World Fund

"Europe must transform its early climate leadership into lasting competitiveness." In a new Forbes feature, World Fund’s Danijel Višević Visevic and Janneke Niessen from CapitalT share their perspectives on navigating shifting U.S. policies and seizing Europe's growing momentum in climate tech. The key takeaways: 1️⃣ Avoid dependency on subsidies. Solutions that are cheaper, better, and cleaner will always win. 2️⃣ Prioritise revenue. Aim for early revenue generation to strengthen independence and resilience. 3️⃣ Leverage Europe’s momentum. With the European Green Deal and investments outlined in the Draghi report, which the EU Commission intends to put in place, Europe will step up its climate innovation efforts. Thank you to Marianne Lehnis for spotlighting this critical conversation! Article link in comments 👇

⚡We’re proud to announce our lead investment in VÆRIDION’s €14M Series A round! ⚡ The aviation sector is at a crossroads: global passenger demand is projected to double to 8 billion by 2040 according to International Air Transport Association (IATA), yet aviation already accounts for ~2.5%-3% of global emissions. If we’re to meet this growing demand sustainably, we need 100% electric aircraft. VÆRIDION is developing a nine-seater microliner, which promises to act as a blueprint for longer-distance, all-electric air travel. 🏆 VÆRIDION’s technology also offers a breakthrough for the regional aviation market (RAM), which is expected to reach $115 billion in revenues by 2035 (McKinsey & Company). Their EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency pre-contract validation, a rare milestone for an aviation startup, underscores their ability to launch ahead of competitors and lead the charge in this market. 🌟 A huge welcome to Ivor van Dartel and the team to our World Fund family! Amazing to partner with our friends Vsquared Ventures, namely Herbert Mangesius, and Project A, namely Uwe Horstmann, and Andreas Kupke on this journey. Big thanks to Schwarz Holding and InnovationQuarter as well  🙌 Electrification of aviation is essential for a sustainable future, and at World Fund, we’re not backing away from this space 💚⚡ Read more on Sifted (link in comments). Thanks to Miriam Partington for covering!

Welcome to the World Fund team, Olivier De Clercq! 🌍 We're thrilled to announce that Olivier De Clercq has joined our Munich office as an Investment Analyst, following his internship with our team. Olivier brings a deep understanding of agriculture, having worked across both intensive and small-holder farming systems. He is passionate about harnessing innovation to enhance productivity and resilience in agriculture—unlocking solutions that not only address climate change, but also tackle poverty and hunger. His farmer-centric approach aims to transform challenges into opportunities, building a more sustainable and resilient food supply chain. Outside of work, Olivier enjoys hiking, running, kiting, and exploring the outdoors with his dog 🐾 If you’re curious about his vision or want to connect, feel free to reach out directly. Welcome aboard, Olivier! 🎉

🌟 We’re thrilled to see two of our portfolio founders featured in WirtschaftsWoche's 30 until 2030 list, recognising their remarkable impact in Germany and beyond! Please join us in congratulating: 👏 Lilian Schwich, co-founder and CEO, cylib 👏 Jan Goetz, co-founder and CEO, IQM Quantum Computers Both are driving extraordinary change: 🔋 At cylib, Lilian and her team have developed an innovative method to recover over 90% of valuable raw materials from end-of-life lithium batteries. This ensures high-quality materials that reduce reliance on mining and help Europe break free from dependencies on external suppliers. 💻 Jan and his team at IQM Quantum Computers are leading the charge to revolutionise computing with quantum technology. This groundbreaking approach has the potential to unlock the transformative solutions needed to tackle the climate crisis. Congratulations, Lilian and Jan! We’re proud to be your investor and long-term partner on this journey of building a more resilient future 💚 Full list in the comments below 👇

💥 Our portfolio company Planet A Foods raised a $30M Series B round! 🌍 Building world-class tech to tackle emissions from food and agriculture (circa 30% of global GHG emissions) is essential to mitigate climate change. And for climate adaptation too, Planet A Foods' tech is crucial: 🍫 Chocolate production is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events, droughts, and floods resulting from a worsening climate crisis. 📈 Cocoa prices have surged 75% this year to nearly $4,000 a tonne—an alarming sign of what's to come if we can't build climate resilience into our food chains. 🌳 Cocoa farms are also responsible for extensive biodiversity loss. In Cote d’Ivoire, for example, as much as one-quarter (!) of all forest land has been lost to industrial cocoa production. 🎉 The team, led by Sara and Max, has established partnerships with top-tier customers, including REWE, Lindt & Sprüngli, and Deutsche Bahn. They delivered nonstop growth as their Moorish ChoViva products flew off shelves. The round was led by Burda Principal Investments and ZINTINUS. Supported by us at World Fund and fellow investors Bayern Kapital, Cherry Ventures, Tengelmann Ventures, AgriFoodTech Venture Alliance and Omnes. Read about it in TechCrunch (link in comments)—thanks to Natasha Lomas for covering! Congratulations to the entire Planet A Foods team! 🌟

Join our investment team at World Fund! 😎 We're looking for two rockstars - Investment Associate (BER/AMS) and an Investment Intern (BER/MUC), to support entrepreneurs scaling climate tech for a regenerative future. 🌍 What’s in it for you: ✨ Work with a diverse, high-performing team and receive strong mentorship 🤝 Become a core part of our team, joining us for strategic offsites and meetings 🌱 Gain experience across various functions with at least 10% of your time dedicated to exploring different areas of VC operations This is your chance to contribute to a fund committed to tackling the climate crisis while advancing your career in venture capital. Find out more and apply using the link in comments👇 Good luck! 🚀

🌍 Exciting opportunity: Head of Investor Relations at World Fund 🌱 Are you passionate about driving climate action through venture capital? At World Fund we are on a mission to support transformative decarbonization technologies while delivering strong financial returns. As our Head of Investor Relations, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping our fundraising efforts and building meaningful relationships with institutional investors, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals. We’re looking for someone with: ✅ A proven track record in raising capital within VC, private equity, or financial services. ✅ Exceptional communication skills and the ability to cultivate lasting relationships with investors. ✅ A deep commitment to advancing technologies for a regenerative world. Join a diverse team of entrepreneurs, scientists, and investors united by the mission to tackle the climate crisis. 📅 Applications are now open. Check out the job description linked in the comments to learn more about the role and how to apply.

🏅 Congratulations, Daria! 🏅 World Fund’s founding partner, Daria Saharova, has been awarded the European Medal at the Prinz-Carl-Palais in Munich. For over 30 years, the State of Bavaria has awarded this prestigious award - "Medaille für besondere Verdienste um den Freistaat Bayern in Europa und der Welt," - recognizing individuals who make outstanding contributions across fields like politics, education, and business. Daria’s leadership and commitment to innovation and climate tech exemplify this award, advancing Bavaria’s role in Europe’s regenerative economy 🌍

🌍 Welcome to the team, Justus Schade! At World Fund, we’re delighted to welcome Justus as our new Executive Assistant in our Munich office! 🎉 Justus brings a wealth of experience from his time at Messe Muenchen and Earlybird Venture Capital. His professional background equips him perfectly to support our mission. Justus is deeply passionate about creating meaningful change and is eager to contribute to projects that align with our vision. Outside of work, Justus enjoys exploring his creative side in the kitchen, discovering new places through travel, and spending quality time with friends—a reminder of the importance of balance and meaningful connections. Welcome aboard, Justus! 🚀

🚨 As we need democracy, democracy needs us: A call to action for the 2025 German Federal Election 🇩🇪 The German federal election on February 23, 2025, is a turning point for our future. With democracy under pressure, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Without a strong democratic foundation, tackling challenges like climate change, economic growth, infrastructure modernization, and education or healthcare reform becomes nearly impossible. That’s why we’re co-hosting a virtual fundraising event on December 6th at 12pm CET to support four incredible NGOs dedicated to strengthening democracy: 🗳 Media Force: Advocating for a digital discourse shift to the democratic center, reclaiming social media from extremist narratives. 🗳 Colorido: Leading local initiatives in Plauen and the Vogtland district to promote democracy and combat racism, sexism, anti-semitism, discrimination, and homophobia. 🗳 Verfassungsblog/ Constitutional Blog: Making constitutional knowledge accessible to protect our fundamental rights. 🗳 Vereint für Demokratie/United for Democracy: Supporting a strong alliance of organizations working tirelessly to defend democracy in this critical moment. 💻 Register now to attend, hear each NGO pitch, and see how you can make a difference 👇