DOEN Participaties (Ventures) is the investment company of the DOEN Foundation. For more than 25 years, DOEN Participaties has invested in innovative sustainable and social startups. DOEN Foundation has several financing instruments at its disposal to achieve its objectives. We act from the philosophy: subsidise where necessary, invest where possible. Because also by investing in a sustainable or social company, the world becomes greener and more social.
Characteristic of these investments:
- Impact is key, before financial return
- DOEN Participaties invests in the early phase (the phase before or right after market introduction)
- DOEN Particpaties dares to take risks
DOEN Participaties invests directly with convertible loans or equity in sustainable or social enterprises. Initial investments are on average between € 50,000 and € 500,000. After an initial investment we also have the opportunity to invest again.
With investments abroad where the DOEN Foundation lacks knowledge of the local context, or within a quite specific sector in the Netherlands, investing via an investment fund can be a more logical option. Examples of fund investments are: Gray Ghost DOEN Social Ventures Fund, Aquaspark and BPI Southern Africa Fund.
Investment criteria:
- sizable intended sustainable or social impact
- the investment is within/ in line with DOEN Foundation’s programs
- strong entrepreneurship
- innovation
- scalability