EIT Climate-KIC launches the Investing for 1.5C initiative with founding partners Ship2BVentures and UnaTerra 

EIT Climate-KIC launches the Investing for 1.5C initiative, adding further investment capital and momentum to the implementation of the European Green Deal.  

As the world experiences the hottest global mean temperatures ever recorded, the need for bold and transformative climate action is urgent. Investing for 1.5C is a new initiative, led by EIT Climate-KIC, that works with a select group of committed impact investment funds to support businesses that will not only generate transformative climate impact, but will form the building blocks of a new economy. This type of regenerative and circular economy is needed to limit climate change and begin to work on the overshoot challenge. 

Kirsten Dunlop, CEO of EIT Climate-KIC said: “We know that a just, climate-resilient, beautiful future is possible. But to get there we need to invest in it. We need to create and connect solutions in integrated ways, and we urgently need to mobilise funds and investors who wish to bring that future into being. We are in a race to limit warming below 2°C. That will only be possible through profoundly transformative innovations in business models and in economic models. We must be bold enough to challenge our own assumptions and ambitious enough to fundamentally transform whole places and ways of living through systems change.  

Investing for 1.5C is about making a clear statement that we’re ready to shift mindsets and behaviours not only to limit warming, but to create a world where we thrive. It says that we are willing and able to invest in entrepreneurs who are building the high-impact businesses of the future, reshaping demand for energy and materials. And that we are willing to work collaboratively with like-minded investors to integrate solutions and demonstrate new possibilities.” 

UnaTerra Venture Capital Impact Fund  and Ship2B Ventures are founding partners in the Investing for 1.5C initiative. EIT Climate-KIC leads the initiative and provides the partner investment funds with strategic guidance, climate impact advice and portfolio-shaping support. At the same time, UnaTerra and Ship2B Ventures each bring a unique focus on a different aspect of the climate innovation journey by looking at a particular sector, geography, or stage of development. By working collaboratively with a shared vision for impact, the initiative aims to unlock new possibilities for the exchange of knowledge, insights, and learnings on how to enable catalytic and transformative innovation. 

Luca Zerbini, CEO and Founding Partner of UnaTerra said: “At UnaTerra we want to scale solutions, at speed, that lift the world out of climate change and biodiversity loss.  This requires investing as a means, not an end, to go where markets have failed and impact has fallen short. Delivering both, a fair financial return, and more importantly, promote and scale prosperity for both people and the planet. This is why we are excited to partner with EIT Climate-KIC on Investing for 1.5C and we look forward to supporting businesses that genuinely impact climate and biodiversity through this unique partnership.” 

Xavier Pont, Managing Partner of Ship2B Ventures said: “Ship2B Ventures believes in backing bold entrepreneurs that chart their own course and generate lasting impact through scalable businesses. We are pleased to bring our experience in early-stage impact investing to this high-ambition collaboration.” 

Investing for 1.5C includes the generation of a uniquely diverse pipeline of investment opportunities through the ClimAccelerator programme, unparalleled reach across the EU innovation landscape through place-based innovation programmes, and systemic impact guidance from the EIT Climate-KIC network.  

Importantly, these two investment funds join the EIT Climate-KIC community and provide further momentum to the implementation of the European Green Deal and Horizon Europe Innovation Missions.  At the same time, EIT Climate-KIC joins their ecosystems of selected partners for unique European impact investing. 

 

About us 

EIT Climate-KIC 

EIT Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, using a systems approach to shape innovation to support cities, regions, countries and industries meet their climate ambitions. 

Together with partners across the globe, EIT Climate-KIC acts to bridge the gap climate commitments and current reality by enabling decision makers and investors to act. They find and implement solutions in integrated ways and mobilise finance. They build skills to accelerate learning and explore innovation, opening pathways to shift mindsets and behaviours. Through radical collaboration, EIT Climate-KIC orchestrates large-scale demonstrations that show what is possible when cycles of innovation and learning are deliberately designed to trigger exponential decarbonisation and build resilient communities.  

 

Ship2B Ventures 

Ship2B Ventures is a founding partner in the initiative and brings a wealth of experience in impact investing in climate at the seed-stage. Limiting global warming requires rapid and far-reaching decarbonisation across how we live, how we eat and how we make things. These three sectors currently account for 70 per cent of global GHG emissions and yet attract only 25 per cent of venture capital investment – the majority of which is funnelled into later-stage innovations. Ship2B aim to address these sector and stage imbalances by bringing additional investment into early-stage start-ups in the European climate tech landscape. 

 

UnaTerra Venture Capital Impact Fund 

Una Terra was born out of a common desire: to make the world a more sustainable place. Our founding partners wanted to find a way for People, Profit and Planet to exist together in harmony – and through their unrivalled experience knew the only way to deliver on this goal was to identify and help grow proven sustainable technologies. 

Since our inception – using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a blueprint for our investment strategy – we have been helping to create the next generation of industry leading impact businesses dedicated to solving the world’s toughest challenges, starting with preserving and restoring biodiversity while also mitigating climate change. 

Una Terra’s ambition is to not only invest capital, but also provide direct support and capabilities, education and leadership to companies that want to transform entire industries with commercial technology and innovation, with asset-light models that can be scaled through marketing, commercial introductions, partnerships, new market entry and accelerated go to market. 

UnaTerra received the “Innovative Fund for our Future Award” from the World Economic Forum (Uplink) and is an “Impact Assets IA50 Emerging Impact Manager”. UnaTerra is an active member of UN Global Compact, UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Capitals Coalition, Sustainable Market Initiative (SMI) and Terra Carta, European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA), World Economic Forum (WEF) and Klosters Forum (KF).   

UnaTerra is an Art. 9 Fund according to European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), and a B-Corp (Pending) organization, as well as committed to 1% philanthropic investment for the Planet. Finally, UnaTerra is part of the Swiss Venture Capital Association (SECA).   

 

 

EIT Climate-KIC is not regulated by any financial services regulator and does not engage in regulated financial services activity. This material is provided for informational purposes only and relates only to the partnership between participating funds which are regulated in their own right. This site may not be considered (i) an offer, or solicitation of an offer, to invest in, or to buy or sell, any interests or shares, or to participate in any investment or trading strategy, (ii) actionable investment or financial advice (iii) an endorsement or recommendation of any company or fund, or (iv) an official statement of EIT Climate-KIC.