Carbon Equity secures €6 million in funding from BlackFin, 4impact and other existing investors

• As the world’s first platform to unlock access to climate venture capital and private equity, Carbon Equity enables mass affluent and high net-worth investors to invest alongside top climate technology funds from low minimums
• Through Carbon Equity’s investment platform, individual investors power hundreds of climate technology companies from zero carbon steel to grid scale batteries.
• The capital will be used to scale up international expansion, grow distribution through (neo-)banks and wealth management platforms and lower minimums to €25,000

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AMSTERDAM, October 12, 2023 — Carbon Equity, the world’s first climate venture capital and private equity fund investing platform, has secured €6 million in its Series A round led by BlackFin Capital Partners, with participation from existing investor, 4impact. The company’s total funding now stands at €9 million.

The platform provides individuals the unique opportunity to back breakthrough climate tech companies by offering low minimum access to premier climate venture capital and private equity funds.

Carbon Equity has experienced strong growth, with its assets under management (AUM) increasing by 300% and its user base growing 100% since its last funding round in 2022. The fresh capital will fuel its European expansion, enhance distribution channels, and pave the way for its inaugural ELTIF fund, accessible from €25,000.

"At BlackFin, we’ve been following Jacqueline and the team from day 1 and were highly impressed by their vision and execution skills. As strong believers that democratization of investments in alternative assets is part of the future of asset management, we are pleased to be leading Carbon Equity’s Series A and support the company in its growth journey to bring impact investment products to a broader audience", states Pauline Brunel who led the round for BlackFin Capital Partners. 

Private market and sustainable investments are in demand

Per Bain & Company, individual investors possess about $150 trillion, or 50%, of the global AUM. However, they account for below 16% of AUM in alternative investment funds. The majority of investors, especially the mass affluent and high net-worth segments, have been sidelined due to high capital requirements (€2-10mln) and regulatory barriers.

Yet, 69% of the mass affluent category is keen on alternative investments. Simultaneously, interest in sustainable investing has skyrocketed. Morgan Stanley found that 85% of individual and 95% of millennial investors are looking into sustainable investments.

“We are seeing a generational shift in our perspective on money — from money purely as a goal in itself to money as a means to help solve global challenges and generate financial returns,” says Jacqueline van den Ende, Co-founder and CEO of Carbon Equity. “Carbon Equity unlocks the capital of individuals so they can help fund the innovations needed to solve climate change and become part-owners of the net zero economy.”

Bridging the investment gap

Carbon Equity simplifies private equity and venture capital access. “Private market investments can offer more impact than ESG stocks and our fund of funds allow individuals to tap into a portfolio of fast-growing climate tech companies,” says van den Ende.

With over 40 years of collective investment expertise, Carbon Equity handpicks funds designed to offer tangible climate impact and attractive risk-adjusted returns. Investors, through Carbon Equity, access leading climate funds that help power true climate solutions, including firms like Koloma, Form Energy, and Woltair.

According to our partner and co-founder Pauline Wink, Carbon Equity is ready for the next step and this new funding round will set further expansion in motion: 

“If there is one team to do this right and do it well, it is Jacqueline, Lara, Jeff and Liza. Every single person on the Carbon Equity team is passionate and dedicated to their mission of democratising climate investing and directing more capital to a good cause. We are pleased to welcome one of the world’s leading FinTech investors to support the next phase of their growth. In a system where the flow of capital can influence what does and does not happen, Carbon Equity is a force for the better! We are proud to be working alongside them to demonstrate that impact and financial returns can, and should, be aligned”. 

Expanding investor access

The new capital will empower Carbon Equity to roll out highly curated investment products, expand across Europe, and debut its ELTIF fund with minimum investments as low as €25,000.

About Carbon Equity

Carbon Equity is a venture-backed alternative investment platform operating across Europe. Carbon Equity aims to unlock capital from individual investors at the scale of billions to help solve the world’s greatest challenges, starting with climate change. By enabling small ticket access to leading climate venture capital and growth equity funds, Carbon Equity's investors can invest in broad portfolios of game-changing climate technology companies, from large-scale batteries to carbon-free cement. To date, Carbon Equity has won the trust of more than 550 investors who have invested over €150 million on its platform. Carbon Equity B.V. is registered with the AFM under article 2:66a of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act. As such, Carbon Equity and its funds are not subject to supervision by the AFM or DNB. 

For more information about Carbon Equity, visit its website or LinkedIn.

‍About BlackFin Capital Partners

BlackFin Capital Partners is an independent private equity and venture capital firm investing in European companies across financial services and technology, with more than $3bn in assets under management as of June 2023. BlackFin manages more than $600m in its venture strategy, and has invested in about 20 fast-growing fintechs and insurtechs to date. 

Read more: www.blackfin.com

‍About 4impact capital

4impact capital (4impact) is a leading impact investor in groundbreaking, early-stage digital startups in Europe. 4impact backs passionate founders who accelerate the transition to a sustainable world and drive meaningful and measurable change under one of its SDG-aligned investment pillars of environment, inclusion and health and well-being. 

Read more: www.4impact.vc