Critical Software and Gulbenkian-linked fund invest in GoParity

Founded in 2016, GoParity is the Portuguese platform that raises crowdfunding for projects with social and environmental impact. Five years later, the startup received an investment of 200,000 euros, in a pre-seed round, from Critical Software and the Mustard Seed Maze (MSM) fund, linked to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, according to the announcement made this Tuesday.

The capital injection will make it possible to strengthen the team, launch new products and even multiply the number of investors by five by the end of 2022.

"The MSM fund and Critical Software's way of being attracted us, in which we review ourselves and who we know we can count on to multiply the positive impact we have", notes the platform leader, Nuno Brito Jorge, quoted in a press release.

The Portuguese startup also intends to get closer and closer to companies. "We can be used as a tool to encourage talent. For example, a worker can receive an investment voucher for a project that is on our platform", notes Nuno Brito Jorge.

Since its foundation, GoParity has raised a total of six million euros for projects with social and environmental impact, from more than 11,000 investors. Thanks to the campaigns, 20,300 tons of carbon dioxide were avoided per year - the equivalent of 927 thousand planted trees - and 3150 new jobs were created. The investments had an impact on almost 52,000 people.

By the end of this year, the platform aims to reach 20-thousand investors; by the end of 2022, the goal is 50,000 participants, both individuals, and companies. Also by the end of 2022, the company wants to raise 30 million euros in crowdfunding campaigns.

Five euros is enough for anyone to invest in projects at GoParity, with a profitability of 4% to 7% per year. Licensed by the Securities Market Commission, the platform also created savings plans with direct deposits into the account and no management fee. In the future, the startup even intends to create sustainable retirement savings plans.

The GoParity team will reach around 20 members by the end of the year, divided between the headquarters, the Casa do Impacto (Lisbon) and the Impact Hub Barcelona.

The strengthening of the African market is another of the platform's main bets for the coming months. Since 2016, GoParity has organized campaigns in eight countries: Portugal, Spain, Lithuania, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Uganda.