11 investors are actively funding Bristol cleantech companies in 2026. Clean Growth Fund closed £49M in August 2025. Bristol City Leap is deploying £1B in urban decarbonisation. Empirical backed HotGreen Solutions in October 2025. Here's who's writing checks.
Bristol has around 450 clean energy and retrofit businesses, supporting 12,000 jobs across solar, heat pumps, battery storage, and decarbonisation. The city is targeting carbon neutrality by 2030.
OVO Energy is Bristol's cleantech unicorn, raising $1.28B+. Bristol City Leap has attracted £500M in private energy investment. UK CleanTech startups raised £2.1B in H1 2025, up 34% year-on-year.
Clean Growth Fund held a Bristol cleantech event in 2025 and launched its £150M Fund II. Bristol cleantech is past early-stage hype - investors here want commercial traction and a credible path to net zero contribution.
Set up an Ellty data room with your energy performance data, pilot contracts, and carbon impact projections before reaching out. Cleantech VCs ask for measurable CO2 reduction metrics in the first meeting.
| Type | Check size | Sector focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Growth Fund | Climate VC | £0.5M-£5M | Energy, transport, buildings, circular | cleangrowthfund.com |
| Bristol City Leap | City JV + procurement | £1M-£50M (infrastructure) | Heat networks, solar, retrofit, storage | bristolcityleap.co.uk |
| Empirical Ventures | Deep tech VC | Pre-seed to seed | Cleantech, climate tech, Bristol | empirical.ventures |
| Mercia Ventures | Multi-stage VC | Up to £10M | Cleantech, AI-energy, South West | merciaventures.co.uk |
| South West Investment Fund | Government fund | Up to £2M | South West cleantech, tech, innovation | british-business-bank.co.uk |
| FSE Group | Regional fund manager | £100K-£2M | South West cleantech, biodiversity, sustainability | thefsegroup.com |
| QantX | Seed VC | Seed to Series A | Zero carbon, South West clean energy | qantx.co.uk |
| SCVC | Deep tech VC | Pre-seed to seed | Cleantech, materials, sustainability tech | sciencecreates.co.uk/scvc |
| Octopus Energy Ventures | Corporate VC | Undisclosed per deal | Energy tech, smart home, grid, EV | octopusenergy.com |
| BGF | Growth equity | £3M-£30M | Cleantech growth, South West UK | bgf.co.uk |
| SETsquared Bristol | Accelerator + network | SEIS/EIS matched | South West cleantech spinouts | setsquared-bristol.co.uk |
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Start free 14-day trialWhat is a Bristol cleantech investor?
A Bristol cleantech investor backs companies reducing carbon emissions across energy, transport, buildings, and industry. They differ from generalist VCs in that they require measurable CO2 reduction metrics and commercial traction in live deployments.
Bristol cleantech investors have direct access to Bristol City Leap procurement, OVO Energy partnerships, and the city's net zero by 2030 target as a live testbed. That combination of government mandate and private capital is unusual outside London.
Most Bristol cleantech checks run from £300K at pre-seed to £30M at growth stage. The South West Investment Fund and Innovate UK fill in the early gap before Clean Growth Fund or BGF engage.
See how Bristol AI investors compare if your cleantech product has an AI or sensor component. Several Bristol deep tech VCs back cleantech companies where AI is the core technology layer.
Bristol is one of the most exciting places in the UK for climate tech right now. The City Leap partnership, OVO's presence, and SETsquared's pipeline are creating a genuinely differentiated cleantech ecosystem.
11 Bristol cleantech investors
1. Clean Growth Fund
Clean Growth Fund is a dedicated UK climate VC with a £101M Fund I and a £150M Fund II (£49M first close, August 2025). They invest £0.5M to £5M in early-stage UK cleantech across energy, transport, buildings, industry, and circular economy. They held a Bristol cleantech event in 2025, meeting founders and investors in the region. Their Fund I backed 19 companies projected to reduce 55Mt+ of CO2e by 2030.
Set up an Ellty data room before approaching Clean Growth Fund. They run structured due diligence on carbon impact projections and commercial pipeline before any investment decision.
- Recent Deals: Sunswap £6M+ order book (transport refrigeration); Rendesco (low-carbon heat networks, exited 2026); £49M Fund II first close (August 2025); Bristol event 2025
- LinkedIn: Clean Growth Fund LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Energy, transport, buildings, circular economy, climate tech
- Stage Focus: Seed to Series A
- Location: London with UK-wide deal flow
- Website: cleangrowthfund.com
2. Bristol City Leap
Bristol City Leap is a 20-year joint venture between Bristol City Council, Ameresco, and Vattenfall Heat UK deploying £1B+ into Bristol's energy infrastructure. They fund heat networks, solar farms, battery storage, smart energy systems, and building retrofit programmes. Their Community Energy Fund awards grants up to £750K for Bristol-based community energy projects, with a next funding round deadline of September 2026. City Leap is Bristol's most direct commercial opportunity for cleantech companies with urban energy solutions.
- Recent Deals: £500M private investment attracted; Ameresco and Vattenfall £750K each to Community Energy Fund; clean power hub programme for 2026 events season; OVO wind project reducing Bristol community bills
- LinkedIn: Bristol City Leap LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Heat networks, solar, battery storage, retrofit, smart energy
- Stage Focus: Infrastructure deployment to commercial scale
- Location: Bristol, UK
- Website: bristolcityleap.co.uk
3. Empirical Ventures
Empirical Ventures is a Bristol deep tech VC that backed HotGreen Solutions - a UK cleantech startup developing ultra-efficient high-temperature heat pumps - in a £1.2M pre-seed round in October 2025. They secured £10M from the British Business Bank in March 2026 to deploy further into deep tech and climate tech. Their portfolio spans climate tech, robotics, and advanced materials. Empirical is one of the most active early-stage cleantech VCs in Bristol right now.
- Recent Deals: HotGreen Solutions £1.2M pre-seed lead (October 2025); £10M British Business Bank (March 2026); 13 portfolio companies; climate tech and robotics focus
- LinkedIn: Empirical Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Cleantech, heat pumps, climate tech, advanced materials, robotics
- Stage Focus: Pre-seed to seed
- Location: Bristol, UK
- Website: empirical.ventures
4. Mercia Ventures
Mercia Ventures led Grid Edge's £2.8M round in March 2025. Grid Edge builds AI-powered software to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs in commercial buildings, and is now deployed at Birmingham's Bull Ring and London's Royal Opera House. Mercia has a South West team and writes checks up to £10M. They are a strong option for Bristol cleantech founders at seed who need a £2M-£8M round with a co-investor alongside Centrica or bp Ventures.
- Recent Deals: Grid Edge £2.8M AI-energy lead (March 2025); Kinewell windfarm optimisation £750K (March 2026); South West regional presence; up to £10M checks
- LinkedIn: Mercia Ventures LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Cleantech, AI-energy, sustainable buildings, South West UK
- Stage Focus: Seed to Series A
- Location: UK-wide with South West coverage
- Website: merciaventures.co.uk
5. South West Investment Fund / FSE Group
The South West Investment Fund has driven £120M+ into South West businesses since 2023, managed by fund managers including The FSE Group. FSE Group invested £300K into Bristol's Wilder Sensing in December 2024 via the South West Investment Fund equity tranche. The fund offers equity investments up to £2M for South West cleantech companies. Bristol cleantech founders should apply to the South West Investment Fund before approaching VCs for their first institutional check.
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Start free 14-day trial- Recent Deals: Wilder Sensing £300K (December 2024); £120M+ deployed South West since 2023; equity, debt, and venture debt options
- LinkedIn: FSE Group LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: South West cleantech, biodiversity, sustainability tech
- Stage Focus: Pre-seed to seed
- Location: South West England
- Website: thefsegroup.com
6. QantX
QantX is a Bristol-based VC that explicitly targets zero carbon companies in its investment thesis. They launched a new 2024/2025 SEIS/EIS fund for the South West. QantX co-leads the £300M SETsquared investment vehicle targeting science-based startups including zero carbon. Bristol cleantech founders from the University of Bristol or local research institutions should pitch QantX alongside Empirical Ventures.
- Recent Deals: EnsiliTech (August 2025); LabCycle 2025; zero carbon explicit mandate; £300M SETsquared vehicle; SEIS/EIS South West fund
- LinkedIn: QantX LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Zero carbon, clean energy, healthcare, South West
- Stage Focus: Seed to Series A
- Location: Bristol, UK
- Website: qantx.co.uk
7. SCVC
SCVC is Bristol's leading deep tech VC with 23 investments including companies with climate and sustainability applications. Their portfolio includes Kelpi, a seaweed-based packaging company, and Scarlet Therapeutics. SCVC backs any company with strong deep tech IP including cleantech. University of Bristol cleantech spinouts with novel materials, biotech, or advanced manufacturing should approach SCVC first.
- Recent Deals: Delta.g seed (September 2025); Kelpi seaweed packaging company; 23 portfolio companies; $100M Fund II targeting
- LinkedIn: SCVC LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Deep tech, cleantech, novel materials, sustainability tech
- Stage Focus: Pre-seed to seed
- Location: Bristol, UK
- Website: sciencecreates.co.uk/scvc
8. Octopus Energy Ventures
Octopus Energy is Bristol's most prominent cleantech success story with £1.28B+ raised. Their venture arm backs energy tech companies aligned with their grid, smart home, and EV charging business. They acquired Upside Energy (grid optimisation) and REoptimize. Bristol cleantech founders building grid software, demand response technology, or home energy management systems should research Octopus Energy Ventures before pitching generalist VCs.
Read virtual data room for energy to understand what energy sector investors expect in your due diligence materials. Octopus Energy Ventures runs commercial reviews alongside financial due diligence.
- Recent Deals: Upside Energy acquisition (grid optimisation); REoptimize acquisition; OVO Energy merger/acquisition with Scottish Power (May 2025); Bristol HQ base
- LinkedIn: Octopus Energy LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Energy tech, smart home, EV charging, grid management
- Stage Focus: Seed to growth (strategic acquirer)
- Location: London and Bristol
- Website: octopusenergy.com
9. BGF
BGF backs South West growth-stage companies with checks from £3M to £30M. They named the South West a standout region in 2025 and plan to deploy £3B over five years. BGF is the right investor for Bristol cleantech companies that have passed seed, have live revenue, and need growth capital to scale nationally. They backed Bristol-headquartered companies in 2025 and maintained an active South West pipeline going into 2026.
- Recent Deals: South West standout region designation 2025; £3B five-year deployment plan; Bristol companies in 2025 portfolio; PE Firm of Year South West 2025
- LinkedIn: BGF LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Cleantech growth, South West industrials, tech
- Stage Focus: Growth
- Location: UK-wide with Bristol South West office
- Website: bgf.co.uk
10. Vattenfall Heat UK
Vattenfall Heat UK is a co-investor in Bristol City Leap alongside Ameresco, committing £750K to the Community Energy Fund. They are the heat network operator within the City Leap joint venture and are actively procuring heat pump, district heating, and thermal storage technology from Bristol startups. Vattenfall Heat UK is a strategic investor and commercial buyer - not just a VC - making them one of the most valuable partners a Bristol heat tech company can secure.
Use Ellty to prepare your pilot data and commercial proposals before approaching Vattenfall Heat UK. They evaluate technology performance data before any procurement or investment conversation.
- Recent Deals: Bristol City Leap JV partner; £750K Community Energy Fund contribution; district heating network operator; Bristol heat technology procurement
- LinkedIn: Vattenfall Heat UK LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: Heat networks, district heating, thermal storage, heat pumps
- Stage Focus: Commercial deployment to growth
- Location: Bristol, UK
- Website: vattenfall.co.uk
11. SETsquared Bristol
SETsquared Bristol has helped 450+ companies raise over £742M including cleantech companies like Wilder Sensing. Their QantX £300M investment vehicle prioritises zero carbon and clean energy spinouts. SETsquared connects Bristol cleantech founders to Clean Growth Fund, Empirical, and the South West Investment Fund in structured showcases. Joining SETsquared is the most efficient route to Bristol cleantech investor introductions.
Read best fundraising software for startups before managing a multi-investor cleantech raise. Tracking engagement across grants, government funds, and VCs requires organised pipeline management.
- Recent Deals: Wilder Sensing £700K (2024/2025); £742M+ raised by portfolio; £300M QantX vehicle; 450+ companies supported
- LinkedIn: SETsquared Bristol LinkedIn
- Sector Focus: South West cleantech, sustainability, University of Bristol spinouts
- Stage Focus: Pre-seed to seed
- Location: Bristol, UK
- Website: setsquared-bristol.co.uk
How to get your first Bristol cleantech investment
The most common path for Bristol cleantech founders starts with the South West Investment Fund. FSE Group and Maven Capital manage the fund and move quickly on deals under £500K.
After the South West fund, the next step is Clean Growth Fund for seed-to-Series A cleantech or Empirical Ventures for deep tech cleantech. Both attended Bristol events in 2025 and are actively looking for South West deals.
Use Ellty to share your energy performance data with trackable links. You'll see which investors actually review your CO2 reduction projections vs. just skimming the intro slide.
What Bristol cleantech investors need to see
Most fail here - founders lead with technology and skip commercial traction. Bristol City Leap and Clean Growth Fund want to see paying customers before a term sheet, not just pilots.
Your carbon impact numbers need to be independently verified or at least methodology-validated. Most investors are tired of sustainability claims without unit economics. Show your CO2 saved per pound of revenue.
Don't pitch to everyone simultaneously. Clean Growth Fund, Empirical, and SCVC co-invest regularly in Bristol. If you pitch all three cold on the same day, they'll compare notes. Sequence your outreach.
Where Bristol cleantech investors look for deals
SETsquared Bristol runs regular showcase events where Clean Growth Fund, Empirical Ventures, and QantX send representatives. This is the highest-conversion event for Bristol cleantech founders.
The Net Zero Technology Centre runs Bristol Cleantech Innovators Network events connecting local founders to investors. Attending two or three of these builds the relationship before you send an email.
Bristol City Leap's Community Energy Fund is a non-dilutive entry point. Winning a grant strengthens your case with equity investors who see City Leap backing as de-risked commercial validation.
How to pitch a Bristol cleantech investor
Four steps that match how Bristol climate VCs evaluate founders before writing a check.
- 1.Apply to South West Investment Fund before approaching VCsA fund commitment signals commercial readiness to Clean Growth Fund.
- 2.Show independently validated CO2 reduction metricsCleantech VCs won't advance on sustainability claims without unit economics.
- 3.Attend SETsquared and Net Zero Technology Centre eventsBristol cleantech investors convert warm intros much faster than cold emails.
- 4.Build your City Leap pipeline before approaching BGFGrowth investors need revenue from the City Leap supply chain as evidence.
How Ellty helps you land a Bristol cleantech investor
Organise your cleantech pitch materials before first contact. Climate VCs ask for CO2 data, pilot contracts, and energy performance evidence right away.
- 1.Build a cleantech data room with your energy performance dataUpload pilot contracts, CO2 metrics, and cap table in one place.
- 2.Set access controls before sharing with Bristol climate VCsRequire email to view. Protect pilot client identities with link permissions.
- 3.Track which investors review your carbon impact projectionsSee who opens your CO2 section. Follow up with investors who engage.
Common questions from Bristol cleantech founders
- Clean Growth Fund and Empirical want a pilot. South West Fund backs earlier stage.
- Clean Growth Fund focuses purely on climate tech. Empirical backs deep tech including cleantech.
- City Leap provides revenue through procurement, which strengthens your VC pitch significantly.
- Yes. Clean Growth Fund asks for CO2 projections and commercial pipeline data immediately.
- Approach 3-4 in parallel. Clean Growth Fund, Empirical, and SCVC co-invest and compare notes.
- When you have £1M+ ARR and paying enterprise customers in the City Leap supply chain.
