InSoil

InSoil, formerly known as HeavyFinance, is a Lithuanian environmental-technology investment company focused on financing small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises. Founded in Vilnius in 2020 by Laimonas Noreika, Darius Verseckas and Andrius Liukaitis, the company developed a marketplace through which investors can fund agricultural business loans. Its business model addresses the financing gap faced by farms that may require capital for working capital, expansion, equipment, land-related activity or the transition to more sustainable production methods. The platform allows eligible farms to seek loans generally ranging from €10,000 to €200,000. Prospective investors review information supplied about each borrower, including financial statements, the requested amount, the purpose of the loan, the loan rating and information on collateral or other credit protections. Depending on the offering, investors may participate in collateralized or uncollateralized agricultural loans and receive interest in return. The company operates as a regulated crowdfunding service provider registered with the European Securities and Markets Authority framework, following the registration of its offering with the Central Bank of Lithuania during its early development. A central part of InSoil's repositioning has been its emphasis on regenerative agriculture and carbon farming. Regenerative practices promoted through its financing model include no-till farming, mixed crop rotation, cover cropping, and the use of compost or manure. In 2023, the company introduced green loans intended to accelerate adoption of these practices. Investors in such loans may receive returns linked to fixed-interest lending, while the supported farms can generate nature-based carbon credits through changes in land-management practices. This links agricultural credit with environmental outcomes, although the financial and environmental performance of individual projects depends on borrower execution, agricultural conditions and the applicable carbon-credit methodology. InSoil initially expanded through venture funding and marketplace lending. In 2021, it raised US$1 million in a round led by Polish venture-capital firm bValue. The company stated that its opportunity addressed a substantial European financing shortfall for small and medium-sized farms. During its first three years, the platform facilitated more than €27 million through roughly 1,000 loans. Lending volume increased from 427 loans worth €13.5 million in 2021 to 651 loans worth €16.2 million in 2022. In 2023, Practica Capital led a €3 million seed round, and InSoil began a joint venture with Scottish company Agricarbon. By May 2024, the company reported having supported more than 2,000 farm owners, with an average loan size of approximately €31,000. Its stated geographic footprint included offices in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine. InSoil therefore sits at the intersection of agricultural lending, crowdfunding, sustainable finance and carbon farming. Its distinguishing proposition is not simply to provide an investment marketplace for farm debt, but to direct part of that capital toward measurable changes in soil and land management.

InSoil was established in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2020 by Laimonas Noreika, Darius Verseckas and Andrius Liukaitis. The business was originally known as HeavyFinance. During its formation, the company registered its offering with the Central Bank of Lithuania and built a digital marketplace for agricultural debt financing. Its purpose was to connect investors seeking yield with small and medium-sized farms that often face difficulty obtaining suitable commercial credit. The platform's basic structure allows farms to request business loans and lets investors select individual offerings after reviewing information about the borrower and the proposed transaction. Available information may include balance-sheet and income-statement data, the loan amount, its purpose, rating and collateral arrangements. The model accommodates both collateralized and uncollateralized lending. Farm borrowers can seek amounts from €10,000 to €200,000, while investors receive interest when participating in agricultural business loans. InSoil operates within the European crowdfunding regulatory framework and is described as a crowdfunding service provider registered with the European Securities and Markets Authority. The company obtained early institutional backing in 2021, when Polish venture-capital firm bValue led a US$1 million financing round. The funding was aimed at expanding access to capital for European farms, in a market described as having a large financing gap for small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises. In its first three years, the platform facilitated more than €27 million through approximately 1,000 loans. Lending activity grew in 2022: the number of loans increased from 427 in 2021 to 651, while the reported value rose from €13.5 million to €16.2 million. InSoil subsequently broadened its environmental focus beyond general agricultural lending. In 2023, Practica Capital led a €3 million seed round, and the company launched green loans for farms adopting regenerative methods. These methods include reduced or no tillage, mixed crop rotations, cover crops and the application of compost or manure. The intended outcome is improved soil management and the generation of nature-based carbon credits. Under the green-loan model, investors may earn fixed interest while participating farms pursue carbon-farming outcomes. Also in 2023, InSoil began a joint venture with Scottish company Agricarbon. This move supported the company's effort to connect agricultural finance with carbon measurement and credit generation. The environmental component is therefore integrated into the company's financing proposition rather than presented only as a separate corporate initiative. By May 2024, InSoil stated that it had helped more than 2,000 farm owners. Its reported average loan size was €31,000, and its offices covered Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine. The company is consequently positioned across several related fields: crowdfunding, agricultural credit, sustainable investment, regenerative farming and carbon finance. Publicly available material does not establish a separate public listing, a controlling parent company or a definitive current executive roster beyond the named founders.

• 2024

  Reported expansion of farmer support

  [1]InSoilen.wikipedia.org

  By May, InSoil reported assisting more than 2,000 farm owners and operating offices in six European countries.

• 2023

  Seed round and green-loan launch

  [1]InSoilen.wikipedia.org

  Practica Capital led a €3 million seed round, while InSoil introduced green loans for regenerative agriculture.

• 2023

  Agricarbon joint venture

  [1]InSoilen.wikipedia.org

  InSoil started a joint venture with Scottish company Agricarbon to support carbon-farming activity.

• 2022

  Loan activity increases

  [1]InSoilen.wikipedia.org

  Reported disbursements reached 651 loans worth €16.2 million, up from 427 loans worth €13.5 million in 2021.

• 2021

  First reported venture financing

  [1]InSoilen.wikipedia.org

  A US$1 million funding round led by bValue supported the company's agricultural-finance marketplace.

• 2020

  Company founded in Lithuania

  [1]InSoilen.wikipedia.org

  Laimonas Noreika, Darius Verseckas and Andrius Liukaitis co-founded the business in Vilnius, initially under the HeavyFinance name.

A sustainable-finance and agricultural-lending platform that gives investors access to farm debt while helping small and medium-sized farms finance regenerative practices and carbon-farming projects.

• Agricultural finance · 2020

  Agricultural business loans

  The core marketplace offering enables small and medium-sized farms to seek business loans generally ranging from €10,000 to €200,000. Investors select individual loans after reviewing borrower financial information, loan purpose, rating and available collateral information. Depending on the transaction, the financing may be collateralized or uncollateralized, with investor returns primarily coming from interest payments.

• Sustainable finance · 2023

  Green loans

  Introduced in 2023, green loans are intended to finance farms adopting regenerative practices such as no-till cultivation, mixed crop rotations, cover crops and the use of compost or manure. The model combines fixed-interest lending with environmental objectives, including the potential production of nature-based carbon credits from improved farm management.

• 2023

  Introduce green loans for regenerative agricultureProduct launch

  Background

  InSoil sought to extend its agricultural lending model into regenerative agriculture and carbon farming, responding to the environmental impact of farming and the need for transition capital.

  Action taken

  The company launched green loans intended to finance practices including no-till farming, mixed crop rotation, cover cropping and the use of compost or manure.

  Aftermath

  The offering became a central part of InSoil's sustainability positioning and was complemented by a joint venture with Agricarbon.

  Source

• 2023

  Form a joint venture with AgricarbonM&A

  Background

  InSoil's environmental-finance strategy required links between farm lending, regenerative practices and the creation or measurement of carbon credits.

  Action taken

  The company started a joint venture with Scottish firm Agricarbon.

  Aftermath

  The partnership expanded the company's connection to carbon-farming activity, although the available material does not specify ownership percentages or commercial results.

  Source

1. 1InSoilen.wikipedia.org