Specialist Investment firm Pollination has launched a landmark venture capital fund that will drive new investment into Australian climate and nature technology and solutions.
The Climate and Nature Impact Venture Fund seeks to invest in a portfolio of early stage and early expansion climate and nature solutions, with a commitment already secured from Queensland Investment Corporation.
“This is a significant development that comes at the right time,” Pollination CEO Martijn Wilder said. “We have created the first early-stage fund in Australia to seamlessly combine climate and nature solutions, making sure that the opportunity for investors matches emerging market demand as the world mobilises to address the twin climate and nature crises.
“Pollination has built world-leading expertise on climate and nature, with a global team of investment and advisory experts, a blue-chip advisory client base and a growing investment portfolio across projects, direct investments and managed funds. All of that experience contributes to what will be a compelling opportunity for investors.”
Pollination Chief Investment Officer Diana Callebaut said the fund would target the increasing number of opportunities arising from the net zero and nature positive transition across all industries.
“We are extremely pleased to be launching this fund, which draws on and extends our track record as an investor and asset manager with a unique capability and vision,” she said.
About the Fund
The Climate and Nature Impact Venture Fund is targeting final close of $150 million. It intends to make investments within in the range of $4-12 million in companies at Series A and Series B stage, offering investors a ten-year term and five-year investment period.
The strategy is to invest in standout companies across areas of net zero disruption, including energy management, clean industries and transport, food and agriculture, carbon and nature management, and the circular economy.
“The fund targets innovative solutions to these high-value challenges across industry sectors,” said Callebaut. “Australia has an active and growing base of emerging climate tech companies and has natural advantages in areas such as energy markets, carbon measurement and land regeneration”.
“We will be working hard with our investees to accelerate the development of high-value solutions and connect them early to customers in global markets that are actively seeking to adopt proven solutions.”
The fund is focused on Australian and selected OECD opportunities and is expected to begin making investments in late 2024. It will be open to wholesale and institutional investors only.
Institutional Commitment
Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) has backed the Fund with a commitment from the Queensland Venture Capital Development Fund (QVCDF).
“Pollination’s global footprint and deep climate expertise provides a specialist value-add to Queensland startups in the clean energy and technology sector,” QIC Private Equity Investment Director Lottie Tant said.
“By providing scale-up capital to proven and innovative climate technologies in Queensland, a priority sector for our state, this landmark fund will help to close an identified early-stage funding gap in the important Series A and B space.
“Together, we can support local innovators addressing the global challenges of climate change and nature preservation, leveraging Pollination’s global platform.”
About Pollination’s team
The fund will be led and managed by Pollination’s global investment team which features decades of experience in venture and climate tech, growth and private equity, renewables, carbon markets and infrastructure.
Pollination’s investment business is led by Diana Callebaut, former head of TCorp’s $15bn global private markets and a former head of CBUS global infrastructure.
Managing Directors Jonathan Kelly and Brer Adams are key members of the fund’s leadership team. Kelly is a former Partner at Odyssey Private Equity and Director at CHAMP Ventures. Adams is an expert climate tech investor, including as founder of a renewable energy development company and a clean tech investor and advisor at Macquarie.
About Pollination
Pollination is a global climate change investment and advisory firm dedicated to accelerating the transition to a net-zero, nature positive future. Launched in 2019, the organization has a presence in 13 countries across The Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. Pollination helps government, business, and public and private capital to navigate the climate transition, designing and investing in breakthrough ideas that deliver financial returns.
Climate Asset Management, a joint venture between Pollination and HSBC, has funds under management of approximately US$1 billion, targeting investments in natural capital and nature-based carbon opportunities.
In Australia, Pollination holds a portfolio of direct investments in Australian early-stage climate tech, including stakes in FlintPro, Sea Forest, Goterra, MGA Thermal and Ruminati.
Media contact
Dan Silkstone, Communications Director (APAC)
+61 414622762
[email protected]