Frequently Asked Questions

You can invest from as little as 50 euros. Each higher amount that you want to lend is then a multiple of 50. Your account must be validated by our payment service provider before you can invest. This happens immediately after you have completed your account setup.

For your total investment amount, take the AFM's guideline into account: the maximum total investment per person is 80,000 euros. PlusPlus recommends only using a responsible part of your total capital for crowdfunding. The AFM's advice is: a maximum of 10% of the freely investable assets. This is all the money that you own that you will not need for the next three to five years, minus your debts. In addition, we strongly advise against investing with borrowed money.

If a project is not fully funded within the period of 60 days, you will receive the full amount that you have invested back into your account. Until then, it is safe in a third-party account (wallet) with our payment service provider.

We always promote long-term loans extra.

At PlusPlus you can invest from all countries in the European Union plus Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Please note: in some countries certain legal requirements may apply to investors. It is an investors own responsibility to ensure that such requests are met.

If we were to pay interest to investors, this would mean that the costs would be higher for the entrepreneurs. The purpose of PlusPlus is to provide affordable loans to support local industry, creating jobs and improving livelihoods.

PlusPlus charges 8% for a loan, which is a lot lower than what is asked from most financiers. Of this 8%, 4% is used to cover the expenses of PlusPlus. The remaining 4% goes to a separate fund, which we build up to pay back any losses. If an entrepreneur is unable to repay the loan, investors can submit a claim to this fund and potentially get part of the loan back.

Yes, that's possible. In some cases, the entrepreneur may choose to repay the loan early, for example if the business is growing faster than expected and the remaining loan is no longer needed.

If a loan is repaid early, you will get the outstanding amount back sooner.

Early repayment is always possible. Also during the first 12 months of the term of the loan.

At PlusPlus you invest directly in companies in the agricultural sector and the food value chain. This means that there is always a risk the company cannot repay the loan. PlusPlus tries to minimize this risk with a thorough assessment of our businesses, but there are always circumstances that cannot be foreseen. In the event a loan cannot be (fully) repaid, investors can apply to our risk mitigation pool for repayment of part of their investment. It is wise to always study the risks of a project in which you are considering investing. Every company is different and so are the risks.

In addition to the risks that arise on the part of the entrepreneur, operational risks may also occur at PlusPlus. It is possible that PlusPlus will no longer be able to find new shareholders or financiers to finance everything and will therefore have to stop its activities. In that case, PlusPlus will handle outstanding loans as best as possible, but the power to legally address non-payment of a local entrepreneur is then a lot less.

Before entrepreneurs can access the PlusPlus platform to make projects available, they will have to meet the PlusPlus access and quality requirements. PlusPlus tries to limit the risks in various ways. We do this by:

1. Keeping an eye on things. The local offices of Solidaridad, Cordaid and Truvalu visit the companies, offer guidance and provide training.
2. Due diligence investigation into the expected cash flows of the entrepreneur. PlusPlus always has its own due diligence carried out when applying for funding. In addition, to provide more insight into an investment, we summarize our analysis in an investment overview that is published on our site for each project. However, the analysis does not provide a complete picture and mainly serves as a tool for your own assessment and conclusion. So please note that this analysis does not concern investment advice.
3. Setting up a compensation fund that can partially cover any losses of investors.

More information on our risk page.

Usually not. With a direct investment in a local entrepreneur, this entrepreneur is responsible for the repayment. If the local entrepreneur is unable to repay the money for whatever reason, there is a chance that you have lost (part of) the money. For this reason, PlusPlus only selects financially healthy local partners who meet strict criteria.

To reduce some of the risks, PlusPlus has set up a compensation fund for its investors. If a local entrepreneur is unable to repay the loan in full, you as an investor can submit a request to this Fund. After assessment of the application, the Fund may compensate up to 50% of your investment.

We adhere to strict security requirements when it comes to your personal and payment details. All sensitive data is sent via an encrypted connection (https).

Data is then stored encrypted in a protected facility offered by AWS (S3). AWS is the largest hosting provider worldwide and S3 is the largest file storage service worldwide. Customer data is only accessible via personal accounts, with secure connection and multi-factor authentication.

More information can be found in our Privacy Statement.

The bonds you have obtained (proof of money lent) qualify as financial instruments that are separate from the assets of AgriCrowd BV (with the brand name PlusPlus) and are kept and protected as such in accordance with the Giro Securities Transactions Act (Wge). The bonds in question therefore always fall outside a possible bankruptcy of PlusPlus.

If PlusPlus were to go bankrupt, transactions between our platform and Intersolve EGI would immediately cease. Intersolve, who handle our transactions, would then transfer the money that is in your personal payment account to your bank account. In consultation with a receiver, Intersolve would handle all outstanding payments, up to the final repayment of the last project.

PlusPlus is part of the investor compensation scheme (BCS). The aim of this scheme is to compensate persons and small companies who, on the basis of an investment service, have entrusted money to a licensed financial institution if the financial undertaking concerned is unable to meet its obligations (in particular if the bonds obtained from investors are not correctly kept in the Wge deposit). The BCS guarantees a maximum amount of 20,000 euros per person per institution.

When a local entrepreneur goes bankrupt for whatever reason, chances are that you will not get part or all of your investment back. Naturally, PlusPlus will try to recover outstanding funds, but the chance of success will be limited in such situations. PlusPlus has a compensation fund that investors can apply to to cover part of their loss.

If an entrepreneur has difficulty paying you back, it is not possible to take immediate action against him or her. To spread risks, we recommend that you choose projects from different entrepreneurs.

The compensation fund is managed by the PlusPlus Capital Preservation Foundation. If the entrepreneur in which you have invested cannot (fully) repay the loan, you will receive a personal message about this by email. You can then submit an application to the compensation fund. You can only claim compensation from the fund if the company in which you have invested cannot repay more than 50% of the loan. If a company can pay more than half, the fund will not pay out. There are also other minimum conditions that must be met, for example that the fund has sufficient funding at the time of application. The minimum conditions for distribution are set out in the fund's articles of association. The board of the fund then determines whether compensation of part of your loan will be paid out or not.

The compensation fund is made possible by financiers who believe in the impact that entrepreneurs can achieve with PlusPlus, such as the Dutch Postcode Lottery.

The companies that are financed through PlusPlus have the following characteristics:

1. They work in the agricultural or food sector in Africa, Asia or Latin America
2. They are small and medium-sized companies with a maximum of 100 employees
3. They all have the potential to grow and innovate with a focus on people and the environment.

PlusPlus believes it is important to support entrepreneurs who can make a difference. That's why we're creating a movement of investors who understand the importance of jobs and food security. We often support entrepreneurs not only financially, but also with training and advice. This is how we help them to achieve sustainable growth.

Our local entrepreneurs are first subjected to professional screening. The following criteria are required:

1. The applicant must be of 'moral character': is positively appraised in the region in which he / she works, Has paid premiums and taxes properly, is not known as a defaulter.
2. The applicant’s business must be generating income for at least 1 year and should be able to demonstrate a clear long-term plan.
3. The applicant must be able to demonstrate that there is sufficient cash from the annual profit and loss account to be able to meet the repayment obligations.
4. The applicant must be able to submit a clear plan in which (in addition to substantiation for the loan) the following points are included: creation of employment, a safe work environment for employees, implementation of 'fair trade' policy, environmental awareness, and the positive impact on the environment of the organization.
5. no significant payment arrears with other agencies / government organizations.
6. Clear financial administration.
7. Access to a bank account.

They must have the same social mission as PlusPlus. Cooperatives and companies must also have a track record. So they have to be able to prove that their business activities have been successful. We look at their portfolio, the financial reserves they have available and their ability to recover in case of setbacks. We also examine how the cooperative is organized and make sure that the size of the investment is in proportion to the total balance.

View all projects

We like to keep it affordable. On average, our entrepreneurs pay 8% per year in euros in fees and interest. Agricultural entrepreneurs are often not eligible for financing from banks or micro credit institutions. The requirements are therefore sky-high. They usually charge 15 to 50% and ask for 110% collateral for a loan. In the absence of options at banks and microcredit institutions, entrepreneurs regularly turn to loan sharks, who are happy to charge more than 100% interest per year.

The interest that agricultural and food entrepreneurs pay to PlusPlus is low compared to the risk. This underlines our mission. With affordable financing, our entrepreneurs can grow and innovate. And that means more jobs and food supply: 1 +1 = 3!

PlusPlus gives entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector and food chain in Africa, Asia and Latin America direct access to affordable loans. This allows them to grow their business and make it more sustainable. And it is precisely these companies that are an important driver for food production and employment for both women and men. This way, PlusPlus contributes directly to food production and food processing for the local and international market, creating local jobs and improved incomes for employees and small-scale farmers. In this way we indirectly contribute to food security, sustainability, better living conditions for employees and small-scale farmers as well as the reduction of poverty.

By sharing knowledge and partnerships at a local and international level, PlusPlus wants to contribute to sustainable change in the system. By setting a good example, we want to encourage both local banks and other financial institutions to develop affordable financial products for companies in the agricultural sector and the food chain.

In relation to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, PlusPlus actively contributes:

• SDG 2 No hunger
• SDG 8 Fair work and economic growth

In addition, our work also affects the following goals:

• SDG 1 No poverty
• SDG 5 Gender equality
• SDG 10 Reduced inequality
• SDG 17 Partnership to achieve goals

We work together with a growing network of partners to achieve PlusPlus social objectives. Currently, the following partners support our work:

• P4G, or the Partnership for Green Growth & the Global Goals 2030, supports innovative solutions for sustainable growth worldwide. In 2019 we were selected as one of the seven partners. P4G contributes to the construction and growth of our platform.
• The Dutch Postcode Lottery provides a buffer in the compensation fund. That makes investing with PlusPlus less risky. A nice idea, right?

PlusPlus invests in agricultural entrepreneurs in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We are active in countries where Solidaridad, Cordaid or Truvalu work. In many countries we have an office and an extensive local network. We are therefore well informed about the local market and developments. View our project page for all countries where PlusPlus is active.

PlusPlus is the European crowdfunding platform that invests directly in entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector and food value chain in developing countries. The companies are too large to qualify for micro-credit and too small to meet the sky-high demands of banks. PlusPlus provides a solution for affordable financing through crowdfunding for this group of companies.

PlusPlus is a unique initiative of crowdfunding platform Lendahand, development organizations Solidaridad and Cordaid and social enterprise Truvalu. Through their global programs, Solidaridad, Cordaid and Truvalu come into contact with companies that have a positive impact on food production, employment and poverty reduction in their environment. PlusPlus offers a solution to these companies for their lack of access to finance. Through their worldwide offices, they keep in direct contact with the entrepreneurs, even after the loan has been granted. This increases the chances of success and contributes to these companies growing and becoming more sustainable.

Curious about our agricultural entrepreneurs?

To enable investments through the PlusPlus platform, bonds are issued to the crowd. The investor who issues the bonds is called the "issuer". These are entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector and food chain in developing countries who therefore directly raise capital as an issuer via the PlusPlus platform.

The bonds issued are kept by Lendahand, the investment company affiliated with PlusPlus, in a so-called collective deposit. These pieces qualify as financial instruments, are kept in accordance with the Securities Book-Entry Transfer Act, are separated from the assets of PlusPlus and Lendahand and are therefore protected. The issued bonds are always excluded from a possible bankruptcy of PlusPlus or Lendahand.

PlusPlus has a remuneration policy based on the Remuneration Policy for Financial Enterprises Act. The policy applies to all employees of PlusPlus and is aimed at ensuring that employee rewards do not pose any undesirable risks or behavior with regard to the specific services provided to clients and / or with regard to the solidity of PlusPlus.

PlusPlus pays all employees a fixed monthly salary that is not dependent on targets. We do not work with guaranteed variable remuneration.

The remuneration policy is drawn up by the management. Because PlusPlus is a relatively small company, no remuneration committee is set up, nor is there (yet) a Supervisory Board. For this reason, the remuneration policy is coordinated with the Compliance Officer.

At least annually, the remuneration policy is reviewed to see whether the policy meets the requirements of the board of management, applicable laws and regulations and the interests of investors. This involves examining which forms of remuneration can encourage undesirable behavior and how the remuneration policy provides for appropriate measures.

• Mail info@plusplus.org or call 030-2270059. We will respond to your email within one working day.
• We store complaints in a digital archive.
• We will assess your complaint according to Dutch law and in accordance with the general terms and conditions.
• As a connected agent of Lendahand (which has an AFM license as an investment firm), PlusPlus is affiliated with Stichting Klachteninstituut Financiële Dienstverlening (KiFiD). In the unlikely event that your complaint is not resolved by PlusPlus, you can contact KiFiD. The advice they then give is binding.

In case of a personal account:

Identification document (ID)
The ID must be a clear copy of passport, EU identity card or EU driving license, on which all personal data is fully readable and visible (including the BSN number)

In case of a business account:

1. Co-owner identification documents
In the case of a BV, a passport or identity card is required for every person with more than 25% interest. In the case of an association or foundation, a passport or identity card is required for all board members.

2. Chamber of Commerce registration document
The document may not be older than three months