Crowdfunders join forces: Lendahand and PlusPlus become one
PlusPlus was launched in 2020 by development organizations Solidaridad and Cordaid, crowdfunding platform Lendahand and impact investor Truvalu. With a focus on agriculture, interest-free loans and small-scale projects, PlusPlus differentiates itself from Lendahand. But there are also similarities between the two, which offers opportunities for the future. Therefore, it has now been decided to move forward together: PlusPlus will become part of Lendahand.
Impact
We probably don't need to tell you that PlusPlus contributes to economic development and sustainable food production in developing countries through crowdfunding. Over the past 2.5 years, PlusPlus and its more than 600 investors have achieved great results. Individual investors have collectively lent nearly 2 million euros, benefiting over 13,000 small-scale farmers and their families, training some 6,000 farmers in more sustainable farming methods, and creating 450 new jobs. And we want more....
Award winning
For those who don't know them yet; Lendahand also uses crowdfunding to fight poverty and create new jobs in developing countries. Over the past ten years, the platform has grown considerably and has built a reliable reputation as a platform for impact investing. As a result, Lendahand won a prize as the Best Crowdfunding Platform for the third time last year. The focus is on job creation and sustainable energy, with financial returns for the now more than 15,000 investors.
"You can do a lot with your money," says Koen The, CEO of Lendahand. "If you want to change things and make an impact, you can change your behaviour, like replacing your car with a bike and consuming responsibly. But research shows that what you do with your money has 20 times more effect. And you can really choose how to use it." By lending it, for example, which can make an immediate impact. "In developing countries there are a lot of entrepreneurs who have just as much talent and drive as entrepreneurs here. They don't get ahead due to lack of financing, especially in agriculture. For them, PlusPlus really makes a difference and we want to keep doing that," said Koen.
Common goal
Integrating PlusPlus' smaller, high-impact projects within Lendahand provides opportunities for both. Both PlusPlus and Lendahand are focused on impact lending in developing countries, but with differences in themes and returns. This allows us to complement each other nicely. Of course, PlusPlus' smaller entrepreneurs who are still developing themselves will continue to receive the attention they need to continue to grow. As part of the larger Lendahand, this offers great opportunities for them.
Behind the scenes we are currently working hard to ensure a smooth integration of PlusPlus into Lendahand. Investors of both PlusPlus and Lendhand should not notice too much of this. After all, PlusPlus already uses Lendahand's ICT structure and license, allowing investors to invest on both platforms. For them, it will mean a broader range of impact projects to choose from. Because whether we are called PlusPlus or Lendahand, our common goal is the same: using crowdfunding to make social impact! That definitely won't change....
If you would like to know more about PlusPlus, Lendahand and this new step, please feel free to contact us.