Q1 2020

12 EU BUSINESS NEWS / Q1 2020 Invest in the Best farms, which extract CO2 to produce biofuel. Addressing one of the grand challenges of our generation through a sensible business plan, is why Blue21 secured investment from Buxeros Capital. Profort is a company founded by Amsterdam -based social entrepreneur Merel Rumping (35). The company provides orthopaedic aids to people in rural areas of developing countries. The company serves both those who have lost limbs as a result of war, and those who have undergone 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. Furthermore, the company expects to open two more offices by Q3 of 2021. In collaboration with local entrepreneurs, Profort aims to roll out a network of clinics in Colombia and other South American countries. AFRIpads is another company that has secured funding and assistance from Buxeros Capital. The reusable sanitary pads developed by AFRIpads help to empower 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. The African sanitary pads market is projected to grow to $779M by 2022, largely driven by Africa’s youthful population. As a well-positioned company in a rapidly growing market, AFRIpads seemed a natural choice for investment. Not only has the business helped roughly 4M girls and women across 30 countries access vitally necessary sanitary products, it has also become the leading manufacturer and largest commercial supplier across Africa. AFRIpads has an immensely positive impact in Uganda, where its factory employs 165 young women. A new factory set to open in a more rural region will also create hundreds of new jobs for the labour market. As a result of the investment the company has received from Buxeros Capital, the AFRIpads team are working to further scale their product internationally, creating a satisfying ROI. With projects and investments ranging from floating architecture and urban development, to the leading commercial supplier of reusable sanitary pads in Africa, Buxeros Capital is evidently able to successfully manage a wide-ranging portfolio. This is partly due to the expertise underpinning the venture, which merges the socially conscious approach of the Dutch government with the entrepreneurial attitude of the private sector. Taken from that angle, it is unsurprising that the firm has managed to achieve the success it has by drawing from the best business approaches in both the public and private sectors. Contact Details Company: Buxeros Capital Contact: Corné Melissen Telephone: +31(0)6 1380 94 07 Contact Email: [email protected] Website: www.buxeros.com/bux/ "The reusable sanitary pads developed by AFRIpads help to empower 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." "As a well-positioned company in a rapidly growing market, AFRIpads seemed a natural choice for investment. Not only has the business helped roughly 4M girls and women across 30 countries access vitally necessary sanitary products, it has also become the leading manufacturer and largest commercial supplier across Africa. AFRIpads has an immensely positive impact in Uganda, where its factory employs 165 young women."