Association for market studies in cooperation with Seed Forum International is organising the first Seed Forum in BIH with the aim to activate passive investment financial resources of BIH and the region- primary local deposits and remittances from abroad.
Seed Forum is a global network of national not-for-profit foundations and national representatives in more than 40 countries. The global collaboration entity of the Seed Forum network is Seed Forum International Foundation working out of London. The Seed Forum concept has grown rapidly since it was founded in Norway in 2002, and the Seed Forum concept is currently referred to as a global concept. Seed Forum is currently running investor matchmaking forums in more than 30 countries worldwide. The Seed Forum process has the objective of providing competence within investor readiness and investor matchmaking opportunities for private investors, seed funds, venture funds, private equity funds, corporate venture investors, family offices and financial intermediaries in born global companies.
President of the Association for Market Studies Irfan Polimac said that one of the ways to speed up the development of business in BiH and region is to activate financial resources. At the end of 2012 remittances from abroad and local deposits were worth more than 10 billion BAM in BiH, and in the same time private company development financing is challenging and those resources are only fragmentarily turned into investments.
Through Seed Forum Investment Process, companies have direct access to investors in BiH and to financial and technological centres such as London, Dubai, Moscow, Silicon Valley, Oslo, etc.
“Geographic coverage and mechanics of investing without the ‘success fee’ means that besides the depositors and local investors in BiH and the region, BiH Diaspora can also invest in companies with growth potential’, said Polimac.
With the aim of reducing risk for investors, companies participate in the selection and investment preparation process. Typical sectors are IT, biotechnology, new materials, telecommunications, alternative energy sources and logistics. The value of investments varies between 200 000 and 2 000 000 EUR, depending on the geographic area and business.
BiH companies with growth potential that need investor can apply and the main criterion for participation is growth potential. Companies can be experienced, startup, or even unregistered companies, large, small or micro. Ideal type of companies is company whose aim is regional or global expansion.
BiH companies can apply by filling the short form available at www.seedforumsee.org. Deadline for applying is the end of March.
“Pitch training” which qualifies companies and start-ups to participate in Seed Forum will be held on 2 April in investment Library of the Association for Market Studies in Sarajevo. Seed Forum will be held on 9 April in Central Bank of BiH’’, said Polimac.
