Dutch Green Business Group N.V. (“DGB” or “the Group”) (Euronext: DGB: NL0009169515), a leading carbon project developer and ecosystem restoration company, is pleased to announce an update on its investment in tree-focused retail investment platform Corekees.
On May 18th, 2021 DGB announced it acquired a strategic stake of 50% in Green Fuel Investments B.V. (“GFI”) in the company's Series A investment round. DGB invested in GFI to facilitate the expansion of its groundbreaking tree-focused retail investment platform Corekees: www.corekees.com.
Corekees is giving sustainability an economic value by planting trees and making its state-of-the-art sustainable investment platform available for investors throughout Europe. The retail investment platform turns reforestation projects into sustainable investments by allowing the harvest proceeds to flow back to the investors, allowing them to profit from a greener world.
Since DGB’s investment, the platform has grown significantly. After the EUR 500.000 Series A financing round last year. DGB acts as cornerstone investor in the Corekees brand for the further development of the platform, as well as the marketing efforts required for international growth in Europe.
Highlights:
- 195% increase in number of trees planted, with a total of almost 30,000 trees planted as per 1 May 2022
- 169% increase in recurring investments through monthly subscription, up from €5,200 to €14,000 per month as per 1 May 2022
- 57% increase in total number of investors, up from 591 to 930 total investors as per 1 May 2022
- 118% increase in total number of recurring investors through monthly subscription, up from 95 to 207 monthly investment subscribers as per 1 May 2022.
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''Thanks to the capital injection by DGB, we've been able to develop and scale our platform above expectations. We expect to present our next project to the public this summer. In addition, we are having preliminary talks with possible partners in Africa, Southern Europe and Latin America. Our aim for growth is ambitious, but all indicators show we'll continue this trajectory upwards.'' said Co-Founder Nick van Heesewijk.
''Our partnership with Dutch Green Business significantly increased our legal and financial structuring. Thanks to this, we're more than capable of handling our current growth and are fully ready to support our ambitions for the future.'' said Co-Founder Tamar van Heesewijk.
“We fully align ourselves with Corekees' ambitions. Many young people realize that sustainable investing today is one of the few ways to secure a better future. Thanks to the new generation of green investment services Corekees offers and with our investment and knowledge, together we can accelerate expansion of the platform in Europe”, said CEO Selwyn Duijvestijn
Links:
Contact details:
Corekees
info@corekees.com
+31 (0)10 307 1677
DGB GROUP NV
press@dgb.earth
+31108080126
About DGB:
Dutch Green Business Group N.V. is a public company traded on the main Dutch stock exchange Euronext Amsterdam under the ticker symbol AEX:DGB and ISIN-code NL0009169515. DGB’s strategy is to participate in large forest carbon offset projects around the world that deliver commercial and environmental benefits. DGB’s vision is to be a leading high-impact investor in sustainably managed forests by providing competitive real investment returns for shareholders combined with high social impact. www.dgb.earth
About Corekees:
The Corekees Foundation is led by Nick van Heesewijk (Co-Founder & Executive) and Tamar van Heesewijk (Co-Founder & Financials). Nick and Tamar are cousins who share a vision but have an opposite skillset. Corekees wants to make a profit while doing good. At Corekees they believe investing in a greener world and earning a healthy profit should be accessible. They make this possible by planting trees. Through the platform it’s very easy to invest in trees. Every tree contributes to a greener world, which is why we are doing this in the first place. www.corekees.com
Frequently asked questions:
What is Corekees exactly?
Corekees is a sustainable investment platform. The company believes that investing in sustainability, and making a healthy return, should be possible for everyone. That's why they fund profitable sustainability projects together with private investors. With this, Corekees helps sustainable projects to increase their impact. The projects' proceeds flow back to investors in the form of yield so that they, too, are rewarded for their efforts.
What kind of trees does Corekees plant?
In Paraguay, Corekees plants the Pongamia Pinnata. This species is native to Asia and Australia. In the past decade, researchers have started selecting specific genetics to cultivate Pongamia trees commercially. The trees are drought-tolerant, require no fertilizer, root quickly, are stable and, relatively soon after planting, have a high yields for many years. The team expects to increase the amount of tree planting projects in the next months.
Where do they plant these trees?
Corekees plants its Pongamia trees in the Paraguayan Gran Chaco. This is the world’s second largest natural reserve after the Amazon Rainforest and faces severe deforestation. To ensure not to contribute to logging, Corekees only plants trees in areas that have been deforested prior to 2009.
How do those trees generate revenue?
From the nuts of the trees comes a non-edible oil, which is used as a biofuel (HVO) after refining. The protein rich seedcake, a by-product from the nuts after pressing the oil, is sold to local cattle farmers as a sustainable alternative to other concentrates for livestock.
What are Corekees’ expected returns?
Thanks to a purchase contract, Corekees sells all harvested nuts for a fixed price per kilo. This enables the company to calculate expected returns far in advance. Expected returns for Project Pongamia range from 7,8% to 8,5% per annum.
What is the minimum investment amount?
Corekees democratizes sustainable investments by enabling investors to start investing from €2o,-
Why is it essential to combine sustainability with profitability?
In order to truly to sustainable, sustainability needs to be a profitable endeavor.
The market is a powerful place and by creating incentives to sustainability we believe we can create real impact. and bring about necessary change in our relation to nature.
Disclaimer:
This press release does not contain (an invitation to make an) offer to buy or sell or otherwise acquire or subscribe to shares in DGB Group N.V. and is not an advice or recommendation to take or refrain from taking any action. This press release contains statements that could be construed as forward-looking statements, including with regard to the financial position of the DGB Group, the results it achieved and the business (ies) it runs. Forward-looking statements are all statements that do not relate to historical fact. These statements are based on information currently available and on forecasts and estimates made by DGB Group management. Although the DGB Group believes that these statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it cannot guarantee that the ultimate results will not differ materially from those statements that could be construed as forward-looking statements. Factors that may lead to, or contribute to, differences in current expectations include, but are not limited to: developments in legislation, technology, tax, regulation, stock market price fluctuations, legal proceedings, regulatory investigations, competitive relationships and general economic conditions . These and other factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect any forward-looking statement or the actual results of DGB Group are discussed in the annual report. The forward-looking statements in this document speak only as of the date of this document. Subject to any legal obligation to do so, the DGB Group assumes no obligation or responsibility to update the forward-looking statements contained in this document, whether related to new information, future events or otherwise.
