Understanding how to get funding from IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative starts with a correction: it is not an equity investor at all. The Netherlands-based organisation co-funds and orchestrates programmes with businesses, governments and civil society to deliver better jobs, better incomes, a better environment and gender equity across global agricultural and manufacturing value chains. For founders in agri-commodities, textiles or responsible sourcing, it is a coalition-builder and co-funder rather than a cheque-writer.

Investment thesis

Its thesis is that trade can be made sustainable only when whole value chains move together. IDH convenes brands, suppliers, farmer groups and governments into co-funded programmes — recent India examples include SUTRA 2.0, the Sustainable Trade Summit 2024 in Gurugram with 400 industry leaders, the ‘India for India’ programme of domestic companies co-investing with smallholder farmers, a UP mint-farmers programme in Barabanki (26,500 farmers, funded by Mars Inc.), and an Assam small-tea-growers programme. As a donor-funded programme organisation, a ‘fund size’ is not applicable.

Sectors, stages and cheque size

IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative focuses on agriculture and agri-commodities (tea, spices, mint, cashew, mango, cocoa, coffee, palm oil), textiles and apparel / manufacturing, regenerative agriculture, responsible sourcing. Stage: value-chain programmes, not startup rounds; global, headquartered in Utrecht, with a 15-year India legacy in textiles, manufacturing and agriculture. Capital type: programme co-funding — not equity or debt; multi-stakeholder coalition building.

Notable portfolio

  • SUTRA 2.0 summit 2024 — Gurugram — 400 industry leaders; partners included PepsiCo India, Olam Agri, Patanjali Foods, idh.org
  • India for India programme — domestic companies co-investing with smallholder farmers, The Hindu BusinessLine
  • UP mint farmers programme — Barabanki — 26,500 farmers, Mars Inc. funded, The Hindu BusinessLine
  • Assam small tea growers programme — alternative income sources for growers, The Hindu BusinessLine

Key people

  • Daan Wensing, Global CEO and Chair of the Executive Board
  • Jagjeet Singh Kandal, Country Director – India

India connection

Strong and long-standing: 15 years in Indian textiles, manufacturing and agriculture, with an India country director.

How to apply for funding

Founders cannot ‘apply for funding’ — IDH engages corporates, governments, farmer groups and civil society as programme partners. Partnership inquiries go to [email protected]. If you run an agri or textile business that can anchor a value-chain programme, that is the conversation to start.

Why it matters for founders

IDH matters because sustainable sourcing is becoming a procurement requirement, not a nice-to-have — and IDH writes the playbook with the buyers. If your startup sits anywhere in an agri or apparel value chain, engaging with its programmes puts you inside the room where standards are set. Contact [email protected] with a partnership proposal, not a pitch deck.