Top 13 Environment & Sustainability VCs in the US [2023]

Whether you are raising seed, Series A or higher, in this article we have listed our top picks of the best venture capital firms for Cleantech, Environment and Sustainability startups.

So, if you haven’t yet started to reach out, here is a good place to start learning about them.

Note: this article is part of a series where we present you the top Venture Capital firms across the world. Have a look at the complete list here. For venture capital firms focusing on Energy industries (from renewable to Oil & Gas), check out our ranking here instead.

Top Venture Capital Firms For Environment & Sustainability Startups

Here’s a summary of our top 13 picks for the best venture capital firms for Environment & Sustainability startups (in alphabetical order):

NameCityInvestment stageInvestment rangeInvestments
Energy FoundryChicagoSeed, Series AUndisclosed19
Advanced Technology VenturesSan Francisco, BostonSeries A+Undisclosed250+
Rho VenturesNYCSeed to Series A+Undisclosed243
Keiretsu CapitalSeattleSeedUndisclosed120+
BeringaDetroitSeries A, Series A+$2M to $10M113
Cottonwood Technology FundNew MexicoSeed, Series A$1M – $3M20
First Analysis Venture CapitalChicagoSeed, Series A$3M to $10M108
Radicle CapitalLouisvilleSeed, Series AN/A19
Rethink ImpactWashington DCSeed to Series A+$2 M to $10 M29
Sandbox IndustriesChicagoSeed to Series A+Undisclosed83
PS27 VenturesJacksonvilleSeed, Series AUndisclosed16
Eniac VenturesNYCSeedUndisclosed114
EngageAtlantaSeed, Series AUndisclosed67

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1. Energy Foundry

Location: Chicago

Energy Foundry is a famous venture capital firm operating in Chicago. This venture capital firm offers Seed and Series A funds to companies operating in the Energy and Cleantech industries. What is interesting is that this venture capital firm works with its portfolio companies as a partner and offers various tools and essential services that can help the portfolio companies to scale.

Unfortunately, Energy Foundry does not disclose the exact investment amount anywhere on its website. So far, the firm has invested in 19 companies, some of which are Azumo, Digital H2O, Bractlet, Glidepath, Invektek, and Recurve, among others.

2. Advanced Technology Ventures

Location: Menlo Park (San Francisco Bay Area), Boston

One of the most famous VC firms in Menlo Park in the San Francisco Bay Area, Advanced Technology Ventures started operations in 1979. This venture capital firm also has a physical presence in Boston. Ever since its inception, the firm has invested in over 250 startups. Unfortunately, the venture capital firm does not disclose the investment amount.

Advanced Technology Ventures manages $1.8 billion in capital and focuses on startups working in disruptive technologies in cleantech, healthcare, and IT.

The firm offers Series A+ funding for those companies that can move forward to become sustainable and strong businesses.

Of the 250+ portfolio companies, 72 had successful exits so far. Some of the notable investments include Tripwire (sold to Belden), Cedexis (acquired by Cisco), and Actifo (sold to Google).

3. Rho Ventures

Location: New York City

Based in NYC, Rho Ventures is one of the biggest and most prominent venture capital firms that offer Seed to Series A+ investments. Rho Ventures usually invests in companies that are operational in the Consumer, Healthcare, Enterprise, and Cleantech sectors.

The firm has so far invested in 243 companies, some of which include, Active Power, August, Answer Soft, Chango, CloudPay, Convercent, Dexai Robotics, Intra Links, and iVillage, among others.

Rho Ventures actively engages with its portfolio companies and offers necessary connections, networking opportunities, and mentorship to help them become successful businesses.

4. Keiretsu Capital

Location: Seattle

Keiretsu Capital is an exclusive and affiliate partner of Keiretsu Forum – a leading angel network in this world. Located in Seattle, this venture capital firm offers Seed investment to startups working in Impact, IT, Healthtech, Fintech, and Cleantech industries. Unfortunately, they do not disclose the exact investment amount.

Keiretsu Forum invests across the world and has 50+ chapters in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Keiretsu Capital usually focuses on angel co-investment, and so far, they have invested in 120+ companies.

Some of the many companies they have invested in include Astarte Medical Partners, Carmell Therapeutics, Forge Life Science, Alterna Card Services, RealKey, Phytonix Solar Chemicals, Building Energy, Clean Fiber, and more.

5. Beringea

Location: Detroit

Beringea is a leading venture capital firm operational in Detroit. However, it also has a physical presence in London. This venture capital firm offers Series A and Series A+ funding to the companies it selects.

The primary focus areas where Beringea invests include Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, CleanTech, Consumer, Healthcare, Media, Retail, and SaaS. This venture capital firm usually writes a check of anywhere between $2M and $10M for each company it selects.

However, it is important that the companies applying for funding should have a clear vision of the company’s future along with proven commercial traction.

So far, Beringea has invested in 113 companies, some of which are CGHero, Archdesk, Dealroom, Plum Guide, and ASTERRA, among others.

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6. Cottonwood Technology Fund

Location: New Mexico

New Mexico’s one of the most prominent venture capital firms, Cottonwood Technology Fund invests in startups working in the technology sector.

The venture fund offers Seed and Series A funding to companies involved in hard-tech, nanotechnology, nanoelectronics, advanced materials, cleantech, medtech, advanced manufacturing, and robotics.

This venture capital firm writes a check of anywhere between $1M and $3M to the selected companies. So far, Cottonwood Technology Fund has invested in 20 companies in the USA and Europe. Some of them are Circular Genomics, Sarcos, Exagen, Trilumina, Fiberio, and Armonica Technologies.

It is interesting to note that the companies that Cottonwood Technology Fund invests in are all IP-driven companies.

7. First Analysis Venture Capital

Location: Chicago

One of the leading venture capital firms in Chicago, First Analysis Venture Capital focuses primarily on three sectors: Environment, Healthcare, and SaaS/Technology.

This venture capital firm offers Seed and Series A investments, and the average check size is $3M to $10M. Apart from direct funding, this venture capital firm offers help to its portfolio companies in the form of strategy development, recruitment, marketing and sales, and corporate development.

So far, First Analysis Venture Capital has invested in 108 companies, some of which are PCMI, VIDA, Smart Commerce, Visage, 4G Clinical, and Lender Price, among others.

8. Radicle Capital

Location: Louisville

Radicle Capital is another famous venture capital firm operating in Louisville. This venture capital firm offers both Seed and Series A investments to companies that are technology-enabled and those focusing on society and the environment.

Apart from offering funds, Radicle Capital takes up board representation and helps its portfolio companies with scaling, fundraising, strategy and business development, and other aspects of their businesses.

So far, Radicle Capital has invested in 19 companies, some of which are Advanced Cancer Therapeutics, Ocean Organic Vodka, Stony Creek Colors, Sproutel, and Patamar Capital, among others.

9. Rethink Impact

Location: Washington DC, New York, San Francisco

Based in Washington DC, New York, and San Francisco, Rethink Impact is one of DC’s most prominent venture capital firms that invests in startups and companies working in education, healthcare, environment and sustainability sectors.

Rethink Impact provides Seed to Series A+ funding with the investment amount ranging between $2 and $10 million. One of the core requirements for receiving funding from this venture firm is that the applicants must have yearly recurring revenue of anywhere between $500,000 and $15 million.

The firm typically focuses on companies with female CEOs or women in C-level roles such as CFO, CRO, COO, and CTO. So far, the company has invested in 29 companies with some big names like Spring Health, Wellthy, Solv., GUILD, Change.org, and more.

10. Sandbox Industries

Location: Chicago

Sandbox Industries is a popular venture capital firm operational in Chicago. What is interesting is that they focus only on three segments – Healthcare, Insurance, and Sustainability, and the funding for each segment is taken care of by different wings/funds.

Though this venture capital firm keeps the exact investment amount undisclosed on its website, it does provide Seed to Series A+ funding. So far, Sandbox Industries has invested in 83 companies, some of which are Agrivida, Debut, Sound Agriculture, Nuritas, Rein, Prove, Gradient AI, Abacus Insights, Drips, Everly Health, HeartFlow, and Owl, among others.

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11. PS27 Ventures

Location: Jacksonville

Operational in Jacksonville, PS27 Ventures is one of the most notable venture capital firms that offer Seed and Series A funding. This venture firm invests in companies that operate in the Healthtech, e-Commerce, Fintech, SaaS, and Sustainability sectors.

What is interesting about PS27 Ventures is that they don’t just offer funds, but also incubate the portfolio companies and provide them with the right connections. The venture firm also offers help in strategy development, financial marketing, and other things like go-to-market strategy formulation.

Unfortunately, PS27 never discloses the exact investment amount on its website. So far, it has invested in 16 companies, some of which are Hurdle, Rain Girl, Miventure, SmartBox, and JustProject, among others.

12. Eniac Ventures

Location: New York City, San Francisco

Eniac Ventures is a famous venture capital firm that operates in NYC and San Francisco. This firm offers seed funding to startups operating in the B2B, Consumer, Deep Tech, Fintech, Healthcare, Sustainability, and Web3 sectors.

The companies that Eniac Ventures selects for investment also get complete access to the Eniac platform and the firm’s four general partners. This venture capital firm works with its portfolio companies as partners and helps them to grow and succeed.

Unfortunately, Eniac Ventures does not disclose the exact investment amount anywhere on its website. So far, this venture capital firm has invested in 114 companies, some of which are Airbnb, Basket, Bedrock, Attentive, Boxed, Cameo, ChatGrid, Eden, and Hinge, among others.

13. Engage

Location: Atlanta

Atlanta-based Engage is a popular venture capital firm that primarily focuses on companies operating in Customer Experience, Supply Chain & Manufacturing, Future of Work, Big Data, Analytics, & Security, Logistics & Mobility, and Climate Tech & Sustainability sectors.

This venture capital firm never discloses the exact investment amount anywhere on its website. However, it offers Seed and Series A investments, and so far, it has invested in 67 companies such as BirdStop, Bee, BlueDot, Cloverly, Cresto, Clutch, Fast Radius, Homee, Icon, and Intrino among others.

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