- 6
- September
2023
Smart green VCs you should know
There are many smart green VCs in Europe and the US that back startups in energy, mobility, buildings, cities, materials, food and circular economy to create impact as well as environmental, financial and strategic returns for their fund investors (LPs). In the VC food chain, early stage investors prefer to invest, at lower valuations and higher risk, in the Seed, Series A and Series B financing rounds of young startups working on product market fit and traction (users, customers, revenues). On the other hand, late stage VCs like shorter holding periods and time-to-exit and, consequently, advanced startups with more than €5M revenues, experienced management teams and fast growth. The existence of KPIs, ideally going up over time, makes the life of every investor easier. Facing climate change, technology revolution and global competition, the majority of corporates have adopted corporate venturing and open innovation strategies in order to invest in and do business with startups. The result are different investment strategies and sometimes competing portfolios that startups should know before pitching. Let’s co-invest and meet at Ecosummit Berlin 4-5 June 2024.
Read more- 9
- February
2022
Instagrid raises €29M Series B led by Energy Impact Partners
The Instagrid success story continues and reaches the next level. In February 2020, we wrote a groovy story on the €8.5M Series A and how Sebastian Berning and Andreas Sedlmayr launched their mobile battery startup and met their lead investor SET Ventures at Ecosummit Berlin 2019, our 10-year anniversary. Today, we’re happy to break the news that Energy Impact Partners (EIP) leads Instagrid’s massive €29M Series B as the only new investor. With $2B AUM EIP itself is pretty massive, too. Hans Kobler and Matthias Dill invest in Instagrid both from their US and EU funds as they plan to share returns and the mobile battery business opportunity with their global LPs. The Ludwigsburg-based startup provides portable green power to professionals and mobile lifestyle optimisers in all kinds of offgrid situations, including construction sites, ubiquitous events, smart forests or sustainable picknicks in the park enhanced by electric BBQs and powerful sound systems.
Read more- 24
- February
2021
Ecosummit Zoom 21 April 2021
On my 50th birthday, we meet online to celebrate together the smart green founders and investors writing success stories while saving our climate and planet. It is our pleasure to invite our friends and customers to the very special Ecosummit Zoom 21 April 2021 which is free and invitation-only, just like any other good birthday party. First, 5 impactful speakers unmute themselves to share good news: Ernesto Garnier (Einhundert), Christoph Frei (Emerald Technology Ventures), Christian Chudoba (Lumenaza), Matthias Dill (Energy Impact Partners) and Thomas Goette (Greenpocket). Afterwards, Rune Theill introduces the Rockstart Energy Showcase 2021 featuring 9 new portfolio companies: Bhaskar Deol (eDRV), Roby Moyano (Bia), Joury de Reuver (Soolutions), Christopher Jackson (Advanced Infrastructure), Golam Sadeghnia (OKTO), Rolf Bastiaanssen (Starke Energy), Mads Emil Dalsgaard (Klimate), Christoph Buchli (Helio) and Erik Nijveld (TechnologyCatalogue). Finally, we enjoy a distributed birthday party to foster our friendship and cooperation. Please send us an email to request your invitation to Ecosummit Zoom 21 April 2021. It’s time to make smart green business and have some fun.
Read more- 8
- November
2016
Statkraft Ventures teams up with ETF Partners and leads $5M Series A in Greenbird from Norway
Ubiquitous smart meters are a key infrastructure component for the smart green utilities of the future because they generate a lot of valuable data and enable new energy services and dynamic pricing. In fact, it is a surprise that smart meter rollouts happen rather slowly in most countries due to slow regulators and hesitant utilities that are not yet ready to make substantial upfront investments in millions of smart meters that may bring more economic benefits to consumers than to the utilities themselves. Luckily, the Nordic countries and their resident startups have a headstart. Today, Düsseldorf-based corporate VC Statkraft Ventures leads the $5M Series A in Greenbird teaming up with London-based ETF Partners who were on the top of their potential co-investor list. The Norwegian energy IoT startup is Statkraft’s second investment this year after DEPsys from Switzerland in June.
Read more