VitaminºC reaches first close on €18M climate fund
New female-led venture capital firm VitaminºC has achieved the first close of its debut €18 million climate fund, targeting early-stage European startups tackling the climate crisis. The milestone comes at a time when overall climate tech funding has cooled, underscoring growing investor appetite for focused, impact-driven strategies.
Female-led team targets early-stage climate innovation
VitaminºC is led by an all-female founding team of experienced investors and operators, positioning the firm as both a climate-focused and diversity-driven player in the European venture capital ecosystem. The fund plans to back pre-seed and seed-stage companies developing technologies that reduce emissions, enable decarbonisation and support climate resilience across sectors such as energy, industry, mobility and the built environment.
The firm’s investment thesis centres on combining rigorous impact measurement with commercial performance, seeking startups that can scale globally while delivering measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Alongside capital, portfolio companies are expected to receive hands-on support in areas like go-to-market strategy, hiring and follow-on fundraising.
Backing climate tech amid sector-wide funding slowdown
The first close of VitaminºC’s debut fund comes against a backdrop of declining venture funding for climate and clean technologies compared with the highs of 2021–2022. Many generalist funds have slowed deployment, making it harder for early-stage climate founders to raise their first institutional rounds.
By concentrating exclusively on climate tech, the new fund aims to fill this gap and provide long-term, specialist support. Limited partners include family offices, high-net-worth individuals and mission-driven institutional investors that view climate innovation as both a financial opportunity and a strategic necessity.
Signal for Europe’s climate startup ecosystem
Industry observers see the first close as a positive signal for Europe’s climate startup landscape. A dedicated, female-led fund like VitaminºC not only brings fresh capital to the market, it also addresses persistent imbalances in who controls VC capital and which founders receive it. As the firm moves toward a final close of its €18 million vehicle, more early-stage climate innovators across Europe are expected to benefit from this specialized source of funding and expertise.