Pollination has launched a $150 million Climate and Nature Impact Venture Fund to invest in a portfolio of early stage and early expansion climate and nature solutions.
The fund has already secured commitment from Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) as cornerstone investor through the Queensland Venture Capital Development Fund (QVCDF).
Said to be the first fund of its kind in Australia, the impact venture fund recognises the increasing number of opportunities arising from net zero disruption and the nature positive transition. It will target Australian and selected OECD opportunities across energy, clean industries and transport, food and agriculture, carbon and nature management, and the circular economy.
Pollination CEO Martijn Wilder, who is also chair of the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, said: “This is a significant development that comes at the right time. 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.”
The Climate and Nature Impact Venture Fund
The Climate and Nature Impact Venture Fund is targeting final close of $150 million. It intends to make investments within the $4-12 million range in companies at Series A and Series B stage, and expects to begin making investments later this year.
Open to wholesale and institutional investors, it is offering a ten-year term and five-year investment period.
It 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.
“Extending our track record”
Pollination’s investment business is led by Diana Callebaut, former head of TCorp’s $15 billion global private markets and a former head of CBUS global infrastructure.
Commenting on the fund, Callebaut said, “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.
“The fund targets innovative solutions to these high-value challenges across industry sectors.
“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.”
Institutional Commitment
Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) has backed the Fund with a commitment from the Queensland Venture Capital Development Fund (QVCDF).
QIC Private Equity Investment Director Lottie Tant said: “Pollination’s global footprint and deep climate expertise provides a specialist value-add to Queensland startups in the clean energy and technology sector.
“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.”
For more see: https://pollinationgroup.com/