Q1 2020

EU BUSINESS NEWS / Q1 2020 11 Invest in the Best their business quickly and effectively. With experts in many sectors around the globe, the firm is able to offer its portfolio companies valuable business mentorship and support across emerging markets, with a particular emphasis on Africa and Latin America. Buxeros Capital makes substantial investments, with figures ranging € 100,000 to € 3.5M - the process of selecting companies to form part of its portfolio must therefore be thorough and methodical. A solid business plan, detailing the business model, the commercial, and economic viability, is paramount to successful selection. Whilst open to investing in any sector, Buxeros Capital considers Africa and Latin America the most interesting geographic regions. These regions have rapidly expanding markets with unmatched population growth, and the potential to provide exceptional services. Africa has seen its GDP rise to an impressive 5%, while its population increased by more than 370 million between 2000 and 2015. Within African markets, there has been ample conversation and exploration of infrastructure investment, signalling a development of transport corridors to connect urban clusters. Such developments will lead to greater market integration through reducing the cost of transport and trade. As more African companies find their way to the stock market, an entrepreneurial opportunity has opened itself up to Dutch companies giving them the chance to sustainably and ethically establish themselves in the region. "Such developments will lead to greater market integration through reducing the cost of transport and trade. As more African companies find their way to the stock market, an entrepreneurial opportunity has opened itself up to Dutch companies giving them the chance to sustainably and ethically establish themselves in the region. " Similarly, Latin America has many opportunities for those wanting to develop entrepreneurial aptitude. The social impact that a company entering the region could create is a motivating factor for Buxeros Capital. By providing access to capital and business mentorship to even a small proportion of the 163 million young people in the region, would have significant impacts on regional economic development. The hope is that youth entrepreneurship will be a fundamental driver of growth in the region. Following Buxeros’ philosophy that business success requires a close connection to the consumer base, the entrepreneurs that receive investment must operate their businesses within these emerging markets, rather than from their home in The Netherlands. The intention is that entrepreneurs get deeply involved in their projects, working on a local level with staff on the ground. The projects that have received investment thus far cover a broad range of industries, sectors and geographies. Blue21, for example, specialises in floating architecture and urban developments. Blue21 is an ambitious company presenting a new approach to climate change adaptation, working actively to restore the health of the natural environment. Floating urban centres tackle both the problem of overcrowded and vulnerable cities, as well as societal dependence on fossil fuels. The latter is achieved through the production of algae