Ecosummit Ventures

Investing in smart green startups to save our climate and planet

Ecosummit Ventures is the brand of our angel investments, it’s not a fund. Since 2019, we made 6 angel investments and follow-ons in Dendra Systems, Nexwafe, Aerones, Sunvigo, Solar for Schools and Clim8 reinvesting profits from organising our conferences. The startups are led by outstanding CEOs and fundraise again in 2024. We look forward to meeting more smart green investors in their cap tables soon. We plan new angel investments in the future to generate environmental, financial and strategic returns and maximise our impact until 2030.

Our Ecoportfolio

Angel investment in 01.2019 – $10M Series A in 09.2020

We’re very happy that Dendra raised $10M Series A led by Airbus Ventures on 16 September 2020. In January 2019, Ecosummit made our first angel investment of £50K (plus £20K follow-on) with a convertible note in the bridge round of Dendra Systems. The Oxford-based smart green startup provides ecosystem restoration as a service to its customers in the mining, oil & gas and food & beverage industries. We got to know Dendra via our Ecosummit sponsor Systemiq that invested in March 2018. After our initial call we visited their HQ in Oxford in December 2018 and were very impressed by Founder CEO Susan Graham and her brilliant and diverse team of ecologists and technologists. On 8 February 2021, Dendra launched Gen 3, “the new generation of aerial technology, including systems and drones, that will revolutionise our capabilities to restore ecosystems at scale.” Dendra will play a big role for our climate and planet and is one of the most impactful startups we can think of.



Angel investment in Series B 12.2020 – €39M Series C in 10.2021

Update 12 October 2021: Nexwafe raises €39M Series C led by Reliance Industries. Solar is by far the most important renewable energy on planet Earth. It is worthwhile to optimise solar economics and sustainability to accelerate the demand for solar systems. Nexwafe designs, develops and pilots a green solar wafer production process to make the PV industry more sustainable and efficient. The strategy is to go to market together with multiple strategic partners to reduce CAPEX and scale faster. In December 2020, we made our 5th angel investment participating with €50K (plus €20K follow-on) in the €10M Series B of the Freiburg-based solar deeptech startup. The new monocrystalline silicon wafers will be low-carbon, high-efficiency and price competitive, enabling a “Nexwafe inside” strategy to get embedded in the leading global solar cell and module manufacturers. The better the input (wafers), the better the output (cells and modules). We’re very happy and proud to work with CEO Davor Sutija and Chairman Bart Markus to maximise the impact of green solar wafers on our climate and planet. In 2015, Nexwafe was spun out from the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.



Angel investment in 11.2021 – $30M Series A in 01.2023

Update 16 January 2023: Aerones raises $30M Series A led by Lightrock and Haniel. In November 2021, we made our 6th angel investment of $100K in Aerones, the Riga-based wind turbine maintenance service provider minimising downtime with the help of smart robots and software developed inhouse. Aerones graduated from Y Combinator in 2018, is backed by Future Positive Capital and Change Ventures and is powered by a team of over 250 employees. Aerones works for the leading wind turbine manufacturers, wind park operators and asset owners and grows fast.




Angel investment in Seed 10.2020 – €10M Series A in 02.2022

Update 8 February 2022: Sunvigo raises €10M Series A led by Eneco Ventures. Solar is by far the most important renewable energy on planet Earth. To grow the number of PV systems on global rooftops a lot faster, we have to make the solar purchase decision and PV system operations as simple as possible for consumers. The solution is to package the complex bundle of solar technology, financing, installation, operations and insurance into a super easy solar electricity tariff provided by a new smart solar utility. Sunvigo are the new kids on the block, in this case the residential solar market in Germany. After aggregating a strong partner network including a smart meter operator and several PV installers, the Cologne-based solar-as-a-service startup already have their first happy customers making their own solar power at home while paying only their monthly electricity bill. Most importantly, the 3 co-founders Vigen Nikogosian, Michael Peters and Bastian Bauwens are a great team: intelligent, well educated, modest and ambitious, with impressive track records and highly motivated to maximise their impact until 2030. That’s why Ecosummit invested €50K in the €500K Seed round together with Zurich-based Übermorgen Ventures and other smart green angels. Update 30 July 2021: Sunvigo raised around €3M from a new private investor with participation of existing investors HTGF and Übermorgen as well as €2.5M asset financing from Deutsche Kreditbank (DKB).


Angel investment in 05.2019

In May 2019, Ecosummit made our second angel investment of £15K (plus £10K follow-on) into Solar for Schools that brings solar systems to our schools and sustainability education to our kids empowering the next generation to fight climate change. Founder CEO Robert Schrimpff is a long-time friend and soul brother, a serial entrepreneur with 2 exits and an ex-VC, too. Solar for Schools is Robert’s third startup and we absolutely believe in his mission and execution skills. Solar for Schools is currently raising their Series A and pitched at Ecosummit Zoom 2 September 2020.



Angel investment in Seed 12.2019

In December 2019, Ecosummit made our third angel investment in the Seed round of Clim8, a smart green investment community in the UK. Clim8 is a simple way to invest in a sustainable portfolio of carefully selected companies already making a positive impact on climate change. Founder CEO Duncan Grierson is a serial entrepreneur and ex-VC who decided to build a fintech startup to fight climate change rather than raising a VC fund. Unfortunately, Clim8 went out of business in 2023 due to the difficult market environment.

About Jan Michael Hess


Jan is Founder and CEO of Ecosummit, angel investor and advisor. Our mission is maximising our impact until 2030. Ecosummit accelerates smart green startups and investors in climate tech, energy, mobility and cities to decarbonise our economy, electrify our planet and save our climate. Our unique 2-day pitch event enables fundraising, lead and co-investing, portfolio development, corporate venturing, open innovation and M&A. Since 2010, we organised 23 conferences, 23 online events and published 1.400 videos on Youtube. Prior to founding Mobile Economy in 2000, Jan worked for Pixelpark, Icon Medialab and Ciao as Strategy Consultant, Senior Project Manager and Head of Marketing and Sales. Holding a business degree from the University of Mannheim, he lives in Berlin and Barcelona with his wife Simone and their son Mateo and is a big fan of Jazz, Japan and sports (padel, yoga, mountain biking, kayaking, swimming, basketball and hiking).

Linkedin – jan@ecosummit.net – +4917621208417