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The Energy sector is experiencing a global transformation, with startups leading the charge toward a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient future. From renewable energy and grid technologies to agtech and foodtech innovations, founders are tackling some of the world’s most urgent challenges—climate change, energy access, and sustainable food production. This surge in innovation is matched by a significant increase in venture capital investment. For founders, this influx of capital brings both opportunity and competition. The right investor can help you scale your technology, navigate regulatory hurdles, and open doors to global markets. But the Energy sector also presents unique challenges—longer development cycles, complex supply chains, and evolving policy landscapes. Knowing which venture capital firms are actively investing in Energy, understanding current fundraising trends, and tapping into the right networks can make all the difference. This guide is designed to help Energy startup founders around the world raise capital with confidence. You’ll find an up-to-date list of the top VC firms investing in Energy, actionable fundraising insights tailored to the sector, and a curated selection of accelerators, events, and resources to help you build connections and scale internationally. Top 15 Venture Capital Firms Investing in Energy Startups (2025) Congruent Ventures Sweetspot check size: $ 1M Traction metrics requirements: We don't require metrics pre-investing but we do require quarterly financial submission and an annual Climate Impact metric discussion / submission. Thesis: Congruent Ventures is a leading early stage venture firm focused on partnering with entrepreneurs to build companies addressing climate and sustainability challenges across four themes: Mobility and Urbanization, the Energy Transition, Food and Agriculture, and Sustainable Production and Consumption. Clean Energy Ventures About: At Clean Energy Ventures we’re beating back climate change through energy innovation. We fund disruptive, capital-light technologies and business model innovations that can reshape how we produce and consume energy. Each startup we invest in has the potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions between our investment and 2050. SET Ventures About: At SET Ventures we help Entrepreneurs build companies that Impact the global Energy System Transition. We leverage our Experience and Network to actively grow companies to generate Great Returns. Sweetspot check size: $ 3M Thesis: Digitial technologies for a carbon-free energy system RenewableTech Ventures About: RenewableTech Ventures is an early and growth stage venture fund investing in renewable energy, clean technology, energy conservation, green materials and other technologies. Sweetspot check size: $ 2.50M Thesis: We are an IRR-driven environmental impact fund on a mission to solve big problems and produce outsized returns. Using a cleantech investment lens, we look across sectors and industries to find the most groundbreaking innovations that will create both massive environmental impact and exceptional value for our shareholders. Prelude Ventures About: Prelude Ventures is a venture capital firm partnering with entrepreneurs to address climate change. Since 2013, we have invested in over 40 companies across advanced energy, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, advanced materials and manufacturing, and advanced computing. We have a long-term commitment to the sector, accept informed risks, and couple a fundamental emphasis on venture-level returns with an understanding of deep-tech and hardware development timelines. Prelude manages capital exclusively for Simons family philanthropic entities and is a founding member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition. Thesis: We invest in the low-carbon economy. Energy Impact Partners About: Energy Impact Partners LP (EIP) is a global venture capital firm leading the transition to a sustainable future. EIP brings together entrepreneurs and the world’s most forward-looking energy and industrial companies to advance innovation. With over $2.5 billion in assets under management, EIP invests globally across venture, growth, credit, and infrastructure – and has a team of over 70 professionals based in its offices in New York, San Francisco, Palm Beach, London, Washington D.C., Cologne, and Oslo. Thesis: We bring together incumbents and innovators in a differentiated collaborative model to build and scale businesses for substantial impact. Breakthrough Energy Ventures About: Breakthrough Energy is dedicated to helping humanity avoid a climate disaster. Through investment vehicles, philanthropic programs, policy advocacy, and other activities, we’re committed to scaling the technologies we need to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Thesis: Breakthrough Energy Ventures provides reliable and affordable power without contributing to climate change. Breakout Ventures About: Breakout Ventures is an early stage fund that backs bold scientist entrepreneurs. Thesis: Breakout Ventures backs bold companies working at the intersections of technology, biology, materials, and energy. Factor[e] Ventures About: We are a team of impact venture builders dedicated to supporting the people and ideas that turn challenges in energy, agriculture, mobility, and waste into de-carbonized solutions for emerging and frontier markets. Sweetspot check size: $ 500K Elemental Excelerator About: Elemental Impact is a nonprofit investing platform with 15 years of experience advancing innovative technology that creates lasting economic and climate benefits across communities. Through our platform, we deploy catalytic capital and provide expert services to a portfolio of 160+ companies across energy, agriculture, transportation, industry, and nature-based solutions. Emerald Technology Ventures About: Emerald is a globally recognized venture capital firm founded in 2000, that manages and advises assets of over €1 billion from its offices in Zurich, Toronto and Singapore. The firm invests in start-ups that tackle big challenges in climate change and sustainability, with 4 current funds, hundreds of venture transactions and four third-party investment mandates, including loan guarantees to over 100 start-ups. Chrysalix Venture Capital About: Chrysalix Energy invests in and supports game changing clean technology companies that are helping to build the new energy economy. They invest in early to mid-stage companies with exceptional teams developing products and business models that change how they use natural resources to support sustainable economic activity, while minimizing environmental impacts. Accelerators and Incubators for Energy Startups in 2025: A Global Guide For energy founders, accelerators and incubators remain some of the most powerful launchpads for growth. These programs are more competitive and globally connected than ever, offering not just capital but also mentorship, pilot opportunities, and access to a deep network of industry leaders and investors. Why Accelerators and Incubators Matter for Energy Startups Unlike traditional funding routes, accelerators and incubators provide a structured environment where startups can rapidly validate their technology, refine their business model, and connect with key stakeholders. For energy startups—where technical risk, regulatory hurdles, and long sales cycles are common—these programs can be the difference between stalling out and scaling up. Leading Global Energy Accelerators and Incubators Some of the most impactful programs for energy startups in 2025 include: Elemental Excelerator (US/Asia-Pacific): Renowned for its hands-on approach, Elemental Excelerator offers funding, mentorship, and deep connections with corporates, utilities, and government agencies. Its focus on climate tech and energy transition makes it a top choice for founders ready to pilot and scale. Greentown Labs (US/global): As the world’s largest climate tech incubator, Greentown Labs provides workspace, prototyping facilities, and a vibrant community of founders, investors, and corporate partners. Their accelerator programs are tailored for early-stage energy and climate startups. EIT InnoEnergy (Europe): Backed by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology, InnoEnergy supports startups across the continent with funding, market access, and connections to a vast network of industry players and investors. Third Derivative (global): A joint venture between RMI and New Energy Nexus, Third Derivative connects energy startups with a global ecosystem of investors, corporates, and technical experts, accelerating commercialization and scaling. Plug and Play Energy (global): With locations worldwide, Plug and Play’s energy vertical offers startups access to corporate partners, pilot projects, and investor networks, with a strong focus on digitalization and grid innovation. Free Electrons (global): This utility-backed accelerator brings together leading energy utilities and startups to co-develop, pilot, and scale breakthrough solutions. New Energy Nexus (global): Operating in over 10 countries, New Energy Nexus offers accelerator programs, funding, and community support for clean energy entrepreneurs at every stage. EnergyLab (Australia/Asia-Pacific): EnergyLab supports startups across Australia and Southeast Asia, with programs focused on clean energy, mobility, and grid innovation. Regional and Thematic Programs Many regions and technologies have their own specialized accelerators. For example: Urban Future Lab (NYC, US): A leading hub for smart grid, storage, and urban energy solutions. Shell GameChanger (global): Corporate-backed, supporting early-stage energy tech with funding and technical validation. MassChallenge (global): Offers energy and climate tracks in multiple locations, with a focus on zero-equity support. Hydrogen, storage, and grid-specific accelerators: Programs like the Hydrogen Accelerator (UK/EU) and GridX (Germany) cater to founders in these fast-growing niches. Asia-Pacific and MENA region programs: Look for local initiatives in Singapore, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, which are rapidly expanding their support for energy innovation. What to Expect: Program Structure and Benefits Most accelerators and incubators offer a mix of: Seed funding or grants: Ranging from $25,000 to $500,000, often in exchange for equity or future investment rights. Mentorship and expert networks: Access to industry veterans, technical advisors, and successful founders. Corporate and utility partnerships: Opportunities to pilot technology with real customers and partners. Pilot and demonstration opportunities: Support for deploying and validating solutions in real-world settings. Investor demo days and exposure: Direct access to VCs, corporate venture arms, and government funders. How to Choose the Right Program To maximize your accelerator experience: Align with your technology stage and market: Some programs focus on early-stage validation, others on scaling and commercialization. Evaluate alumni success and network strength: Look for programs with a track record of successful graduates and strong industry ties. Understand equity terms and funding structure: Some accelerators take equity, others offer grants or convertible notes—know what you’re signing up for. Consider location, duration, and focus area: Choose a program that fits your timeline, geographic ambitions, and technology vertical. Additional Resources and Tools for Energy Startup Fundraising Grant and Non-Dilutive Funding Platforms Securing non-dilutive capital is a game-changer for energy startups, allowing founders to scale without giving up equity. In 2025, a growing ecosystem of grant programs and government initiatives is supporting innovation across the energy sector. Here are some of the most valuable resources for finding grants and non-dilutive funding: Innovate UK: As the UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK offers a wide range of grants and competitions for energy startups, from early-stage R&D to commercialization. Their programs frequently target clean energy, smart grids, and decarbonization, making them a top choice for UK-based and international founders looking to pilot or scale in the region. ARPA-E (US): The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is a US government agency funding high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. ARPA-E’s open funding calls and focused programs support breakthrough innovations in storage, grid, renewables, and more. Learn more European Innovation Council (EIC): The EIC provides substantial grant and blended finance opportunities for startups and SMEs across Europe, with a strong focus on energy transition, climate tech, and deep tech. Their Accelerator program is especially attractive for energy founders seeking both non-dilutive grants and follow-on equity. New Energy Nexus Grant Programs: Operating globally, New Energy Nexus offers a variety of grant and accelerator programs for clean energy entrepreneurs, particularly in Asia, Africa, and North America. Their initiatives often include non-dilutive funding, mentorship, and access to a global network of partners. ClimateLaunchpad: As the world’s largest green business ideas competition, ClimateLaunchpad helps early-stage energy and climate startups access training, mentorship, and non-dilutive prize funding. The program is open to founders worldwide and is a proven springboard for commercial and grant success. Newsletters, Podcasts, and Media Staying informed is essential for energy founders navigating the fast-moving world of fundraising and innovation. The following newsletters, podcasts, and media outlets are trusted by industry leaders for the latest news, funding trends, and actionable insights: Climate Tech VC: A must-read weekly newsletter covering climate tech deals, investor moves, and startup spotlights. Climate Tech VC is widely regarded as the go-to source for funding news and market analysis in the sector. Greentech Media: Though now part of Wood Mackenzie, Greentech Media remains a leading source for in-depth reporting on clean energy markets, policy, and technology trends. Their analysis is essential reading for founders and investors alike. The Interchange Podcast: Hosted by industry veterans, The Interchange dives deep into the business and technology of energy innovation, featuring interviews with founders, investors, and policymakers. Listen here Energy Disruptors Newsletter: This newsletter curates the most important news, events, and opportunities in the global energy transition, with a focus on disruptive startups and technologies. Axios Generate: Axios Generate delivers concise, daily updates on energy policy, deals, and market shifts, making it a favorite among busy founders and executives. Networking Opportunities and Communities for Energy Founders In the fast-evolving energy sector, who you know can be just as important as what you build. For founders, networking isn’t just about swapping business cards—it’s about unlocking capital, forging strategic partnerships, accessing pilot projects, and staying ahead of industry trends. In 2025, the landscape of energy innovation is more global and interconnected than ever, with both in-person and digital communities playing a pivotal role. Top Global Energy Startup Communities Joining the right community can open doors to investors, mentors, and collaborators. Some of the most influential energy startup communities in 2025 include: Greentown Labs (US, global reach): The world’s largest climate tech incubator, Greentown Labs offers coworking, prototyping space, and a robust network of investors and corporate partners. Their events and demo days are must-attend for early-stage founders. New Energy Nexus (global): With programs spanning North America, Asia, and Africa, New Energy Nexus connects founders to accelerators, funding, and a global peer network focused on clean energy innovation. SET100 Network (Europe/global): Powered by the Start Up Energy Transition initiative, SET100 brings together the world’s top energy startups, offering exposure, networking, and access to European markets. Clean Energy Business Network (US): A grassroots community of clean energy professionals, CEBN provides policy advocacy, business development, and regular networking events. Must-Attend Conferences and Events Industry events remain a cornerstone for building relationships and visibility. In 2025, the following conferences are especially valuable for energy founders: CERAWeek (Houston, global): The premier gathering for energy leaders, investors, and innovators, offering unparalleled networking and deal-making opportunities. VERGE (GreenBiz): Focused on climate tech and sustainability, VERGE brings together startups, corporates, and investors from around the world. RE+ (formerly Solar Power International): The largest clean energy event in North America, covering solar, storage, and grid innovation. World Future Energy Summit (Abu Dhabi): A global platform for energy transition, attracting founders, investors, and policymakers from the Middle East and beyond. The Business Booster (EIT InnoEnergy): Europe’s leading event for sustainable energy innovation, featuring startup pitches, investor meetings, and industry panels. Many of these events now offer hybrid or virtual participation, making them accessible to founders worldwide. Find an Investor for Energy with Visible Visible helps founders connect with investors using our connect investor database, find VCs specifically investing in Energy here. For Energy startups, securing the right investors is critical as it goes beyond mere funding. These investors bring specialized expertise and strategic insights specific to the Energy sector, and their guidance is invaluable in navigating the unique challenges and opportunities within the space. Use Visible to manage every part of your fundraising funnel with investor updates, fundraising pipelines, pitch deck sharing, and data rooms. Raise capital, update investors, and engage your team from a single platform. Try Visible free for 14 days.

The global agriculture sector in 2025 is at a crossroads. After years of rapid innovation and record investment, the industry is now experiencing a significant reset. Venture capital funding for agtech and foodtech startups has dropped by 70% over the past three years, and investors are more selective than ever, prioritizing proven business models, measurable impact, and scalable solutions. Yet, the urgency to address food security, climate change, and sustainable resource management remains as strong as ever. From AI-powered precision farming and biotechnology to supply chain optimization and alternative proteins, agriculture startups continue to drive the sector’s transformation—developing solutions that are not just innovative, but essential for the future of food. This guide is designed to help founders navigate today’s more disciplined fundraising landscape. You’ll find actionable strategies, a curated list of the top global venture capital firms investing in agriculture, and up-to-date insights on ecosystem trends and resources. Whether you’re a seed-stage innovator or a growth-stage disruptor, this guide will help you secure the right capital and connections to scale your agricultural vision in a rapidly evolving market. Top 15 Venture Capital Firms Investing in Agriculture Startups Worldwide (2025) AgFunder About: AgFunder is an online Venture Capital Platform based in Silicon Valley. AgFunder invests in exceptional and bold entrepreneurs who are aiming to build the next generation of great agriculture and food technology companies. Traction metrics requirements: Looking for companies with pre-revenue to 250K+ in MRR S2G Ventures About: S2G invests in late-stage venture and growth-stage businesses across food & agriculture, oceans, and energy — highly interconnected, commodity-driven and policy-sensitive with commonly hard-to-abate emission challenges. By challenging the typical siloed approach to investing and tapping into similar market dynamics to identify scalable solutions, we aren’t just driving positive outcomes, we’re helping to change the system. Farmhand Ventures Sweetspot check size: $ 250K Traction metrics requirements: Not explicitly. We want solid user-research and buy-in, and typically prefer companies with higher technical/execution risk, minimal market risk. We also invest via redeemable equity, and in those instances, we want to have a clearer pathway to (or pre-existing) revenues. For equity investments, though, we're comfortable being first check in and will come in pretty early. Thesis: We invest in startups transforming the future of work in agriculture. Tall Grass Ventures Sweetspot check size: $ 500K Thesis: Tall Grass Ventures is focused on supporting the next generation of early stage agrifood tech solutions that have the potential to fundamentally change agriculture on a global scale. While we invest broadly in agrifood technology companies, we have a strong bias to Canada and are particularly dedicated to investing in pre-seed and seed stage companies. Bits x Bites About: China's pioneer food tech VC. We empower early-stage startups to shape the future of good food. If you are a food tech company ready to make a sustainable positive impact in China, we may just be able to help make it a reality. SP Ventures About: SP Ventures is a leading early stage investment fund for Ag, Food and Climate Tech in Latin America, with over 10 years of track-record & experience. We partner with visionary founders who share our passion for transforming food and agriculture. Together we design & build a new, more sustainable and climate-friendly, resilient food system. Our portfolio includes investments in cutting-edge technologies in AgFintech, Marketplaces, eSupply Chain Tech, Logtech, Biologicals, AgEdTech and Carbon Market innovations, among others. Our primary focus is to unlock the potential of agfood technologies in Latin America, converging the region into a hub for both food production and disruptive technologies. We want to be valued partners for our portfolio companies, offering access to market, talent, strategic-knowledge and diversified capital to help them achieve their goals. Pontifax AgTech About: Aliment Capital is a pioneering growth capital investor in the food and agriculture technology (“AgTech”) sector. With $483M of assets under management, the Firm invests globally in businesses that improve the productivity, efficiency, and sustainability of the Food and Agriculture value chain. We utilize a proprietary global ecosystem of technical advisors and strategic partners to transform emerging FoodTech and AgTech companies into profitable, well-positioned market leaders. Aliment Capital has sixteen industry-leading portfolio companies to date and enjoys strong market positions in the US and in Israel, two of the world’s leading centers of AgTech innovation. Rabo Investments About: Rabo Investments supports its clients in the Netherlands with direct minority/majority investments and globally through funds and co- and VC Investments. We focus on opportunities in Food & Agri, Sustainability and Healthcare thereby contributing to the goal of Rabobank: Growing a Better World Together. Cultivian Sandbox Ventures About: Cultivian Sandbox is a venture capital firm focused on building next-generation food and agriculture technology companies capable of generating superior returns. As early investors and active board members, we employ a hands-on approach to building companies and are often directly involved in setting company strategy, recruiting key executives, and raising additional capital. Much more than simply a financial resource, we are capable of delivering tremendous value through active collaboration with our strategic partners and network, which are unparalleled in the food and agriculture industries. Blue Horizon About: Blue Horizon is accelerating the transition to a Sustainable Food System that delivers outstanding returns for investors and the planet. The company is a global pioneer of the Future of Food. As a pure play impact investor, Blue Horizon has shaped the growth of the alternative protein and food tech market. The company invests at the intersection of biology, agriculture and technology with the aim to transform the global food industry. Blue Horizon was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. To date, the company has invested in more than 70 companies. Its business model offers an attractive opportunity to invest in the evolution of the global food system while contributing to a healthy and sustainable world. www.bluehorizon.com Thesis: Financial performance paired with an attractive risk-return profile and tangible impact. Omnivore About: Omnivore is a venture capital firm, based in India, which funds entrepreneurs building the future of agriculture and food systems. Yield Lab About: Provides agriculture technology companies with funding, training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Synthesis Capital About: By identifying and supporting the most innovative and promising start-ups solving the food system’s major challenges, Synthesis Capital is accelerating its inevitable transformation. Sweetspot check size: $ 10M Thesis: Investing in the future of food Outlierz Ventures About: Outlierz Ventures is a pioneer African Seed-focused VC firm backing outstanding founders solving Africa's most pressing challenges and re-inventing the continent's future. We invest at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Pre-Series A stages in companies using Technology to transform key traditional industries across Africa's main tech hubs. Thesis: We believe Technology creates tremendous opportunities for talented entrepreneurs to change the status quo. Our mission is to channel capital, knowledge, and networks to Outlierz founders solving Africa’s pivotal problems. Thus, generating outsized returns while creating long-lasting socio-economic impact. Factor[e] Ventures About: We are a team of impact venture builders dedicated to supporting the people and ideas that turn challenges in energy, agriculture, mobility, and waste into de-carbonized solutions for emerging and frontier markets. Sweetspot check size: $ 500K The Global Venture Capital Landscape for Agriculture Startups Global Investment Trends and Growth Areas In Q1 2025, global venture capital activity reached a multi-year high of $113 billion; however, agtech investments accounted for only 1.6% of total global VC funding (Global AgTech Initiative, 2025). The sector saw $1.8 billion in agtech deals, with the top 10 deals making up 50% of the total—highlighting a concentration of capital in a handful of high-potential companies. Notably, ag biotech and precision agriculture continue to lead, even as the sector faces market volatility and policy shifts. Recent funding rounds reflect a shift toward pragmatic, regionally tailored solutions. For example, EF Polymer (Japan/India) raised $6.6 million to scale biodegradable polymers for soil health, while Eratani (Indonesia) secured $6.2 million to digitize rice farming and provide farmer credit and insurance. In the US, UbiQD raised $20 million to scale quantum dot technology for agriculture and solar, and Growers Edge raised $25 million to expand fintech services for growers. What Attracts Investors in Agriculture Investors in 2025 are increasingly focused on startups that deliver step-change improvements, not just incremental gains. Solutions that combine AI, robotics, and biotechnology to address soil health, crop yields, and sustainability are especially attractive. Biologicals, soil health technologies, and precision agriculture platforms are leading the way, as investors seek measurable impact and clear paths to profitability. There is also a growing emphasis on regional innovation, with emerging markets like India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America becoming new centers for agtech investment. Investors are now looking for startups that deeply understand local agricultural systems and can deliver scalable, practical solutions (AgTechNavigator, 2025). Unique Fundraising Challenges for Agriculture Startups Despite renewed optimism, the funding environment remains selective. Early-stage and deep-tech startups face particular challenges, as generalist investors have largely exited the space and patient capital is dwindling. Investors now expect startups to de-risk their offerings and move three to four times faster than before. The bar for differentiation is higher: founders must demonstrate that their solutions are not just incrementally better, but fundamentally transformative. Additionally, the sector is seeing a shift in funding sources. With traditional VC dollars flowing less freely, accelerators, incubators, and family offices are playing a more prominent role in early-stage funding. Programs like Activate and IndieBio are helping startups validate their products and connect with the right investors. Opportunities for Founders While the funding climate is more disciplined, opportunities remain for founders who can demonstrate robust business models, clear market fit, and scalable impact. Biologicals, AI-driven automation, and precision agriculture are attracting the most attention, especially when solutions are tailored to local realities and can prove ROI for farmers. The emergence of new agtech-focused funds and continued LP conviction in the sector’s long-term potential signal that, for the right startups, global capital is still available. How to Successfully Fundraise and Operate an Agriculture Startup in 2025: Strategies, Trends, and Resources Current Global Trends in Agtech and Foodtech The sector is experiencing a “reset” after years of exuberant growth. Global agtech and foodtech venture capital funding has dropped by 70% over the past three years, and investors are now prioritizing startups with proven business models, measurable impact, and clear scalability. Key trends shaping the sector include: AI and Automation: Startups leveraging AI, robotics, and automation for precision agriculture, supply chain optimization, and labor efficiency are attracting attention. Biologicals and Sustainability: Solutions focused on soil health, biological inputs, and regenerative agriculture are in demand as the industry shifts toward sustainability and climate resilience. Regional Innovation: Emerging markets in Asia, Latin America, and Africa are becoming new centers for agtech innovation, with investors seeking regionally tailored, practical solutions. Investor Selectivity: VCs are more disciplined, favoring startups that can demonstrate traction, ROI, and a clear path to profitability. Unique Fundraising Challenges and How to Overcome Them Agriculture startups face sector-specific hurdles, including long product development cycles, complex regulatory environments, and the challenge of farmer adoption. Here’s how to address them: De-risk Your Offering: Investors want to see that you’ve validated your technology and business model. Run pilot programs, secure early customers, and gather data that proves your solution works in real-world conditions. Tell a Compelling Story: Differentiate your startup by showing how your solution is a step-change improvement, not just incrementally better. Use clear, data-driven storytelling to communicate your impact and vision. Leverage Non-Traditional Funding: With generalist VCs less active, look to accelerators, incubators, family offices, and government grants. Effective Fundraising Strategies Align with VC Expectations: Research each investor’s thesis and portfolio. Tailor your pitch to show how your startup fits their focus and delivers measurable results. Find VCs specifically investing in Agriculture here using our connect investor database. Demonstrate Traction: Highlight pilot results, customer testimonials, partnerships, and any revenue or adoption metrics. Showcase Scalability: Investors want to see a clear path to growth—whether through technology, partnerships, or expansion into new markets. Build Relationships Early: Engage with potential investors before you need capital. Attend industry events, join online communities, and seek warm introductions. Operational Best Practices for Ag Startups Build a Multidisciplinary Team: Combine deep agricultural expertise with technical, business, and regulatory know-how. Pilot and Iterate: Start with small-scale pilots to validate your solution, then use feedback to refine and scale. Navigate Regulations Proactively: Understand the regulatory landscape in your target markets and engage with policymakers early. Measure and Communicate Impact: Track key metrics—yield improvement, cost savings, sustainability outcomes—and share them with stakeholders. Key Networking Opportunities and Global Resources Accelerators & Incubators: IndieBio (global, biotech/foodtech) THRIVE by SVG Ventures (global, agtech/foodtech) The Yield Lab (global, agtech) The Reservoir (robotics, deeptech, launching 2025) Major Industry Events: World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit Agri-TechE REAP Conference Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit Online Communities: AgFunder Network Food+Tech Connect Agri-TechE Case Studies and Founder Tips EF Polymer (Japan/India): Raised $6.6M in 2025 by demonstrating clear impact on soil health and water retention, and by tailoring their solution to local market needs. Growers Edge (US): Secured $25M by focusing on fintech solutions that directly address farmers’ risk management and capital access needs. Founder Insight: “You can’t just be incrementally better—you have to be a step-change better and show real ROI for farmers and investors alike.” — Jackson Morrow, JP Morgan. Find an Investor for Agriculture with Visible Visible helps founders connect with investors using our connect investor database, find VCs specifically investing in Agriculture here. For Agriculture startups, securing the right investors is critical as it goes beyond mere funding. These investors bring specialized expertise and strategic insights specific to the Agriculture sector, and their guidance is invaluable in navigating the unique challenges and opportunities within the space. Use Visible to manage every part of your fundraising funnel with investor updates, fundraising pipelines, pitch deck sharing, and data rooms. Raise capital, update investors, and engage your team from a single platform. Try Visible free for 14 days.

Italy’s startup ecosystem is no longer flying under the radar. In 2025, Italian startups are smashing records, raising over €1.3 billion in 2024 and an impressive €504 million in Q1 2025 alone—outpacing much of Europe’s growth and drawing the eyes of global investors. From Milan’s fintech skyscrapers to Turin’s deeptech labs and Rome’s digital disruptors, Italy is now recognized as one of the continent’s fastest-growing innovation hubs. What’s fueling this momentum? Here are some of the top factors: A new generation of ambitious founders building in sectors like fintech, healthtech, space, and sustainability Major government and EU incentives making it easier than ever to launch and scale A maturing venture capital scene—with both homegrown funds and international giants competing for the best deals A collaborative culture where over 60% of startups partner with universities, corporates, and research centers to accelerate growth. This guide is for startup founders—whether you’re based in Italy or looking to expand from the United States—who are actively seeking funding in the region. Here, you’ll find an up-to-date list of the top venture capital firms investing in Italian startups, along with actionable insights on fundraising strategies, current ecosystem trends, essential networking opportunities, and local resources that can help you build and scale your business in Italy. Top VCs in Italy Innogest Capital About: Italy’s startup ecosystem is evolving rapidly, offering both exciting opportunities and unique challenges for founders. In 2024, the country is seeing record investment, sectoral innovation, and a maturing support infrastructure—making it an increasingly attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Oltre Venture About: Oltre Venture is the first Italian social venture capital company—an innovative financial tool supporting the social sector. Its goal is to finance and support the development of businesses capable of combining economic sustainability with social value. These businesses address the “grey area” of hidden hardship and socio-economic vulnerability, characterized by housing difficulties, job insecurity, loneliness, and social exclusion. United Ventures About: At United Ventures we look for daring entrepreneurs willing to develop innovative products and technologies, who acknowledge the challenges and risks of our times and still crave to come out on top in business. As entrepreneurs ourselves, our mission is to spot winners and drive them to achieve success and worldwide recognition through our mentorship, financial and business development support. With a long-standing track record of both start-up and scale-up technological companies, we can boast the industry expertise, mentorship and business networking that it takes to create a success story. Thesis: Thanks to our multistage strategy we can provide support and funding across all the stages of new ventures, by investing seed stage, early stage and growth capital, with both start-up companies and estabilished ones launching onto new markets. Club Italia About: Club Italia Investimenti 2 is an investment company based in Milan specializing in venture capital. The company was founded in 2013 by a group of entrepreneurs connected to the world of innovation and investments in promising young companies with high technological content. CDP Venture Capital SGR About: We are the largest venture capital manager in Italy and among the largest in Europe. We were established through a systemic approach to managing public and private resources, with the aim of creating a market operator capable of combining returns on invested capital with support for market development. We operate in strategic sectors for the future by investing directly and indirectly in startups, innovative SMEs, and venture capital funds, in order to create a market infrastructure that can support the entire lifecycle of new businesses. Club Digitale About: Club Digitale, created by SiamoSoci, aims to contribute to the growth of the digital sector in Italy by providing the best startups in the country with the capital they need to develop their businesses. Club Digitale acquires equity stakes in a selection of startups that are completing an acceleration process at the project’s partner incubators. The accelerators are run by successful entrepreneurs from the digital and technology sectors, and thanks to their experience, they now serve as centers of excellence for scouting, selecting, and supporting innovative, technology-driven startups. The mechanism we have built both simplifies access to venture capital for startups and allows Club Digitale members to benefit from an economic segment with a high growth rate. Key Trends and Opportunities in the Italian Startup Ecosystem Italy’s startup ecosystem in 2025 is demonstrating remarkable resilience and dynamism, with new records in investment, sectoral innovation, and internationalization. For founders, the landscape is more promising—and competitive—than ever. Strong Investment Momentum and Sector Growth Italian startups raised over €1.3 billion in 2024, and the momentum has continued into 2025, with €504 million raised in Q1 alone. This stability is notable, especially as other major European markets have seen declines. The Italian ecosystem is now recognized as one of the fastest-growing in Europe, with a 28% year-on-year increase in startup investments (StartupBusiness, 2025). Key sectors driving this growth include: Fintech: Startups like Satispay and Nexi are leading digital payments, neobanking, and blockchain innovation, supported by a favorable regulatory environment. Space and Deeptech: Companies such as D-Orbit (raised €150M in 2024) are putting Italy on the map for space logistics and advanced tech. Healthtech: Telemedicine, AI diagnostics, and digital health management are transforming healthcare access and efficiency. FoodTech & Agritech: Startups like xFarm (raised €36M) are innovating in sustainable agriculture and food supply chains. Sustainability & Circular Economy: There’s a surge in startups focused on renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable consumption, often with EU and government backing. Notable recent deals (2024–2025): D-Orbit (space logistics): €150M Bending Spoons (mobile apps): €144.4M Alps Blockchain (blockchain infrastructure): €105M Satispay (fintech): €60M xFarm (agritech): €36M BizAway (corporate travel): €35M LimoLane (mobility): €35M Cyber Guru (cybersecurity):$25M Hui (SaaS):$25M Casavo (proptech): €20M Government and EU Support: Incentives and Programs The Italian government continues to roll out new incentives, grants, and regulatory reforms to support innovation. The DdL Concorrenza and ongoing EU programs like Horizon Europe are providing significant resources for R&D, internationalization, and digital transformation. Programs like Smart&Start Italia and CDP Venture Capital SGR are also key sources of funding and support for early-stage startups. Collaboration and Ecosystem Maturity Corporate Partnerships: Over 60% of Italian startups now collaborate with universities, research centers, and large corporates, gaining access to capital, expertise, and new markets. These partnerships are crucial for scaling and credibility, though founders should be prepared for cultural and operational differences. Incubators and Accelerators: Nearly half of startups leverage incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs for technical support, mentorship, and investor access. Milan, Rome, and Turin are home to many of these resources. Regional Hubs and Internationalization Regional Hubs: Milan remains the epicenter, but Turin (mobility, aerospace) and Rome (digital, public sector) are rapidly growing as innovation hubs. Northern Italy still attracts the majority of investment, but opportunities are emerging in the South and other regions as local ecosystems develop. Internationalization: Italian startups are increasingly expanding abroad and attracting foreign investment. Participation in global events and partnerships with international corporates are now common strategies for growth. Talent, Education, and Community Italy’s talent pool is deepening, thanks to universities offering innovation-focused programs and a growing number of professionals with technical and entrepreneurial skills. Community events, meetups, and industry associations (like Italian Tech Alliance) provide valuable networking and learning opportunities. Challenges: What Founders Should Watch For Late-Stage Funding Gaps: While early-stage capital is abundant, late-stage and growth funding remain limited. Founders may need to look abroad for larger rounds. Bureaucracy and Regulation: Navigating Italian bureaucracy can be complex. Engaging local advisors and leveraging government programs can help. Cultural Nuances: Building trust and relationships is essential. Expect longer sales cycles and negotiation periods, especially with large corporates. Actionable Opportunities for Founders Leverage government and EU incentives for R&D, hiring, and internationalization. Engage with local incubators, accelerators, and industry associations for mentorship and investor access. Build strategic partnerships with corporates and universities to accelerate growth and credibility. Focus on high-growth sectors like fintech, healthtech, sustainability, and foodtech. Consider international expansion early, especially if targeting larger funding rounds or global markets. Networking Opportunities and Local Resources for Founders in Italy Building a successful startup in Italy goes beyond securing funding; it requires immersing yourself in the local ecosystem, leveraging key networks, and tapping into available resources. For founders, especially those new to the Italian scene, understanding where to connect and what support is available can be a game-changer. Key Networking Opportunities Networking is paramount in Italy, where relationships often open doors to investors, partners, and talent. Industry Events and Conferences: Italian Tech Week: A major annual event in Milan that brings together founders, investors, and industry leaders. It's an excellent opportunity for high-level networking and staying abreast of ecosystem trends. StartupItalia Open Summit: Another significant event that showcases Italian innovation, connecting startups with investors and corporate partners. International Events with Italian Presence: Events like Slush, Web Summit, and VivaTech often have dedicated Italian delegations or pavilions, offering opportunities to connect with Italian VCs and founders on a global stage. Business Angels Networks: Italian Business Angels Network (IBAN): The oldest and largest association of business angels in Italy, facilitating connections between angel investors and startups seeking early-stage capital. While IBAN doesn't invest directly, its events and network are invaluable. Club degli Investitori: An angel network of over 300 entrepreneurs and professionals who invest in startups and scaleups, providing both capital and mentorship. Italian Angels for Growth (IAG): A prominent network of business angels, entrepreneurs, and firms that pool resources and expertise to foster innovation. They offer access to experienced investors and their business networks. Local Resources and Support Systems Accelerators and Incubators: LVenture Group: A leading accelerator based in Rome, providing pre-seed and seed-stage startups with funding, mentorship, and access to a vast network. Startupbootcamp: Has programs in Italy, offering sector-specific acceleration for fintech, IoT, and other areas. Polihub (Politecnico di Milano): The university incubator of Politecnico di Milano, supporting deep tech and research-intensive startups. Other Regional Hubs: Explore local incubators and accelerators in cities like Turin (I3P at Politecnico di Torino) and Bologna (G-Factor). Government and Public Initiatives: CDP Venture Capital SGR – Fondo Nazionale Innovazione: As the largest institutional investor, CDP Venture Capital plays a crucial role in developing the Italian VC ecosystem. They manage various funds and initiatives to support startups across all stages. Invitalia: The National Agency for Inward Investment and Economic Development, offering incentives, grants, and support programs for new businesses and innovative startups. Smart&Start Italia: A program managed by Invitalia that provides non-repayable grants and subsidized loans for innovative startups, particularly those focused on digital economy, sustainable development, and social innovation. Industry Associations and Ecosystem Builders: Italian Tech Alliance: The national association representing venture capitalists, innovation investors, and startups. They are a key voice for the ecosystem and provide valuable reports and networking opportunities. StartupItalia: A leading media platform and community hub for Italian startups, offering news, insights, and event listings. Connect With Investors in Italy Using Visible At Visible, we often times compare a fundraise to a B2B sales and marketing funnel. At the top of your funnel, you are finding new investors. In the middle, you are nurturing and pitching potential investors. At the bottom of the funnel, you are working through diligence and ideally closing new investors. With the introduction of data rooms, you can now manage every aspect of your fundraising funnel with Visible. Find investors at the top of your funnel with our free investor database, Visible Connect and find a filtered list of Italy's investors here. Track your conversations and move them through your funnel with our Fundraising CRM Share your pitch deck and monthly updates with potential investors Organize and share your most vital fundraising documents with data rooms Manage your fundraise from start to finish with Visible. Give it a free try for 14 days here.

On the fifth episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Kyle Poyar, the founder of Tremont and Growth Unhinged. Tremont is an early growth equity firm based in Boston. Kyle joins us to break down his career supporting companies at OpenView, how SaaS companies should think about benchmarks, and the future of SaaS investing. About Kyle Before founding Tremont, Kyle was an Operating Partner at OpenView Ventures. During his time there, he launched the SaaS Benchmarks Report, a staple in the SaaS industry. Since then, Kyle has started Growth Unhinged, his newsletter breaking down the playbooks and tactics behind best-in-class startups. Mike, the CEO and Founder of Visible, had an opportunity to sit down and chat with Kyle. You can give the full episode a listen below: Spotify Link Apple Link What You Can Expect to Learn from Kyle How investors and founders can think about leveraging benchmarks Which SaaS metrics and benchmarks are growing in importance Why hiring is the lowest-hanging fruit for VCs to support portfolio companies How he built a content flywheel at Growth Unhinged Stay up to date with the Thrive Through Connection Podcast by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find links to your favorite podcast hosts below: YouTube Spotify Apple

When monitoring a portfolio, having the right insights at the right time is crucial. Whether it is a sudden dip in cash runway or a surge in MRR, knowing exactly when portfolio company key metrics shift can mean the difference between proactive support and missed opportunity. Our recent updates to Metric Alerts make it easier to stay connected to your portfolio’s performance. Support Companies With Smarter Alerts We have redesigned Metric Alerts to help you monitor your entire portfolio with ease, spot red flags faster, and stay connected to each company’s performance. A New Home for Alerts Metric Alerts now live in a dedicated section of your sidebar under Monitoring. Here you will find: A New Alert button for fast setup A Log View showing every triggered alert with icons, timestamps, and direct links to your portfolio metrics Easy edit access. Click the metric name or the icon button to quickly update alerts in a side panel Now you can manage all alerts in one place without any hassle. Portfolio-Wide Metric Selection You no longer need to set up alerts company by company. With the Metric Alerts, you can: Select any Portfolio Metric, such as Revenue or Runway, and apply the alert across all companies Receive notifications when a company’s metric meets a specific criteria Creating alerts across your portfolio ensures that you will never miss any shifts across your portfolio. Proactive Support Metric Alerts equip you with actionable information to stay on top of material changes. Use the Log View to track historical alerts and identify patterns Drill down to the Metric page from the alert to conduct further analysis Edit alert criteria instantly using the side-panel form Founders rely on you to be proactive, responsive, and informed. With Metric Alerts, you can stay connected to the numbers and the people behind them. Put Metric Alerts to Work The new and improved Metric Alerts are now available to all Visible customers. Whether you are looking to monitor key metrics across your entire portfolio, catch red flags sooner, or strengthen your relationships with founders through proactive insights, Metric Alerts are designed to keep you connected and in control. To explore how Metric Alerts can streamline your portfolio monitoring and support your investment strategy, head here.

About Airtree Ventures Airtree is a Sydney-based venture capital firm backing founders based in Australia and New Zealand building the iconic companies of tomorrow. The firm was founded in 2014 and is now deploying out of its 4th fund with $1.3 billion in assets under management. Their portfolio includes over 105+ portfolio companies and 250+ founders who have helped create over 17,000 jobs. Airtree’s portfolio includes the region’s breakout technology companies, such as Canva, Go1, Employment Hero, Pet Circle, Immutable, and Linktree. For this case study, we spoke to Dan Lombard who is the Data Lead at Airtree Ventures. Related article: Airtree Ventures already returned its first fund thanks to Canva while maintaining the majority of its stake Fragmented Systems and Processes Prior to Visible Prior to the integration of Visible, Airtree relied heavily on a fragmented system of spreadsheets to manage their portfolio of 105+ companies. Each quarter, four employees were tasked with managing the relationships with the points of contact at 15 to 20 portfolio companies through manual outreach and communications. This reliance on spreadsheets resulted in inefficiencies and potential data loss, as spreadsheets are prone to break when modified. Challenges With Data Accuracy and Scaling Manual Outreach to a Growing Portfolio Before Visible, 80% of Airtree’s portfolio monitoring problem was having clean data and scaling outreach to their portfolio companies. They faced two primary challenges with their former system: Operational Efficiency: Four team members spent significant time manually collecting data from over 100 companies every quarter. The Airtree team members were sending one-off email communications to each company and manually keeping track of who needed to be followed up with at each company which diverted resources from other critical projects they could be working on. Data Integrity and Scalability: Frequent changes to the data in spreadsheets resulted in errors in the sheets and data loss, which caused frustration as there was no way of understanding which changes were made to the sheet and when. This process made it difficult to scale portfolio monitoring operations as Airtree grew. Why Airtree Chose Visible as their Portfolio Monitoring Platform Airtree chose Visible for its robust, scalable, and user-friendly platform. Key factors influencing their choice included: Ease of Use and Customization: Visible's platform offered unparalleled customization and ease of use. Support and Development: Visible’s team actively listened to feedback, offered best practices, and continuously invested in their product, ensuring a partnership that catered to Airtree’s evolving needs. Automation and Integration: Visible excelled in automating portfolio monitoring and offered a frictionless experience for founders. Airtree leveraged the Visible API to seamlessly integrate data into their existing data warehouse system. Airtree’s historical data collection process, previously led by four Airtree team members, is now a streamlined process led only by Dan, who leverages Visible Requests to collect data from their portfolio of 105+ companies. Visible Requests empowers Dan to send customized link-based data requests to each company, automate the email reminder process, and easily keep track of where companies are in the reporting process. View an example Visible Request below. Onboarded to Visible within 24 Hours Visible provided Airtree with an efficient and supported onboarding. When asked about Airtree's onboarding with Visible Dan Lombard shared the following: Visible stood out by enabling a swift and seamless transition that was operational in less than 24 hours, a stark contrast to other providers who estimated a quarter for full implementation. This rapid integration was facilitated by a comprehensive onboarding template provided by Visible. Visible API & Airtree’s Data Infrastructure With the implementation of Visible, Airtree wanted to take a more sophisticated approach to the way they handle their portfolio data with the goal of driving more valuable insights for their team. The approach needed to be automated, integrate with other data sources, and have a singular view accessible for the whole team. This was not possible when their data lived in disparate systems, files, and spreadsheets. Dan Lombard has led the improvement of Airtree's data infrastructure. Now, data sources like Visible and Affinity are piped into Snowflake via recurring AWS Lambda jobs. Airtree leverages the Visible API daily. Dan mentioned that while Airtree collects data quarterly, a daily sync of the data is crucial because Airtree is always onboarding new companies, communicating with their founders, and uploading historical data. “The Visible API gives us this level of daily fidelity and only takes the AWS Lambda job 5 minutes to populate an entire data architecture.” - Dan Lombard, Data Lead at Airtree Ventures Once the data is in their database, Snowflake handles the ETL and entity matching. Airtree then has Streamlit sit on top of Snowflake to query data, provision access, and build out new insights. Advice for Other VC Firms Building Out Their Data Infrastructure Don’t overcomplicate things to start. It is easy to get caught up in the bells and whistles. Dan recommends a bias towards simplicity. Start small and use it as a stepping stone as you build things out. Conclusion Airtree’s adoption of Visible transformed their portfolio management by automating key processes and centralizing data, thus enabling more strategic decision-making and efficient operations. The case of Airtree is a testament to how the right technological partnerships can profoundly impact business efficiency and data management.

Supporting portfolio companies with hiring and fundraising is table stakes for VC firms in 2025. Relationships and networks have never been more important as human-to-human connection becomes an even more essential differentiator in the age of AI. Join us and Getro CEO, Evan Walden, on July 31st for a webinar where we cover the ins and outs of how best-in-class VC funds leverage their networks to help portfolio companies hire top talent and raise capital. About the Webinar Evan Walden is the CEO and Founder of Getro, a platform that helps VCs build job boards and talent networks to support their portfolio companies. Evan is joining us to discuss the ins and outs of how best-in-class VC funds leverage their networks to help portfolio companies hire top talent and raise capital. We'll cover topics like: How best-in-class teams scale their platform function How to balance consistency and customization How to help companies source top talent How to leverage network effects to support fundraising Even if you can't make it, register anyway! We'll send the recording to anyone who registers.

On the fourth episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Max Yoder, the Founder of Lessonly and author of Do Better Work. Lessonly was an Indianapolis-based company that grew to over 300 employees and $30 million in annual recurring revenue before being acquired by Seismic in 2021. Max joins us to share the lessons he learned from scaling Lessonly and writing Do Better Work. About Max In addition to growing Lessonly to 300+ employees and leading it through a successful exit, Max became known for his thoughtful approach to leadership, insights he captured in his book, Do Better Work. He’s had a front-row seat to the highs, lows, and daily challenges that startup founders and leaders face. In this episode, Max breaks down the countless relationships that shaped both Lessonly and Do Better Work. Mike, the CEO and Founder of Visible, had an opportunity to sit down and chat with Max. You can give the full episode a listen below: Spotify Link Apple Link What You Can Expect to Learn from Max How the mission and vision for Lessonly came to life How mentors helped shape decision-making and strategy in the early days The advantages of having a strong network What it means to lead with vulnerability The importance of aligning with investors and partners Stay up to date with the Thrive Through Connection Podcast by subscribing wherever you listen to your podcast. You can find links to your favorite podcast hosts below: YouTube Spotify Apple

In an era where the effects of climate change are being felt more acutely every day, the need for bold, innovative solutions has never been greater. Climate tech startups are at the forefront of this revolution, creating technologies that address some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. These leading climate startups are not only pushing the boundaries of sustainable innovation but also reshaping industries by offering practical, scalable solutions to reduce carbon footprints and foster environmental resilience. From carbon capture technology to renewable energy storage and sustainable agriculture, these companies are addressing critical issues head-on. This article highlights 15 innovative climate tech companies that are making significant strides in combating climate change. Whether they are developing groundbreaking technologies for cleaner energy or devising new ways to sequester carbon, these startups represent the future of green innovation. Related Resource: Leveraging Innovation and Sustainability: A Guide for Clean Tech and Climate Tech Founders Emerging Climate Tech Trends Impacting Startups in 2024 As climate tech evolves, several trends are directly shaping the trajectory of climate tech companies and their ability to address environmental challenges. These trends reflect not just advancements in technology but also the shifting demands within the industry, influencing how startups scale, secure funding, and innovate. Below are the key trends influencing climate tech companies in 2024. Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technologies Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is rapidly becoming a core focus for many climate tech startups, particularly those aiming to reduce industrial carbon footprints. Startups working on direct air capture (DAC) technologies are gaining significant traction as industries and governments seek scalable solutions to meet global emissions reduction goals. As funding for CCS increases, companies within this space are seeing more opportunities for partnerships with heavy industries like oil and gas, cement, and steel. However, the cost of these technologies remains a challenge, pushing climate tech companies to innovate in ways that make CCS more affordable and efficient for widespread adoption. Long-Duration Energy Storage The transition to renewable energy is pushing climate tech companies to develop long-duration energy storage solutions that go beyond traditional battery technology. Energy storage startups are now at the forefront of enabling a renewable energy grid that can handle fluctuations in solar and wind energy. This trend is driving significant investment into companies creating vanadium redox flow batteries, iron-air batteries, and other next-gen storage solutions. For these startups, the ability to secure contracts with energy utilities and prove the scalability of their technology will be key to future success. The demand for reliable energy storage is expected to grow exponentially as more countries mandate higher percentages of renewable energy in their grids. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Tech Climate tech companies focused on sustainable agriculture are seeing rising interest from both investors and governments as the agriculture sector faces mounting pressure to reduce emissions. Startups developing technologies like vertical farming, precision agriculture, and agroforestry are helping traditional farms and food producers become more resilient to climate risks. For example, companies offering precision agriculture solutions can optimize water usage and reduce chemical inputs, making farming more sustainable. This trend is particularly relevant for climate tech startups targeting regions prone to droughts and extreme weather, as their solutions offer tangible ways to mitigate the effects of climate change on food production. AI-Driven Environmental Insights The integration of AI into climate tech is transforming how companies gather and leverage environmental data, offering them a competitive edge in developing smarter, more targeted solutions. Startups providing AI-driven platforms that analyze climate risks, predict environmental shifts, and optimize resource use are seeing increased demand from sectors like renewable energy, real estate, and agriculture. For climate tech companies, this trend offers a unique opportunity to position themselves as data-driven innovators, capable of helping businesses and governments adapt to changing environmental conditions. Companies specializing in geospatial AI are especially well-positioned to attract funding as they provide essential insights for industries looking to mitigate environmental risks. Key Challenges Facing Climate Tech Startups While the climate tech sector is thriving, climate tech startups face several significant challenges that can hinder growth and scalability. From securing adequate funding to navigating complex regulatory landscapes, these barriers are unique to companies striving to create sustainable solutions. Below are some of the climate startup challenges that founders need to consider as they work toward building impactful, scalable businesses. High Research and Development (R&D) Costs One of the primary barriers for climate tech companies is the high cost of research and development. Unlike many software startups that can iterate quickly and cost-effectively, climate tech solutions often require significant investment in hardware, materials, and testing facilities. Whether developing new carbon capture technologies or refining energy storage systems, climate startups need extensive capital to move from concept to commercialization. This financial hurdle can slow down progress, particularly for startups without access to substantial early-stage funding or grant support. Navigating Regulatory Challenges Regulatory hurdles are another critical challenge for climate tech startups. Governments and regulatory bodies are increasingly enacting policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions, but the path to compliance can be complex. Startups must navigate a patchwork of regulations, often varying by region and industry. For example, renewable energy companies may face permitting delays, while those in carbon capture or waste management might contend with strict environmental standards. This regulatory uncertainty can deter investors and slow down the deployment of new technologies, making it a significant barrier to success. Scaling Across Sectors Climate tech solutions often require cross-sector partnerships to scale effectively. A company developing energy storage technology, for example, may need to partner with both energy utilities and hardware manufacturers to bring its product to market. Likewise, startups focusing on sustainable agriculture might need collaborations with large-scale farming operations or governments to deploy their technologies at scale. Establishing these partnerships can be difficult for early-stage startups, especially those without a proven track record or established industry relationships. The need for coordination across sectors and industries is a major challenge that climate startups must overcome to ensure long-term success. Related resource: Top 10 VCs Fueling Innovation in Transportation Securing Sufficient Funding While investor interest in climate tech is growing, many climate startups still struggle to secure sufficient funding, particularly during the early stages. Venture capital firms often look for quick returns, but many climate tech solutions require long timelines before reaching commercialization. Startups in this space may also face competition from other sectors for investor attention. The need to demonstrate both environmental and financial impact adds another layer of complexity when raising capital. As a result, climate tech startups often need to explore alternative funding sources such as government grants, impact investors, and green bonds to bridge the gap. 15 Climate Tech Startups to Watch in 2024 1. CarbonCapture CarbonCapture stands out in the climate tech sector with its innovative approach to direct air capture (DAC) technology. The company's systems, which use molecular sieves and renewable energy sources, are designed for adaptability. These machines not only remove CO2 from the atmosphere but also capture clean water distilled from the air, a dual functionality that enhances both environmental and practical value. The potential impact of this technology is substantial, offering a scalable and efficient solution to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels. This approach is particularly promising in the fight against global warming and climate change. Year founded: 2019 Location: Pasadena, California Funding amount/type: The company has raised a total of $35 million over three funding rounds. Funding series: The most recent, a Series A round completed in September 2023. Major investors: Climate Pledge Fund, Ethos Family Office, Rio Tinto, Idealab Studio, Idealab X, and Marc Benioff’s TIME Ventures. 2. Astraea Astraea is a significant player in the climate tech sector, particularly with its innovative use of data analytics for environmental insights. The company has developed an AI platform for geospatial data, which includes products like EarthAI Site and EarthAI Enterprise. These tools offer vital insights using imagery, analytics, and dashboards, catering to a variety of industries such as real estate, renewable energy, conservation finance, and agriculture. Astraea's EarthAI platform is particularly notable for its ability to aid in understanding climate patterns and their impacts, leveraging AI and geospatial data to provide actionable insights​​. Year Founded: 2016 Location: Charlottesville, Virginia, USA​​ Funding Amount/Type: Astraea has raised a total of $16.5 million over four funding rounds​​. In a recent development, the company raised $6.5 million in Series A funding​​. Funding Series: The latest funding, completed on July 21, 2022, was a Series A round​​. Major Investors: The Series A funding was co-led by Aligned Climate Capital and Carbon Drawdown Collective, with other participants including CAV Angels, Tydall Investment Partners, and the University of Virginia Seed Fund​​. Astraea's role in climate tech is particularly exciting due to its innovative use of AI and satellite data to provide critical environmental insights. This approach is essential for addressing complex climate challenges, enabling better decision-making and strategy formulation in various sectors. The support and funding received from notable investors reflect confidence in Astraea's potential to make a meaningful impact in the field of climate technology. 3. CellCube CellCube, known for its innovative energy storage solutions, is making significant strides in the field of climate tech with its focus on vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). As a leader in sustainable, future-proof, and durable energy storage infrastructure, CellCube has emerged as one of the first and largest developers, manufacturers, and sellers of VRFBs globally. Their modular CellCube batteries are designed to store large electricity capacities efficiently for 4 to 24 hours, meeting the highest safety standards and boasting a lifecycle of 20 to 30 years. This technology is crucial for enabling the storage of energy from intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind, thus facilitating their integration into the energy grid and enhancing the sustainability of energy systems​​​​. CellCube, initially known as Enerox, has evolved over the last ten years from a specialized product developer to a leading provider of comprehensive energy storage solutions. With more than 140 systems installed worldwide, they have established themselves as a key player in the industry​​​​. Year Founded: Not explicitly stated, but with 20 years of research and development, it suggests a founding date around 2002-2003​​. Location: Denver, Colorado, USA​​. Funding Amount/Type: The company arranged a non-brokered private placement financing for gross proceeds of CDN $10 million​​. Major Investors: Bushveld Minerals increased its investment in CellCube to 27.6%, as part of its energy storage business strategy​​​​. CellCube's significance in the climate tech field is highlighted by its role in enhancing renewable energy integration. Their VRFBs provide a reliable and scalable solution for energy storage, addressing one of the most significant challenges in the shift towards renewable energy sources. By enabling more efficient storage and use of renewable energy, CellCube contributes significantly to reducing reliance on fossil fuels and combating climate change. Their progress and the growing investor interest underscore the critical role of energy storage technologies in achieving a sustainable future. 4. Jackery Jackery, a leader in the field of portable solar power solutions, was founded in 2012 in California, USA, by a former Apple battery engineer. The company is recognized for its innovative approach in developing portable solar power generators, solar panels, and other related products. Jackery's mission is to provide green energy solutions that are accessible to everyone, everywhere, particularly focusing on outdoor and emergency use scenarios. Their products, known for their efficiency and accessibility, cater to the needs of those requiring mobile power sources, whether off-grid or during power outages​​​​. Year Founded: 2012 Location: Fremont, California, USA​​ Funding information isn’t given for Jackery Jackery's innovation in portable solar power solutions is particularly exciting for the field of climate tech due to its contribution to sustainable energy accessibility. By providing efficient, portable solar generators and panels, Jackery plays a crucial role in enhancing the adoption of renewable energy sources. This is especially important in remote or disaster-prone areas where traditional power sources are unavailable or unreliable. Jackery's commitment to developing green energy solutions aligns with global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Their growth and the success of their products in the market underscore the increasing demand for portable and sustainable energy solutions. 5. CarbonCure CarbonCure, a pioneer in carbon sequestration within the concrete industry, has garnered significant attention for its innovative approach to reducing carbon footprints. Founded in 2011 by Robert Niven and headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, CarbonCure's technology revolves around the injection of captured carbon dioxide into concrete, where it is permanently stored. This process not only utilizes CO2 but also enhances the strength of the concrete, presenting a dual benefit​​. The implications of CarbonCure's technology for the construction industry are profound. As concrete is one of the most widely used materials in construction, its production is also one of the largest sources of CO2 emissions globally. By integrating CarbonCure's technology, the construction industry can significantly reduce its carbon footprint, contributing to the global efforts against climate change. This technology offers a practical and scalable solution for carbon sequestration, aligning with the industry's growing focus on sustainability. Year Founded: 2011 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Funding Amount/Type: CarbonCure Technologies has raised a total of $97.36 million over 12 funding rounds, with the latest being a Series F round for $80 million on July 11, 2023​​​​​​. Major Investors: The company's investors include Sustainable Development Technology Canada, Innovacorp, GreenSoil Investments, Pangaea Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, BDC Capital, 2150, Mitsubishi Corporation, Carbon Direct, Taronga Ventures, and Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund​​. CarbonCure's technology is particularly exciting in the climate tech field due to its practical application in a widespread and traditionally high-emission industry. The ability to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete production and use while improving the material's quality represents a significant advancement in green construction practices. The company's successful funding rounds and the backing of major investors underscore the industry's recognition of the importance of sustainable solutions like CarbonCure's, indicating a promising future for this technology in global efforts to combat climate change. 6. Form Energy Form Energy, a Massachusetts-based technology company founded in 2017, is revolutionizing the field of climate tech with its advancements in long-duration energy storage systems. These systems are designed to enable a reliable and fully renewable electric grid year-round, addressing one of the major challenges in the transition to renewable energy. Form Energy's technology is crucial for maintaining grid stability and integrating renewable energy sources, as it allows for the storage and release of energy over extended periods, thus balancing supply and demand even when renewable sources are intermittent​​​​. Year Founded: 2017 Location: Boston, Massachusetts, US Funding Amount/Type: Form Energy has raised a significant amount of funding, with a $450 million Series E financing round announced in October 2022​​. This adds to their total funding, which had previously exceeded $350 million, reaching a valuation of $1.2 billion in mid-2021​​. Funding Series: The latest funding round was a Series E round​​. Major Investors: The Series E round was led by TPG’s global impact investing platform, TPG Rise, and included major investors such as GIC, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), ArcelorMittal, Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and others​​​​. Form Energy's long-duration energy storage technology is particularly exciting in the climate tech sector for its potential to transform how energy grids operate. By allowing for the storage of energy for days, rather than hours, this technology enables a more seamless integration of renewable energy sources like solar and wind, which are often variable in nature. This capability is crucial for reducing reliance on fossil fuels and achieving a more sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure. The company's focus on developing cost-effective and scalable energy storage solutions aligns with the growing global need for innovations that can support a fully renewable energy grid. The significant investment and support from major investors underscore the industry's recognition of the importance of long-duration energy storage and Form Energy's role in driving forward the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. 7. Klima Klima, a mobile application developed by Climate Labs GmbH, is revolutionizing the field of climate tech with its unique approach to personal carbon offsetting. Founded in 2019 by serial entrepreneurs Markus Gilles, Andreas Pursian-Ehrlich, and Jonas Brandau, Klima is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. The app's mission is to turn carbon neutrality into a mass movement, unleashing the power of individual action at scale. Klima allows users to measure, reduce, and offset their carbon footprint directly through the app, empowering individuals to contribute actively to climate change mitigation efforts​​. Year Founded: 2019 Location: Berlin, Germany Funding Amount/Type: Klima has raised a total of €15.8 million over three funding rounds, with the latest funding being raised on April 21, 2022, from a Series A round​​. The total funding amount is also reported as $18 million in another source, with a Series A round of $11 million raised on April 1, 2022​​. Funding Series: The latest funding round was a Series A round​​. Major Investors: Klima's investors include Christian Reber (co-founder and CEO of Pitch), Jens Begemann, Niklas Jansen (co-founder and managing director of Blinkist), e.ventures, HV Holtzbrinck Ventures, 468 Capital, HV Capital, Keen Venture Partners, Headline, and Blue Impact Ventures​​​​. Klima’s approach to climate change mitigation is particularly exciting in the field of climate tech because it emphasizes the impact of individual actions. By enabling users to track and offset their carbon footprint through everyday activities, Klima is making climate action accessible and actionable for the broader public. This approach not only raises awareness about personal environmental impacts but also provides a tangible way for individuals to contribute to global carbon reduction efforts. The startup's success in raising significant funding and attracting major investors reflects the growing interest in solutions that empower individuals to participate in climate action. Klima's innovative use of technology to facilitate personal carbon offsetting marks a significant step forward in engaging the public in climate change mitigation and underscores the potential for technology to play a transformative role in addressing environmental challenges. 8. Polarium Polarium, founded in 2014, is a Swedish company that has established itself as a key player in the lithium battery technology sector. The company focuses on providing smart lithium batteries designed to address power backup challenges in various sectors, including telecom, commercial, and industrial. Polarium's mission is to empower a sustainable world with innovative solutions for energy storage and energy optimization built on lithium-ion technology​​​​. Year Founded: 2014 Location: Sweden Funding Amount/Type: Polarium has raised a total of $273.9 million over 7 funding rounds​​. Another source reports the total funding as $250.19 million over 8 rounds​​. Funding Series: The latest funding was a Venture - Series Unknown round raised on September 4, 2023​​. Major Investors: The Swedish pension company Alecta, Formica Capital, Absolute Unlisted (part of the investment manager Coeli), AMF, Vargas, Roosgruppen, and Beijer Invest are among the key investors in Polarium​​. Polarium's innovations in lithium battery technology are significant for various reasons. First, these batteries offer a sustainable and efficient solution for energy storage and management, vital in sectors ranging from telecommunications to industrial applications. Second, Polarium's technology plays a critical role in the integration and optimization of renewable energy sources, contributing to the transition towards more sustainable energy systems. The startup is particularly exciting in the field of climate tech due to its focus on lithium-ion technology, which is crucial for the development of more efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions. This technology is essential for the scalability and effectiveness of renewable energy systems, as it allows for more efficient storage and distribution of energy generated from renewable sources. Polarium's success in raising significant funding and attracting major investors highlights the growing interest and demand for advanced energy storage solutions. Their contribution to the development of smart lithium battery technology positions them as a key innovator in the climate tech sector, driving forward the transition to a more sustainable and renewable energy future. 9. Infarm Infarm, a Berlin-based startup founded in 2013, is at the forefront of urban and vertical farming technologies. Their approach focuses on distributing "modular farms" to urban locations, promoting sustainable and local food production. Infarm's technology enables the growth of crops in a controlled, indoor environment, utilizing less space and resources compared to traditional farming methods. This innovative approach contributes to reducing the carbon footprint of food production and transportation by enabling local cultivation in urban settings​​​​. Year Founded: 2013 Location: Berlin, Germany Funding Amount/Type: Infarm has raised over $600 million in total funding. A significant part of this, $200 million, was raised in a Series D round led by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)​​​​. Funding Series: The latest funding round was a Series D round​​. Major Investors: The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is a notable investor, among others​​. Infarm’s urban farming and vertical farming technologies are particularly exciting in the climate tech field for several reasons. Firstly, their systems require significantly less water and land than conventional agriculture, making them a sustainable alternative for food production. Secondly, by localizing food production, they reduce the need for long-distance transportation, further decreasing the environmental impact. Lastly, the ability to control growing conditions leads to less waste and higher quality produce. The startup's innovative approach to farming addresses crucial environmental challenges, such as land use, water scarcity, and the carbon footprint of the agricultural sector. Infarm's success in attracting significant funding and major investors underscores the growing importance of sustainable food production solutions in the fight against climate change. Their technology represents a significant step forward in creating more sustainable, efficient, and localized food systems, making them a key player in the climate tech sector. 10. Northvolt Northvolt, a startup based in Stockholm, Sweden, was founded in 2015 and is spearheading innovations in sustainable battery production for electric vehicles. Their focus is on creating batteries with low-carbon manufacturing processes, contributing significantly to the field of climate tech. Year Founded: 2015 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Funding Amount/Type: Northvolt has secured investments totaling over $1 billion, including significant contributions from BMW Group, Volkswagen Group, Goldman Sachs, and Folksam. Funding Series: Major funding rounds include a $1.6 billion loan from a consortium and a $1.2 billion fundraising effort in 2023. Major Investors: Investors include BMW Group, Volkswagen Group, Goldman Sachs, and Folksam. Northvolt's role in sustainable battery production and commitment to low-carbon processes make it an exciting startup in the climate tech sector. Their innovative approach addresses critical challenges in the automotive industry, reducing the environmental impact of electric vehicle batteries. The significant funding and support from major investors underline the importance of Northvolt's mission in the global transition towards sustainable energy solutions. Their expansion into North America with a new battery plant in Canada further solidifies their position as a leader in the field. 11. Propagate Propagate, established in 2017, is revolutionizing the agricultural sector with its unique ecosystem that blends software, development, and financing. This innovative platform simplifies the process for farms to shift to agroforestry. By offering a comprehensive suite of services including agronomic insights, technical assistance, and financing options, Propagate ensures that farms can seamlessly integrate fruit, nut, and timber trees into their existing animal or crop farming systems. This approach effectively minimizes risks and supports a smoother transition. Year Founded: 2017 Location: Denver, CO Funding Amount/Type: Funding Series: Series A with a total of $11.5 million raised. Major Investors: The Nest, Agfunder, TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good, The Grantham Foundation, Techstars and Elemental Propagate's role in the climate tech field is significant, considering the growing need for sustainable agricultural practices. By focusing on agroforestry, they provide a viable solution to the challenges of food security, land degradation, and climate change, positioning themselves as a key player in the industry. The core of Propagate's mission is to facilitate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, particularly agroforestry. This method involves incorporating permanent crops into farming, leading to enhanced profitability for farms. More importantly, it plays a crucial role in climate stewardship. By adopting these practices, farms not only boost their economic viability but also contribute significantly to climate solutions, showcasing Propagate's pivotal role in promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly farming methods. 12. BeZero BeZero, founded in 2020 by Matthias Herbert and Tobias Frech in London, UK, is revolutionizing the carbon market with its carbon credit rating system. They've raised over $70 million, with a notable $50 million in a Series B round led by Quantum Energy Partners, and have attracted investments from EDF Group, Hitachi Ventures, and Intercontinental Exchange, among others​ Year Founded: 2020 Location: London, England, United Kingdom Funding Amount/Type: BeZero Carbon has raised more than $70 million to date. In a significant funding round, the company secured $50 million in a Series B round, marking it as one of the biggest raises in the UK climate tech sector for the year. Funding Series: The latest funding was a Series B round. Major Investors: The Series B funding round was led by US-based Quantum Energy Partners, with strategic investments from EDF Group through EDF Pulse Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). Other investors include Molten Ventures, Norrsken VC, Illuminate Financial, Qima, and Contrarian Ventures. BeZero aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in the Voluntary Carbon Market, crucial for achieving Net Zero targets. Their approach, supported by a team of experts, is significant in the climate tech sector, addressing the need for reliable information in the growing market, valued at approximately €50 billion by 2030​. 13. ChargerHelp! ChargerHelp!, founded in January 2020 by Kameale C. Terry and Evette Ellis in Los Angeles, California, is a dynamic startup in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. The company specializes in operations, maintenance, and workforce development for EV charging infrastructure. Year Founded: January 2020 Location: Los Angeles, California, United States Funding Amount/Type: ChargerHelp! has raised $17.5 million in Series A financing. This funding round was led by Blue Bear Capital, with significant investments from Aligned Climate Capital, Exelon Corporation, and other investors like Energy Impact Partners and non sibi ventures. Funding Series: The most recent funding was a Series A round. Major Investors: Major investors include Blue Bear Capital, Aligned Climate Capital, Exelon Corporation, Energy Impact Partners, and non sibi ventures. ChargerHelp! is not directly related to BeZero’s carbon credit rating system. However, in the broader context of climate tech, ChargerHelp! is contributing significantly by ensuring the reliability and efficiency of EV charging stations. Their focus is on improving the operational functionality of these stations, which is essential for the growing number of EV users and is pivotal in the transition to sustainable transportation. By addressing the technical and operational challenges of EV infrastructure, ChargerHelp! is helping to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, thereby reducing carbon emissions and advancing climate goals​​​​​​​​​​​​​​. 14. Sylvera Sylvera, established in 2020 by Samuel Gill and Dr. Allister Furey in London, UK, is a trailblazer in the climate tech industry. It specializes in providing a carbon offset intelligence platform, enhancing transparency and insights in the carbon market. Year Founded: 2020 Location: London, UK Funding Amount/Type: Sylvera has raised a total of $39.5 million. This includes a $32 million Series A round, led by Index Ventures and Insight Partners, with participation from Salesforce Ventures, LocalGlobe, and other angel investors. Funding Series: The latest funding was a Series A round. Major Investors: Key investors include Index Ventures, Insight Partners, Salesforce Ventures, LocalGlobe, and several angel investors. Sylvera's platform stands out in the climate tech field for its robust approach to analyzing carbon offset projects using machine learning and diverse data sources like satellite imagery. This enhances accountability and credibility in carbon offsetting, addressing the challenges of asymmetric information and transparency. Their contribution is vital in a market projected to be worth $100 billion by 2030, making Sylvera an essential player in achieving net-zero targets through improved carbon market practices​​​​​​​​​​​​​​. 15. ZeroAvia ZeroAvia, founded in 2017 by Valery Miftakhov, is a U.S.-based company focused on developing hydrogen-fueled aviation technology. They are at the forefront of reducing aviation's carbon footprint, which is pivotal for the climate tech field. Year Founded: 2017 Location: United States Funding Amount/Type: ZeroAvia has raised significant funding over the years, including $21.4 million in Series A financing in 2020, $24.3 million in a second round of Series A in 2021, $35 million in Series B financing also in 2021, and a substantial round in 2023 with Airbus as a lead investor. Funding Series: The company has completed Series A and B funding rounds. Major Investors: Notable investors include Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Horizons Ventures, Royal Dutch Shell, Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, British Airways, United Airlines Ventures, Alaska Air Group, Airbus, and Neom Investment Fund. ZeroAvia's work in hydrogen-fueled aviation technology is transforming the industry. By developing powertrains for aircrafts that are zero-emission, they address a significant source of global carbon emissions. This breakthrough technology is not only crucial for the aviation industry's transition to sustainable practices but also represents a major advancement in the broader effort to combat climate change. The potential impact of ZeroAvia's technology in reducing aviation's carbon footprint makes them a particularly exciting and important player in the climate tech field​​​​​​​​​​. 10 Venture Capital Firms Investing in Climate Tech Startups Securing funding is a crucial step for any climate tech startup aiming to scale its operations and bring innovative solutions to market. With growing investor interest in sustainable technologies, more venture capital firms are focusing on climate tech companies that address critical environmental challenges. For startups, finding the right investors can make all the difference in gaining not just financial support but also strategic guidance and industry connections. Below is a list of 10 of the most active venture capital firms currently investing in climate tech, helping startups secure the resources they need to accelerate growth. Related resource: Guide to CleanTech and Climate Tech in 2024 + Top VCs Investing 1. Breakthrough Energy Ventures Backed by Bill Gates, Breakthrough Energy Ventures is one of the most influential players in climate tech, investing in early-stage companies focused on decarbonization. Their focus areas include energy storage, food and agriculture, and transportation. Location: Kirkland, Washington Investment Range: Seed to Series B 2. Lowercarbon Capital Lowercarbon Capital is a venture capital firm focused exclusively on startups that are reducing carbon emissions. They invest in a wide range of sectors including carbon capture, energy storage, and clean energy technologies. Location: San Francisco, California Investment Range: Seed to Growth 3. Energy Impact Partners (EIP) EIP partners with utilities and large energy consumers to invest in companies leading the transition to a clean energy future. Their portfolio includes startups working on grid modernization, electrification, and energy efficiency. Location: New York, New York Investment Range: Series A and beyond 4. Congruent Ventures Congruent Ventures is a leading VC firm supporting early-stage companies at the intersection of sustainability and technology. They focus on areas like clean energy, transportation, and resource efficiency. Location: San Francisco, California Investment Range: Seed to Series B 5. Fifth Wall Fifth Wall is a prominent investor in climate tech startups focused on sustainable real estate and infrastructure. They invest in companies addressing the decarbonization of the built environment, including energy efficiency, electrification, and carbon sequestration. Location: Los Angeles, California Investment Range: Seed to Series C 6. Prelude Ventures Prelude Ventures invests in early-stage climate tech startups working across various sectors, including energy, agriculture, and transportation. They have a long-term investment horizon and prioritize companies with breakthrough technologies. Location: San Francisco, California Investment Range: Seed to Series B 7. Chrysalix Venture Capital Chrysalix focuses on climate tech startups developing technologies for resource efficiency and industrial innovation. They work with companies that are bringing advanced materials, clean energy, and digitalization technologies to market. Location: Vancouver, Canada Investment Range: Series A to Growth 8. Obvious Ventures Obvious Ventures invests in startups that are building solutions for a healthier planet. They focus on climate tech sectors like clean energy, circular economy, and sustainable food systems.Location: San Francisco, CaliforniaInvestment Range: Seed to Series C, and Growth 9. Elemental Excelerator Elemental Excelerator is a global climate tech accelerator that invests in startups addressing energy, water, agriculture, and circular economy challenges. Their unique model combines investment with hands-on support to help companies scale. Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Investment Range: Seed to Series A 10. Schematic Ventures Schematic Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital firm investing in supply chain, logistics, and sustainability. Their climate tech investments focus on decarbonizing industrial processes and logistics through technology innovation. Location: San Francisco, California Investment Range: Seed Stage Find an Investor for Climate Tech with Visible Visible helps founders connect with investors using our connect investor database, find VCs specifically investing in Climate Tech here. Related resource: 10+ Founder Friendly Venture Capital Firms Investing in Startups Related resource: 11 Venture Capital Podcasts You Need to Check Out For Climate Tech startups, securing the right investors is critical as it goes beyond mere funding. These investors bring specialized expertise and strategic insights specific to the Climate sector and their guidance is invaluable in navigating the unique challenges and opportunities within the space. Use Visible to manage every part of your fundraising funnel with investor updates, fundraising pipelines, pitch deck sharing, and data rooms. Raise capital, update investors, and engage your team from a single platform. Try Visible free for 14 days.

On the fourth episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Max Yoder, the Founder of Lessonly and author of Do Better Work. Lessonly was an Indianapolis-based company that grew to over 300 employees and $30 million in annual recurring revenue before being acquired by Seismic in 2021. Max joins us to share the lessons he learned from scaling Lessonly and writing Do Better Work. About Max In addition to growing Lessonly to 300+ employees and leading it through a successful exit, Max became known for his thoughtful approach to leadership, insights he captured in his book, Do Better Work. He’s had a front-row seat to the highs, lows, and daily challenges that startup founders and leaders face. In this episode, Max breaks down the countless relationships that shaped both Lessonly and Do Better Work. Mike, the CEO and Founder of Visible, had an opportunity to sit down and chat with Max. You can give the full episode a listen below: Spotify Link Apple Link What You Can Expect to Learn from Max How the mission and vision for Lessonly came to life How mentors helped shape decision-making and strategy in the early days The advantages of having a strong network What it means to lead with vulnerability The importance of aligning with investors and partners Stay up to date with the Thrive Through Connection Podcast by subscribing wherever you listen to your podcast. You can find links to your favorite podcast hosts below: YouTube Spotify Apple

Managing equity is one of startup founders' most strategic and challenging responsibilities. Many advisors, investors, and peers contribute valuable insights to a business in the early stages, often without direct financial compensation. For startups with limited cash flow, offering advisory shares becomes a creative and practical way to engage experts while preserving resources for growth. Advisory shares allow founders to attract and retain top-tier talent by providing equity in exchange for critical guidance. This article explores what advisory shares are, how they work, their benefits and drawbacks, and key considerations for offering them in your startup. What Are Advisory Shares? Advisory shares are a form of equity compensation provided to individuals who offer strategic guidance and expertise to a startup. Unlike traditional employee equity, advisory shares are typically granted to external advisors, such as industry experts, seasoned entrepreneurs, or key network connectors, who help the business grow and succeed. These shares often follow a shorter vesting schedule, reflecting the limited but impactful nature of the advisor's contributions. By offering advisory shares, startups can incentivize advisors to commit their time and knowledge, aligning their success with the company’s growth. Advisor Shares vs. Regular Shares (or Equity) Advisory shares and regular shares both represent equity in a company, but their purposes, recipients, and structures are distinct. Regular shares are issued to founders, employees, and investors to reflect direct contributions, whether through work or funding. Advisory shares, however, are explicitly granted to external advisors as compensation for their expertise and guidance, aligning their interests with the company's success without requiring financial or operational involvement. Related resource: CEO vs. Advisory Board: Key Differences in Leadership and Guidance How Are Advisory Shares and Regular Shares Similar? Despite their differences, advisory shares and regular shares share common traits. Both represent ownership in the company, incentivize recipients by tying their potential financial gains to its growth, and typically involve vesting schedules to ensure commitment. Issuing either type of share also contributes to equity dilution, affecting all existing stakeholders. Related Read: The Main Difference Between ISOs and NSOs How Do Advisory Shares Work? While advisory shares can take on different forms, they typically can be boiled down to a few similarities. Of course, these can change depending on your business. Exchanged for advice or expertise Typically offered as NSO stock options Follow a shorter vesting schedule Related resource: Everything You Should Know About Diluting Shares Learn more about how advisory shares typically work below: 1. Advisor Agreement Before granting advisory shares, the startup and advisor enter into a formal agreement that outlines the terms of their relationship. This agreement specifies the advisor’s role, including the scope of their contributions, such as strategic guidance, mentorship, or leveraging their network. It also details the advisor's responsibilities, expected time commitment, and deliverables. Importantly, the agreement defines the number of advisory shares the advisor will receive and the terms under which they are granted, such as the vesting schedule and any conditions tied to performance. By setting clear expectations, this agreement protects both parties and ensures alignment in achieving the company’s goals. 2. Grant of Shares After finalizing the advisor agreement, the startup grants the advisor the right to purchase a specified number of shares at a predetermined exercise price. This exercise price is typically set at the fair market value of the company’s stock at the time of the grant. This approach ensures compliance with tax regulations while offering the advisor an opportunity to benefit from the company’s growth. The grant also outlines the conditions under which the advisor can exercise these options, such as meeting vesting milestones or fulfilling specific responsibilities. By linking the grant to the advisor’s contributions, startups create a mutually beneficial arrangement that aligns incentives with the company’s success. 3. Vesting Period The advisor’s right to exercise their options is generally tied to a vesting period, which ensures their continued commitment to the startup over time. Vesting periods for advisory shares often span shorter durations than employee stock options but typically last one to four years. A common structure includes a one-year cliff, where no options are vested during the first year, followed by monthly vesting thereafter. This means the advisor gains the ability to exercise a portion of their options incrementally, as they fulfill their responsibilities and contribute to the company’s growth. Vesting schedules protect the startup by ensuring advisors earn their shares through sustained involvement and expertise. 4. Exercise of Options Once the vesting period is complete, the advisor gains the right to exercise their options. This involves paying the predetermined exercise price to purchase the shares granted under the advisory agreement. The exercise process typically requires the advisor to notify the company of their intent and complete the necessary paperwork. After the payment is made, the advisor becomes a shareholder in the company and holds equity outright. This step allows the advisor to benefit from any future increase in the company’s valuation, aligning their financial incentives with the startup’s long-term success. 5. Potential Profit If the company’s stock price appreciates over time, the advisor can sell their shares for a profit. Since advisory shares are typically granted at the fair market value at the time of issuance, any subsequent increase in the stock price represents a gain for the advisor. For example, if the exercise price was set at $1 per share and the stock price rises to $10 per share, the advisor can sell the shares at the higher market price, realizing a profit of $9 per share. This potential for financial gain serves as a strong incentive for advisors to contribute meaningfully to the company’s success and growth. Benefits of Advisory Shares Advisory shares come with their own set of pros and cons. Properly maintaining and distributing equity is a critical role of a startup founder so understand the benefits, and drawbacks, of offering advisory shares is a must. Related Resource: 7 Essential Business Startup Resources Learn more about the benefits of offering startup advisory shares below: Access to Expertise and Guidance Advisory shares are a powerful tool for attracting experienced professionals with specialized knowledge that can drive a startup’s growth. These individuals bring valuable insights in areas such as strategy, product development, marketing, or fundraising—critical components for scaling a business. By offering equity in lieu of cash compensation, startups can engage top-tier experts who might otherwise be out of reach financially. These advisors act as strategic partners, helping founders navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and build a strong foundation for long-term success. Related Resource: Seed Funding for Startups 101: A Complete Guide Strengthen Credibility and Network Associating with credible advisors can significantly enhance a startup’s reputation, signaling expertise and trustworthiness to the broader market. Advisors with established industry recognition lend their credibility to the company, boosting its appeal to potential investors, partners, and customers. Beyond reputation, advisors often bring extensive networks of valuable connections, opening doors to strategic partnerships, funding opportunities, and key client relationships. By aligning with respected professionals, startups can accelerate their growth while building trust within their industry. Cost-Effective Compensation As we previously mentioned, most businesses that benefit most from advisors are unable to offer them a salary or cash compensation. With advisor shares, startup founders are able to offer shares as compensation and conserve thei cash to help with scaling their business and headcount. Attract Long-Term Commitment Vesting schedules play a crucial role in fostering long-term commitment from advisors. By distributing equity over a set period, such as one to four years, advisors are incentivized to remain actively engaged with the startup for the duration of the vesting timeline. This structure ensures that advisors continue to contribute their expertise and resources while aligning their success with the company's growth. The gradual allocation of shares motivates advisors to stay invested in the startup’s achievements, creating a mutually beneficial relationship that drives sustained collaboration and progress. Drawbacks of Advisory Shares Of course, offering advisor shares is not for everyone. While there are benefits to offering advisor shares, there are certainly drawbacks as well. Weighing the pros and cons and determining what is right for your business is ultimately up to you. We always recommend consulting with a lawyer or counsel when determining how to compensate advisors. Diluted Ownership The biggest drawback for most founders will be the diluted ownership. By offering shares to advisors, you will be diluting the ownership of yourself and existing shareholders. As advisors are fully vested in 1-2 years, they will potentially not be invested in future success as other stakeholders and could be costly when taking into account the diluted ownership. Potential Conflicts of Interest Advisors might not have the same motivators and incentives as your employees and other shareholders. As their ownership is generally a smaller % and their shares vest early, they are potentially not as incentivized for the growth of your company as employees and larger % owners will be. Getting in front of these conversations and making sure you have a good read on any potential advisors before bringing them onboard is a good first step to mitigate potential conflicts. Extra Stakeholder to Manage Chances are most advisors are helping other companies as well. This means that their attention is divided and you will need to ensure you are getting enough value to warrant dilution. This also means that you are responsible for managing a relationship and communication with another stakeholder in your business — what can be burdensome on some founders. The 2 Variations of Advisory Shares Advisory shares are generally offered in 2 variations — restricted stock awards and stock options. Learn more about each option and what they mean below: Restricted Stock Awards Restricted stock awards (RSAs) are a form of equity compensation where shares are granted to an individual with certain restrictions, typically tied to a vesting schedule or performance milestones. Unlike stock options, RSAs represent ownership of the shares from the moment they are granted, though the recipient may not fully control or sell them until the restrictions are lifted. These shares often include voting rights and entitle the recipient to dividends, aligning their interests with the company’s long-term success. Restricted stock awards are commonly used to reward early contributors or advisors, ensuring their commitment while providing immediate equity ownership subject to conditions. Stock Options Stock options are a type of equity compensation that grants the recipient the right to purchase company shares at a fixed price, known as the exercise price, within a specified timeframe. Unlike restricted stock awards, stock options do not represent immediate ownership but provide the potential to acquire shares if certain conditions, such as vesting schedules or performance milestones, are met. The exercise price is typically set at the fair market value of the shares at the time of the grant. If the company’s valuation increases, the recipient can profit by purchasing the shares at the lower exercise price and selling them at the higher market value. Stock options are often used to align the recipient’s incentives with the company’s growth, encouraging active involvement and long-term commitment. Who Gets to Issue Advisory Shares? Issuing advisory shares is typically reserved for the founder or CEO of a company. Having a decision-making process and gameplan when issuing advisory shares is important. This might mean offering no shares at all, having an allocated amount of advisor shares from the get go, or something inbetween. Making sure your board of directors and other key stakeholders are on board is crucial to make sure that interest and strategy stays aligned for all stakeholders. Related resource: Is An Advisory Board Paid? What Startups Should Know How Many Shares Should You Give a Startup Advisor? Determining the number of shares to offer a startup advisor requires balancing sufficient incentives with managing equity dilution. The exact amount will vary based on factors such as the advisor’s experience, expected contribution, and time commitment. Advisors who bring extensive industry expertise or access to valuable networks may justify a higher equity allocation than those with a more limited role. According to guidelines referenced by Silicon Valley Bank, advisors are often granted between 0.25% and 1% of the company's equity, depending on the startup's stage and the nature of the advisory role. Structuring this compensation strategically- including a vesting schedule or performance milestones- helps ensure that the advisor’s contributions provide meaningful value while maintaining flexibility for the company. Let Visible Help You Streamline the Investment Management Process Managing equity and fostering investor relationships are critical for your startup’s success. Visible simplifies this process with tools for tracking advisory shares, managing fundraising pipelines, and keeping stakeholders informed through data rooms and investor updates. Raise capital, update investors, and engage your team from a single platform. Try Visible free for 14 days.

Why the Chief of Staff is Important for a Startup Startup founders and practitioners are often debating the best actions to take and decisions to make in their early-stage companies. Determining the right hires has been a major part of this conversation. The hot topic on the table lately has been around hiring the role of Chief of Staff. There is a growing conversation about whether startup leaders and founders should hire a Chief of Staff (COS), and here at Visible, we believe it is one of the most important hires you can make. A Chief of Staff is essential for your startup because their role is designed to be an extension of the c-suite’s leadership and strategy. Their role allows companies to scale faster and more strategically. Between the Board of Directors, Executive Board, stakeholders, and employees, startups have a lot of moving parts, and a Chief of Staff can be the cog in the machine that makes all those pieces work smoothly together. A Chief of Staff is the right-hand person to an executive team member, typically the CEO or COO. The COS is tasked with managing the executive’s goals, priorities, internal and external operational tasks, and special strategic projects as needed. The typical responsibilities included in a Chief of Staff role may include: Managing Executive Goals and Priorities A Chief of Staff helps determine what optimized time really looks like. For CEOs and COOs, there is plenty of work that could easily fill the day. But what work is most important for business development and moving the business forward? A Chief of Staff helps direct the decision-making and serves as a sounding board for the CEO, owning the task of keeping the executive aligned to the goals he or she set forth to push the business forward. A COS considers these executive goals and even formalizes them in a framework such as the OKR (Objective Key Results) framework. With these executive OKRs formalized, a COS helps guide the CEO/COO’s priorities day over day. Related resource: Should I Consider a Part-time Executive for My Startup? Operational Tasks With specific areas of work, including board meetings and other critical decision-making sessions or meetings on the agenda, the Chief of Staff helps manage these priorities by handling operations tasks like agenda setting and distribution, communications with teams across the startup to gather insight and updates on various company-wide priorities and progression. Not only will a Chief of Staff work on internal operational tasks like meeting prep, gathering updates, and tracking company progress towards goals, but they also tend to handle external operational tasks as well. These external operational tasks might include sending investor updates to stakeholders, serving as the point of contact to the Board of Directors representing the CEO’s office, or even working on communications and PR. Special Strategic Projects Startups move fast, and different priorities and special obligations come up for leadership out of the blue. Additionally, as your startup goes through strategic growth periods like fundraising or even acquiring smaller startups down the line, the priorities of a CEO’s time will greatly change. These strategic times are the perfect way to utilize a COS. If fundraising is going to take up a significant chunk of a CEO’s time, a Chief of Staff can step in and manage aspects of that strategic task such as deck assembly, overview materials for the potential investors, and communication with parts of the business that need to deliver information for said fundraising presentation. Chief of Staffs are typically very versatile in their skill set, with communication, strategic thinking, and analytical skill sets. This background makes them the perfect person to take on roles that require strategic thought and concise summaries but are potentially too time-constraining for a CEO to dedicate all of their energy to. With their unique mix of hard and soft skills, executive insight, and strategic position in the company, a COS is a major value-add to any startup. Our team at Visible has identified seven primary ways that a Chief of Staff can strengthen your startup. When is it Time to Hire a Chief of Staff? Determining the right moment to bring a COS into your startup is crucial for maximizing their impact. By recognizing the following indicators and acting promptly, startups can leverage the unique skills and perspectives that a Chief of Staff brings to the table, ensuring sustained growth and success. Related resource: How to Hire Your First 10 Startup Employees Here are some key indicators that it might be the right time to hire a COS: Leadership Bandwidth is Strained As your startup grows, the demands on the leadership team increase exponentially. This strain manifests as longer work hours, difficulty in prioritizing tasks, and a constant feeling of being overwhelmed. Executives may find themselves bogged down with operational details rather than focusing on strategic initiatives. A Chief of Staff can help alleviate this burden by managing critical tasks, streamlining decision-making processes, and allowing leaders to focus on high-level strategic goals. They act as a force multiplier, extending the reach and effectiveness of the leadership team. A Need for Cross-Departmental Collaboration Effective cross-departmental collaboration is essential for startups to innovate and scale. However, as the organization grows, silos can form, and communication breakdowns can occur. This can lead to inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, and missed opportunities. A Chief of Staff ensures seamless collaboration by facilitating communication between departments, aligning goals, and overseeing cross-functional projects. They help to break down silos and ensure that all parts of the organization are working towards the same objectives. Related resource: How to Build Organizational Alignment Easily Mergers, Acquisitions, or Product Launches Significant events like mergers, acquisitions, or major product launches require focused attention and meticulous coordination. These initiatives bring unique challenges such as integrating new teams, managing extensive paperwork, and aligning strategies. A Chief of Staff can manage these complex processes, ensuring that all aspects are covered and that the executive team can concentrate on high-level strategic decisions. They provide the necessary oversight and coordination to make these critical events successful. Leadership Succession Planning Succession planning is vital for maintaining continuity and stability within the leadership team. It involves identifying and developing future leaders within the organization. However, amidst the daily hustle of running a startup, this can often be neglected. A Chief of Staff plays a crucial role in leadership succession planning by mentoring potential leaders, overseeing development programs, and ensuring there is a clear plan for leadership transitions. This not only secures the future of the company but also helps in retaining top talent by providing clear career progression paths. Typical Responsibilities for a Chief of Staff A Chief of Staff in a startup wears many hats, acting as a strategic partner to the CEO or COO. Their role involves a wide range of responsibilities that help streamline operations, drive strategic initiatives, and ensure that the leadership team can focus on high-priority tasks. Below are some of the key responsibilities that a Chief of Staff typically handles, each of which will be covered in more detail in their respective sections. Managing Executive Goals and Priorities A Chief of Staff helps determine what optimized time looks like for the executive team. For CEOs and COOs, there is plenty of work that could easily fill the day. But what work is most important for business development and moving the business forward? A Chief of Staff directs the decision-making process, ensuring that the executive's time is spent on tasks that are crucial for growth. They serve as a sounding board for the CEO, aligning the executive with the company’s strategic goals and formalizing them using frameworks such as OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). This helps guide the CEO/COO’s priorities day by day. Operational Leadership The Chief of Staff manages both internal and external operational tasks, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. This includes setting agendas for board meetings, gathering updates from various teams, and tracking progress towards company goals. They handle communications across the startup to ensure everyone is aligned with the company’s priorities. Externally, they might send investor updates, serve as a point of contact for the Board of Directors, and manage public relations tasks. By overseeing these operational details, the Chief of Staff allows the executive team to focus on more strategic issues. Strategic Projects Startups often encounter special strategic projects that require focused attention. Whether it’s fundraising, a product launch, or an acquisition, a Chief of Staff manages these projects, ensuring they align with the company’s strategic goals. They take on roles that require strategic thinking and concise summaries, handling aspects such as preparing decks for investors, assembling materials for presentations, and coordinating communication across the company. This enables the CEO to concentrate on core business functions without getting bogged down by the intricacies of these special projects. Important Skills for a Chief of Staff to Have When making the strategic hire of a Chief of Staff, startup founders need to look for specific skills that will ensure the candidate can effectively support the leadership team and drive the company forward. These skills serve as crucial filters and green flags in the interview process, guiding founders on how to frame their questions and identify the best candidate for their organization. Strategic Thinking Strategic thinking is vital for navigating the complexities of a growing startup. A Chief of Staff must be able to anticipate future challenges, identify opportunities, and develop long-term plans that align with the company's vision. By outsourcing strategic thinking to a Chief of Staff, the executive team can ensure that someone is always focused on the bigger picture, allowing them to concentrate on immediate operational needs. This skill is essential for maintaining a clear direction and ensuring the startup's long-term success. Project Management Effective project management is crucial for keeping various initiatives on track and within budget. A Chief of Staff must be adept at coordinating multiple projects, setting deadlines, and ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently. In a growing startup, where rapid execution is key, outsourcing project management to a Chief of Staff ensures that projects are completed on time and meet the company's strategic objectives. This allows the executive team to focus on higher-level strategic decisions without getting bogged down in the details of project execution. Analytical Skills Analytical skills enable a Chief of Staff to interpret data, identify trends, and make informed decisions. In a data-driven startup environment, these skills are critical for providing valuable insights that inform strategic direction and operational improvements. By outsourcing analytical tasks to a Chief of Staff, the executive team can ensure that decisions are based on solid data and analysis, reducing the risk of errors and improving overall efficiency. Communication Skills Strong communication skills are necessary for a Chief of Staff to act as a liaison between the executive team and other departments. They must be able to convey complex ideas clearly, facilitate effective meetings, and ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page. Good communication helps maintain transparency, fosters a collaborative work environment, and ensures that everyone in the organization is aligned with the company's goals. By outsourcing communication management to a Chief of Staff, the executive team can ensure that information flows smoothly and efficiently throughout the organization. Ways a Chief of Staff Can Strengthen Your Startup A Chief of Staff can significantly enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of a startup. By taking on critical tasks and responsibilities, they enable the executive team to focus on strategic goals and high-priority items. Here are some of the ways a Chief of Staff can strengthen your startup: Focus on Priority Items The day-to-day life of a CEO or COO can be extremely hectic, with numerous decisions and tasks competing for their attention. A Chief of Staff helps manage these priorities by filtering out less critical tasks and directing the executive’s time towards the most strategic decisions that align with the company's OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). This ensures that the leadership focuses on what truly drives the business forward while the Chief of Staff handles smaller issues and routine decision-making. Facilitate Smooth Information Sharing Effective communication is crucial for the smooth operation of a startup. A Chief of Staff acts as a central point for gathering and disseminating information across the organization. They collect updates from various departments, distill the most important points, and present a contextualized executive summary to the CEO. This process ensures that the CEO receives all the necessary information without being overwhelmed by details, and that communication flows smoothly from the CEO to the rest of the company. Inform Strategy and Decision-Making A Chief of Staff serves as a valuable resource for keeping the executive team connected to the various happenings across departments. By providing an executive summary of company-wide updates, a Chief of Staff helps the leadership team make informed strategic decisions more quickly. They ensure that all relevant information is considered, facilitating better and faster decision-making processes. Maximize Time While You Scale As a startup scales, the demands on the executive team’s time increase. A Chief of Staff helps maximize this time by prioritizing tasks and focusing on critical projects. They handle routine and operational tasks, allowing the CEO to dedicate more time to deep-think projects and strategic initiatives. This ensures that the leadership’s time is used efficiently, even as the company grows and evolves. Tackle Special Projects Special projects, such as fundraising rounds, product launches, or industry presentations, require focused attention and dedicated resources. A Chief of Staff is perfectly positioned to spearhead these projects, managing aspects such as preparing investor decks, assembling materials for presentations, and coordinating communication across the company. This allows the CEO to stay focused on daily priorities while still ensuring that special projects are executed effectively. Provide Oversight and Perspective Startups can often become echo chambers where new perspectives are hard to come by. A Chief of Staff, especially one with experience from other startups, brings a fresh viewpoint to the c-suite. They provide oversight and serve as a sounding board for new ideas and strategies, helping to ensure that the company stays innovative and adaptable. Push the Business Forward Ultimately, a Chief of Staff is a strategic player in moving the business forward. They streamline operations, manage strategic projects, and ensure effective communication, all of which contribute to the company’s growth. By freeing up the executive team to focus on high-level strategic goals, a Chief of Staff helps take a startup from good to great and potentially to unicorn status. Chief of Staff vs Executive Assistant Understanding the difference between a COS and an Executive Assistant (EA) is crucial for startup founders to ensure they make the right hire at the right time. While both roles support the executive team, they do so in different ways and with distinct focuses. Chief of Staff A Chief of Staff is a strategic partner to the executive team, particularly the CEO or COO. Their responsibilities are broad and focus on aligning the company’s strategic goals with daily operations. Here are some key aspects of the COS role: Strategic Focus: The COS works on high-level strategic initiatives, ensuring that the executive team’s vision and goals are implemented across the organization. Project Management: They handle complex projects that span multiple departments, such as mergers, acquisitions, product launches, and fundraising efforts. Decision-Making Support: The COS provides critical insights and data analysis to support executive decision-making, helping to inform strategy and operational improvements. Cross-Departmental Collaboration: They facilitate communication and collaboration between different departments to ensure everyone is aligned and working towards common goals. Leadership Development: The COS often plays a role in leadership succession planning and mentoring potential future leaders within the organization. Executive Assistant An Executive Assistant, on the other hand, focuses on optimizing the executive’s daily schedule and administrative tasks. Here are some key aspects of the EA role: Administrative Focus: The EA manages the executive’s calendar, schedules meetings, handles correspondence, and organizes travel arrangements. Time Management: They ensure that the executive’s time is used efficiently by prioritizing meetings and tasks, allowing the executive to focus on their most important responsibilities. Task Coordination: The EA handles a variety of administrative tasks that help keep the executive’s day running smoothly, from booking appointments to preparing documents. Support Role: They provide general support to the executive, ensuring that they have everything they need to perform their duties effectively. Routine Operations: The EA is instrumental in managing routine operational tasks, allowing the executive to concentrate on more strategic issues. Key Differences Scope of Responsibilities: The COS has a broader, more strategic scope, focusing on aligning and implementing the company’s long-term goals. The EA’s scope is narrower, concentrating on the day-to-day administrative support of the executive. Strategic vs. Administrative: The COS is involved in strategic decision-making and high-level project management, while the EA handles administrative and logistical tasks. Cross-Departmental Impact: The COS often works across departments to facilitate collaboration and ensure alignment with company goals. The EA typically works closely with the executive and less so with other departments. Long-Term vs. Short-Term Focus: The COS is focused on long-term strategic initiatives and projects that drive the company forward. The EA is focused on the immediate, short-term needs of the executive. Making the Right Choice For startup founders, deciding between hiring a Chief of Staff and an Executive Assistant depends on the company’s current needs and stage of growth: If the company needs high-level strategic support, project management for complex initiatives, and cross-departmental coordination, hiring a Chief of Staff is the right choice. If the primary need is managing the executive’s schedule, handling administrative tasks, and ensuring day-to-day operations run smoothly, then an Executive Assistant is the appropriate hire. Equipping a Chief of Staff for Success at a Startup To ensure a COS is successful at your startup, it's crucial to clearly define their role and responsibilities from the outset. This includes creating a detailed job description that outlines specific tasks and expectations. Additionally, providing a comprehensive onboarding process with clear goals and KPIs will help the COS integrate smoothly and start contributing effectively. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions will also ensure they are aligned with the company’s strategic goals and can adjust to any evolving needs. Equipping your COS with the right tools and resources, fostering open communication, and maintaining a supportive environment will enable them to execute their duties effectively. This preparation ensures that the COS can focus on driving strategic initiatives and managing critical projects, ultimately contributing to the startup’s growth and success. How Visible Can Help Visible offers a range of tools and resources designed to support Chief of Staffs in their roles, making it easier to streamline executive and investor communications. With features that facilitate data tracking, reporting, and stakeholder updates, Visible ensures that your Chief of Staff can efficiently manage information flow and keep everyone aligned with the company’s strategic objectives. By leveraging Visible's platform, startups can enhance their operational efficiency, improve decision-making processes, and ultimately drive growth. For more information about how Visible helps Chiefs of Staff streamline their executive and investor communications, learn more here.

On the fourth episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Max Yoder, the Founder of Lessonly and author of Do Better Work. Lessonly was an Indianapolis-based company that grew to over 300 employees and $30 million in annual recurring revenue before being acquired by Seismic in 2021. Max joins us to share the lessons he learned from scaling Lessonly and writing Do Better Work. About Max In addition to growing Lessonly to 300+ employees and leading it through a successful exit, Max became known for his thoughtful approach to leadership, insights he captured in his book, Do Better Work. He’s had a front-row seat to the highs, lows, and daily challenges that startup founders and leaders face. In this episode, Max breaks down the countless relationships that shaped both Lessonly and Do Better Work. Mike, the CEO and Founder of Visible, had an opportunity to sit down and chat with Max. You can give the full episode a listen below: Spotify Link Apple Link What You Can Expect to Learn from Max How the mission and vision for Lessonly came to life How mentors helped shape decision-making and strategy in the early days The advantages of having a strong network What it means to lead with vulnerability The importance of aligning with investors and partners Stay up to date with the Thrive Through Connection Podcast by subscribing wherever you listen to your podcast. You can find links to your favorite podcast hosts below: YouTube Spotify Apple

About Airtree Ventures Airtree is a Sydney-based venture capital firm backing founders based in Australia and New Zealand building the iconic companies of tomorrow. The firm was founded in 2014 and is now deploying out of its 4th fund with $1.3 billion in assets under management. Their portfolio includes over 105+ portfolio companies and 250+ founders who have helped create over 17,000 jobs. Airtree’s portfolio includes the region’s breakout technology companies, such as Canva, Go1, Employment Hero, Pet Circle, Immutable, and Linktree. For this case study, we spoke to Dan Lombard who is the Data Lead at Airtree Ventures. Related article: Airtree Ventures already returned its first fund thanks to Canva while maintaining the majority of its stake Fragmented Systems and Processes Prior to Visible Prior to the integration of Visible, Airtree relied heavily on a fragmented system of spreadsheets to manage their portfolio of 105+ companies. Each quarter, four employees were tasked with managing the relationships with the points of contact at 15 to 20 portfolio companies through manual outreach and communications. This reliance on spreadsheets resulted in inefficiencies and potential data loss, as spreadsheets are prone to break when modified. Challenges With Data Accuracy and Scaling Manual Outreach to a Growing Portfolio Before Visible, 80% of Airtree’s portfolio monitoring problem was having clean data and scaling outreach to their portfolio companies. They faced two primary challenges with their former system: Operational Efficiency: Four team members spent significant time manually collecting data from over 100 companies every quarter. The Airtree team members were sending one-off email communications to each company and manually keeping track of who needed to be followed up with at each company which diverted resources from other critical projects they could be working on. Data Integrity and Scalability: Frequent changes to the data in spreadsheets resulted in errors in the sheets and data loss, which caused frustration as there was no way of understanding which changes were made to the sheet and when. This process made it difficult to scale portfolio monitoring operations as Airtree grew. Why Airtree Chose Visible as their Portfolio Monitoring Platform Airtree chose Visible for its robust, scalable, and user-friendly platform. Key factors influencing their choice included: Ease of Use and Customization: Visible's platform offered unparalleled customization and ease of use. Support and Development: Visible’s team actively listened to feedback, offered best practices, and continuously invested in their product, ensuring a partnership that catered to Airtree’s evolving needs. Automation and Integration: Visible excelled in automating portfolio monitoring and offered a frictionless experience for founders. Airtree leveraged the Visible API to seamlessly integrate data into their existing data warehouse system. Airtree’s historical data collection process, previously led by four Airtree team members, is now a streamlined process led only by Dan, who leverages Visible Requests to collect data from their portfolio of 105+ companies. Visible Requests empowers Dan to send customized link-based data requests to each company, automate the email reminder process, and easily keep track of where companies are in the reporting process. View an example Visible Request below. Onboarded to Visible within 24 Hours Visible provided Airtree with an efficient and supported onboarding. When asked about Airtree's onboarding with Visible Dan Lombard shared the following: Visible stood out by enabling a swift and seamless transition that was operational in less than 24 hours, a stark contrast to other providers who estimated a quarter for full implementation. This rapid integration was facilitated by a comprehensive onboarding template provided by Visible. Visible API & Airtree’s Data Infrastructure With the implementation of Visible, Airtree wanted to take a more sophisticated approach to the way they handle their portfolio data with the goal of driving more valuable insights for their team. The approach needed to be automated, integrate with other data sources, and have a singular view accessible for the whole team. This was not possible when their data lived in disparate systems, files, and spreadsheets. Dan Lombard has led the improvement of Airtree's data infrastructure. Now, data sources like Visible and Affinity are piped into Snowflake via recurring AWS Lambda jobs. Airtree leverages the Visible API daily. Dan mentioned that while Airtree collects data quarterly, a daily sync of the data is crucial because Airtree is always onboarding new companies, communicating with their founders, and uploading historical data. “The Visible API gives us this level of daily fidelity and only takes the AWS Lambda job 5 minutes to populate an entire data architecture.” - Dan Lombard, Data Lead at Airtree Ventures Once the data is in their database, Snowflake handles the ETL and entity matching. Airtree then has Streamlit sit on top of Snowflake to query data, provision access, and build out new insights. Advice for Other VC Firms Building Out Their Data Infrastructure Don’t overcomplicate things to start. It is easy to get caught up in the bells and whistles. Dan recommends a bias towards simplicity. Start small and use it as a stepping stone as you build things out. Conclusion Airtree’s adoption of Visible transformed their portfolio management by automating key processes and centralizing data, thus enabling more strategic decision-making and efficient operations. The case of Airtree is a testament to how the right technological partnerships can profoundly impact business efficiency and data management.

About Moxxie Moxxie was founded in 2019 by former Twitter executive Katie Stanton. Prior to starting Moxxie Katie worked at Google, in the Obama administration as a Special Advisor to the Office of Innovation, and co-founded the angel group #Angels. In 2021, Katie brought on Alex Roetter, whom she had worked with before at both Twitter and Google, as an equal partner in Moxxie’s second fund of $85M. Alex joined Moxxie with a wealth of operational and engineering experience from previously serving as the Senior VP of engineering at Twitter for 6 years as well as working as a software engineer at Google and various other early-stage startups. Today, Moxxie has invested in over 60+ seed-stage companies in the consumer, enterprise, fintech, health tech, and climate sectors. The team at Moxxie is differentiated by their operational experience and focus on underrepresented founders. According to an article published in Forbes, out of the 27 investments from Moxxie’s first fund, 36% were founded by women, 40% by people of color, 8% by Black founders and 43% by immigrant founders. Learn more about Moxxie. This Case Study was put together in collaboration with Alex Roetter, Managing Director and General Partner at Moxxie. What Moxxie was doing prior to using Visible In the early days at Moxxie, the team used a combination of check-in calls at varying frequencies, ad-hoc meetings, and texts to gather updates from their companies. Later on, they created a Google Group email alias where founders sent their updates so the communications were all stored in one inbox. The Moxxie team kept a summary of each company in a combined Google Document that was updated irregularly. The portfolio monitoring challenges Moxxie was facing The main issue with Moxxie’s ad-hoc method was that “...it was just all very manual. It was a mish-mash of documents and hard to maintain. We were inconsistent in how up-to-date we were on different companies,” shared Alex, Moxxie’s Managing Director. The manual effort required to stay on top of portfolio companies meant portfolio monitoring was “...falling to the wayside and we were not doing as good of a job [monitoring our companies] as we needed to be.” “...it was just all very manual. It was a mish-mash of documents and hard to maintain. We were inconsistent in how up-to-date we were on different companies." It’s common for investors to feel overwhelmed as they attempt to manually keep up to date on a growing number of portfolio companies despite recognizing the benefits of doing so. Alex emphasized that the main reason Moxxie wanted to improve their portfolio monitoring was to ensure they were spending their time most effectively at their firm. It was hard to identify which companies needed their support and where Moxxie's time would be most valuably spent “...without having a regular heartbeat from [their] portfolio companies.” The reasons Moxxie chose Visible Moxxie’s founder Katie Stanton was told to check out Visible’s KPI tracking capabilities at the end of 2022 while she was attending the Equity Summit, an invitation-only gathering that brings together thought-leading LPs and GPs that drive industry change. Alex from Moxxie reached out to Visible soon after the initial referral to schedule a demo. The demo confirmed that the Visible platform had exactly what Alex was looking for in a portfolio KPI tracking tool. Moxxie's portfolio monitoring criteria included: An automated way to send structured data requests to portfolio companies A solution that wasn’t taxing on their founders Allowed founders to share their data within seconds Ability to see all their portfolio data in one clear place Ability to easily build Tear Sheets for each company Moxxie's onboarding experience with Visible Moxxie’s onboarding took approximately 9 days to complete. When asked to share feedback on Visible’s onboarding process Alex shared “Everything was great. Whenever we had bulk data in a CSV that needed to be uploaded we shared it with Visible and it was uploaded within 24 hours.” Check out additional Visible reviews on G2. How Moxxie is leveraging Visible to streamline portfolio monitoring and reporting processes today Today Moxxie doesn’t have to remember to check in with their companies or make guesses about their companies’ recent progress updates. Instead, Visible has enabled Moxxie to send automatic, recurring, structured data requests to their companies that can be completed without their founders ever having to log in or create an account. The Moxxie team is immediately notified when companies complete data Requests. From there, they are able to easily identify which companies need more support. This streamlined, founder-friendly process ensures the Moxxie team can continue to spend time on high-value fund operations, such as deal flow, while also efficiently monitoring and supporting current portfolio companies. Taking a closer look at Moxxie’s use of the Visible platform, the team primarily uses four main features on Visible: Requests, Tear Sheets, Reports, and Updates. Requests: Streamlining Moxxie’s portfolio KPI data collection process Moxxie uses Visible’s Request feature to collect 5 metrics from companies on a regular basis. The firm collects data from early-stage companies on a monthly basis and on a quarterly basis for more mature companies in their portfolio. The five metrics Moxxie collects include: Revenue Runway Cash Spend Cash Balance Headcount Moxxie also includes a qualitative text block in their Request that provides companies with an opportunity to add additional context to their metrics, share any additional updates, or ask Moxxie for support on specific items. Alex shared that likes that the Visible platform sends him a notification each time a company submits a Request. He uses this as an opportunity to quickly identify any changes to the company’s performance. Alex shared “...anytime there’s something unexpected it’s a reminder to check in with the company.” Reports: Building a custom investment data report before an annual meeting Another key feature that Moxxie is utilizing is Visible’s report feature which allows Moxxie to pull together select metrics and investment data into a single table view. Moxxie has a fund summary for both Fund I and Fund II that includes: initial ownership %, total invested, total invested from a specific fund, and the initial valuation for each company. Moxxie initially created this report to prepare for an annual meeting with LPs. They wanted to see the numbers across all their portfolio companies, be able to download the figures, and then compute averages. Tear Sheets: Creating a clear overview of individual company performance Moxxie utilizes Visible’s dashboard templates to create custom Tear Sheets for each of their companies. Moxxie’s Tear Sheets incorporate elements of their original investment memo coupled with dynamic metrics and qualitative updates that change over time. Integrating company properties into Tear Sheets The static information in Moxxie's Tear Sheets is pulled directly from companies' profiles in Visible. The information that Moxxie includes in their Tear Sheets are: Company website url Latest valuation Co-investors Founders Company summary Why we invested Status Deal source Initial ownership Initial valuation Investment date Total invested Sector HQ location Year founded Integrated dynamic charts into Tear Sheets Moxxie also incorporates data visualizations into their Tear Sheets which are automatically updated as companies submit new information to Visible. The dynamic information Moxxie includes in Tear sheets is: Monthly KPI’s in a bar chart Runway vs Headcount in a bar chart Monthly spend vs cash balance in a bar chart Revenue forecast vs actual in a bar chart Update/progress since investment in a text widget Key metrics in a text widget Company-specific metrics in a text widget View Tear Sheet examples from Visible. Updates: Communicating portfolio performance with LPs on a quarterly basis Moxxie also leverages Visible’s Updates feature to send outbound communication to their LPs and the wider Moxxie community on a quarterly basis. The firm uses Visible’s Update feature instead of its previous Google Group as a way to consolidate its tech stack. Alex shares that he finds the open rates and viewing analytics helpful so he can understand how LPs are engaging with their regular communications. Conclusion Moxxie chose to move forward with Visible’s founder-friendly portfolio monitoring solution after hearing about Visible’s KPI tracking capabilities through a credible referral. By adopting Visible, Moxxie’s ad-hoc, manual portfolio monitoring processes have been transformed into a streamlined cadence for collecting structured updates from their companies. The firm previously stored outdated company summaries in Google Documents and now the Moxxie team leverages neatly organized Tear Sheets that auto-update when companies share new information. Over 400+ VC firms are using Visible to streamline their portfolio monitoring and reporting process.