Creas and profitable impact investment
Original Article by Beatriz Treceño for Expansión
Creas will operate as an independent manager following CNMV's approval. It aims to raise a new fund of 70 million euros.
Impact investment, which is carried out with the intention of providing a positive environmental or social impact, in addition to financial returns, is gaining momentum. A clear example of this is Creas, a pioneering manager in Spain, which continues to take significant steps in this field. It will operate as an independent manager after obtaining approval from the CNMV. The new management company, SGEIC, already manages 30 million euros and aims to raise a new fund of 70 million euros. Furthermore, Creas recently made its latest investment from its first fund, Creas Impacto FESE, in the Catalan company Mitiga Solutions.
The manager began investing in 2012 through its first fund, which has already supported more than 20 companies and carried out over six divestments. Later, in 2018, it launched Spain's first institutional impact fund, a 30-million-euro fund with the participation of public funds, private investors, pension funds, foundations, and religious institutions, concluding with its investment in Mitiga Solutions.
These milestones demonstrate, according to Creas, "that impact investment is profitable and scalable, as evidenced by completed divestments, revenue growth, impact metrics of the invested companies, the number of co-investments made with international co-investors, and the capital raised by them."
Creas: "These milestones demonstrate that impact investment is profitable and scalable."
Over the years, Creas has avoided more than 100,000 tons of CO2 and 2,400 tons of waste.
All companies invested in by Creas share the intention of contributing to solving major social and environmental challenges. "In addition to promoting innovation and the growth of companies that propose concrete solutions to social and environmental challenges, it also plays a fundamental role in redefining business success," highlights Emilio Ayanz, managing partner at Creas. According to their latest Impact Report 2022, investments in Creas's portfolio companies such as Rediv, Refurbed, Iomob, and Go Trendier have managed to avoid over the years more than 100,000 tons of CO2, 2,400 tons of waste (electronic, textile, and plastic), and 45,000 kilograms of chemicals and pesticides through new production, mobility, and consumption models.
Original article: https://www.expansion.com/economia-sostenible/2023/07/20/64b69ef0468aeb92418b4572.html