The Global Development Co-operative (GDC) was launched by the worldwide co-operative movement to support co-operative businesses in developing countries by raising US$50m to provide access to low cost loans for capital and infrastructure projects. The new investment concept has been developed by the UK’s The Co-operative Bank – part of the world’s largest consumer co-operative – and the ICA because funding for such businesses is often scarce since traditional lenders are either not active in this market, do not sufficiently understand the co-operative business model, or because businesses have limited collateral to put forward.