Baar-Zug, Switzerland, August 25, 2022
Blue Earth Capital (“BlueEarth”) has committed USD 10 million to INSOTEC. INSOTEC is a microfinance institution providing financial services to small entrepreneurs in Ecuador with a particular focus on the agriculture sector. In Ecuador, MSMEs account for over 90% of jobs, yet they receive only about 12% of formal credits. Financial exclusion is particularly acute in poor rural areas where poverty affects c. 40% of the population (3x urban poverty) and where more than 60% of the active population is dedicated to the agricultural sector. With the provision of affordable, transparent, and appropriately structured financing to microentrepreneurs and rural smallholder farmers, INSOTEC is well positioned to contribute to curbing poverty in the country. In addition to its core financial inclusion mission, the Institution also offers a wide range of services designed to improve the quality of life of the communities it reaches. Such services include technical assistance for farmers and access to affordable health services for beneficiaries and their dependents. The investment will also support the transition of INSOTEC into a regulated deposit taking bank through the acquisition of FINCA Ecuador, an Ecuadorian microfinance bank. The acquisition will allow INSOTEC to further expand its reach and fill important financial inclusion gaps by offering a complete range of financial products, including saving products.
Amy Wang, Head of Private Debt of Blue Earth Capital, comments: “We are delighted to work alongside INSOTEC’s top notch team to help rural Ecuadorian entrepreneurs gain access to affordable financing solutions. We hope this partnership helps INSOTEC continue its thoughtful, much needed impact, on rural agricultural areas.”
Carlos Andres, CEO of INSOTEC, comments: “For us at INSOTEC, it is gratifying to be able to start a new working relationship with such an important institution within the microfinance industry. This credit operation will be of great help for the development of communities in a sustainable way.”
About INSOTEC
INSOTEC a non-for-profit NGO specialized in microfinance, recognized for its social impact and its contribution to the economic development of Ecuador. Its focus is primarily on the agricultural sector, and it has prioritized its work on criteria of sustainability, social responsibility, and excellence with regards to quality of service. INSOTEC has 22 agencies nationwide, with a presence in 8 provinces of Ecuador and its headquarters located in the city of Quito.
About Blue Earth Capital
Blue Earth Capital AG is a global impact investment firm headquartered in Switzerland, with operations in New York and London. Blue Earth Capital seeks to invest in businesses that address pressing environmental and social challenges, whilst generating market-rate financial returns. Initiated in 2015 by Urs Wietlisbach, one of the founders of Partners Group, and backed by the Ursimone Wietlisbach Foundation.
Investor relations contact
Julia Wicklein
Phone: +41 41 784 64 02
Email: investor.relations@blueearth.capital