ViCo Sustainability Center Crowdfunding

Deadline extended until October 2023!

See below for the current state of funding. When the funding reaches the target, the round will close. Don't wait to sign up!

What is ViCo?

ViCo is a Dutch/Vietnamese project to build South East Asia's first knowledge and community center for sustainability, in Ho Chi Minh City. It will bring together over 300 international experts to help the region become climate adaptive, healthy, and socially just, in a stellar circular building. We are raising funds to realize ViCo starting 2024.

ViCo will be for and by the community, funding it through the world wide community, sharing its profits. You can become a part of this innovative sustainability center. Join us in funding this transformative project while earning a profitable return with either a loan for 10% profit per year or equity for 12-16%.

Everything in a nutshell

You may be familiar with UCo, our successful sustainability center in the Netherlands. Now, we're expanding internationally with ViCo, located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. ViCo will be a member-driven workspace and event center, much like UCo, bringing sustainability expertise, innovation and partnerships from around the world right in the heart of the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia.

Our team in Vietnam and the Netherlands spent nearly two years building the plan, forging partnerships and searching for the perfect location. We have now scouted four amazing locations in the city center, ideal for ViCo, and poised to be a hub for the entire ASEAN region.

ViCo will become a center for the entire ASEAN region, demonstrating sustainable heritage like UCo does. It will bring together over 300 experts and 30+ companies focused on all different parts of sustainability, including energy, water, waste, food, health, education, circularity, and ecological regeneration. We've built a strong business and community model based on UCo's success, and are enabling the community to help fund it, as well as reap its rewards with 10-16% profit per year returned to the community investors.

To realize ViCo, we host two crowd investment rounds, where anyone can participate from around the world starting from $4.000. The 'Round 1 'early bird' is a simple loan for 3 years, with an interest rate of 10% per year to help us fund the start, for which we are raising $1.2 million. This round will close when we reach our target.

At the same time, we have opened Round 2 investment to raise an additional $3.0 million using a convertible loan at 8%. In year 4 these can convert to shares which are expected to start paying dividends in year 4, and gain a projected 12-16% profit per year over a 10 year period (see the example profit calculations in the brochure downloadable below).

ViCo honorary member
All funders will become honorary members of ViCo and will receive numerous benefits. If the lease is not secured or we don't raise enough funds, all funders will receive their funds back. Don't miss out on this chance to be a part of something transformative and join us in building a more sustainable future for Vietnam.

Click here for the detailed funding brochure, and click here to sign up to support ViCo.

ViCo's Global Impact

As one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, Vietnam's GDP has grown at an average annual rate of 6.8% between 1990 and 2020 (World Bank), reaching approximately $260 billion. It is the place where the world's industry is moving to from China, and plays a central role in the region's growth.

However, this rapid economic growth has put pressure on the sustainability of the country's infrastructure and natural resources, as it has in other countries. The importance of balancing economic growth with environmental protection and social development is felt strongly in the region.

The Vietnamese government is committed to a green growth strategy with net-zero targets set for 2050 and is actively seeking international investment and collaboration to help achieve these goals. Where Vietnam succeeds, it will lead the way to boost sustainable development around the entire ASEAN region. This is where ViCo comes in.

ViCo Sustainability Center boosts collaboration and innovation

Many of you know UCo, our sustainability center in Utrecht, loved by its 190+ members and operational since 2016. Now, after developing UCo, the Except team is proud to introduce the ViCo sustainability center, taking things to the next level in the heart of Asia.

ViCo will also become a member-driven shared working and community event space, but with a strong international network. It's placed strategically in the beating heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's economic hub, and one of the main centers of the ASEAN economy.

Developed in the same spirit in which Except built UCo, ViCo aims to gather experts from around the world to work on sustainability challenges such as renewable energy, circular economy, climate adaptation, industrial symbiosis, and smart cities.

ViCo will support Vietnam's sustainable development by housing up to 300 sustainability-driven global and local members, enhance knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation between businesses and society, and bridge the gap between the public and private sectors.

The development plan includes a sustainable renovation of the building, showcasing technology that can lead the way in Vietnam, and set up the training and event programs. In total, the development requires an investment of about $4.2 million, which is done through investment from both Vietnam and the Netherlands. This investment is returned from revenues of space rental, memberships, events, and sponsorships.

Round 1 & 2 funding to make it happen

ViCo's funding will go in two rounds that start at the same time.

Round 1 funding aims to raise $1.2 million as a loan, and offers a 10% per year interest for a total runtime of 3 years.

Round 2 funding aims to secure $3.0 million through a convertible loan with 8% interest, which can convert in year 4 for shares. Shares are expected to make a 12-16% annual profit over the whole 10 years, and start paying dividends in year 4. If the project continues after year 10, this can go up to 20%.

• Anyone can participate with any amount - starting from $4.000.
• Funders will only be asked to transfer their investment when the signup is full, to ensure we can usefully execute the project. Signup will close when the target is reached.
• Anyone who signs up to participate becomes a honorary member of ViCo and is entitled to numerous benefits.
• We manage the risk: if the lease is not secured, or we fail to raise enough funds, all funders will receive their funds back immediately and in full.
• With your investment, you help support a project that helps to make a real difference in the region.

Do you, or do you know anyone who wants to make a positive social and environmental impact while making nice returns?

Download this brochure to learn more about ViCo and funding rounds.

See further details in the brochure below or contact us for more information:

Tom Bosschaert - Tom@except.eco (CEO Except)

Chi Nguyen - Chi@except.eco (Country Director Vietnam)