Top 15 Climate Tech Investors & VC Firms in 2025

Climate tech funding surged to $70B+ in 2025 as governments and investors prioritize sustainability, according to PitchBook climate tech report. Yet climate startups face unique challenges—long development cycles, regulatory complexity, and capital intensity—making investor selection and professional presentation critical.

Peony supports climate tech fundraising: secure data rooms organize technical validations and pilot results, track investor engagement on impact metrics, protect proprietary climate solutions, and demonstrate security for enterprise partnerships. Purpose-built for climate tech fundraising.

Here are the top 15 climate tech investors for 2025.

Top Climate Tech Investors

1. First Star Ventures

Focus: Sustainable solutions across sectors
Stage: Seed to Series A
Check Size: $500K-$3M
AUM: $150M+ across funds
HQ: San Francisco, CA

First Star Ventures invests in companies addressing climate change and sustainability across energy, transportation, food systems, and circular economy. They focus on technologies with measurable environmental impact and scalable business models.

What they look for:

• Measurable CO2 reduction or environmental benefit
• Scalable technology solutions
• Strong technical team with domain expertise
• Clear path to commercialization
• Unit economics that work without subsidies

Notable investments: Renewable energy storage, sustainable materials, carbon capture technologies

Why they're valuable: Deep climate tech network, technical advisory support, connections to corporate partners for pilots, and follow-on funding capability.

2. Act Venture Capital

Focus: Early-stage sustainability innovations
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $250K-$1M
AUM: $75M across funds
HQ: Boston, MA

Act Venture Capital backs earliest-stage climate and sustainability innovations, often at the prototype or pilot stage. They provide patient capital and hands-on support for technologies requiring longer development cycles.

What they look for:

• Breakthrough innovations (not incremental improvements)
• Mission-driven founding teams
• Technical validation (lab results, pilot data)
• Addressable climate impact
• Founders committed to sustainable outcomes

Notable investments: Clean energy technologies, sustainable agriculture, waste reduction solutions

Why they're valuable: Patient capital for long development cycles, technical mentorship, connections to research institutions and universities, and understanding of climate tech timelines.

3. American Family Insurance Institute

Focus: Environmental impact and climate resilience
Stage: Seed to Series A
Check Size: $500K-$2M
AUM: Corporate-backed fund
HQ: Madison, WI

American Family Insurance Institute invests in climate technologies related to climate resilience, disaster prevention, and environmental risk management. Their corporate backing provides access to insurance industry expertise and customers.

What they look for:

• Climate resilience and adaptation technologies
• Disaster prevention and risk management
• Environmental monitoring and prediction
• Technologies reducing climate-related insurance claims
• Real-world pilot opportunities

Notable investments: Climate risk modeling, disaster prevention technology, resilient infrastructure solutions

Why they're valuable: Access to insurance industry data and expertise, potential enterprise customer (American Family), understanding of climate risks and economics, and corporate partnership opportunities.

4. Ecosystem Integrity Fund

Focus: Climate solutions and biodiversity
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $250K-$1M
AUM: $100M+ under management
HQ: Portland, OR

Ecosystem Integrity Fund invests in companies protecting and restoring natural ecosystems while addressing climate change. Focus areas include biodiversity, ocean health, forests, and regenerative agriculture.

What they look for:

• Ecosystem restoration and protection
• Biodiversity conservation technology
• Nature-based climate solutions
• Regenerative agriculture and land use
• Measurable environmental outcomes

Notable investments: Ocean conservation technology, forest monitoring, regenerative agriculture platforms, biodiversity tracking

Why they're valuable: Deep expertise in natural climate solutions, connections to conservation organizations, understanding of carbon markets and nature-based credits, and mission-aligned patient capital.

5. Clearvision Ventures

Focus: Climate innovation across sectors
Stage: Seed to Series A
Check Size: $500K-$3M
AUM: $200M+ across funds
HQ: New York, NY

Clearvision Ventures invests in climate technologies across energy, transportation, built environment, and industrial decarbonization. They focus on companies with clear paths to scale and strong technical differentiation.

What they look for:

• Deep tech climate solutions
• Scalable business models
• Experienced technical teams
• Clear competitive advantages
• Path to profitability

Notable investments: Industrial decarbonization, clean energy storage, sustainable materials, energy efficiency

Why they're valuable: Broad climate tech network, technical due diligence capabilities, connections to corporate customers and strategic investors, and growth capital availability.

6. Halogen Ventures

Focus: Sustainable startups with diverse founders
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $500K-$1M
AUM: $50M+ across funds
HQ: Los Angeles, CA

Halogen Ventures invests in climate and sustainability companies founded by women and underrepresented minorities. They focus on consumer products, sustainable food, and climate-positive services.

What they look for:

• Women or underrepresented founder teams
• Consumer-facing climate solutions
• Sustainable products and services
• Strong brand and mission alignment
• Direct-to-consumer or retail distribution

Notable investments: Sustainable consumer goods, climate-positive services, eco-friendly products, circular economy platforms

Why they're valuable: Focus on underrepresented founders creates less competitive fundraising environment, consumer and retail expertise, brand-building support, and mission-aligned capital.

7. Sandbox Sustainability Ventures

Focus: Climate sector technologies
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $250K-$1M
AUM: $80M across funds
HQ: San Francisco, CA

Sandbox Sustainability Ventures backs early-stage climate technologies with focus on renewable energy, sustainable transportation, and circular economy. They provide hands-on operational support and technical mentorship.

What they look for:

• Climate technology with global scalability
• Strong IP or technical moat
• Experienced operational teams
• Clear commercialization strategy
• Meaningful climate impact at scale

Notable investments: Renewable energy software, EV infrastructure, sustainable materials, waste-to-value technologies

Why they're valuable: Operational expertise in climate tech, technical advisory network, connections to manufacturing and supply chain partners, and follow-on investor relationships.

8. Impacta VC

Focus: Environmental impact in Latin America
Stage: Seed to Series A
Check Size: $500K-$2M
AUM: $100M+ under management
HQ: São Paulo, Brazil / Miami, FL

Impacta VC invests in climate and sustainability companies in Latin America and US-LatAm cross-border opportunities. Focus areas include renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and circular economy solutions for emerging markets.

What they look for:

• Latin American market focus or expansion
• Climate solutions for emerging markets
• Local market knowledge and networks
• Sustainable business models in developing economies
• Cross-border scalability potential

Notable investments: LatAm renewable energy, sustainable agriculture in Brazil/Mexico, circular economy solutions, climate fintech

Why they're valuable: Deep Latin American networks and market knowledge, understanding of emerging market dynamics, connections to regional corporates and governments, and cross-border expansion support.

9. D2 Fund

Focus: Sustainable solutions and impact
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $250K-$750K
AUM: $50M across funds
HQ: New York, NY

D2 Fund invests in early-stage sustainable businesses with focus on social and environmental impact. They back companies in sustainable food, circular economy, and community-based climate solutions.

What they look for:

• Strong social and environmental mission
• Community impact alignment
• Sustainable and equitable business models
• Mission-driven founding teams
• Measurable impact metrics

Notable investments: Community-based climate solutions, sustainable food systems, social enterprises with climate benefits

Why they're valuable: Impact measurement expertise, connections to impact investment community, patient mission-aligned capital, and understanding of social enterprise business models.

10. DEPO Ventures

Focus: Climate innovation and deep tech
Stage: Seed to Series A
Check Size: $500K-$3M
AUM: $120M+ across funds
HQ: Boston, MA

DEPO Ventures invests in deep tech climate solutions including advanced materials, carbon capture, renewable energy technologies, and climate adaptation infrastructure.

What they look for:

• Deep tech and advanced materials
• Significant technical breakthroughs
• PhD-level founding teams
• Long development cycles requiring patient capital
• Transformative climate impact potential

Notable investments: Advanced materials for clean energy, carbon capture technologies, climate adaptation infrastructure, next-gen renewables

Why they're valuable: Deep technical expertise for evaluating complex technologies, patient capital for long development cycles, connections to research institutions and national labs, and understanding of deep tech commercialization.

11. Day One Ventures

Focus: Early climate change solutions
Stage: Pre-seed to Seed
Check Size: $250K-$1M
AUM: $150M+ across funds
HQ: San Francisco, CA

Day One Ventures backs earliest-stage climate companies with contrarian perspectives on climate solutions. Known for supporting unconventional approaches and underrepresented founders in climate tech.

What they look for:

• Novel climate solution approaches
• Underrepresented founding teams
• Contrarian market perspectives on climate
• Strong technical capabilities
• Mission-driven entrepreneurship

Notable investments: Climate fintech, consumer climate solutions, carbon markets technology

Why they're valuable: Very early-stage capital when others won't invest, hands-on operational support, media and marketing connections, and follow-on funding network.

12. Type One Ventures

Focus: Environmental change and climate
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $500K-$1.5M
AUM: $75M across funds
HQ: San Francisco, CA

Type One Ventures invests in companies addressing environmental challenges through technology. Focus areas include renewable energy, sustainable food systems, and environmental monitoring.

What they look for:

• Technology-enabled climate solutions
• Scalable environmental impact
• Strong go-to-market strategies
• Technical team with domain expertise
• Clear customer demand

Notable investments: Environmental monitoring technology, sustainable food tech, renewable energy software

Why they're valuable: Focus on environmental technology creates specialized expertise, connections to environmental organizations and agencies, and understanding of environmental markets and policy.

13. Bee Partners

Focus: Sustainable technology and climate
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $500K-$1M
AUM: $150M+ across funds
HQ: San Francisco, CA

Bee Partners invests in sustainable technology companies with focus on climate tech, clean energy, and environmental solutions. They provide operational support and network access to early-stage climate ventures.

What they look for:

• Sustainable technology platforms
• Climate-positive business models
• Strong technical differentiation
• Experienced founding teams
• Silicon Valley connections or ambitions

Notable investments: Clean energy software, climate data platforms, sustainable supply chain technology

Why they're valuable: Silicon Valley network access, operational expertise in scaling startups, connections to tech ecosystem and talent, and follow-on investor relationships.

14. The Venture Collective (TVC)

Focus: Climate innovation and sustainability
Stage: Seed to Series A
Check Size: $500K-$2M
AUM: $200M+ across funds
HQ: New York, NY

The Venture Collective invests in climate and sustainability companies with focus on scalable environmental solutions. They bring together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts to support climate ventures.

What they look for:

• Scalable climate solutions
• Strong business fundamentals (not just impact)
• Experienced entrepreneurial teams
• Clear competitive positioning
• Growth potential beyond climate niche

Notable investments: Sustainable infrastructure, climate-positive services, environmental technology platforms

Why they're valuable: Collective model brings diverse expertise, connections to multiple industries and sectors, operational support from experienced entrepreneurs, and access to strategic partners.

15. FoodHack / HackVentures

Focus: Food system climate solutions
Stage: Seed
Check Size: $250K-$1M
AUM: $50M+ across funds
HQ: New York, NY

FoodHack invests specifically in sustainable food and agriculture technologies addressing climate impact of food systems. Focus areas include alternative proteins, regenerative agriculture, food waste reduction, and sustainable supply chains.

What they look for:

• Food system climate solutions
• Agriculture and food tech innovation
• Regenerative agriculture technologies
• Food waste reduction and circular economy
• Measurable climate impact in food sector

Notable investments: Alternative protein companies, regenerative ag platforms, food waste solutions, sustainable packaging

Why they're valuable: Deep food and agriculture expertise, connections to food companies and retailers, understanding of food system economics and supply chains, and specialized knowledge of ag-tech and food-tech sectors.

What Climate Tech Investors Look For

Impact potential:

• Measurable CO2 reduction
• Scalable environmental benefit
• Clear impact metrics
• Long-term sustainability

Technical validation:

• Proven technology (beyond lab)
• Pilot results and data
• Third-party validation
• Technical team credentials

Market readiness:

• Customer willingness to pay
• Regulatory tailwinds
• Policy support
• Enterprise partnerships

Business model:

• Path to profitability
• Unit economics clarity
• Capital efficiency
• Scale timeline

Climate Tech Pitch Requirements

Essential slides:

Impact metrics:

• CO2 reduction per unit
• Environmental benefit quantified
• Scale projections
• Comparison to alternatives

Technical validation:

• Pilot results
• Performance data
• Third-party validation
• Technical differentiation

Market timing:

• Regulatory environment
• Policy support
• Corporate commitments
• Market readiness

Capital strategy:

• Development capital needs
• Path to commercialization
• Scaling requirements
• Timeline to impact

Reaching Climate Tech Investors

Best channels:

• Climate tech conferences (VERGE, Cleantech Forum)
• Impact investing networks
• University climate programs
• Corporate partnerships (intro through partners)

When ready:

• Post pilot validation
• With measurable results
• Clear scaling path
• Team fully assembled

Climate Tech Fundraising Strategy

Stage-specific approaches:

Pre-seed/Seed (Prototype to pilot):

• Focus on technical validation and proof of concept
• Emphasize team credentials and technical breakthrough
• Show initial pilot results or lab data
• Target climate-focused seed investors and impact funds
• Typical timeline: 6-12 months

Series A (Pilot to commercial):

• Demonstrate successful pilots with measurable results
• Show early customer interest or letters of intent
• Prove unit economics at small scale
• Target growth-stage climate investors and corporates
• Typical timeline: 3-6 months

Series B+ (Commercial to scale):

• Revenue traction and customer growth
• Proven unit economics and scaling economics
• Path to profitability clarified
• Target growth equity and strategic investors
• Typical timeline: 3-6 months

Climate Tech Pitch Essentials

Impact slide requirements:

Quantify climate impact:

• CO2e reduced per unit sold
• Equivalent impact (e.g., "removing 10,000 cars from roads annually")
• Comparison to alternatives
• Scale projections over 5-10 years

Example impact metrics:

• "Each installation reduces 50 tons CO2e annually"
• "At 10,000 units deployed: 500,000 tons CO2e removed"
• "Equivalent to planting 8 million trees"
• "2025 target: 0.1% of US emissions in our category"

Technical validation requirements:

Pilot results:

• Real-world performance data (not just lab results)
• Duration and scale of pilots
• Third-party validation or certification
• Customer testimonials or case studies

Performance benchmarks:

• Cost per ton CO2e reduced
• Energy efficiency improvements
• Performance vs. incumbents
• Scalability economics

Common Climate Tech Mistakes

Mistake 1: Impact over economics

• Pitching only environmental benefits
• Ignoring unit economics and path to profitability
• Assuming impact alone justifies investment

How to avoid: Lead with impact but demonstrate strong business fundamentals. Show how environmental benefits create economic advantages (cost savings, regulatory tailwinds, customer demand).

Mistake 2: Too early fundraising

• Seeking capital before technical validation
• Lab results without real-world pilots
• No customer conversations or validation

How to avoid: Complete meaningful pilots before fundraising. Investors need real-world data, not theoretical models. Even small-scale pilots (1-10 units) dramatically improve fundraising success.

Mistake 3: Underestimating timelines

• Projecting rapid commercialization
• Ignoring regulatory timelines
• Unrealistic scaling assumptions

How to avoid: Build realistic timelines including regulatory approvals, certification processes, manufacturing setup, and customer adoption curves. Climate tech typically takes 2-3x longer than software.

Mistake 4: Weak go-to-market

• Unclear customer acquisition strategy
• No identified first customers
• Ignoring distribution challenges
• Missing partnerships needed for scale

How to avoid: Identify specific first customers and distribution channels. Secure pilot partnerships or letters of intent. Show clear path from pilot to commercial scale.

Climate Tech Investor Comparison

How Peony Supports Climate Tech

Peony streamlines climate fundraising:

Technical documentation:

• Organize pilot results and validation studies systematically
• Share technical specifications securely with NDAs
• Protect proprietary climate technologies and approaches
• Track which investors reviewed technical sections
• Update pilot results in real-time without re-sending

Impact presentation:

• Present climate impact metrics clearly and professionally
• Visualize CO2e reductions and environmental benefits
• Update impact projections as you gather more data
• Custom branding shows professionalism and credibility
• Mobile-optimized for investors reviewing on the go

Partnership materials:

• Share with corporate partners for pilot programs
• Provide to potential strategic investors
• Submit to government grant programs
• Enterprise sales materials for B2B climate solutions
• Demonstrate security posture for enterprise customers

Investor intelligence:

• Track engagement on technical validation sections
• See which investors spent time on impact metrics
• Identify serious vs. tire-kickers based on viewing patterns
• Time follow-ups based on engagement signals
• Understand investor concerns through viewing analytics

Result: Professional climate tech fundraising with complete IP protection, impact transparency, and engagement intelligence.

Climate Tech Funding Alternatives

Beyond traditional VC:

Government grants:

• Department of Energy (DOE) programs
• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• ARPA-E for breakthrough energy tech
• State-level climate innovation programs
• EU Horizon Europe climate programs

Corporate partnerships:

• Corporate venture capital (CVCs)
• Pilot programs with strategic partners
• Joint development agreements
• Strategic investments from industry players

Climate-specific funds:

• Breakthrough Energy Ventures ($2B fund)
• Bill Gates Catalyst (climate innovation)
• Amazon Climate Pledge Fund ($2B)
• Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund ($1B)

Debt and project finance:

• Green bonds for infrastructure projects
• Project finance for renewable energy
• Equipment financing for hardware
• Revenue-based financing for recurring revenue

Conclusion

Climate tech investors seek measurable environmental impact, strong technical validation from real-world pilots, favorable market timing with policy tailwinds, credible teams with deep domain expertise, and sustainable business economics. Success requires demonstrating breakthrough technology with proven results, clear paths to commercial scale, realistic timelines accounting for regulatory and manufacturing complexities, and professional presentation that signals operational maturity.

The climate tech fundraising environment in 2025 is more sophisticated than ever—investors demand both impact and returns, technical depth and commercial viability, mission alignment and business fundamentals. The best climate founders understand that environmental benefits must translate to economic advantages to achieve the scale needed for meaningful climate impact.

Peony enables climate startups to organize technical validations professionally, protect proprietary climate technologies, track investor engagement on impact metrics, and present with the credibility that climate investors expect.

Professional climate tech fundraising platform: Try Peony

Related Resources

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• How to Choose the Best Data Room for Investors