Sustainability
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ARTICLES (217)
The Rise Fund is a $2bn impact investing fund co-founded by U2 front man Bono, Bill McGlashan and Jeff Skoll. The fund has partnered with nonprofit consultancy The Bridgespan Group to develop an evidence-based model for quantifying the impact of the firm’s investments.The global impact investment vehicle is managed by TPGGrowth, part of the multibillion-dollar investment firm TPG that focuses on growth equity investments and mid-market buyouts. As of December 2019, the fund has deployed $1.4bn across its investment portfolio.
The Rise Fund is a $2bn impact investing fund co-founded by U2 front man Bono, Bill McGlashan and Jeff Skoll. The fund has partnered with nonprofit consultancy The Bridgespan Group to develop an evidence-based model for quantifying the impact of the firm’s investments.The global impact investment vehicle is managed by TPGGrowth, part of the multibillion-dollar investment firm TPG that focuses on growth equity investments and mid-market buyouts. As of December 2019, the fund has deployed $1.4bn across its investment portfolio.
Founded in 2018, Oslo-based Katapult Ocean is the first investor focused entirely on oceantech and related startups. The VC also operates a three-month accelerator and has invested in 32 startups from 17 countries worldwide.The VC typically invests at the seed or pre-seed level but in July 2020 it completed its first Series A round of $8.5m investment in Chilean social enterprise Betterfly. Other recent investments include the pre-seed rounds of US foodtech GreenCover and Dutch offshore solar tech SolarDuck.
Founded in 2018, Oslo-based Katapult Ocean is the first investor focused entirely on oceantech and related startups. The VC also operates a three-month accelerator and has invested in 32 startups from 17 countries worldwide.The VC typically invests at the seed or pre-seed level but in July 2020 it completed its first Series A round of $8.5m investment in Chilean social enterprise Betterfly. Other recent investments include the pre-seed rounds of US foodtech GreenCover and Dutch offshore solar tech SolarDuck.
The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, also known as Maharatna ONGC, is the largest crude oil and natural gas company in India, contributing around 75% of India’s domestic production. It has committed to carbon reduction initiatives and has 15 projects that can potentially reduce total emissions equivalent to 2.1m tons of CO2 annually. String Bio is its first tech startup investment, part of the Series A round in 2019.
The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, also known as Maharatna ONGC, is the largest crude oil and natural gas company in India, contributing around 75% of India’s domestic production. It has committed to carbon reduction initiatives and has 15 projects that can potentially reduce total emissions equivalent to 2.1m tons of CO2 annually. String Bio is its first tech startup investment, part of the Series A round in 2019.
Closed Loop Ventures is an early-stage investment fund focused on the development of the circular economy.
Closed Loop Ventures is an early-stage investment fund focused on the development of the circular economy.
Founded in 1999, TLCOM Capital now has offices in Kenya, Nigeria and the UK. Originally a global VC investor, its key investment objective now is to tackle Africa’s greatest challenges via its TIDE Africa Fund that was established in 2017.Total funding to date stands at $300m and investments range from $500,000 to $10m. It currently has 12 portfolio companies and has managed 13 exits. Recent investments include the $6m Series A round of Kenyan agro-focused insurtech PULA and the $7.5m Series A round of Nigerian edtech uLesson Education.
Founded in 1999, TLCOM Capital now has offices in Kenya, Nigeria and the UK. Originally a global VC investor, its key investment objective now is to tackle Africa’s greatest challenges via its TIDE Africa Fund that was established in 2017.Total funding to date stands at $300m and investments range from $500,000 to $10m. It currently has 12 portfolio companies and has managed 13 exits. Recent investments include the $6m Series A round of Kenyan agro-focused insurtech PULA and the $7.5m Series A round of Nigerian edtech uLesson Education.
Led by billionaire investors includings Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma, Michael Bloomberg and Richard Branson, US-based Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) is an energy tech innovation fund for highly-scalable tech with the potential to help cut net greenhouse gas emissions to zero. Since its founding in 2016, it has launched several funds, including the $1bn Breakthrough Energy Ventures initial fund and a $100m European fund. The entity employs scientists and has a model available to startups to identify sustainability opportunities in the US grid. It currently has 30 startups in its portfolio across technologies and geographies. Among its most recent investments in early 2021 are the $11.5m Series A round of US low-emission hydrogen producer C-Zero and in the $50m Series B round of US sustainable metal producer Boston Metals. In January 2021, BEV also closed a new round of another $1 billion to invest in up to 50 startups. The round saw the addition participation of several new investors including Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments, Shopify founder Tobias Lütke, property developer John Sobrato, of CEO of hedge fund Baupost Group Seth Klarman, founder of Tableau Software Chris Stolte and Walmart heir Sam Walton.
Led by billionaire investors includings Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma, Michael Bloomberg and Richard Branson, US-based Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) is an energy tech innovation fund for highly-scalable tech with the potential to help cut net greenhouse gas emissions to zero. Since its founding in 2016, it has launched several funds, including the $1bn Breakthrough Energy Ventures initial fund and a $100m European fund. The entity employs scientists and has a model available to startups to identify sustainability opportunities in the US grid. It currently has 30 startups in its portfolio across technologies and geographies. Among its most recent investments in early 2021 are the $11.5m Series A round of US low-emission hydrogen producer C-Zero and in the $50m Series B round of US sustainable metal producer Boston Metals. In January 2021, BEV also closed a new round of another $1 billion to invest in up to 50 startups. The round saw the addition participation of several new investors including Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments, Shopify founder Tobias Lütke, property developer John Sobrato, of CEO of hedge fund Baupost Group Seth Klarman, founder of Tableau Software Chris Stolte and Walmart heir Sam Walton.
Founded in 1904, Duke Energy is a North Carolina-based utilities company that has the objective of zero methane emissions by 2030. It occasianally invests in US tech startups looking to offset greenhouse gas emissions and has invested in four startups to date. Its most recent investments were in the $50m 2020 Series C round of SOURCE Global (formerly Zero Mass Water), the premier off-grid drinking water production tech using solar-powered panels, and in the 2019 $5m round of energy management software producer Phoenix ET.
Founded in 1904, Duke Energy is a North Carolina-based utilities company that has the objective of zero methane emissions by 2030. It occasianally invests in US tech startups looking to offset greenhouse gas emissions and has invested in four startups to date. Its most recent investments were in the $50m 2020 Series C round of SOURCE Global (formerly Zero Mass Water), the premier off-grid drinking water production tech using solar-powered panels, and in the 2019 $5m round of energy management software producer Phoenix ET.
SEEDS Capital is the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore supporting locally based startups that have innovative technologies and global market potential. Sectors of focus include advanced manufacturing & engineering, health & biomedical sciences, urban sustainability & solutions, fintech, artificial intelligence and agritech. SEEDS currently works with more than 500 deep tech startups, and over 40 incubators, accelerators and venture capital firms.
SEEDS Capital is the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore supporting locally based startups that have innovative technologies and global market potential. Sectors of focus include advanced manufacturing & engineering, health & biomedical sciences, urban sustainability & solutions, fintech, artificial intelligence and agritech. SEEDS currently works with more than 500 deep tech startups, and over 40 incubators, accelerators and venture capital firms.
Founded in 2009, Septwolves Venture Capital is a subsidiary of Septwolves Holding Group Co Ltd. The VC firm currently manages assets worth RMB 1bn.Focusing on investment opportunities in the communications and other traditional industries like logistics, Septwolves also invests in diverse sectors including mobile internet, energy, food, pharmaceutical, textile and software.
Founded in 2009, Septwolves Venture Capital is a subsidiary of Septwolves Holding Group Co Ltd. The VC firm currently manages assets worth RMB 1bn.Focusing on investment opportunities in the communications and other traditional industries like logistics, Septwolves also invests in diverse sectors including mobile internet, energy, food, pharmaceutical, textile and software.
Founded in 2016, Goldacre is a real-estate focused investor with a £2bn asset management business as part of the Noé Group, investing in British, EU and Israeli startups in that segment. It also operates the intensive proptech accelerator RElab with three editions to date, each time investing £100,000 in participating startups. The company does not divulge its full portfolio details but its most recent investments include in the summer 2020 a $9m Series A round of Israeli sustainable concrete tech ECOncrete and in the $7.8m June 2020 Series A round of Spanish hyperloop engineer Zeleros.
Founded in 2016, Goldacre is a real-estate focused investor with a £2bn asset management business as part of the Noé Group, investing in British, EU and Israeli startups in that segment. It also operates the intensive proptech accelerator RElab with three editions to date, each time investing £100,000 in participating startups. The company does not divulge its full portfolio details but its most recent investments include in the summer 2020 a $9m Series A round of Israeli sustainable concrete tech ECOncrete and in the $7.8m June 2020 Series A round of Spanish hyperloop engineer Zeleros.
bp ventures is an investment arm of the energy group BP with an annual venture investment budget between $150m and $200m. The group invests in new energy solutions, with over 30 startups’ investments in its portfolio supporting BP’s core business in oil and gas.bp ventures has increasingly invested over the past years in carbon-management technologies, low-carbon products, and advanced mobility through EV charging companies like the Chinese Shanghai PowerShare Tech and the California-based FreeWire Technologies.
bp ventures is an investment arm of the energy group BP with an annual venture investment budget between $150m and $200m. The group invests in new energy solutions, with over 30 startups’ investments in its portfolio supporting BP’s core business in oil and gas.bp ventures has increasingly invested over the past years in carbon-management technologies, low-carbon products, and advanced mobility through EV charging companies like the Chinese Shanghai PowerShare Tech and the California-based FreeWire Technologies.
Enagás Emprende, part of the Spanish Transmission System Operator (TS) Enagás, is an investment venture backing and accelerating technology-based startups in their scale-up phase. Its portfolio investment mainly includes companies providing renewable gases, green hydrogen, and biomethane, but also sustainable mobility and energy efficiency. With 50 years of experience in energy infrastructures across Spain, the US, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Albania, Greece and Italy, Enagás provides its portfolio startups with mentoring and expertise acting as investors, clients and industry partners.
Enagás Emprende, part of the Spanish Transmission System Operator (TS) Enagás, is an investment venture backing and accelerating technology-based startups in their scale-up phase. Its portfolio investment mainly includes companies providing renewable gases, green hydrogen, and biomethane, but also sustainable mobility and energy efficiency. With 50 years of experience in energy infrastructures across Spain, the US, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Albania, Greece and Italy, Enagás provides its portfolio startups with mentoring and expertise acting as investors, clients and industry partners.
The Gassó family is a Spanish entreprenurial family known for its GAES auditive solutions and centers for the hearing-impaired, in existence since 1949. Though the family has many charitable interests, it had not disclosed any investments in tech startups until leading the 2019 seed round of biotech startup VEnvirotech, which produces bioplastics from corporates’ organic waste.
The Gassó family is a Spanish entreprenurial family known for its GAES auditive solutions and centers for the hearing-impaired, in existence since 1949. Though the family has many charitable interests, it had not disclosed any investments in tech startups until leading the 2019 seed round of biotech startup VEnvirotech, which produces bioplastics from corporates’ organic waste.
Beyond Investing is a Geneva-based firm investing in early-stage venture capital and equity growth startups mainly in European developed markets. With average investments of €200,000, the firm’s core investment strategy focuses on sustainability with an investment period lasting 5–10 years.The impact investor targets innovative startups involved in vegan, cruelty-free and plant-based alternatives; biotechnologies, foodtech, new materials, clothing and lifestyle sectors. Successful portfolio foodtechs include Mosa Meat, BlueNalu and Shiok Meats.With a team of vegan finance professionals in the US and Europe, Beyond Investing listed the first US Vegan Climate ETF (VEGN) on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2019. The ETF tracks Beyond Investing’s US Vegan Climate Index which covers an index of 495 of the largest-capitalization companies in the US stock market. The ethical investment option aims to exclude stocks in companies with activities that are not aligned with its vegan-themed, cruelty-free and fossil-fuel-free investing ethos.
Beyond Investing is a Geneva-based firm investing in early-stage venture capital and equity growth startups mainly in European developed markets. With average investments of €200,000, the firm’s core investment strategy focuses on sustainability with an investment period lasting 5–10 years.The impact investor targets innovative startups involved in vegan, cruelty-free and plant-based alternatives; biotechnologies, foodtech, new materials, clothing and lifestyle sectors. Successful portfolio foodtechs include Mosa Meat, BlueNalu and Shiok Meats.With a team of vegan finance professionals in the US and Europe, Beyond Investing listed the first US Vegan Climate ETF (VEGN) on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2019. The ETF tracks Beyond Investing’s US Vegan Climate Index which covers an index of 495 of the largest-capitalization companies in the US stock market. The ethical investment option aims to exclude stocks in companies with activities that are not aligned with its vegan-themed, cruelty-free and fossil-fuel-free investing ethos.
Since 2005, Demeter Partners has been one of the major VC and private equity funds supporting technology companies in developing solutions for ecological and energy transitions. The firm typically invests €1m–€30m in early and growth stages of startups. With assets worth over €1bn under management, its portfolio in 2019 was estimated to have cut 4.3m tons of CO2 with 575 GWh of clean energy produced. In 2021, Demeter was named the “Best Sustainable Equity investor” by a panel of former Fortune 500 individuals, global experts and industry leaders to recognize Demeter’s commitment to the UN’s SDG and ESG strategy.
Since 2005, Demeter Partners has been one of the major VC and private equity funds supporting technology companies in developing solutions for ecological and energy transitions. The firm typically invests €1m–€30m in early and growth stages of startups. With assets worth over €1bn under management, its portfolio in 2019 was estimated to have cut 4.3m tons of CO2 with 575 GWh of clean energy produced. In 2021, Demeter was named the “Best Sustainable Equity investor” by a panel of former Fortune 500 individuals, global experts and industry leaders to recognize Demeter’s commitment to the UN’s SDG and ESG strategy.
Europe ramps up development of local EV battery sector in race to zero emissions
Startups, automakers jostle or unite to ride the fast-growing EV battery market, as the EU pumps billions into developing its own value chain, to cut reliance on imports
Cogo: Tech that helps you cut your real-time carbon footprint through daily choices
Currently operating in New Zealand, Australia and the UK, Cogo is raising $20m to bring its emissions tracking technology to companies and consumers in Asia, Europe and the US
TheVentures founders launch Singapore VC to drive deals in Southeast Asia
The Korean Viki co-founders return to Singapore as venture builders and investors, offering South Korean partnerships and “CTO-as-a-service” in Southeast Asia
SWITCH Singapore 2021: Tapping the $1tn sustainability market in Southeast Asia
Falling costs and simplified deployment of sustainability solutions will help boost adoption, especially in underprivileged communities
SWITCH Singapore 2021: How startups, corporates and government can co-create smart cities
The next generation of adaptive spaces will harness big data, deep tech and analytics to respond intelligently to both changing environments and human needs, says an expert panel
Yali Bio: Recreating a juicy steak in plant-based alternatives
Founded by the former head of Impossible Foods’ pilot plant, this Bay Area genomics and foodtech startup is one of the first to engineer a better fat for plant-based meat
QOA: Gourmet guilt-free chocolate, without the cocoa
Munich-based QOA transforms industrial food waste into vegan chocolate, enabling consumers to avoid the sustainability and ethical issues of cocoa production
Forget solar panels and batteries, Bioo wants to scale soil bioelectricity generation
Improving on NASA’s microbial fuel cell tech, Bioo hopes to boost crop efficiency and transform the way urbanites live, in future green cities powered by plants
OLIO: Zero food waste app expands with new product categories, going global
Recent $43m Series B funding will let sustainability app more than triple hiring, add homemade products and household goods to product listings
Verkor: Accelerating low‑carbon battery production in France
French startup Verkor aims to raise up to €1.3bn by the end of next year to finance its first Gigafactory producing sustainable lithium-ion batteries for the European market
South Summit wants to go global, as it launches Brazilian chapter
CEO Marta del Castillo on South Summit’s LatAm, Asia expansion plans; its net-zero pledge; her new role as co-head to further drive growth and more
Smart Agrifood 2021: SVG Ventures's Hartnett, Land O'Lakes's Bekele on disruption in agrifood chain
How US farming cooperative Land O'Lakes and leading CPG brands are working with famers and tech firms to overcome agritech challenges, transform the whole value chain
Smart Agrifood Summit 2021: A global innovation ecosystem is needed to catch up with other sectors
Investors from SVG Ventures/THRIVE, Pinduoduo and others agree that players must join forces to boost agrifood tech investment, internationally and across the value chain
Forward Fooding: Ranking the world's agrifood startups on success and sustainability
The collaborative platform has opened applications for its FoodTech500 global ranking of agrifood startups; counts over 7,000 startups and scaleups mapped so far
Good Startup: Alt-protein products can be better than real meat
The investor of Eat Just, Ripple Foods and more expects its portfolio companies will exit in the next four to six years, mostly through acquisition
