Germany

Better Ventures is an early-stage impact venture capital firm investing in founders building solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The firm backs companies across climate, health, circular economy, PropTech, and sustainable consumer sectors, with a focus on scalable technologies that deliver measurable impact. Operating with an “impact + return” philosophy, Better Ventures supports entrepreneurs not just with capital, but with access to a curated network of operators, angels, and advisors. The firm positions founders as the drivers of change, helping them scale companies that generate both financial returns and meaningful environmental and social outcomes.

FS Impact Finance is an investment firm specialized in impact investing, founded in 2008 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The firm puts impact at the beginning of their investment process, focusing on sustainable, green, and inclusive investments that generate both positive impact and financial returns. Their conviction-driven approach challenges the status quo of traditional finance that often flows toward harmful sectors. The company operates across multiple impact areas including financial inclusion through microfinance, renewable energy project development, forest landscape restoration, and local start-up financing. They use the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a framework to measure impact, addressing 10 of the 17 SDGs through their financing solutions.

Masawa Fund is a European venture capital fund that invests in seed-stage startups focused on mental health and wellness solutions. They target companies working on mental illness cures, mental wellness improvement, and addressing social determinants of mental health including sleep, nutrition, and loneliness. The fund operates in a $400 billion market, recognizing that 1 in 5 people will develop a mental health condition and that mental ill-health costs the EU €630 billion annually. Masawa operates through their "Nurture Capital" approach, which puts humans at the center of their investment strategy and focuses on organizational health and founder wellbeing to minimize risk. Their mission is to advance human flourishing by weaving people, purpose, and prosperity together, creating a compassionate world where people can thrive and reach their potential. The fund was sparked by their founder's personal experience with mental illness and their vision of making wellness accessible to all. Masawa matters in the ecosystem because they are addressing a critical gap where 65% of startups fail from people problems, and founders face 2-3 times higher rates of depression and substance abuse than the general population. They are working to humanize finance and evolve venture capital by supporting purpose-driven founders who are solving real human needs. Their approach recognizes that inner transformation enables outer change, positioning mental health as a catalyst for broader social and environmental solutions.

Planet A Ventures is a European venture capital fund that supports founders tackling the world's largest environmental problems by investing in green technology startups. They focus on building the economy our planet needs by partnering with European green tech start-ups that have significant positive impact while building scalable businesses globally. Planet A operates as the first European VC with an in-house science team that calculates life cycle assessments to quantify the impact of startups before investment. Their scientists hold veto power over investments if there is no significant positive and quantifiable impact, ensuring a rigorous science-based approach with no greenwashing. They combine venture capital with scientific know-how to mentor and support founders in developing sustainable solutions. The fund is pioneering scientific impact investing as the new normal in venture capital, openly sharing their methods and results to inspire others to adopt a scientific approach to investment decisions. Through their operational platform and extensive network, they provide ongoing support beyond just capital, making environmental impact the central metric of success. Their portfolio includes innovative companies working on solutions from compostable materials and carbon mineralization to AI-powered sustainable supply chain decisions.

Trill Impact is a private markets firm exclusively focused on impact investments that deliver attractive financial returns while creating positive change for current and future generations. The firm operates through three investment strategies: Buyout investments in mid-sized companies primarily in Northern Europe, Ventures investments in early-stage companies addressing environmental and health challenges, and Microfinance private debt lending in emerging and frontier markets supporting financial inclusion. Trill Impact's investment approach is built around three specific impact themes: Sustainable Planet, Healthy People, and Resilient Society. The firm seeks to invest in businesses whose products or services contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on measurable impact potential related to prioritized issues for the planet and society at large.