Key Takeaways
- • Carbon Equity, an Amsterdam-based climate tech investment platform, launched Co-Invest Fund I with a $50 million target, having raised $20 million to date with a goal to close by year-end 2026.
- • The fund will deploy capital into at least 12 US and European growth-stage unlisted climate technology companies across electrification, energy efficiency, robotics, and AI sectors over three years, operating alongside private equity co-investors.
- • Minimum investment threshold is $250,000 (€213,000), with the fund primarily targeting family offices and high-net-worth individuals seeking late-stage climate tech exposure without traditional fund-of-funds structures.
- • This represents Carbon Equity's strategic pivot from its established fund-of-funds model; the platform has previously raised €365 million across 11 funds deployed into 250+ climate tech companies through 30 partner funds including Gilde, Forbion, Breakthrough Energy, and Energy Impact Partners.
- • Jacqueline van den Ende, Carbon Equity's co-founder and CEO, noted the fund attracted existing fund investors seeking diversification, with particular appeal to larger family offices seeking direct late-stage exposure at lower cost bases.
Summary
Carbon Equity, the Dutch investment platform specializing in climate solutions financing, has entered a new phase of its business by launching Co-Invest Fund I, marking its first departure from its core fund-of-funds model. The $50 million fund, which has secured $20 million in commitments as of January 2026, will target growth-stage private climate technology companies across the US and European markets over a three-year deployment period.
The fund's investment strategy focuses on at least 12 companies operating in high-impact climate tech domains including electrification, energy efficiency, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Notably, Carbon Equity will co-invest alongside established private equity investors rather than investing through intermediary funds, providing direct exposure to growth-stage assets. The fund sets a minimum investment threshold of $250,000 (€213,000), positioning it toward qualified institutional and ultra-high-net-worth investors.
According to Jacqueline van den Ende, the firm's co-founder and CEO, the fund has attracted commitments primarily from existing Carbon Equity fund investors seeking additional portfolio diversification beyond their fund-of-funds allocations. The fund particularly resonates with larger family offices that typically avoid traditional fund-of-funds structures, as it offers direct late-stage climate tech exposure combined with a relatively lean cost structure. No single lead investor anchored the round; instead, the capital base reflects broad support from the platform's existing institutional investor network.
This co-investment fund launch builds on Carbon Equity's substantial track record in climate tech deployment. To date, the platform has raised €365 million from approximately 1,600 investors across 11 dedicated funds, which have been deployed into more than 250 European and US-based climate technology companies through partnerships with 30 leading private equity, venture capital, and private infrastructure funds. These partner funds include prominent names such as Gilde and Forbion in the Netherlands and Breakthrough Energy and Energy Impact Partners in the United States.
The strategic shift toward direct co-investment reflects evolving institutional demand for tailored climate tech exposure and suggests Carbon Equity's confidence in identifying and accessing high-potential growth-stage opportunities within the energy transition ecosystem.
The fund's investment strategy focuses on at least 12 companies operating in high-impact climate tech domains including electrification, energy efficiency, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Notably, Carbon Equity will co-invest alongside established private equity investors rather than investing through intermediary funds, providing direct exposure to growth-stage assets. The fund sets a minimum investment threshold of $250,000 (€213,000), positioning it toward qualified institutional and ultra-high-net-worth investors.
According to Jacqueline van den Ende, the firm's co-founder and CEO, the fund has attracted commitments primarily from existing Carbon Equity fund investors seeking additional portfolio diversification beyond their fund-of-funds allocations. The fund particularly resonates with larger family offices that typically avoid traditional fund-of-funds structures, as it offers direct late-stage climate tech exposure combined with a relatively lean cost structure. No single lead investor anchored the round; instead, the capital base reflects broad support from the platform's existing institutional investor network.
This co-investment fund launch builds on Carbon Equity's substantial track record in climate tech deployment. To date, the platform has raised €365 million from approximately 1,600 investors across 11 dedicated funds, which have been deployed into more than 250 European and US-based climate technology companies through partnerships with 30 leading private equity, venture capital, and private infrastructure funds. These partner funds include prominent names such as Gilde and Forbion in the Netherlands and Breakthrough Energy and Energy Impact Partners in the United States.
The strategic shift toward direct co-investment reflects evolving institutional demand for tailored climate tech exposure and suggests Carbon Equity's confidence in identifying and accessing high-potential growth-stage opportunities within the energy transition ecosystem.
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