18 active cleantech investors funding energy and climate startups

The cleantech funding landscape looks different in 2025. Policy chaos hasn't killed investor appetite - it just separated serious climate investors from the tourists. These 18 investors closed deals in 2025 when others pulled back.

Most cleantech investors now focus on proven technologies with clear economics. The 2010s model of backing pure moonshots is dead. You'll see this list skews toward funds that invest in companies that can win without subsidies.

Quick list

Finding the right cleantech investor

Experience: Find investors who've backed companies through commercial-scale deployment. Software VCs don't understand hardware timelines or capital intensity. Ask if they've helped portfolio companies get DOE loans or navigate utility procurement.

Network: Check if they can intro you to offtake customers, not just other VCs. Breakthrough Energy's 75 utility partners matter more than brand recognition. Energy Impact Partners connects startups with 400,000 employees across their strategic investor base. For tips on investor engagement, see our guide on investor outreach.

Alignment: Seed investors won't understand Series B capital needs for building factories. Late-stage funds won't lead your $2M seed round no matter how promising your tech looks. Make sure stage alignment is clear from first conversation.

Track record: Look at whether their portfolio companies raised follow-on rounds. Dead cleantech portfolios are everywhere from the 2010s boom. Check Crunchbase for exits and follow-on funding rates.

Communication: Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your unit economics vs. just skimming the mission statement. Most investors skip market size slides but spend 5+ minutes on your path to profitability.

Value-add: Generic "we have a great network" answers mean nothing. Ask what operational support they provide during scale-up. Can they help with supply chain, regulatory approvals, or utility partnerships? If they can't name specifics, look elsewhere.

Getting meetings with cleantech investors

Research recent deals: Use Pitchbook or Crunchbase to see who's actually writing checks. SOSV made 70 investments in 12 months - they're active. Someone who hasn't invested since 2023 won't suddenly back your seed round.

Know your stage fit: Lowercarbon leads Series A and B rounds at $48M-$209M average. They won't look at your $500K pre-seed no matter how revolutionary your carbon capture tech is. Prime Coalition focuses on catalytic early-stage capital that other investors won't touch.

Build a real pitch: Show deployment economics, not just lab results. Cleantech investors in 2025 want to see customer pilots, not PowerPoint promises. Upload to Ellty and send trackable pitch links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on—if they skip your manufacturing costs, that tells you something.

Use warm intros: Message portfolio founders on LinkedIn and ask about response times and actual help during fundraising. Most will be honest about whether their investor actually helped or just showed up to board meetings.

Pick the right events: Energy Tech Summit in Europe and Cleantech Forum in SF are where deals happen. Local chamber of commerce mixers won't get you in front of serious cleantech capital. New Dawn by Powerhouse sold out 1,000 people in 2025.

Skip cold outreach mostly: Connect with partners on LinkedIn after you've been introduced. Cold DMs to cleantech VCs rarely work unless you have impressive traction or a warm mutual connection.

Prepare your data room early: Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model, cap table, and supply agreements before they ask. Cleantech due diligence takes longer than software deals. Having everything organized speeds up the process by weeks.

Lead with differentiation: Don't waste 20 minutes explaining why climate change is bad. They know. Show them why your electrolyzer is 30% cheaper than competitors or how your battery chemistry solves the cobalt problem. Prevent PDF forwarding when sending sensitive decks.

Why cleantech funding matters in 2025

US policy uncertainty under Trump's second term hasn't killed cleantech investment. Global trends toward decarbonization are bigger than one administration. Clean energy spending will surpass upstream oil investment in 2025 for the first time.

The difference is investors now focus on companies that can win on economics alone. IRA tax credits are nice but can't be your only path to profitability. Europe and Asia are moving faster on climate tech deployment than the US, opening new markets.

Data centers and AI growth are driving massive power demand. Google and Microsoft need clean baseload power - they don't care about US political theater. This created opportunities for geothermal (Fervo) and fusion (Commonwealth Fusion) that weren't viable 5 years ago.

18 top cleantech investors

1. Lowercarbon Capital

They back companies slashing CO2 emissions and removing carbon from the atmosphere. Chris and Crystal Sacca lead the fund with in-house scientific expertise to evaluate hard tech that other VCs won't touch.

• Recent Deals: Commonwealth Fusion Systems ($863M, Aug 2025), Epoch Biodesign ($18.3M Series A, Mar 2025), Biosphere ($8.8M Seed, Jan 2025), Gridware (Nov 2025)
• LinkedIn: Chris Sacca
• Sector Focus: Carbon removal, fusion energy, sustainable materials, decarbonization, food and agriculture
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Jackson, Wyoming
• Website: lowercarbon.com

2. Breakthrough Energy Ventures

Bill Gates-backed fund investing in technologies with potential to reduce 0.5 gigatons of emissions annually. They focus on electricity, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, and buildings with patient capital approach.

• Recent Deals: Commonwealth Fusion Systems ($863M, Aug 2025), Fervo Energy (geothermal for data centers), Sustainable Aviation Fuel fund ($150M, Sept 2025), Terra CO2 ($125M, Aug 2025)
• LinkedIn: Breakthrough Energy
• Sector Focus: Energy, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, buildings, carbon capture
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Kirkland, Washington
• Website: breakthroughenergy.org

3. Energy Impact Partners

They bring together 75+ utility and industrial partners with $4.5B AUM. Their model gives portfolio companies direct access to customers and channel partners across energy infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Third flagship fund ($1.4B close, Oct 2025), Overstory ($43M Series B), Baseload Capital ($12.5M for geothermal)
• LinkedIn: Energy Impact Partners
• Sector Focus: Grid infrastructure, mobility, electrification, buildings, clean energy
• Stage Focus: Venture, Growth, Private Equity, Credit
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: energyimpactpartners.com

4. DBL Partners

Founded in 2004, they invest in companies delivering both venture returns and social impact. Nancy Pfund has shaped their impact strategy since inception with focus on cleantech and sustainable products.

• Recent Deals: Agtonomy (Series B, Oct 2025), Fiber Global ($20M Series A, 2025), Chestnut (2025)
• LinkedIn: DBL Partners
• Sector Focus: Cleantech, sustainable products, information technology, healthcare
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: dbl.vc

5. Khosla Ventures

Vinod Khosla's fund manages $15B and has backed 47 unicorns. They take early bets on frontier tech that most VCs avoid, focusing on technologies that can win on economics without subsidies.

• Recent Deals: Commonwealth Fusion Systems, QuantumScape (solid-state batteries), Helion Energy (fusion), Fortera (low-carbon cement)
• LinkedIn: Khosla Ventures
• Sector Focus: Climate, sustainability, AI, frontier tech, fusion, robotics
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Late-stage
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: khoslaventures.com

6. Third Sphere

Made 100+ investments in climate infrastructure and works with pre-customer companies. They offer both traditional venture and credit finance with connections to 12,000+ customers.

• Recent Deals: Nevoya ($9.3M, July 2025), Cove Tool, OneWheel, Bowery Farming
• LinkedIn: Third Sphere
• Sector Focus: Climate infrastructure, smart buildings, GovTech, sustainable agriculture
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• Website: thirdsphere.io

7. Prime Coalition

Nonprofit VC channeling catalytic capital to companies that mainstream investors won't touch. They mobilized $315M with 247 partners to back 39 companies since 2014.

• Recent Deals: C-Motive Technologies ($13.5M, 2025), Nitricity (July 2025), Avalanche Energy, Gradient
• LinkedIn: Prime Coalition
• Sector Focus: Carbon removal, energy storage, sustainable materials, agriculture
• Stage Focus: Early-stage, Catalytic capital
• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Website: primecoalition.org

8. Powerhouse Ventures

Emily Kirsch's fund backs seed-stage software startups building digital infrastructure for rapid decarbonization. Closed $70M Fund II in 2024, 10x the size of their first fund.

• Recent Deals: Overstory, Station A, Salient Predictions, Carbon Collective
• LinkedIn: Emily Kirsch
• Sector Focus: Energy software, mobility, climate tech software, decarbonization tools
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Location: Oakland, California
• Website: powerhouse.fund

9. Clean Energy Ventures

Angel investor collective that invests in and mentors early-stage cleantech and climate tech startups across North America. Made 2 investments in past 12 months.

• Recent Deals: PeakSyncer (AI energy management for utilities)
• LinkedIn: Clean Energy Venture Group
• Sector Focus: Clean energy, climate tech, energy efficiency, renewable energy
• Stage Focus: Seed, Early-stage
• Location: Brookline, Massachusetts
• Website: cevg.com

10. SOSV

Operates HAX and IndieBio startup programs focused on deep tech and biotech. Made 70 investments in past 12 months with $500K initial investments plus 4-6 month acceleration.

• Recent Deals: Multiple deep tech and biotech companies through HAX and IndieBio programs
• LinkedIn: SOSV
• Sector Focus: Deep tech, biotech, hardware, climate tech, human and planetary health
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Location: Princeton, New Jersey
• Website: sosv.com

11. RockPort Capital

Multi-stage fund with offices in Boston and Menlo Park focusing on alternative and traditional energy, mobility, and sustainability. Over a decade of experience in energy-focused venture capital.

• Recent Deals: Qnovo (battery optimization), NeoPhotonics (optical components), Osmoses (membrane technology)
• LinkedIn: RockPort Capital
• Sector Focus: Energy, mobility, sustainability, battery tech, renewable energy
• Stage Focus: Seed, Early-stage, Growth
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts / Menlo Park, California
• Website: rockportcap.com

12. MassVentures

Focused on Massachusetts innovation economy by funding early-stage, high-growth startups from concept to commercialization. Made 16 investments in past 12 months.

• Recent Deals: Eyebot (vision care), various Massachusetts-based cleantech startups
• LinkedIn: MassVentures
• Sector Focus: Clean energy, life sciences, IT, advanced manufacturing
• Stage Focus: Seed, Early-stage
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Website: mass-ventures.com

13. DCVC

Data Collective backs deep tech including AI, genomics, and robotics with cleantech investments. Co-led Radionetics' $52.5M Series A in 2024.

• Recent Deals: Radionetics ($52.5M Series A, 2024), Modern Electron (thermionic converters)
• LinkedIn: DCVC
• Sector Focus: Deep tech, AI, robotics, climate tech, advanced materials
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: dcvc.com

14. BDC Capital Ventures

Canadian firm targeting innovative companies across sectors including cleantech. Backed CarbonCure Technologies for CO2 concrete solutions.

• Recent Deals: CarbonCure Technologies (carbon capture in concrete)
• LinkedIn: BDC Capital
• Sector Focus: Cleantech, industrial innovation, sustainable materials, technology
• Stage Focus: Seed, Early-stage, Growth
• Location: Montreal, Canada
• Website: bdc.ca

15. Emerald Technology Ventures

Founded in 2000 as one of first pureplay cleantech VCs. Presence in Europe, Asia, and North America with focus on sustainable industrial innovation.

• Recent Deals: Various sustainable industrial innovation companies across three continents
• LinkedIn: Emerald Technology Ventures
• Sector Focus: Sustainable industry, energy, materials, industrial innovation
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Zurich, Switzerland / Toronto, Canada / Singapore
• Website: emerald.vc

16. Collaborative Fund

Leading source of capital for entrepreneurs pushing the world forward with focus on sustainability and climate solutions.

• Recent Deals: Various climate and sustainability companies
• LinkedIn: Collaborative Fund
• Sector Focus: Climate tech, sustainability, consumer, technology
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: collaborativefund.com

17. Prelude Ventures

Active transatlantic investor backing energy transition companies. Part of network connecting US and European cleantech ecosystems.

• Recent Deals: Various energy transition companies in US and Europe
• LinkedIn: Prelude Ventures
• Sector Focus: Energy transition, climate tech, sustainable energy
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: preludeventures.com

18. Chrysalix Ventures

Focuses on industrial innovation and cleantech with investments across North America and Europe. Active in transatlantic deal flow.

• Recent Deals: Various industrial cleantech companies
• LinkedIn: Chrysalix Ventures
• Sector Focus: Industrial innovation, energy, materials, cleantech
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Vancouver, Canada
• Website: chrysalix.com

Start tracking your cleantech outreach

These 18 investors closed deals from 2023 to November 2025. Most are still active despite policy uncertainty. Before you start reaching out, set up proper tracking.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique pitch deck link for each investor.. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your unit economics. Most founders are surprised to learn investors skip market size slides but spend 5+ minutes on manufacturing costs and customer pipeline.

When investors ask for more materials during diligence, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your cap table, financial model, and supply contracts in one secure place with view analytics. You'll know if they actually reviewed your COGS breakdown or just said they did.

Common questions

How do I know if a cleantech investor is still active?

Check Crunchbase or Pitchbook for deals in past 12 months. SOSV made 70 investments this year - they're active. If their last deal was in 2022, they're probably not deploying capital. Also look at whether they've announced new funds recently.

Should I cold email cleantech investors or get introductions?

Get warm intros whenever possible. Cold outreach to cleantech VCs rarely works unless you have impressive traction or published research. Ask portfolio founders on LinkedIn for intros - most will help if you're building something interesting.

What's the difference between seed and Series A cleantech investors?

Seed investors like Powerhouse Ventures write $50K-$200K checks for pre-revenue companies. Series A investors like Lowercarbon expect customer pilots and want to lead $10M-$50M rounds. Don't pitch Series A investors when you need seed capital.

How many cleantech investors should I reach out to?

Cast a wide net initially but focus on 10-15 who match your stage, sector, and geography. Quality conversations with aligned investors beat 100 spray-and-pray emails. Use Ellty to track who actually opens your deck so you know who to follow up with.

When should I set up a data room for cleantech fundraising?

Before you start talking to investors. Cleantech due diligence takes 2-3x longer than software deals. Having your financial model, cap table, technical specs, and customer contracts organized in advance speeds up the process by weeks.

Do cleantech investors actually care about pitch deck analytics?

Yes. Seeing which pages investors spend time on tells you what matters to them. If they skip your technology slides but spend 10 minutes on your go-to-market, that's useful information. It helps you tailor follow-up conversations to what they actually care about.