OnePlanetCapital, a new sustainably driven investment house, has today launched a specialist sustainability EIS Fund to invest in businesses tackling climate change.
The new OnePlanetCapital Sustainable EIS Fund is broad-based, targeting investments that will tackle climate change and supporting businesses with a positive environmental impact. It aims to deliver industry leading returns whilst only backing companies and projects that will genuinely benefit the environmental prospects of the UK and the wider planet.
The fund will focus on three interrelated areas. Firstly, climate change, focused on companies taking steps to tackle emissions, i.e. through renewable energy, energy efficiency & transport. Secondly, environmental factors, looking at firms with a positive environmental impact including agricultural technology, pollution management or bio-diversity. Lastly, consumer sustainability, for example, food companies that reduce climate change and environmental impact, fashion companies that reduce C02 emissions and pollution, or businesses in the recycling space.
The fund is underpinned by a strong ESG framework looking at environmental impact, social purpose and corporate governance in its investee companies, screening for both positive and negative factors in all companies. For environmental impact it will look at factors such as climate change, emissions and pollution impact. Social factors include working conditions, supply chains and stakeholder relations, and for corporate governance issues it will monitor board structure, accounting and audit quality, shareholder rights and transparency.
The global economy must slash its carbon intensity five times faster than current levels if the world is to stand a chance of keeping global temperature increases to the 1.5C limit set out by the Paris Agreement, according to new analysis from PwC. The global economy is in the early stages of a green industrial revolution, with companies in the sustainable space poised for growth as the world pivots to a low carbon economy, creating clear opportunities for investors. Decarbonisation is now being backed by all major developed economies including the US and China and the green energy and technology sector is set to grow massively over the next decade.
As a new venture capital business, OnePlanetCapital is raising capital for the companies of the future that will help to solve climate change and the environmental issues of today. By unlocking the positive impact of early-stage companies as they grow, an investment into the fund is not only an investment into our collective future but also a growth opportunity as the world pivots to a low carbon economy.
OnePlanetCapital was founded in 2019 by entrepreneurs Matthew Jellicoe and Ed Stevens, together with Tony Flanagan of Wilton Group – a leading international regulated financial services advisory.
The OnePlanetCapital team has a strong track record in investing across both EIS companies and Series A to Series C raises in sectors such as green technology, technology, fintech and broader B2C businesses.
The OnePlanetCapital team is different from most venture capital firms in that it is made up of a hybrid of experienced entrepreneurs who have built and exited significant businesses, alongside corporate finance professionals with extensive investment experience, all backed up by an advisory panel of environmental expertise.
Matthew Jellicoe, Co-founder of OnePlanetCapital, commented: “In 2019 the UK became the first major economy to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. This target requires a paradigm shift in the UK economy and enormous amounts of investment into the businesses of the future.
“Unprecedented change is required to our global economy. We are on the verge of a green industrial revolution and the world is waking up to the substantial changes needed to tackle the climate issues we face. This has been amplified by numerous lockdowns over the last 11 months which have underlined the fragility of the world as we know it. Decarbonisation is now being backed by all major developed economies including the US and China and huge amounts are being invested in green energy, green technology and services. Consumers are also becoming increasingly driven by sustainability and becoming more aware of a business’ green and social purpose credentials.
“It is now clear that investment performance does not need to be sacrificed in order to tackle the environmental problems of the day, with UK sustainable funds likely to outperform the market over the short, medium and long term.
“We only have one planet and now it’s time to get involved and make a difference for our collective future.“
“We founded OnePlanetCapital to be more than an investment house. We’re part of a growing, global movement, and are focused on unlocking the positive impact of early-stage companies as they grow. As a team we’re spearheading the green industrial revolution and disrupting the status quo to create a positive global impact.”
