What is impact investing?

Impact investing should not be mistaken for charity. Impact investing is a financial strategy that aims to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Unlike traditional investing, where the primary focus is on maximizing profits, impact investing intentionally targets investments that address global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and inequality.

Impact Europe declared in November 2024 that the European private impact investing market has reached $190bn. At Reliance we can see that the interest from private investors to choose impact investment opportunities is on a steady rise across all markets.

How you can do impact investing at invesdor

Reliance is one of the leading impact investment platforms in Europe, that offers opportunities for individuals and institutions to invest in impactful cases and benefit financially while doing good. By connecting investors with innovative companies that align with ESG principles and contribute to the SDGs, we facilitate investments that support sustainable development. Learn more about how we implement ESGs and SDGs.

What to look for on invesdor’s platform

• Look for the Impact Investment -label on the funding round’s presentation page.
• Look at the Impact listed on the project presentation page. We show you on the funding round’s presentation page which SDGs the company is contributing to.
• Choose funding rounds that align with your investment strategy and causes that are important to you, whether it be green energy, combating water scarcity or recycling waste materials to new purposes.

Impact funding rounds at invesdor

Reliance has had several impact funding rounds over the years. The ESGs and SDGs are important and are considered a central part of the due diligence process.

ESGs and SDGs are at the core of invesdor’s funding round selection process

invesdor’s impact investing framework is deeply rooted in ESG and SDG principles.

ESG Integration: All funding rounds listed on invesdor undergo evaluation based on environmental, social, and governance criteria. This ensures that investments align with sustainable practices and ethical governance standards.

• Environmental: Projects are assessed for their impact on reducing emissions, promoting clean energy, and conserving resources.
• Social: Investments target initiatives that promote community well-being, equality, and social justice.
• Governance: Companies are evaluated for transparency, accountability, and ethical management.

SDG Alignment: Reliance aligns its investment opportunities with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. For example:

• Windpark Friesland contributes to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• E-Heat supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
• RiverRecycle advances SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

What investors need to know

Impact investing offers a powerful way to align financial goals with a desire to make a difference in the world. At invesdor, investors can access a range of impactful opportunities, from clean energy projects to innovative waste management solutions. With a focus on ESG criteria and SDG alignment, Reliance provides a transparent and purpose-driven platform for sustainable investments.

By choosing impact investing, you’re not only pursuing financial returns but also contributing to a better future for our planet – this is what we call double return.

The post Impact investing: What investors need to know first appeared on Reliance - Blog.

Each instrument has its place, as they serve different purposes within an investor’s portfolio. We encourage our investors to diversify across product types — and across countries.

Let us walk you through our two investment instruments and help you assess which one fits your investment strategy.

Fixed-interest investments

Fixed-interest investments, or bonds, provide regular interest payments and predictable returns. They can add stability and a steady income stream to your investment portfolio.

At invesdor, we specialize in bonds that deliver competitive yields – offering annual interest rates of up to 12%.

Key features of fixed-interest investments

• Predictable returns: Bonds provide regular interest payments, helping you plan your cash flow.
• Defined term and repayment: Your initial capital is repaid in full at the end of the term, along with any outstanding interest.
• Diversification: Fixed-income investments can complement equity investments and balance overall portfolio risk.

Equity investments

Equity investments allow you to share in a company’s long-term growth and success. By investing in equity, you become a co-owner and benefit from the company’s value creation – for example through an IPO or a company sale.

Key features of equity investments

• High return potential: Equity investments provide access to substantial returns when a company grows or hits major milestones.
• Alignment with founders: As an equity investor, you participate in the company’s journey alongside the founders and major stakeholders.
• Profit participation: Equity holders are entitled to a share of the company’s profits, whether paid out through dividends or realized during a company sale.

Which investment instrument is the right one for me?

Consider your investment horizon. Ideally, your portfolio balances short-term investments with long-term opportunities.

Short-term investments aim to generate returns within months or a few years and prioritize liquidity. Long-term investments, on the other hand, are designed to build wealth over several years or decades.

Recap of invesdor’s investment instruments

• Bond investments are ideal for those seeking stable income and clear repayment terms.
• Equity investments suit investors who are prepared to take on more risk to participate in long-term growth and value creation.

Sign up to our newsletter to stay informed about the latest news and open investment opportunities — and help build tomorrow’s success stories.

The post Debt vs. Equity: Choosing the right investment nstrument first appeared on Reliance - Blog.

Why is now the right time to expand into the loan market?

The Finnish loan market is undergoing a transformation. Many companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, have faced challenges in accessing traditional bank financing. This is largely due to stricter banking regulations that have limited companies’ ability to secure the funding they need. At the same time, private investors are looking for new and diversified investment opportunities.

An international perspective on lending

At invesdor, we’ve been active in international markets for a long time. Now, we are addressing a gap in the Finnish market. Finnish loan products have not previously been easily accessible to Finnish private investors.

Megin’s funding round has already generated significant interest from both Finnish and international investors. The round has been open for just one day, and the company has already raised over $500,000.

Since early 2023, Reliance has provided investors with opportunities to diversify their portfolios with European companies. Now, we are enabling Finnish companies to offer bonds not only to domestic investors but also to international ones.

Competitive returns for investors

The weak performance of the Helsinki Stock Exchange has driven investors to look for new ways to grow their portfolios in a challenging economic environment. The loan market can offer attractive alternatives with competitive interest rates. For private investors, the challenges have often been the accessibility of loan investments, high minimum investments, or high fees associated with funds.

Through invesdor, investors can decide for themselves which companies, industries, and countries they want to invest in. We have intentionally kept the minimum investment for funding rounds as low as possible to ensure broad participation. This also enables investors to effectively diversify their portfolios through our platform. You can join Megin Oy’s funding round with as little as $250.

The post Finally, a Finnish Bond Offering! first appeared on Reliance - Blog.

It is in invesdor’s DNA to support companies on their growth journey and enable private investors to invest directly in companies they believe in. We love to witness our portfolio companies achieve remarkable milestones and celebrate alongside our investors. Here are some recent highlights from four of our portfolio companies:

RiverRecycle was recognized as the Most Impactful Company in Finland 2024 by ARVO ry (Finnish Association for Social Enterprises), a testament to their groundbreaking work in creating sustainable solutions for cleaner waterways. RiverRecycle gathered $1.2M from 496 investors in May 2024.

PeelPioneers, known for their eco-friendly food waste solutions, has claimed spot 72 on Sifted 75 Fastest Growing Startups in Europe. A fantastic achievement for a company reshaping sustainability in the food industry. PeelPioneers gathered $3.5M from 1,298 investors in September 2024.

Koite Health and Parking Energy have been listed on Deloitte’s Fast50 Finland 2024 ranking, securing spots at 22 and 30 respectively. This highlights their impressive growth and appreciation for their technological innovations. Koite Health gathered $1.4M from 380 investors in October 2023 and Parking Energy gathered $1M in July 2018 from 202 investors.

Heeros, a pioneer in digital financial administration, has received a public tender offer from Accountor Software. Heeros completed their first funding round with Reliance in 2015 followed by their IPO with Reliance as the suscription platform one year later in 2016. This generated a 15 % return within 12 months for the investors.

These milestones highlight the incredible growth journey of our portfolio companies, and we’re honored to have been part of their story. We can’t wait to see what they’ll achieve next!

Sign up to our newsletter to hear the latest news and have a look at our open investment opportunities and help build tomorrow’s success stories.

The post Good news from our portfolio companies first appeared on Reliance - Blog.

invesdor’s growth journey

Reliance was founded in 2012 in Helsinki and the first funding rounds are offered in Finland. In 2022 Reliance Group is formed by a merger of invesdor, Kapilendo and Finnest. Reliance Group hereby becomes one of the largest investment and crowdfunding platforms in Europe. In 2023 our focus on sustainable investment opportunities is established with the merger of Oneplanetcrowd.  

Today Reliance serves all of Europe with offices in Germany, Finland and the Netherlands. We are able to present exciting investment opportunities for investors and raise European capital for companies cross-border thanks to our ECSP license, that we obtained in early 2023. Our network of over 180 000 investors has embraced the opportunity to invest in companies outside of their country of residence. In our recent funding round the Dutch company HalloStroom was funded by 808 investors from 19 countries. 

2024 is off to a good start as we have been honored to announce two new partnerships: the GICA network and Finnish Business Angles Network FiBAN.  

Reliance has continually pushed boundaries while driving innovation and facilitating growth opportunities for all stakeholders. We believe that profitability and sustainability have synergy effects and complement each other. Read more about our mission and vision.

An assortment of Reliance success stories

Reliance has had several success stories over our 12 years of business and it’s not fair to pick favorites. Here’s an assortment of recent success stories from all of our regions.  

Finnish MedTech company Koite Health raised 1,4 million euro by 380 investors in the October 2023. Koite Health has developed and commercially launched Lumoral, which kills 99.99% of the harmful bacteria in the mouth.  The entire Lumoral treatment process can be done at home and takes less than 15 minutes. Since the market entry in 2020, more than 10,000 Lumorals have been sold and Koite Health has doubled its revenues every year. 

Dutch company HalloStroom raised 2 million euro in a matter of days in March 2024. HalloStroom provides an affordable and hassle-free solution for homeowners to generate and store their own sustainable energy. HalloStroom already leases solar panels to some 13.000 private homeowners and has now started to lease out home battery systems to their customers. The 808 investors signed up for 8.5% interest for a two-year bond duration. 

German fast-casual restaurant chain Beets & Roots GmbH is a true Reliance alumni with five funding rounds on our platform. In their most recent round in January 2024 Beets & Roots offered equity for the first time and raised 1,5 million euro by 332 investors. 

Austrian company Narzissendorf Zloam offers a holistic & sustainable tourism concept in one of Austria’s most beautiful region. One of the special features of the concept is that 100% of the accommodation units have already been sold to private investors and are now being leased back on a long-term basis.197 investors raised 500 000 euro in return of 8% interest of a loan period of 5 years. 

Do you want to be among the first ones to know when we launch new funding rounds? Sign up to our newsletter where we share launches and sneak-peaks of upcoming rounds.

Invest in our 1000th project: Riverrecycle Oy

RiverRecycle, founded in Helsinki in 2019, combats ocean plastic pollution with financially sustainable solutions. They collect over 3 million kg/year of waste from rivers globally. The collected plastic waste is converted into boards and waste-derived oils, which can be used as construction or raw materials. RiverRecycle generates revenue from CSR sales and plastic credit trading.

The post 1,000 Projects and Counting first appeared on Reliance - Blog.

Beets & Roots in a nutshell  

beets&roots is a German fast-casual restaurant chain that offers healthy and environmentally friendly food. Beets & Roots GmbH was founded in 2016 in Berlin by entrepreneur Max Kochen and Michelin star chef Andreas Tuffentsammer to meet the need for healthy lunch options for busy people.  

Today, beets&roots has 16 restaurants across Germany. With Beets & Roots GmbH’s latest successful funding round at invesdor, they plan on opening three more restaurants at the main train stations in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg. In an interview from 2023 Max Kochen outlines beets&roots growth journey after previous funding rounds with invesdor. 

Opportunity to higher returns on investment 

Beets & Roots GmbH has raised a total of five funding rounds on invesdor’s platform (see chart for more information).  In the latest funding round, beets&roots experienced exponential growth, more than doubling its turnover and attracting over 1.5 million euros from investors across Europe. With each round, investors were not only drawn by the financial opportunities but also by enticing bonuses, including up to 50% discounts on orders, enriching their investment experience. 

For the first time Beets & Roots GmbH’s funding round was offered on all Reliance websites: Germany, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, and the English website welcoming investors from all over Europe. Previous rounds have only been open to investors in Germany and Austria. 

Beets & Roots GmbH has chosen different financial instruments for their funding rounds throughout the years. This demonstrates well how growth companies and investors benefit from the different financial instruments Reliance has to offer.  

In their last round in January 2024 Beets & Roots GmbH decided to raise equity. Equity investments offer investors a stake in the target company allowing the investors to reap the full potential upside in the company. As Beets & Roots GmbH is aiming for an exit in 2026, the investors have the opportunity to earn a substantial return on their investment in the coming 36 months. 

Make an impact with your choices 

By investing in innovative and sustainable businesses, investors do not have the opportunity for a financial return but also make an impact by helping companies like Beets & Roots GmbH drive sustainability and a better future for Europe. Read more about invesdor’s commitment to impact investing. 

Beets & Roots GmbH is committed to drive sustainability in all parts of their business. In practice, they source most of their ingredients from local suppliers and promote sustainable farming practices by working with Klim.  

As a consumer you can be at the forefront of change for a sustainable future of Europe by choosing a plant-based alternative to meat and opt for reusable takeaway packaging. 

As an investor you can be at the forefront of change for a sustainable future of Europe by investing in companies driving sustainability in their operations. Your choice matters! 

If you want to stay informed about upcoming investment opportunities, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on our social media channels.  

The post Beets & Roots is an investor favorite at invesdor first appeared on Reliance - Blog.

As the leading European impact investing platform, we at Reliance see this cooperation as an excellent opportunity to support sustainable business models on their growth journey beyond financing.  

Christopher Grätz, CEO of the Reliance Group, has been appointed to the Advisory Board of GICA. Grätz’s commitment reflects our strong commitment to this partnership as a company. In his statement, Grätz underlined the importance of the collaboration and emphasised: “I am very grateful that we can bring all our expertise as Reliance Group to the network to help ensure that funds are invested in the most sustainable growth companies, SMEs and renewable energy projects!” Reliance is active with over 180,000 users and more than 950 projects across Europe with a focus on DACH, Nordics and BENELUX. 

The cooperation between Reliance and GICA gives sustainable start-ups funded through invesdor’s platform easy access to GICA’s extensive network. This provides the start-ups the opportunity to discover synergies and maximise their growth potential. Through invesdor’s support, these companies not only receive funding, but also the opportunity to connect in a global network and work together towards a more sustainable future. 

At the same time, this gives us at Reliance the opportunity to continue to offer exciting, sustainable companies whose growth can be fuelled by our investor base. By integrating into GICA’s extensive network, our investors can benefit from exclusive investment opportunities and actively participate in the promotion of companies that have a positive social and environmental impact. 

The partnership thus not only opens up new financing perspectives for sustainable start-ups, but also offers our investors the chance to become part of a global network that works together on future-oriented projects. We are convinced that this synergy of capital, knowledge and network creates the basis for successful investments and helps to drive sustainable development in various sectors. Reliance is looking forward to working with GICA and jointly paving the way for innovative and impactful investment opportunities. 

The post Reliance launches partnership with GICA first appeared on Reliance - Blog.

*The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI)

8 reasons to Finnish MedTech companies’ success

1. Finland boasts a high-quality healthcare system with advanced infrastructure and skilled healthcare professionals. This provides an ideal environment for testing and implementing new medical technologies.
2. Well-established and transparent regulatory environment makes it easier for medtech companies to navigate the regulatory processes required for clinical trials and product approvals. Efficient regulatory pathways can accelerate the development and commercialisation of medical technologies.
3. Universities, biobanks, hospital districts, and several international pharmaceutical companies collaborate and invest in digital health infrastructure, creating a supportive environment for the development of healthcare technologies. This includes electronic health records, telemedicine, and other digital solutions that can facilitate the integration of new technologies.
4. Finland has a highly educated and skilled workforce, including professionals in healthcare, engineering, and technology. This talent pool is essential for the development, testing, and implementation of innovative medtech solutions.
5. While Finland has a relatively small population, its proximity to other Nordic and European markets provides companies with access to a larger patient pool for clinical trials and a broader market for commercialisation.
6. The Finnish government actively supports research and development initiatives, offering grants, funding, and other incentives to promote innovation in various industries, including healthcare and medtech.
7. Finland is known for its commitment to ethical and transparent practices, which is crucial in clinical trials and healthcare research. This reputation enhances the credibility of studies conducted in the country.
8. Finland actively engages in international collaboration and partnerships, allowing medtech companies to benefit from global networks and expertise.
    

Sources: The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), FinnGen, Sailab – MedTech Finland ry, ITA .

Investing in MedTech startups

Startups in the MedTech industry often bring innovative solutions to healthcare problems, offering the potential for significant advancements in medical technology. 

The demand for new and improved medical technologies is consistently high as the healthcare industry seeks solutions for better diagnostics, treatment, and patient care. Emerging technologies may address unmet needs in the market creating opportunities for significant growth. Successful MedTech startups that bring disruptive technologies to market can yield high returns on investment, especially if the company is acquired by a larger healthcare corporation. 

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