World Fund

World Fund Research Investment Thesis World Fund is Europe's leading climate tech venture capital firm, backed by green search engine Ecosia and major institutional investors including the European Investment Fund and KfW Capital. The fund's core thesis is that decarbonization represents a compelling value driver for businesses, and they invest exclusively in climate solutions that are economically competitive and can scale to meaningful impact. Unlike traditional climate investors focused solely on environmental impact, World Fund invests in technologies that solve climate problems while being fundamentally business-competitive. Their proprietary Climate Performance Potential (CPP) methodology requires every investment to achieve at least 100Mt CO2e per year in emissions savings at scale. This science-based approach, developed in collaboration with TU Berlin, Project Drawdown, and Project Frame, includes both quantitative life-cycle assessments and qualitative impact assessments using IRIS+ metrics. Sector Focus World Fund focuses on climate solutions across five primary verticals: Energy: Renewable energy, grid modernization, energy efficiency Food and Agriculture: Sustainable food production, agricultural technology, alternative proteins Manufacturing: Circular manufacturing, advanced materials, emission reduction Buildings: Building efficiency, green construction, retrofitting technology Mobility: Electric vehicles, sustainable transportation, logistics optimization The fund explicitly seeks technologies that fit their vision of a 'regenerative world' based on four pillars: renewable energy systems, full material circularity, regenerative agricultural and natural systems, and climate & social equity. Stage Focus and Check Size World Fund supports startups from early to growth stage: Seed: €1M-€10M (primary investment size) Series A: Selective follow-on investments for portfolio companies Pre-seed: Limited, only for exceptional teams with validated climate impact Typical check size: €1M-€10M, with flexibility based on stage and capital needs. Recent Activity and Fund Status World Fund is actively deploying from its fund, with a portfolio of 16+ portfolio companies across climate-critical sectors. Recent investments include companies developing climate-positive food solutions (Planet A Foods), advanced semiconductor manufacturing (IQM), sustainable building materials (Ecoworks), and circular economy solutions (Cylib, Recup, Treecard). The fund demonstrates a 'leads' tendency in many rounds, working closely with portfolio companies on impact measurement and business scaling simultaneously. Team and Leadership World Fund has a world-class team of climate tech investors, scientists, and entrepreneurs: Investment Team (General Partners & Partners): Danijel Višević (General Partner): Climate tech thought leader, former Director of Communications at Project A Ventures, policy professional and journalist Daria Saharova (General Partner): Founding Partner with 20+ years as entrepreneur and investor, sits on Max Planck Institute board, co-founder of 1E9 Denkfabrik Tim Schumacher (General Partner): Serial entrepreneur (Sedo.com founder, Eyeo/Adblock Plus founder), former advisor to portfolio companies including Ecosia, gridX, and Zolar Craig Douglas (Partner): 12+ years climate tech investing, pioneered ESG frameworks, advisor to EU Commission on Energy Support Team: Morgan Sheil (Head of Impact): Former Energy Impact Partners/KKR, engineer background, Harvard MBA, drives impact methodology Jan Schierle (CFO): Head of Finance background, 10 years at management consulting (KPMG, Horváth & Partners) Toby Lovett (General Counsel): VC law firm partner, admitted in Germany and England & Wales Veronica Fresneau (Communications Director): 15+ years brand and marketing experience Larissa Skarke (Principal/Investment Manager): Former McKinsey consultant, KKR Global Impact team The team also includes 8+ investment analysts and managers, plus venture partners including Christian Kroll (Ecosia founder). Decision Process and Timeline World Fund operates as a partnership with collaborative decision-making. Investment decisions typically take 2-4 weeks once initial due diligence is underway, though warm introductions and strong climate impact narratives can accelerate timelines. Geographic Focus Primarily Europe-focused, with headquarters in Berlin and active investment across Continental Europe, UK, and selective Scandinavia investments. Portfolio and Track Record The fund has backed 16+ companies across climate verticals, including notable companies in food tech (Planet A Foods), circular economy (Cylib, Recup), semiconductors (IQM), and sustainable materials. Portfolio companies demonstrate strong product-market fit and significant climate impact potential. Investment Preferences World Fund seeks: Technical founders with deep climate domain expertise Competitive technologies that solve climate problems while being economically superior Global ambition with vision to scale to 100Mt+ CO2e savings annually Clear decarbonization pathways aligned with scientific frameworks