MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Helmig’s FS Invest Buys 75% of Invest in Visions, Microfinance Fund Manager in Germany

FS Invest Holding, which is owned by Germany’s Helmig family, recently paid an undisclosed sum to acquire a 75-percent stake in Invest in Visions (IIV). Launched in 2006, IIV manages “investments in sustainable agriculture, social enterprises and social impact lending,” including in microfinance institutions (MFIs) and decentralized renewable energy. The firm created its primary product, IIV Mikrofinanzfonds, in 2011 to invest in micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises via intermediaries in developing countries. It does this mainly via “small and medium-sized MFIs, particularly in rural areas.” The minimum investment in the fund is EUR 100 (USD 100). As of April 2022, IIV Mikrofinanzfonds has a volume of EUR 889 million (USD 889 million). Financial details on FS Invest and the Helmig family are not available.