ESG and Sustainability
The rise of ESG factors in investment decision making will have a dramatic impact on returns and opportunities in the 21st century. A recent survey by LGT Capital Partners and Mercer showed that 57% of respondents believe that incorporating ESG standards into investment decisions will raise returns. Just 9% argued they reduce returns on investment.
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Revaia, Europe’s largest female-founded venture capital firm, has successfully raised €150 million ($160 million) for its second fund, Revaia Growth II. The funding was secured from sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and institutional investors across Europe, with support from existing partners like Bpifrance and new backers such as mutual insurer Carac and the European Investment Fund.
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More Stories on ESG and Sustainability
Venture Capital/ESG: Blackstone Invests $400M In Carbon Platform Xpansiv
Blackstone announced that funds managed by Blackstone Energy Partners have invested $400 million in Xpansiv Limited, a market infrastructure platform for carbon and environmental commodities, as a strategic investment.
Venture Capital: BASF Invests In VC Climentum Capital To Develop CO2 Reducing Technology
BASF Venture Capital GmbH, the corporate venture arm of BASF (ETR: BAS), has invested in Climentum Capital’s first €150 million venture fund focusing on CO2 emission reductions. Other investors in the fund include Danish growth fund Vaekstfonden and Arbejdernes Landsbank, corporate investors, banks, industrial conglomerates as well as prominent family offices and successful tech entrepreneurs.
Alternative Investments/ESG: VanEck Launches European ETF Focusing On Sustainable Food Megatrend
The VanEck Sustainable Future of Food UCITS ETF has been listed on London Stock Exchange in US dollars (VEGI LN) and pound sterling (VEGB LN) as well as on Deutsche Börse Xetra in euros (VE6I GY). This new ETF will look for opportunities in plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, vertical farming, precision agriculture, functional ingredients, and vegan organic and health foods.
Venture Capital: Volvo’s Venture Arm Invests In Optibus, Which Optimizes Public Transportation
Volvo Group Venture Capital AB, the corporate venture arm of the Volvo Group (STO: VOLV-B), has invested an undisclosed amount in Optibus Ltd, a software platform for making transportation more efficient and sustainable. The investment is expected to accelerate the digitalization and electrification of the global public transportation sector, given that the Optibus platform is used in 1,000 cities in 26 countries globally.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Franklin Templeton Launches ETF Focused On Emerging Market Debt, Catholic Principles, And Sustainability
Franklin Templeton has launched the Catholic Principles Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt Ucits ETF. It will invest in both euro and dollar denominated sovereign debt issued by emerging market countries, but with an emphasis on Catholic principles and values. The ETF listed on the Deutsche Boerse, the Borsa Italiana, and the London Stock Exchange.
Artificial Intelligence/ESG: Invesco Launches Corporate Bond ESG Multi-Factor ETFs In Europe
Two new ETFs from Invesco that allow investors exposure to corporate bonds across a range of maturities have been listed on the Deutsche Börse Xetra. The actively managed ETFs will invest in bonds that pass ESG criteria and selected using a multi-factor approach.
Venture Capital/ESG: Twelve Raises $130M For World’s First Carbon Transformation Platform
Twelve has raised a $130 million Series B round to scale up its carbon transformation technology that converts captured CO2 into products traditionally made from fossil fuels. The firm’s technology has already been demonstrated successfully in the commercial production of a line of CO2Made sunglasses with sustainable fashion brand PANGAIA and carbon-neutral sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), E-Jet.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Chimera Capital Launches Shariah Compliant, US Equity ETFs On Abu Dhabi Exchange
Investors looking for an exposure to US equities that is also compliant with Shariah laws can now invest in two ETFs to be listed on the Abu Dhabi Exchange with a focus on value and growth respectively. These new funds, which are physical, in-kind, liquid and fully fungible, will offer investors direct access to the US stock markets.
Alternative Investments/ESG: A New ETF From Xtrackers Combines US Stocks With The Global Transition To Net Zero
Asset manager DWS has launched a new ETF that puts US equity investors on the Net Zero Pathway. The Xtrackers Net Zero Pathway Paris Aligned U.S. Equity ETF (NYSE Ticker: USNZ) listed on Tuesday and provides investors with twin exposures – US stocks as well as to a unique Paris Aligned Benchmark (PAB) index that uses a transparent set of rules that aim to be at the cutting edge of sustainable investment practices.
Venture Capital/ESG: Truist To Fund $120M For Black, Latinx And Women-Owned Businesses
Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE: TFC) alongwith Truist Foundation and Truist Charitable Fund, announced $120 million in assistance for small businesses, with a focus on Black, Latinx and women-owned businesses. Bill Rogers, Truist chairman and CEO, made the announcement at Truist’s Innovation and Technology Center in Charlotte, NC. He was joined by Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation, and Alethia Mendez, division president for Elevating Black Women Entrepreneurs at Grameen America.
Venture Capital: Fossil-Free Hydrogen Systems Company Electric Hydrogen Lands $198M
Electric Hydrogen is developing electrolyser technology for the production of hydrogen to ultimately replace fossil fuels at global heavy industry which accounts for 30% of global emissions. The startup, which is led by a team with experience at innovative clean energy companies like Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR), announced a $198 million financing comprising Series B equity and venture debt.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Nuveen Launches ETF Focused On A Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Global Economy
The Nuveen Global Net Zero Transition ETF (NASDAQ: NTZG), launched on Friday, offers investors exposure to the ongoing transition of the global economy to “net zero” carbon emissions. The actively managed ETF employs a strategy to provide favorable long-term performance and reduce portfolio carbon emissions through stewardship and engagement.
Venture Capital/ESG: Brookfield Raises Mammoth $15B Fund Focused On The Climate Transition To Net Zero
Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) announced the final close of its $15 billion Brookfield Global Transition Fund, receiving investments from institutions and private wealth channels including public and private pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, endowments and foundations, financial institutions, and family offices. The fund saw solid demand significantly beyond its initial hard cap and the final fund size was oversubscribed. Brookfield itself is the largest investor in the Fund.
Venture Capital: Nuclear Fusion Startup Zap Energy Achieves First Plasmas; Nabs $160M
Zap Energy , a Seattle-based startup aiming to achieve commercially viable nuclear fusion and fusion generated energy through a quicker and dramatically lower capital intensive approach, has raised a $160 million Series C round led by Lowercarbon Capital. New investors coming aboard included Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Shell Ventures, DCVC and Valor Equity Partners. Existing investors Addition, Energy Impact Partners and Chevron Technology Ventures also participated.
Venture Capital: Sustainable Lettuce Grower Little Leaf Farms Scores $300M Round
Little Leaf Farms, which makes available lettuce that is locally and sustainably grown in a controlled environment, announced last week its raise of $300 million comprising both equity and debt. While TPG’s The Rise Fund led the equity round, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) provided the debt funding.
Venture Capital: The New, £3m ‘Black Founders Fund’ From Google For Startups Will Back 40 European Entrepreneurs
Between 2009 and 2019, a mere 0.24% of VC funding went to Black founders in the UK. Last year, Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) backed 30 Black-led startups with a £1.5m Black Founders Fund. These firms have already achieved an additional £65m in follow-on funding. Encouraged, Google has doubled this year’s fund to £3 million.
Alternative Investments/ESG: BlackRock Launches Paris-Aligned Corporate Bond ETF On Xetra
BlackRock has listed the iShares € Corp Bond ESG Paris-Aligned Climate UCITS ETF (CBUJ) on Xetra. The ETF seeks to capitalize on opportunities arising from the transition to a lower-carbon economy, while screening out businesses exposed to oil, gas, thermal coal, controversial weapons and high carbon electricity.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Franklin Templeton Debuts The First Paris-Aligned Chinese Equity ETF In Europe
Franklin Templeton has launched the Franklin MSCI China Paris Aligned Climate UCITS ETF on the London Stock Exchange in US dollars (PABC LN) and pound sterling (CHPA LN) as well as on Deutsche Börse Xetra (FVCH GY) and Borsa Italiana (FRCP IM) in euros.
Venture Capital: Travertine Raises $3M To Remove Carbon Dioxide While Producing Sulphuric Acid
Travertine Technologies, a spin-off resulting from University of California research, has raised a seed round of $3 million to commercialize its process that captures and permanently sequesters ambient carbon dioxide while producing sulphuric acid. The round was led by jointly led by Grantham Environmental Trust and Clean Energy Ventures. The funds will allow Travertine to advance towards its objective for a pilot scale implementation of its process.
Alternative Investments/Real Estate/ESG: Bridges Closes Fifth Fund At £350M For Sustainable Real Estate
In a rousing testament to the demand for sustainable real estate, Bridges Fund Management closed its fifth real estate fund, the Bridges Property Alternatives Fund V at its hard cap of £350 million. Fund V is about 60% larger than its predecessor fund, and is notable for investment by a host of new LPs drawn to the fund’s dual objectives of both financial and sustainability performance.
Venture Capital: Indian Startup SolarSquare Raises $4M Including From Chris Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital
SolarSquare, a startup based in Mumbai, India, that aims to make clean energy affordable and accessible to homes across India, has raised a $4 million funding round led by Good Capital, with participation from US-based Lowercarbon Capital, Singapore-based Symphony Asia, and Nithin Kamath’s Rainmatter.
Alternative Investments/ESG: USCF Launches A Dividend Income Fund With ESG Focus
USCF launched Wednesday the USCF Dividend Income Fund, an actively-managed exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in U.S. exchange-traded dividend-paying and dividend-growth companies meeting the Fund’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria.
Venture Capital: Brown Foods, Maker Of Alternative Milk From Cell Culture, Nabs $2.36M Seed Round
Alternative milk creator Brown Foods, which recently graduated from startup accelerator Y Combinator, has raised a $2.36 million seed round backed by AgFunder, SRI Capital, Amino Capital, Collaborative Fund, a group of individual angel investors, and Y Combinator itself.
Venture Capital: Andreessen Horowitz Is Lead Investor In SCiFi Foods Series A
SCiFi Foods, a food tech startup is creating beef using both plant-based and real cultivated beef cells, has raised a $22 million Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). The company was founded in 2019 by Joshua March, CEO, and Kasia Gora, CTO