Pioneers in Cleantech
In spending at least 10 years on our advisory boards, these groups have shown their commitment to the mission
BDC Capital is the investment arm of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) that provides venture capital (VC), growth and transition capital, and growth equity investments to support Canadian innovators and growing firms. For more than 80 years, they’ve provided a wide range of risk capital solutions to support small and medium-sized cleantech companies.
BNP Paribas Asset Management is the investment‐management arm of the BNP Paribas Group, offering a wide range of products for individuals, corporates, and institutional clients globally. It emphasizes sustainability in its strategy—embedding ESG criteria and focusing on long‐term sustainable returns through its core capabilities like high conviction active strategies, private assets, emerging markets, multi‐asset, and liquidity solutions.
Capricorn Partners is an independent European investment firm that manages both venture and growth capital and quoted equity funds focused on innovative companies leveraging technology for competitive advantage. They invest primarily in digital, health, and clean/cleantech sectors across Europe (particularly Benelux), combining financial return with positive societal and environmental impact.
Carbon Trust is a global climate consultancy that helps businesses, governments, and financial institutions turn net-zero goals into action through strategy, policy advice, target-setting, carbon footprint verification, labelling, and decarbonization programs. Their mission is to accelerate the move to a decarbonized future.
Chrysalix Venture Capital is a global early-stage VC firm focused on industrial innovation, investing in breakthrough technologies and intelligent systems that help resource-intensive industries (like mining, steel, cement, energy, transport, etc.) become more efficient, sustainable, and differentiated. Its mission also involves building a strong ecosystem of industrial, financial, and academic partners to help start–ups scale, shorten commercialization timelines, and deploy solutions that help hard-to-abate sectors achieve carbon neutrality.
Cycle Capital is an impact-focused VC firm based in Montreal, founded in 2009, that invests in clean and climate technologies that tackle major ecological challenges across North America and Europe. Their strategy emphasizes measurable environmental impact (especially reducing GHG emissions, optimizing resource use, improving process efficiency), and they support entrepreneurs via initiatives such as the Cycle Momentum accelerator, the Circular Innovation Fund, and rigorous ESG and impact assessment throughout investment.
Demeter is a leading European investment firm focused on the energy and ecological transition, deploying venture capital, private equity, and infrastructure capital across all development stages—from start-ups through scale-ups and mid-caps to infrastructure projects. With ~€1.3B under management, Demeter has completed some 230 investments over ~17 years, embedding ESG and sustainable impact alongside financial returns.
Emerald Technology Ventures is a VC firm founded in 2000, based in Zurich, Toronto, and Singapore, that invests in industrial-climate technologies—such as energy, water, advanced materials, industrial IT, mobility and packaging—to accelerate sustainability and the energy transition. They manage over €1B in assets across multiple funds and mandates, and act as an “open innovation” partner for corporations, helping start-ups scale and large companies adapt through technology-driven industrial transformation.
ENGIE New Ventures is the corporate VC arm of the ENGIE Group, founded in 2014, with over €250M in funding to make minority investments in cleantech start-ups that help digitize, decarbonize, and decentralize the energy sector. It targets companies in growth phases Series A/B, seeks technologies or business models that provide strategic value to ENGIE’s business units, and works closely with portfolio firms to help them scale globally.
ETF Partners is a European VC firm founded in 2005, specializing in early-stage investments in companies that deliver sustainability through innovation. With a focus on sectors such as smart cities, smart industry, and smart energy, ETF Partners has raised o
Eurazeo is a global investment group headquartered in Paris, managing €36.8B in diversified assets across private equity, private debt, real estate, and infrastructure strategies. The firm specializes in mid-market and growth segments, focusing on building European champions with global ambitions, and is committed to profitable impact-driven companies, leveraging a scientific approach to address environmental, social, and societal issues.
Kiko Ventures is a London-based, evergreen VC firm backed by IP Group, specializing in early-stage, science-based climate technology start-ups. With a flexible capital structure, Kiko supports companies from research breakthroughs to large-scale climate impact, focusing on sectors like decarbonization, energy, and sustainable materials.
Marathon Capital is a leading independent investment bank founded in 1999, specializing in financial advisory services for the clean economy, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, project finance, and tax equity. Founded in 1999, the firm has played a pivotal role in numerous transformative transactions within the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors.
Piva Capital is a San Francisco–based VC firm founded in 2019, focusing on early- to growth-stage investments in transformative energy and industrial technologies across North America and Europe. Backed by Malaysian energy giant Petronas, Piva operates independently and targets companies at the intersection of scientific breakthroughs and mass-market impact, with a particular emphasis on sectors such as energy transition, electrification, automation, and advanced materials.
SET Ventures is a VC firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, established in 2007, dedicated to accelerating the transition to a carbon-free energy system. The firm recently closed its fourth fund at €200M, aiming to invest in 20–25 European start-ups that develop digital technologies facilitating the adoption of renewable energy solutions.
Silicon Valley Bank SVB, founded in 1983 in California, is a pioneering financial institution that specializes in serving start-ups, VC firms, and innovation-driven companies, helping fuel the growth of the tech ecosystem. Known for its deep expertise in innovation finance, SVB plays a critical role in supporting entrepreneurs and scaling emerging businesses globally.
Taylor Wessing is an international law firm specializing in technology, media, life sciences, and private wealth, serving clients across 28 offices in 17 countries. Recognized for its innovative approach, the firm advises some of the world’s leading brands, start-ups, and high-net-worth individuals, offering expertise in areas such as intellectual property, corporate law, and data protection.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati WSGR is a leading U.S. law firm headquartered in California, with 17 offices worldwide and over 1,000 attorneys. Founded in 1961, the firm specializes in corporate law, intellectual property, and litigation, serving technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises globally. It is devoted to development of energy and clean technologies and projects.
World Fund is a Berlin-based VC firm founded in 2021, dedicated to investing in European climate tech start-ups with the potential to reduce at least 100 million tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually. The firm focuses on key emission-intensive sectors such as energy, food & agriculture, manufacturing, buildings, and transport, aiming to bridge critical funding gaps from Seed to Series B stages.
Zouk Capital is a London-based private equity and infrastructure fund manager founded in 1999, specializing in sustainable investments across Europe, the U.S., India, and Africa. With approximately €1B in assets under management, the firm focuses on sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and climate technology, aiming to deliver both financial returns and environmental impact.