If you’re a solar company, here are 10 funds you should call and talk to because they love solar, are doing deals, and have plenty of money left.
QVentures
Analysis: Based on their recent activity, it seems that QVentures would be interested in startups that are in all stages of growth. Their recent deal with PowerMarket was $10.7 million, but this tech company is in their pre-seed round so this is a significant investment at this stage. For tech and AI companies, this size of investment will have a higher rate of return due to the price this software is used for. Seems that QVentures takes a high-risk high return type of approach to investing in unique startups with high-profit potential.
Fund Summary
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Founder and Year: Robert Walsh and Brian Hatton (2019)
Description: QVentures is a network of Family Offices, UHNWIs, and Successful Entrepreneurs investing in Venture Capital. In addition, QVentures has a Fund Management arm, where it invests in SEIS companies on behalf of its investors. The fund focuses on investing in pre-seed technology companies in the United Kingdom and is dedicated to finding and supporting the next generation of best in breed entrepreneurs.
Investment Stage: Early-Stage to Series B
Recent Deals
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Description: PowerMarket uses AI programming and satellite data to provide global solar data.
Transaction Date: 07/05/20
Funding Amount: NA
StartEngine
Analysis: This investment company utilizes crowdfunding techniques to aid companies who are often in the seed investment stage. Both of their recent investments have been in companies that are improving the efficiency and uses for solar power. Both startups also have minimal revenue of less than $1 million. Taking this into account, StartEngine‘s next substantial investment would be a solar company looking for this crowdfunding or Series A investment with a unique edge to selling or improving solar power.
Fund Summary
Location: West Hollywood, California, United States
Description: StartEngine acts as an equity crowdfunding platform to invest in startups and early-stage ventures.
Founder and Year: Howard Marks, Paul Kessler, Ronald Miller (2011)
Investment Stage: Crowdfunding, Seed
Recent Deals
Equity Crowdfunding – Rayton Solar
Location: Santa Monica, California, United States
Description: Rayton Solar uses its technology to supply solar panels that are 60% cheaper and 25% more efficient than the standard.
Transaction Date: 07/02/20
Funding Amount: $10.7M USD
Total Revenue: Less than $1M
ING Group
Analysis: The ING Group funded Cleantech Solar with $75 million for debt financing, but their investment portfolio is more diverse than the others. As an institution that offers banking, investments and various other services, it seems they would be likely to invest in another solar company with high profits and a need for cash flow. This would be a safe investment for ING Group and also benefit their company.
Fund Summary
Location: Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Description: ING is a financial institution that offers banking, investments, life insurance options and various retirement services.
Founder and Year: Adriana Venter (1991)
Investment Stage: Late Stage Venture, Seed
Recent Deals
Debt Financing – Cleantech Solar
Location: Singapore, Central Region, Singapore
Description: Cleantech Solar is a solar developer who invests, owns and operates solar PV plants, managing all aspects of the solar market.
Transaction Date: 06/23/20
Funding Amount: $75M USD
Total Revenue: $1M to $10M
Meyer Equity
Analysis: Meyer Equity seems to be looking for investments that stand out from the “normal”. Although their most recent investments have been at various stages, all of these companies are working to change the solar industry. They are looking for investment opportunities that are building solar technology, efficiency, or even building new developments such as the move towards soalr+storage.
Fund Summary
Location: East Setauket, New York, United States
Description: This investment firm is focused on leaders of various industries who are making groundbreaking advancements.
Founder and Year: Owen Meyer (2016)
Investment Stage: Crowdfunding, Early Stage Venture, Initial Coin Offering, Late Stage Venture, Post IPO
Recent Deals
Transaction Date: 06/23/20
Total Revenue: $1M to $10M
Transaction Date: 02/25/20
Active Impact Investments
Analysis: This limited partnership is focused on lowering environmental impact, so it provides the ideal opportunity for solar companies looking to gain funding. They have focused on start-ups that are in the seed, early-stage venture, and venture investment stages. In the future, they will continue to invest in smaller, early-stage solar and renewable companies that are invested in preserving the environment through clean energy.
Fund Summary
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Description: Active Impact Investments is an environmental impact based investment firm working with companies in the renewables industry.
Founder and Year: Mike Winterfield (2017)
Investment Stage: Convertible Note, Early Stage Venture, Seed, Venture
Recent Deals
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Description: Solstice provides solutions for customers to attain affordable solar.
Transaction Date: 05/07/20
Funding Amount: $967,500 USD
Total Revenue: Less than $1M
City Light Capital
Analysis: Similar to the previous investment firm, City Light Capital is investing in companies looking to make a socially responsible impact. Their last investment had minimal public information but was working to improve online solar grid efficacy and deployment. They will likely continue to invest in socially conscious companies, including renewables, in the early stages of developing new techniques and ideas.
Fund Summary
Location: New York, New York, United States
Description: City Light is a firm working to invest in companies making socially responsible choices.
Founder and Year: Josh Cohen (2004)
Investment Stage: Early Stage Ventures, Seed
Recent Deals
Location: Berkeley, California, United States
Description: Terabase Energy has developed a tool used to reduce costs and timelines for solar plants by streamlining the process online.
Transaction Date: 04/01/20
PlanetM
Analysis: This investment firm is based on breakthrough technology, so their most recent solar investment into eMobility Analytics is an ideal representation of what they look for. This company is making strides in solar charging systems, data acquisition, and analysis. Solar and renewable companies using artificial intelligence, solar storage, or digital monitoring would be ideal investments for their future.
Fund Summary
Location: Lansing, Michigan, United States
Description: PlanetM focuses on artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, autonomous technologies, and various other technologies that are applicable to a variety of industries.
Founder and Year: 2016
Recent Deals
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Description: e-Mobility Analytics focuses on EV solar charging system design, and the data analysis that accompanies this.
Transaction Date: 02/07/20
Funding Amount: $75,000 USD
SunFunder
Analysis: As an investment company based in Kenya, SunFunder focuses on debt financing and providing solar assets to developing economies. Seems that any opportunity to finance a company working in nonprofit solar or solar installation for projects such as water purification, school, or electricity in countries with unstable power would be ideal investments for this company.
Fund Summary
Location: Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya
Description: SunFunder finances struggling solar companies with debt financing or working to develop assets in emerging economies.
Founder and Year: Audrey Desiderato, Ryan Levinson, Sameer Halai (2012)
Recent Deals
Debt Financing – Daystar Power
Location: Ebène, Plaines Wilhems, Mauritius
Description: Daystar Power is developing solar power and improving energy efficiency for businesses.
Transaction Date: 01/27/20
Funding Amount: $4M USD
Total Revenue: $1M to $10M
Techstars
Analysis: As implied in the name, Techstars makes the majority of its investments with innovative companies that have an emphasis on technology. Their recent solar deal was with PowerMarket, who works with AI and satellite data to improve solar intelligence. Any technology-based company working to improve remote functioning or efficiency of solar powers would fit perfectly into this investment portfolio.
Fund Summary
Location: Boulder, Colorado, United States
Description: Techstar is a global investment platform aiming to fund innovative ideas.
Founder and Year: Brad Feld, David Brown, David Cohen, Jared Polis (2006)
Investment Stage: Debt, Early Stage Venture, Seed
Recent Deals
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Description: PowerMarket uses AI programming and satellite data to provide global solar data.
Transaction Date: 01/06/20
Funding Amount: $120,000 USD
Venture Catalysts
Analysis: As implied in the name, Techstars makes the majority of its investments with innovative companies that have an emphasis on technology. Their recent solar deal was with PowerMarket, who works with AI and satellite data to improve solar intelligence. Any technology-based company working to improve remote functioning or efficiency of solar powers would fit perfectly into this investment portfolio.
Fund Summary
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Description: Venture Catalysts refers to themselves as an “Integrated Incubator†working to invest in various startups.
Founder and Year: Anil Jain, Anuj Golecha, Apoorv Ranjan Sharma, Gaurav Jain (2016)
Investment Stage: Convertible Note, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Seed, Venture
Recent Deals
Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Description: Skilancer has programmed robots to automatically clean solar panels through AI.
Transaction Date: 10/16/19
Total Revenue: $1M to $10M
