CVentures is a corporate venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology startups with a focus on the travel, hospitality, and events sectors. The firm leverages its extensive industry expertise and network to support its portfolio companies in achieving growth and innovation.

Contrarian Ventures

CVentures

We are the early stage VC for the climate generation, mobilising resources for climate action in Europe & Israel with our collaborative, hands-on, founders-first approach.

Benefitting from unparalleled levels of engagement with the climate tech community, our platform-based model backs the pioneers building the technology that will become the infrastructure of tomorrow.

Given that decades of collective actions got us into the climate mess, we leverage Energy Tech Summit, Energy Tech Challengers and Climate50 to make a collaborative effort to mobilise resources and get humanity back on track to decarbonize the economy.

For press inquiries - info@cventures.vc

Moixa Technology

2023 WRAPPED: As 2023 winds down, we at Contrarian Ventures reflect on a year marked by continuous growth, innovation, new projects and commitment to sustainable energy advancements. Here's a glimpse of our journey this year:

🚀 We have invested in 4 new portfolio companies, welcoming 7 new climate tech founders into the Contrarian Ventures family
 
🚀 Our portfolio raised 12 new rounds totalling €152m of fresh capital, topping up the total number of our co-investors to 120+

🚀 Marked a milestone as PVcase secured an impressive 100m in Series B funding, led by Highland Europe, Energize Capital and Elephant, setting a new record for our portfolio company's fundraising achievements

🚀 Total portfolio value has surpassed €1,5b

🚀 Hunted our first dragon - our Fund I was fully returned to our Limited Partners

🚀 Contrarian family is growing: we welcomed Agne Gudonaviciute, Rūta Skarulskė, CFA ESG and Thomas Potgieter to the team

🚀 Partnered with EQT Ventures, McKinsey & Company and the climate tech ecosystem to build Climate Brick - the missing manual for the new climate tech journey. Find out more and follow the journey with us: https://lnkd.in/dwPK3KXx

🚀 Our Energy Tech Summit is moving to a new location: we can't wait to welcome everyone on April 10-11th, 2024, in Bilbao, Spain

🚀 On Climate50, we introduced the Investor Climate Alignment Checkmark and significantly improved our data accuracy to ensure Climate50 remains a valuable and trusted resource for the community

We're excited about the new opportunities and breakthroughs that await in 2024 and ready to continue our journey in driving sustainable energy innovations.

Our team wishes you a carbon-neutral festive season and a green dragon New Year! 💚 🎄

NEW PORTFOLIO COMPANY: The decarbonization of aviation (circa 2% global emissions) is one of the greatest technological challenges we currently face. In an industry where single aircraft are currently intended to have a lifespan of 30 years and cost around $100 million apiece, the cost of reframing fleets for hydrogen and e-aviation is near impossible for most long-haul carriers. 

There is however one option that has no such drawbacks: a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that is a drop-in replacement for standard kerosene, which has the benefit of a drastically lower environmental impact both in production and use.   

To that end, we are excited to support Metafuels a Zurich-based aviation tech startup focused on the development and deployment of proprietary sustainable fuel technologies, with an initial focus on synthetic aviation fuel. Metafuels intends to develop and bring to market sustainable aviation fuels which do not require a reengineering or re-purchasing of existing aircraft, or aviation logistics infrastructure.  

Welcome to the family Saurabh KAPOOR, Leigh Hackett, and the rest of the team! 💚 🤝✈️

Read more👇

As the current European framework carries too much risk of green and impact washing there is a need to define impact investing. That is why Contrarian Ventures joins #UnitedForImpact initiative which gathers 32 impact funds from 14 countries, representing a large part of the European impact private equity market at various investment stages. 
 
You may ask why? 💡
 
In 2018 EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) introduced articles 6, 8 and 9 funds to support sustainable investments but this framework now lacks clarity.
The Commission recently launched a wide consultation to assess #sfdr , and proposed to draft a more precise product categorisation including a new category specifically targeting impact solutions. And we support this proposition! 
 
We strongly believe that capital should be reoriented towards impact-driven companies aligning business performance with the resolution of major environmental and/or social challenges. 
 
Sustainability is no longer optional and impact should be the new paradigm. 
 
Impact investing is at the heart of sustainable finance and we all call on European authorities to make it happen at a large scale. 🚀
 
Join us! 🇪🇺

European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Mairead McGuinness John Berrigan

NEW FAMILY MEMBER: Meet our newest edition to the team - Rūta Skarulskė, CFA ESG.🎉👏 She is joining us as Head of ESG & Impact and will contribute to guiding and leading ESG journey within our investments and operations. 

As a climate-tech investor, we are highly focused on the impact our investments create, and Ruta's expertise will be invaluable in enhancing our sustainable investment strategies. 🌏💼 

Join us in welcoming Ruta to our team! 💚💚

SLUSH: We are heading to Helsinki for the last and one of the biggest events this year - the Slush conference. Known for its focus on innovation and technology, Slush is the perfect setting for us to explore new frontiers in climate tech and venture capital. 🚀 

Also in town? Reach out to Robina von Stein or Rokas Peciulaitis and grab a coffee or say hi at one of many side events. 🤝 ☕

PORTFOLIO UPDATE: Huge financial milestone for our portfolio company Eliq - they have secured €10 million in a growth round, with support from existing investor Inven Capital and new investors Valkea and Axpo Group🎉 🚀 

Congratulations to the whole Eliq team!! 💚 💚 👏

FOUNDER WANNABES: Shout out to the Warsaw ecosystem 📢 together with Inovo.vc and PKO Bank Polski VC, we are hosting the Founder Wannabes event.

Join our General Partner Tomas Kemtys, Venture Partner Eryk Frontczak, together with Simonas Stankus, co-founder and CEO of our Fund I PortCo  Inbalance grid, to talk about Climate Tech trends. 🌍 

Apply here: https://lnkd.in/dfP-ZYHX

PORTFOLIO: Introducing the Housing Fuel Poverty Index (HFPI), powered by our portfolio company Switchee. HFPI is a live metric spotlighting fuel poverty prevalence within UK social housing, offering a comprehensive overview of fuel poverty impact and highlighting the true scale of the problem in the sector. 🏠

📢 To find out more, join an introductory webinar with Switchee's CEO, Tom Robins and Data Lead, Ben Morris, where they will give an in-depth understanding of how the HFPI benefits Government and housing providers to help measure fuel poverty in social housing portfolios, and the impact of fuel poverty across the UK. 

📅 When: November 14th, 10am GMT 
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/d3wXppGj

🤝Join Switchee in this important conversation and be part of the change. Spread the word and let's tackle fuel poverty together!

NEW INTERN ALERT: Meet Paulius Steponkus, who joins us from Università Bocconi and will spend two months learning the ropes of the VC world. 🚀 

Why VC and Contrarian Ventures? 🎤 

"Among the many fields of finance, venture capital, to me, stands out for being dynamic, full of personal interaction, and the one where you can make a big difference. From market research and due diligence to building relationships with founders, I believe working in VC would align with my character traits and interests," says Paulius. 

Congratulations and welcome to the team! 👏 💚

STAGE TWO: Our investor Robina von Stein, will join jury members at Stage Two - this exclusive pitch competition from over 45 European universities who will send their best startups to compete for €3.8M in investment and cash prizes – live and on-stage in Berlin 🎤 

We are always thrilled to hear and support young talents in the climate tech space! 💪 🚀 

👉 Join us. Limited tickets are still available: https://lnkd.in/eCvEa2UR

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