Source: eKapija | Thursday, 05.11.2020.| 13:12
Highlight an article Print out the news

Additional Capital for Local SMEs – First Crowdinvesting Platform in Serbia Starts Working

(Photo: Unsplash/Helloquence)
From November 4, 2020, citizens and companies in Serbia are able to invest in local companies and technological startups with potential for growth, through the crowdinvesting platform Ventu.rs, the company announced.

Ventu.rs is the first crowdinvesting platform in Serbia and is an important step forward in the financial market and toward alternative financing, the kind of which companies in developed countries have been using for a long time. The launching of this platform provides Serbian small and medium companies with a new source of finance and expands their options for acquiring funds for investments in the further development of their business.

The platform connects companies which are looking for funds to finance growth and interested natural or legal persons, who can become investors in a matter of minutes. The minimum investment is EUR 100.

– In the world, this kind of financing of companies' growth is booming, because small businesses are often not interesting to banks, so this is a way for them to acquire funds, but also to provide an opportunity for the existing buyers-investors to take part in their success and to reach new buyers and expand their market through numerous marketing activities – says Luka Pejovic, the director of Ventu.rs.

– The development of a crowdinvesting platform is a pioneering endeavor for Serbia, which has one of the least developed sectors of alternative financial services in the region. In the challenging circumstances and the coronavirus pandemic crisis, this platform is even more important. Ventu.rs enables us to help our local companies grow despite the crisis, using a digital tool suitable to health and safety recommendations. I believe that the Ventu platform will be a strong impulse for the development of entrepreneurship and competitiveness in our country – says Dragana Stanojevic, the director of the USAID Cooperation for Growth Project, which supports the development of the platform.

Interested companies can apply at Ventu.rs, after which they go through a detailed analysis carried out by financial experts of the audit company BDO Srbija, the legal team of Karanovic & Partners and the marketing team of Ventu.rs. Only those companies that meet all the criteria can find their place on the platform. This way, Ventu.rs is making a maximum effort to reduce investment risks as much as possible.

Loan agreements are signed with these investors in the form of subordinated loan for a period of three or more years and with a minimum fixed annual interest rate of 6%. Also, the investors can also get a bonus interest, whose amount depends on the company's success.

According to the instructions, the investors pay the money to the special-purpose account in Direktna Banka, from which, in case the campaign succeeds and the targeted investment is reached, the funds are forwarded to the company. In case the campaign is not successful, the funds are returned to the investors once the campaign ends.

Local companies are already showing an interest in accessing the platform, and the first company that will be collecting the funds for growth is Bubaja d.o.o, the company behind Zdrawo slatko and RO! brands.

– The aim of the campaign is to collect funds for the growth of production and entry to the EU market, where there's already an interest in our products. With your support, we can achieve that goal more easily and quickly – says founder Veljko Milicevic.
Only logged-in users can comment.
Follow the news, tenders, grants, legal regulations and reports on our portal.
Testiraj besplatno!
Register for our daily business bulletin, which is sent to your email address at the end of each work day.
Full information is available only to commercial users-subscribers and it is necessary to log in.
Test for free!
Testiraj besplatno!
Full information is available to commercial users-subscribers only.
Testiraj besplatno!

Log in to view complete information:
Forgot your password? Click here HERE
For free test use, click HERE