economies, announced today that it has made its first investments. A collaboration between the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF) and Ramphastos Investments, Buxeros has invested in floating cities, orthopaedic care and reusable sanitary pads.

Buxeros Capital invests in Dutch SMEs in emerging economies provided that a good business case goes hand in hand with a positive impact on the local and regional economy. Buxeros director Corné Melissen: "A company has to be able to contribute something to the country or region in which it is based. At the same time we look at the economic feasibility and want to bring something more than just capital to the company we are investing in. After all, doing business in emerging economies calls for special knowledge, the kind of knowledge we at Buxeros have to offer."

Entrepreneurship

Buxeros Capital is a collaboration between the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF, created by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Ramphastos Investments (the investment company founded by Marcel Boekhoorn). Buxeros director and Ramphastos partner Corné Melissen explained: "As with all our other interests, Buxeros is all about entrepreneurship with an international focus that is an excellent fit with our other activities. I think that we can help a lot of companies achieve their international ambitions. The social component is of course an interesting extra dimension."

The volume of funds managed by Buxeros Capital is EUR 24 million, half of which is brought in by investors that include Ramphastos Investments. The other half comes from the Dutch Good Growth Fund, a financing facility run by the Dutch government. In the past few months Buxeros has invested in three companies.

Blue21 - Floating City Unit

Blue21 is specialised in providing solutions focused on living on water. In doing so the company is responding to problems caused by rising sea levels. In Latin America and the Caribbean alone around 30 million people are at risk of losing their homes in the near future. Blue21’s prominent position in the field of living on water is evidenced by the fact that the company has advised the Seasteading Institute in the US. Founded by entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel, this institute believes in the creation of self-sufficient, independent floating cities. The Floating City Unit developed by Blue21 fits into this vision for the future.

With the help of the investment made by Buxeros, Blue21 will be able to open an office in Colombia, where research is taking place and the Floating City Unit will be produced.

Profort - orthopaedic care for people in developing countries

Profort is a company founded by Amsterdam-based social entrepreneur Merel Rumping (35). The company wants to provide orthopaedic aids to people in decentralised areas of developing countries. Along with the many people who have lost a limb as a result of war, more and more people have undergone an amputation for medical reasons. The investment made by Buxeros will enable Profort to open its first office in the Colombian city of Tunja this spring. And this spring the company expects to open two more offices by the third quarter of 2021. Together with local entrepreneurs, Profort aims to roll out a network of clinics in Colombia and other South American countries.

AFRIpads, sanitary pads

The reusable sanitary pads developed by AFRIpads can help strengthen the position of women in Africa, where the topic of menstruation is still largely taboo. Due to a shortage of sanitary pads girls and women often stay home when they are on their period, which has a negative impact on their education and position in society. AFRIpads Limited initially delivered the product exclusively to NGOs which handed out the AFRIpads in refugee camps. The company recently started selling the pads through retail channels from Uganda and the reusable sanitary pad is now already sold in around ten countries.

AFRIpads was founded by Sophia and Paul Grinvalds in 2010. Dutchman Bert Bolkenstein (a former Management Board member at Aalberts Industries) is an investor who is closely involved with the company.

About Buxeros Capital

Buxeros is a public-private fund that invests in Dutch companies in emerging economies and developing countries. Buxeros supports Dutch companies that have a positive impact on local economies while being compliant with international Corporate Social Responsibility guidelines. The volume of funds managed by Buxeros Capital is EUR 24 million, half of which is brought in by investors that include Ramphastos Investments. The other half comes from the Dutch Good Growth Fund, a financing facility run by the Dutch government. Buxeros invests this money in Dutch and local companies in emerging economies.

Along with a financial investment, the fund supports the companies in its portfolio with practical knowledge, experience and access to its network. Buxeros Capital is headquartered in the Netherlands and has an office in Cape Town (South Africa).