In the ever-evolving landscape of climate change mitigation, venture capital firms play a pivotal role in supporting innovative startups dedicated to environmental sustainability. These firms not only provide crucial funding but also bring strategic guidance and expertise to propel climate tech solutions forward. Green.org gives a glimpse into the top ten climate tech venture capital firms leading the charge in fostering green innovation.
Top Ten Climate Tech Venture Capital Firms
Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV)
Founded by Bill Gates and other influential investors, BEV focuses on early-stage companies driving breakthroughs in clean energy, agriculture, and transportation. Read Breakthrough Energy Venture‘s interactive report on the companies and technologies at the cutting edge of our clean energy future.
Khosla Ventures
Led by renowned investor Vinod Khosla, this firm has a strong emphasis on cleantech and has backed numerous companies working on renewable energy, energy storage, and sustainable materials. Khosla Ventures focuses on investing in: Consumer goods, Enterprise, FinTech, Frontier, MedTech, Digital Health, Therapeutics, and Sustainability.
Nomura Green Tech Capital
Nomura is a global financial services group with an integrated network spanning over 30 countries and regions. By connecting markets East & West, Nomura services the needs of individuals, institutions, corporates and governments through its three business divisions: Retail, Wholesale (Global Markets and Investment Banking), and Investment Management. Founded in 1925, the firm is built on a tradition of disciplined entrepreneurship, serving clients with creative solutions and considered thought leadership. Check out Nomura’s goals and commitments when it comes to sustainability here.
Energy Impact Partners (EIP)
EIP collaborates with leading energy utilities to invest in and accelerate the growth of startups working on innovative solutions for a cleaner and more efficient energy system. EIP is focused on investing in exceptional companies decarbonizing the global economy, with the goal to bring together brilliant entrepreneurs and some of the world’s most influential corporates to help transform the global economy towards a sustainable future.
Obvious Ventures
With a mission to support world-positive change, Obvious Ventures invests in companies that align with their values, including those focusing on clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and circular economy solutions. According to Obvious Ventures:
We believe the largest companies of our time will utilize breakthrough technologies to solve systemic problems in a profitable and scalable way. As entrepreneurs we’ve helped grow household names like Apple, Twitter, and Patagonia. As investors we’ve helped build world positive category disruptors like Beyond Meat, Virta Health, and Diamond Foundry. First and foremost, we’re product designers and company operators, and we are on a mission to support purpose-driven entrepreneurs.
Obvious Ventures
https://obvious.com/
Clean Energy Ventures
This venture capital firm targets early-stage startups revolutionizing the energy sector, with a particular focus on technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance energy efficiency. Clean Energy Ventures invests in companies commercializing disruptive advanced energy technologies and business model innovations. For CEV, investing in climatetech isn’t new; their leadership has been investing successfully in early-stage climatetech companies for over 15 years, with the goal to work to help their investments achieve significant scale to address global climate change.
Aster Capital
Operating at the intersection of energy, mobility, and industry, Aster Capital supports companies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy, with a global portfolio of innovative startups. Aster is a Climate Tech VC with two decades of experience, specialized in hard-to-abate sectors. They work to fast-track their founders’ vision through deep industry expertise, and by giving them immediate access to mentorship and a global network.
Cyclotron Road
While not a VC Firm, as an innovation platform, Cyclotron Road empowers the world’s top science innovators to advance their ideas from concept to viable first product. Cyclotron Road works in close partnership with an independent non-profit, Activate, which provides specialized entrepreneurship training and a curriculum designed to help innovators bring their innovations to market.
Capricorn Investment Group
Known for its commitment to sustainability, Capricorn Investment Group invests in companies working on clean energy, water conservation, and sustainable agriculture, fostering positive environmental impact. Driving positive environmental and social impact through their clients’ portfolios, in alignment with their mission, has been at the core of Capricorn’s investment philosophy since inception. Check out Capricorn Investment Group’s impact here.
True Ventures
While not exclusively focused on climate tech, True Ventures has made significant investments in companies developing disruptive technologies that contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.
Top Ten Climate Tech Venture Capital Firms
These venture capital firms are at the forefront of financing and nurturing groundbreaking climate tech startups. Their commitment to environmental sustainability goes beyond financial gain, reflecting a shared dedication to addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change. As these firms continue to support and catalyze innovation, the future holds promise for transformative technologies that can reshape our world for the better.
