At the end of the last year, the agricultural business development platform AgroTalks launched the unique specialized crowdfunding platform for attracting investment in agricultural projects – Donate Agro, the press office of the company reports to AgroPortal.ua.

According to AgroTalks, the use of Donate Agro provides for placement of different agricultural projects: from technological to social; the flexible funding model, during which it is possible to obtain money, even if the company’s financial target has not been reached; as well as attraction of public attention to the issue, which the project decides.

The amount of financial investments may start from UAH 20 and reach UAH 1,000 – 1,500. In some cases, the amounts can be much larger: the dozens of thousands of hryvnias or dollars, but in this case, the sponsor expects to obtain some share in business in exchange or the product prototype. Then it refers to the investment, and Invest Agro team is responsible for this direction.

«Lately, we and the team focused om the development of agricultural startups (selection, acceleration, investment) and faced such situation: there are projects, which are not financially interesting for large investors, but they can be potentially necessary for the agricultural market (for example, the technology of using the hop’s DNA for determining the capacity of resins irrespective of the age of the plant and season of the year), there are social projects, which are, in principle, not about business and profit, but solve some specific issue in some region (for example, a small quail breeding farm due to migration from the combat zone). Such project need to be supported, to be given an opportunity to realize the idea and believe in the team. The crowdfunding is an excellent toll for such a start», Agrotalks’ Fundraising and Communications Director Anna Vereshchak considers.

According to her, the similar practice works successfully in the world, as well as in Ukraine, there are famous crowdfunding platforms, for example, Spilnokosht.

«But we have a crucial distinction – we specialize in the agriculture and conduct the examination of projects, taking into account the specific set of business criteria, before the project makes it to the platform», Anna Vereshchak told.  

According to Agrotalks, the crowdfunding platform will be useful for:

•     Project developers, who know and understand the methods of realization of their ideas; however, its funding remains the main impediment.
•      Projects, which need the small amount of funding (up to UAH 300 ths)
•     Other concerned parties, who want to become involved in Ukraine’s economic and social development, while familiarizing with the specific project, thus donating some money for its development.

In order to get into the crowdfunding platform, you need to submit the application on the site. After AgroTalks assesses the potential and the startup for feasibility, studies the documents, analyzes appropriation requests, and if appropriate, the project developers voluntarily undergo whether the full acceleration program in business school, or consulting from the representatives of business environment, then we place this project on the platform.