Energize Ventures is a venture capital (VC) company that recently closed its second major venture capital fund worth $ 330 million. The new venture capital fund will help the company identify and invest in new startups in the technology and energy sectors.
Energize Ventures Investment Philosophy and Portfolio
Venture capital company Energize Ventures focuses heavily on start-ups that can help transition older industries to more efficient and sustainable modes of operation. This may mean that the startup focuses on automation and digitization or alternative energy and electrification. The venture capital company works closely with the start-ups it invests in to help them market their product and eventually expand their business models to handle a large public client base.
The Energize Ventures team is made up of business veterans who have previously worked in several different areas of the energy sector, and several have collective experience in corporate sustainability and renewable energy.
Before choosing to invest in a start-up company, Energize Ventures undergoes an enormous amount of research. The company is particularly focused on assessing the long-term potential of a startup, the current business model, and the potential global impact on sustainability and climate change.
In its first fund, the venture capital company invested $ 165 million in 14 different energy and technology-based startup companies. Some of these startups include solar software startup Aurora Solar, electric vehicle charging network startup Volta Charging, and IA’s battery analytics startup TWAICE.
Many of these startups have achieved a high level of success, with Volta Charging now representing the largest free EV charging network in the United States (US). TWAICE is currently working with several major automotive manufacturing brands, including Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Porsche, to create more efficient luxury electric vehicles.
Collectively, Energize Ventures manages more than $ 700 million of total capital through its investments and liquid funds.
Energize Ventures second fund and investment strategy
The venture capital company recently announced that it had closed its second fund, aptly titled Fund II. The second fund was supported by various investors, including Invenergy, CDPQ, GE Renewable Energy, and Credit Suisse, among several others.
The venture capital fund is worth approximately twice the total of your first fund at $ 330 million and will be able to support several additional start-ups. The capital increase will allow Energize Ventures to invest more broadly and take greater risks that could lead to higher returns in the future.
The venture capital company will invest in the financing rounds of series A, B and C startups with the aim of leading them. Initial investments will generally fall between $ 10 million and $ 20 million, although some will be a little more or less than this range.
Commenting on the new venture capital fund, Energize Ventures Managing Partner John Tough said: “Since we first launched Energize five years ago, we have seen the energy and industrial sectors undergo a massive digital transformation. The transition to a more renewable and sustainable future is exceeding all expectations, and market participants are digitizing operations to address this emerging new scale. As we continue into the next decade, we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with entrepreneurs and invest on next-generation technologies that will shape a more sustainable tomorrow. “