Smart green VCs you should know
Here’s our list of smart green VCs in Europe that back startups in energy, mobility, cities, climate tech, advanced materials, food and circular economy to generate impact as well as environmental, financial and strategic returns for their fund investors. In the VC food chain, early stage investors prefer to invest, at lower valuations and higher risk, in the Seed and Series A financing rounds of young startups working on product market fit and traction (customers, revenues). Afterwards, late stage VCs join startup cap tables from Series B onwards, expecting more than €5M revenues, experienced management teams, positive unit economics and fast growth. Facing climate change, technology revolution and global competition, the majority of corporates are active in corporate venturing and open innovation to invest and cooperate with startups. As a result, VCs follow different investment strategies to build their portfolios that startups should know before pitching.
Read moreLumenaza raises €6.5M Series B from First Imagine and Tom Wolf
Smart green utility-in-a-box: Today Lumenaza announces the successful closing of their €6.5M Series B, led by First Imagine and the family office of Tom Wolf. The existing investors Future Energy Ventures and IBB Ventures made follow-on investments while EnBW New Ventures exited after a holding period of 5 years. The new capital enables the Berlin-based startup to accelerate its growth and international expansion and further develop its energy-as-a-service platform and services. Lumenaza is specialised in enabling new utilities and energy communities. Customers include E.ON, SMA and Envision Digital and partners include Greencom Networks. The software-as-a-service startup pitched at Ecosummit Berlin 2014 for the first time and, recently, at Ecosummit Zoom 3 November 2020 and Ecosummit Zoom 21 April 2021.
Read moreFresh capital for Skeleton, Tibber, The Fctr E, Tier, Dance, Greenbird, Pexapark, Dryad and Clim8
European smart green startups in energy, mobility and cities are en vogue among global investors and have recently closed new financing rounds. It’s about time to celebrate their progress and give you a quick summary of 9 transactions that have impressed us: Skeleton Technologies €41.3M Series D, Tibber $30M Series B, The Fctr E €10M Series A, Tier Mobility $250M Series C, Dance Mobility €15M Series A, Greenbird €5M Series B, Pexapark €6M Series B, Dryad Networks €1.8M Seed and Clim8 Invest £2.4M Seed Extension. Read on to learn why we think that these startups provide a lot of growth, environmental impact and financial return potential. We also note a growing number of serial entrepreneurs with exits who prefer to build a sustainable startup next to maximise their impact until 2030. That’s a really positive and inspiring trend.
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