Welcome to AGDEV

Sustainable
Development

AgDev is. a financial services firm committed to promoting sustainable development in Brazilian agriculture.

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Welcome to AGDEV

Sustainable
Development

AgDev is. a financial services firm committed to promoting sustainable development in Brazilian agriculture.

Read MoreRead More
Image

AGDEV

A AgDev é uma joint venture inovadora, resultante da união entre a InDev Capital e o braço de investimentos da Carroll Family Farms, a AgEquity Partners. A InDev Capital, com doze anos de experiência no mercado financeiro brasileiro, tem como principal foco assessorar empresas locais na captação de recursos junto a investidores estrangeiros. Com presença em diversas regiões estratégicas, a AgDev conta com uma equipe de profissionais altamente capacitados no Brasil, nos EUA e na Europa. Essa abrangência geográfica amplia sua capacidade de atuação global, facilitando a conexão com investidores estrangeiros e fortalecendo sua presença no mercado financeiro internacional.

AGDEV

Com mais de 90 anos no agronegócio, a Carroll Family Farms começou em 1932, adquirindo sua primeira fazenda em Carthage, Illinois. Hoje, a empresa é um dos principais produtores de suínos nos EUA, com operações em três estados. Além disso, o grupo se expandiu para a produção de grãos nos EUA, com mais de 4.000 hectares de milho em Illinois. Em 2002, a Carroll Family Farms foi inaugurada no Brasil, com John Carroll liderando a quinta geração da família. Com mais de 15.000 hectares de soja plantados no Brasil, a empresa investiu mais de US$ 90 milhões, impulsionando a produção de commodities no país.

AGDEV

Fundada em 2010, a Prada Assessoria é um escritório de investimentos com um propósito claro e dedicado: cuidar e zelar por um grupo seleto de famílias que buscam a perenização e crescimento de seu patrimônio. Para alcançar esse objetivo, a Prada Assessoria se orgulha de possuir uma equipe altamente qualificada nas áreas de gestão e consultoria financeira. Essa expertise nos capacita a identificar e explorar oportunidades de investimento em uma ampla variedade de ativos e em diversas regiões geográficas.
Our Focus

Introduce Brazilian sustainable agriculture to offshore capital

AgDev’s core strategy centers around the Degraded Pasture Fund, which provides USD loans with extended terms to Brazilian farmers in the Cerrado region, facilitating the conversion of degraded pastures into productive farmland without resorting to further deforestation. The platform’s innovative approach includes establishing a strong offshore capital market, effectively meeting the scale and liquidity requirements of the world’s largest soy export market. This empowers farmers to expand their operations in an environmentally conscious manner, curbing deforestation, and promoting regenerative practices for sustainable growth, aligning with both agricultural industry advancement and global environmental preservation.

OUR PILLARS

Long-Term Experience

AgDev’s unique expertise is evident in both our financial and agricultural teams. Our in-depth analysis of rural products is demonstrated by our meticulous evaluation process, which encompasses a comprehensive assessment of various factors including soil technicalities, land pricing, machinery valuation, technical timeline composition, farm infrastructure, and financial standing.

Financial Expertise

Our financial team is highly experienced with complex financial structures. Moreover, we also have a partnership with an experienced fund manager in Brazil, Prada Assessoria,  who plays a pivotal role in our fund, further enhancing our operational effectiveness.

Degraded Pasture Restoration

AgDev is the only company focused on the restoration of degraded pastures. Brazil  has approximately 100 million hectares in such condition. This restorative effort is an efficient alternative to deforestation. By focusing on restoring these degraded pastures, AgDev effectively addresses the link between environmental preservation and agricultural expansion.

International Connections

In addition to its headquarters in western Bahia, AgDev has professionals in São Paulo, Carthage (Illinois, USA), and Barcelona (Spain). This international presence enables the company to cultivate relationships with foreign investors, facilitating access to the Brazilian agribusiness on a global scale.

Core Values

Simplicity and efficiency

We like to keep our processes simple and as efficient as possible 

Tenacious problem solvers

We always seek to solve our client’s problems

Trust and commitment

We always do what we say we will do, being trustworthy is a non-negotiable value

Humility and respect

We are humble and we treat others the way we expect to be treated

Creativity and flexibility

We prioritize creativity in addressing challenges along with flexibility to meet clients' needs

CORE VALUES

Simplicity and efficiency

We like to keep our processes simple and as efficient as possible 

Tenacious problem solvers

We always seek to solve our client’s problems

Trust and comittment

We always do what we say we will do, being trustworthy is a non-negotiable value

Humility and respect

We are humble and we treat others the way we expect to be treated

Creativity and flexibility

We believe that creativity is important when solving problems and achieving our goals, we also understand that sometimes we have to be flexible in order to meet our clients where they are at.

The Future of Sustainable Development

Assista nosso vídeo

Agricultores com grande potencial

Tese de Investimento

O teste de investimento é uma abordagem estratégica que visa fornecer financiamento a produtores rurais desassistidos por grandes bancos, porém com boa capacidade operacional e bom colateral.

Qualidade Operacional

A estratégia concentra-se na oferta de crédito, com foco na qualidade operacional do produtor, sua capacidade de pagamento e na disponibilidade das garantias.

Prazos adequados

Além disso, o crédito é oferecido com prazos adequados para as atividades do produtor e há um monitoramento operacional constante para prever problemas potenciais de fluxo de caixa.

Diversificação Geografica

A diversificação geográfica é utilizada como ferramenta de proteção contra o risco climático, e a estruturação do investimento busca proteção contra a perda permanente de capital.
Projetos
Clientes Satisfeitos
Produtores Experts
Conheça os projetos que fazem parte

Explore nosso portfólio

Easy Harvesting

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Agriculture Farming

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Ecological Farming

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Organic Solutions

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Nossos clientes

O que eles dizem da AGDEV

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Our team

Meet our team

Joseph Williams

Ricardo Carvalho

John Carroll

David Weihs

Beatriz Martinez

Carolina Ulloa

Tami Gongora

Juan Arteaga

Blog

20 September 2023
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The Economics of Deforestation and the Degraded Pasture Solution

By AgDev “Six Tickets for the Tree Museum Please” If
05 July 2022
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What to expect from Brazilian agriculture after the election

Introduction With the recent presidential elections in Brazil and the
05 July 2022
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Bela Vista – Case Study

CARROLL DISTRESSED DEAL CASE STUDY:  BELA VISTA FARM  An unconventional
05 July 2022
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Brazil and the Creation of a Natural Currency Hedge

“Brazil is a complex country, not a country for beginners.”
05 July 2022
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Understanding the Mechanics of a US Dollar-Based Loan in Brazilian Agriculture

Part One:  Explanation of Farmer Cost Structure  Approximately 60-70% of
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Joseph Williams

CEO

Joseph Williams, co-founder and CEO of AgDev, guides the company’s overall direction and investor engagement. He cultivated his international business career during his time at Stanford University, where he pursued a Japanese minor. After various experiences, including engineering and business development roles in Tokyo, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and work in investment banking, Joseph co-founded Wakefield James Management Group. Serving as its President, he transformed a residential supply company into an industry leader across the U.S. and Canada. Relocating to São Paulo, he immersed himself in Brazilian culture and language, paving the way for InDev Capital’s creation—an emerging market real assets merchant bank. In 2020, Joseph became interested in sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and saw there an opportunity to make a real impact in the world. He, then, founded AgDev in partnership with the Carroll Organization. Joseph’s academic background includes an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford and an MBA from Harvard, and he is skilled in Portuguese and Japanese. A native of Durham, North Carolina, he’s an avid reader with a special interest in history and fiction, notably Nassim Taleb’s works. He’s known for reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand once a decade and Taleb’s The Black Swan three times, and he aspires to tackle Time Magazine’s Top 100 Fiction list.

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Ricardo Carvalho

Commercial Director

Ricardo is a co-founder of AgDev, where he serves as Commercial Director. With a strong track record as an opportunistic investor in Brazil, Ricardo held a managing partner role at JPP Capital, contributing significantly to the launch of an FII focused on residential real estate and collaborating on a $135M residential joint venture with InDev Capital. Earlier, at Avant Garde Development, he led investments and investor engagement for a sizable land development project near São Paulo. Ricardo’s academic background includes a Business Administration degree from FAAP and an MBA from FGV. Known fondly as “A Guru” within the firm, he’s an enthusiastic meditation practitioner who embarks on meditation retreats during holidays, inspiring the InDev team with his dedication.

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John Carroll

Chairman

John is a co-founder of AgDev, where he serves as chairman. John is a member of a 5th-generation farming family. He graduated from Western Illinois University in 2003 with a degree in Agribusiness and an MBA with a finance emphasis. John and his wife Kelly moved to Brazil to manage the farm that the Carroll family had recently acquired. John lived in Brazil for 10 years where the operation grew to include 25,000 acres of owned and leased row crop farmland, a cotton gin, and a business services which does consulting, accounting, and compliance work for other foreigners with investments in Brazil. John oversees long term strategic planning for the Brazil business. In the US business John manages the family’s sow farms in Illinois and Missouri. 

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David Weihs

Farmer Relations

David is a co-founder of AgDev and responsible for Farmer Relations. He graduated from Cornell University in Applied Economics and Management with a specialization in Agribusiness and Finance. Since 2005, he managed a land development project in Brazil and was involved in the early stages of several agribusinesses based in Iowa, focusing on agriculture, pork production, and dairy. In 2009, David began working with Carroll Farms Brazil, concentrating on analyzing expansion opportunities. He is now a co-owner of Carroll and is engaged in management at all levels. He has also collaborated with the Carroll family in Carthage, Illinois, on various occasions. David resides in Bahia and is married to Fabíola Weihs. They have three children.

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Beatriz Martinez

COO

Beatriz, co-founder and COO of AgDev, is responsible for day-to-day systems and operations. Originally from Spain, but has spent a significant amount of time in Brazil, where she co-founded InDev Capital, a merchant banking firm focused on real estate investments. Drawing from a background in architecture and urban planning, she previously collaborated with prominent developers like Brookfield, PDG, and Rossi on urban residential projects in São Paulo. Her academic achievements include a Bachelor’s in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Las Palmas Gran Canaria, Master’s Degree in Collective Housing from Polytechnic University of Madrid, from Escola da Cidade (Sao Paulo), along with a PhD in architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Campinas, São Paulo, investigating the financial and housing policy dynamics in comparison between São Paulo and Madrid. Fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, Beatriz’s aspiration to master meditation is challenged by her responsibilities as a mother of four young children.

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Carolina Ulloa

Investor Relations Associate

Carolina, the Executive Assistant and Investor Relations Associate at InDev Capital, spearheads global investor research, while providing comprehensive support to the CEO in various capacities including marketing campaigns, road shows, logistics, research, and investor meetings. With a prior 7-year stint at ProColombia in São Paulo, focusing on trade and tourism promotion between Colombia and Brazil, she brings valuable experience to her role. Carolina’s educational background includes a B.A. in Finance and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia, along with certificates in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and International Trade from American University. Holding Colombian and Brazilian dual citizenship, she’s proficient in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, embodying the eclectic spirit that aligns with the InDev team ethos.

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Tami Gongora

Marketing Associate

Tami is a pivotal member of our Marketing team, leveraging her background and talents to the fullest. Holding a B.A. with Honors in Psychology from Bethel College, KS, she also earned certificates in Neuroscience and Clinical & Counseling Studies from the same institution, where she stood out as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and received an academic scholarship. She also holds a postgraduate degree in Marketing from FGV, Brazil. While originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Tami spent considerable time in Kansas, where she completed her high school and college education, concurrently serving as a mental health Case Manager for Sedgwick County. In Brazil, she discovered her entrepreneurial skills by founding an English teaching business for teenagers and adults, progressing to instruct kindergarten students at a prestigious São Paulo school. Additionally, she dedicated three years as a Chapter Manager for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) of São Paulo. Surprisingly, Tami is also an aspiring actress, immersing herself in Theater studies since 2017.

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Juan Arteaga

Investor Relations Associate

Juan, a versatile professional and devoted father of two, brings rich expertise to his role at AgDev as Investor Relations and Research Associate. Fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, his diverse journey from Colombia to Maui, via Ecuador, São Paulo, and Florianopolis, has cultivated cultural insights. Educated across British and American schools, Juan is currently pursuing a Finance and Economics degree at Unisul. He also attended the University of Hawai’i Maui. Starting in water sports at 15, he gained hands-on experience in instruction, retail, and brand importation, including licensing for prominent national brands in Brazil. He expanded into equity markets in 2019, furthering his financial expertise, and embraced agriculture and farm finance in 2022. Juan’s entrepreneurial spirit and financial acumen adeptly navigate industry complexities, alongside his balanced approach to career and fatherhood.