Crowde

About Crowde

Established in 2015, Crowde is an Indonesian-based financial technology company operating as a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform focused on the agricultural sector. The company was founded by Yohanes Sugihtononugroho and Muhammad Risyad Ganis. Sugihtononugroho's inspiration for Crowde stemmed from his personal experience as a farmer after business school, where he faced challenges like crop failure and fraud. This first-hand knowledge of the financial and operational difficulties farmers face, particularly their exclusion from traditional banking services, drove the creation of the platform.

Crowde operates a digital platform that connects farmers in need of working capital with both retail and institutional investors. The company has evolved from its initial crowd-investing model to build a comprehensive technological infrastructure for Indonesia's farming ecosystem. Instead of providing cash loans, which were sometimes used for non-farming purposes, Crowde now disburses funds in the form of agricultural necessities like seeds, fertilizers, and equipment. This is facilitated through a credit-based, cashless system where farmers can make purchases at local agricultural supply stores. This model ensures that capital is used directly for production. Revenue is generated through profit-sharing agreements with farmers and fees for facilitating the financing.

The company's services extend beyond financing to include the entire agricultural value chain. Crowde provides farmers with training in farming techniques, financial literacy, and marketing to transition them from farmers to "Agropreneurs". The platform also uses data to inform farmers about market demand, helping to reduce the risk of producing redundant crops. Furthermore, Crowde establishes partnerships with agricultural buyers, such as exporters, supermarkets, and hotels, to create a market for the farmers' harvests, ensuring they receive better returns. To date, the company has channeled significant non-cash assistance to tens of thousands of farmers and has secured substantial funding, including a $9 million Series B round in 2021 led by Monk's Hill Ventures.