Welcome back! The ClimateRaise newsletter showcases actively-raising, early-stage climate startups led by founders from historically marginalized backgrounds. We connect them with investors and climate ecosystem partners through warm introductions.
📩 Submit companies, opportunities, and resources for the newsletter (or just say hi!) by emailing us here.
We’re shifting to a monthly cadence and we’re featuring 5 companies this month (two of which represent a first for this newsletter)!
Canefin - a woman-founded lender helping homeowners make energy efficiency upgrades
Kara - woman-founded sustainability compliance platform for private investors and technology companies
The Wonki Collective - a woman-founded matching platform for food manufacturers’ surplus
KineticCore Solutions - a veteran-founded, next generation flywheel energy storage system
The Catalyst Fund - a woman-founded pre-seed VC fund investing in innovative tech solutions for a climate-resilient future in Africa
Featured companies
Canefin
A woman-founded lender helping homeowners make energy efficiency upgrades
Most green finance products accessible to individuals or SMEs are not fit for purpose, since lenders cannot quantify the carbon impact of the loans they make, and do not price in incentives to encourage action. Carbon is a traded commodity - not capturing the value of carbon emission impact is a missed opportunity. Canefin is a new UK based lender that utilizes the carbon markets to reduce the cost of borrowing. Starting with the energy-efficiency related home improvement finance market, Canefin will measure the carbon impact of every loan they make, issue Verra certified carbon credits for each loan, and use the proceeds from the sale of these carbon credits to reduce the loan APR. This way, Canefin will make it easier, and cheaper, for homeowners to decarbonize their homes.
Canefin has completed the prototype of their origination platform and is in the process of becoming an FCA regulated lender. They have signed an LOI with HACT and PNZ Carbon to access the Verra Certified Retrofit Credit program, and formed partnerships with all of the main industry bodies in the home energy efficiency space that will give them access to 5,000+ installers. Their partnership with Equifax, who is providing them 100,000 data records and a bespoke credit policy rule set, will ensure that they will originate high quality loans from Day 1.
Co-Founder & CEO: Alison Jessup
HQ: London, UK
Current funding stage: Pre-Seed
Additional Asks: hiring a founder associate and seeking connections with other climate fintechs.
Kara
A woman-founded sustainability compliance platform for private investors and technology companies
Kara is a platform that lets private investors and technology companies streamline their sustainability compliance. The tool automates data collection through APIs, tracks results via an intuitive dashboard, and simplifies the sharing of these outcomes with stakeholders. Kara provides comprehensive access to standardized and regulatory frameworks, including SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation), California's SB 54, Project Frame, UN SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals), and ILPA's EDCI. European regulation is affecting for the first time this year many US funds fundraising in Europe, and the SEC is expected to also pass a new set of rules for fund labeling and corresponding disclosures.
Kara has over 200+ companies and firms reporting through the platform and a strong sales pipeline. The platform has been featured within VentureESG, Project Frame, and VCStack.
Co-Founder & CEO: Miriam Roure Parera
HQ: New York, NY
Current funding stage: Pre-Seed
Additional Asks: Looking to support investment firms (VC, PE, or debt) who need to report on sustainability metrics and/or become SFDR compliant.
The Wonki Collective
A woman-founded matching platform for food manufacturers’ surplus
The Wonki Collective makes it easier for food manufacturers to identify and sell ingredient surplus, bringing transparency into the food manufacturing supply chain and creating a market for surplus ingredients. Their matchmaking algorithm is enabled by a database of ingredients and manufacturers they’ve built. The team is currently building APIs to identify surplus early through food manufacturers' existing ERP data and maximize resale value.
The Wonki Collective has shifted over 18.5 tons of surplus ingredients (worth $85k+ and corresponding to nearly 150 tons of saved CO2 eq emissions) in the last month. They are currently running a pilot with Nestle and have 50+ food manufacturers either transacting or committed with £4M surplus ingredients in the pipeline. The team won grants funded by Starbucks, Innovate UK, and Undaunted – The Greenhouse.
Co-Founder & CEO: Alina Sartogo
Co-Founder & COO: Davina McGrath
HQ: London, UK
Current funding stage: Pre-seed
Additional Asks: Looking to connect with more industry operators such as those in supply chain, procurement or sustainability roles at food manufacturers, ingredient processors or big retailers. Looking to hire in sales, tech and product roles
In this edition, we are including two new types of features:
KineticCore Solutions
A veteran-founded, next generation flywheel energy storage system
KineticCore Solutions (KCS) is addressing the need for high-power energy storage systems to enable cost-effective and rapid electrification of commercial/industrial facilities, microgrids, and EV fast-charging access. Their "Kinetic Batteries" are up to 50% less expensive than Li-ion systems for high-power applications, while lasting 25+ years of 24/7 operation. KCS enables significant utility power cost savings, further electrification for climate impact, and reducing pollution from utility peak power generation.
KineticCore Solutions has completed Creative Destructive Labs’ climate track, Amazon's Cleantech Accelerator, and Innosphere's REACH Accelerator. KCS was also selected by the Department of Energy as one of the top five Energy Storage Innovations for 2023. KCS completed their NSF SBIR Phase-1 grant in 2023 and is awaiting news on a potential Phase-2 program.
Co-Founder & CEO: James Clegern
HQ: Loveland, CO
Current funding stage: Seed
Additional Asks: looking for new hires in product development, manufacturing and marketing, plus strategic partners to field test pilot units in 2025 for UL certification.
The Catalyst Fund
A woman-founded pre-seed VC fund investing in innovative tech solutions for a climate-resilient future in Africa
Catalyst Fund is an impact VC fund and accelerator backing tech entrepreneurs who are scaling solutions for a climate-resilient future in Africa. The fund’s thesis focuses on supporting mission-driven, local, and female founders offering climate adaptation solutions that improve the resilience of climate-vulnerable African communities. The fund invests across several sectors including agritech and food systems, insur-tech, climate fintech, agroforestry, cold-chain, waste, sustainable energy, and water management.
The Catalyst Fund takes an active, hands-on venture-building approach that leverages their experience as founders and operators in emerging markets to support startups through tech, product, data, and marketing challenges. Over the past seven years, they have backed 76 startups across 15 emerging markets, with 19 investments out of a new climate fund. To date, their support led to >$650M in follow-on funding raised, and over 40M customers reached. The team received the final Endorsement from the CPI Lab in September 2023 as one of the six 2023 climate finance most innovative instruments and were the 5th most active investor in Africa during 2023 and the most active climate tech investor according to Africa: The Big Deal.
Co-Founder & CEO: Maelis Carraro
HQ: Nairobi, Kenya
Additional Asks: looking for bold entrepreneurs working on climate resilience solutions in Africa
ICYMI - They are still raising
Kadeya, led by Manuela Zoninsein- building a closed loop hydration system for the construction, manufacturing, distribution, and fulfillment space
E.D.E.N. Concept Fill, led by Lisa Jacks Lazar - developing cellulose based substitutes for polyurethane
Habitable Earth, led by Pooja Paul, PhD - building an innovative gamified platform to leverage individual climate action
Request an introduction to the companies by filling this form.
Is ClimateRaise useful to you?
Resources for founders
🔍 Opportunities
Are you an investor looking to conduct due diligence outside your realm of expertise? Cleantech Experts connect investors with relevant experts to conduct a fair, unbiased assessment of the company you’re evaluating.
📚 What we’re reading this week
Climate Tech Facility — Ecosystem Insights
Thanks!
~Natalie and the ClimateRaise Team
ClimateRaise resources
📅 Check out our (new) event calendar.
📚 Read our past issues.
💡 Consult the list of previously featured companies.
🤝 Request warm introductions to featured companies.
💽 Request first access to the 500+ climate tech ecosystem players database when we release it.
🙋 Forward this email to a founder to get them featured.
📣 Enjoying ClimateRaise? Share our newsletter with your network!
Share button
Disclaimer: Please note the information contained on this website and provided in any form does not recommend the purchase or sale of any security nor is it to be construed as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Furthermore, the information contained on this website and provided by ClimateRaise in any form is not intended to be, nor should it be construed or used as investment, tax, or legal advice. The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon to make any investment decisions. ClimateRaise is an independent organization and is not affiliated in any way with any other organization, including but not limited to the employers or affiliates of its founders.
 | A guest post by
|