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Munich · Seed–Series B · 30 people tracked
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Investment thesis
World Fund is a sector-agnostic climate tech VC that backs founders building scalable technologies with measurable CO2e reduction potential, strong technological differentiation, and venture-scale market opportunities. It evaluates every opportunity through a science-based Climate Performance Potential (CPP) metric assessing whether a technology can deliver significant annual emissions reductions at scale, audited by third-party partner RegenIntel. The firm focuses on verticals it considers pillars of European resilience and sovereignty, including energy, food & agriculture, and industry. It invests from seed through Series B with follow-on capacity, acting as an active long-term partner supporting founders on strategy, hiring, communications, and scaling, and aims to help bridge the Series B funding gap in European climate tech.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 27, 2026.
Team · 30 people
from the firm's website & curated & public directories
Founder mafia
4 people who came through World Fund went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 23 of 33 portfolio companiesClimate Tech ×9Cleantech ×6Deep Tech ×6FoodTech ×6New Materials ×5AI & Machine Learning ×4Biotech ×4Consumer ×4
HQs:Germany×8United Kingdom×6Finland×1Slovenia×1United States×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 14 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×42 founders×33 founders×34+ founders×4
Where their founders studiedfrom 17 founders with education data
Technical University of Munich ×5ETH Zürich ×3University of Ljubljana ×3RWTH Aachen University ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 16 founders with field-of-study data
Chemistry ×3Computer Science ×2Life Sciences ×2Physics ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 17 founders with career history
Stanford University ×2University of Bristol ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
Investments · 33 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 52025 · 12024 · 52023 · 22022 · 32021 · 420 dated
aedifion provides a cloud platform with AI-powered building analytics and autonomous control systems to optimize energy consumption and operating costs for commercial real estate portfolios, achieving up to 40% savings in energy, CO2 emissions, and operational expenses.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingPropTech
Felix Dorner(Founder)in
Co-investorsBitStone CapitalPhoenix Contact Innovation Ventures
Anaphite develops DCP®, a dry coating powder technology platform, for use in applications such as solid-state batteries and silicon anodes.
CleantechDeep TechEnergyNew MaterialsBristol, GB
Samuel BurrowinAlex HewittinJoe Stevenson(CEO)inAlexander Hewitt(Founder)Sam Burrow(Founder)
Co-investorsBlue Wire CapitalElbow Beach CapitalEnergy & Environment InvestmentManiv MobilityOxford Investment Opportunity Network (OION)Zero Carbon Capital+2 more
Clean alternative to fluid refrigerants using barocaloric effect
Cambridge, GB
Xavier Moya(CEO / Founder)in
Co-investorsParkwalk AdvisorsIP Group
CustomCells develops and manufactures premium battery technology for electric mobility and energy storage applications.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechEnergyHardware
Dr. Ralph Petersen(Chief Executive Officer)Dr. Jan Diekmann(Chief Operating Officer)Andreas Löhrke(Chief Technology Officer)in
Co-investorsExtantia CapitalVsquared Ventures468 Capital
cylib recovers lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and manganese from used batteries through an advanced recycling process.
Circular EconomyCleantechEnergyNew MaterialsAachen, DE
Dr. Lilian Schwich(Founder)Paul Sabarny(Founder)inDr. Gideon Schwich(Founder)Gideon Schwich(Founder)Lilian Schwich(Founder)
Co-investors10x FoundersBosch VenturesDeepTech & Climate FondsSpeedinvestVsquared Ventures
ecoworks is a general contractor for serial, energy-efficient renovation of existing residential buildings, using digital planning and industrially prefabricated facade, roof, and building-services modules (insulation, windows, ventilation, heat pumps, photovoltaics).
Emanuel Heisenberg(Founder)in
Co-investorsDiscovery Ventures III Gmb H & Co. KGFranz Haniel & Cie. GmbHIsaiISAI GestionJLL Spark Global VenturesKOMPAS VC+4 more
Craig Johnston(Founder)David Ritchie(Founder)Jim Laird(Founder)
Co-investorsDCVC (Data Collective)CPT Capital
Faircado is a shopping app and browser extension that aggregates second-hand offers from multiple online marketplaces, showing users pre-owned alternatives with price comparisons while they browse.
Circular EconomyConsumerE-commerce
Evolena(Co-founder)Ali(Co-founder)
Co-investorsBackbone Ventures
Farmless uses fermentation with microbes and renewable energy to produce proteins without relying on agricultural land.
BiotechClimate TechFoodTech
Co-investorsReventSustainable Food VenturesVorwerk VenturesHV Capital
Freshflow provides an AI replenishment and demand-forecasting layer for fresh produce departments in grocery retail, using 120+ signals (weather, holidays, promotions, seasonality) to generate order proposals that account for actual saleable inventory.
AI & Machine LearningFoodTechLogistics & Supply ChainRetail TechBerlin, DE
Avik Mukhija(Co-Founder & CEO)inCarmine Paolino(Founding CTO)in
Co-investorsCaesar VenturesCapnamicE Nugget Ventures UG (Haftungsbeschränkt)Entrepreneur FirstVenture StarsIBB Ventures+1 more
Fundrbird provides software solutions for GP (general partner) firms to build and scale their fund management operations.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS
Co-investorsAmino CollectiveCuriosity VCEndeit CapitalHealthy.CapitalHolland CapitalMundi Ventures+5 more
DreamFold builds a protein therapeutics platform that uses AI-driven protein design, generative modelling, and high-throughput screening to develop new classes of protein drugs for diseases lacking effective treatments.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechNew MaterialsSemiconductorsCambridge, GB
Kerry Baldwin(Founder)inColin Humphreys(Co-founder)Simon Thomas(Co-founder & CEO)
Co-investorsEnterprise Capital FundsGEIF VenturesInvest-NLKPN VenturesRaison.406 Ventures+8 more
IQM builds full-stack superconducting quantum computers, from NISQ-era to fault-tolerant systems, including quantum processing units, on-premise machines, and a cloud platform.
Deep TechHardwareQuantum ComputingEspoo, FI
Jan Goetz(Founder)inJuha Vartiainen(Founder)Kuan Yen Tan(Founder)Mikko Möttönen(Founder)
Co-investors55 NorthBayern KapitalChanger ClubFirst MomentumInception FundKreos Capital+11 more
Juicy Marbles is a food company that produces meat products made through traditional methods without laboratory synthesis or artificial chemicals.
Climate TechConsumerFoodTechLjubljana, SI
Luka Sinček(Founder)inMaj Hrovat(Founder)inTilen Travnik(Founder)in
Co-investorsEmles Venture PartnersFeelsgood Capital PartnersGrey Silo VenturesSilicon GardensY CombinatorAgFunder+8 more
Lithosquare develops an AI platform for mineral exploration that uses physics-based modeling of ore body formation rather than statistical pattern matching.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechEnergy
Aymeric Preveral-Etcheverry(Founder)Simon Leclair(Founder)
Co-investorsKindred CapitalOVNI CapitalDaphniKindred VenturesOmnes Capital
Mission Zero develops direct air capture technology that uses an electrochemical process to recover carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
CleantechClimate TechDeep TechLondon, GB
Shiladitya Ghosh(Founder)inNicholas Chadwick(Founder)inGael Gobaille-Shaw(Founder)Nick Chadwick(Founder)
Co-investorsBreakthrough Energy VenturesDeep Science VenturesThird Derivative
Nitricity produces plant-based fertilizer for agricultural use, focused on sustainable soil health for farmers and growers.
AgTechCleantechClimate TechFremont, US
Dr. Joshua McEnaney(President, CTO, Co-Founder)inDr. Jay Schwalbe(CSO, Co-Founder)Nicolas Pinkowski(Founder)inJay Schwalbe(Founder)Joshua McEnaney(Founder)
BoardShayle Kann(Director)in
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesCongruent VenturesEnergy Impact PartnersFine Structures VenturesKhosla VenturesLowercarbon Capital+1 more
NetZeroNitrogen develops a biofertilizer product intended to replace synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, aiming to give farmers comparable or better yields at lower cost and reduced environmental impact.
AgTechBiotechClimate Tech
Gary Devine(CSO/Founder)Jason Michael Blake(CEO)Sinan Beşkök(COO)
Co-investorsAzolla VenturesRevent
Oatly makes oat-based food and drink products, including oat drinks, chilled oat drinks, cooking products, and oatgurt.
Climate TechConsumerFoodTech
Rickard Öste(Founder)Björn Öste(Founder)
Co-investorsAliya Capital PartnersCoefficient CapitalDynabrand VenturesFELIX CAPITALIndustrifondenK2 Global+12 more
Planet A Foods develops alternative food ingredients using food technology to reduce climate impact in the food industry.
AgTechBiotechClimate TechConsumerFoodTechMunich, DE
Maximilian Marquart(Founder)inSara Marquart(Founder)inMaximilian Marquart Sara Marquart(Founder)
Co-investorsBayern KapitalBurda Principal InvestmentsCherry VenturesFeast VenturesFifty YearsNucleus Capital+12 more
Planet A is an early-stage European venture capital firm that invests in startups from pre-seed to Series A, focusing on founders addressing systemic global challenges.
Climate TechImpact & Social Good
Co-investorsArbol CapitalKfW CapitalNxGenBurda Principal InvestmentsCherry VenturesOmnes Capital
QD-ST develops quantum sensing microscopy systems for semiconductor failure analysis and defect localization in integrated circuits.
Deep TechQuantum ComputingSemiconductorsMunich, DE
Fleming Bruckmaier(Founder)inKevin Berghoff(Founder)inDr. Fleming Bruckmaier(Founder)
Co-investorsBayern KapitalEarlybird Venture CapitalIQ CapitalOnsight VenturesXPRENEURSCreator Fund+1 more
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RECUP operates a deposit-based reusable packaging system for food-service businesses, providing branded cups, bowls, and pizza boxes that consumers borrow against a deposit and return at partner locations.
Circular EconomyClimate TechFoodTech
Co-investorsblueworld.group
Space Forge develops high-quality substrates for semiconductor applications, using microgravity manufacturing in space to reduce material defects and produce higher-purity, higher-performance materials.
New MaterialsSemiconductorsSpace TechCardiff, GB
Joshua Western(Founder)in
Co-investorsE2MC VenturesHelios CapitalHelium-3 VenturesStarbridge Venture Capital LlcTrousdale VenturesType One Ventures+7 more
Space Forge manufactures satellite components and advanced materials in space, with research and manufacturing facilities across the UK, US, and Portugal.
Advanced ManufacturingNew MaterialsSemiconductorsSpace TechCardiff, GB
Co-investorsFJ LabsBritish Business BankE2MC VenturesGaingelsHelium-3 VenturesSpaceFund+4 more
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James Dugan(Founder)Jamie Cox(Founder)Peter Francis(Founder)in
Co-investorsDiscovery Ventures III Gmb H & Co. KGEpisode1Expansion CapitalEQT Ventures
VÆRIDION develops electric commercial aircraft designed for regional air travel, with a focus on delivering energy-efficient, clean, and affordable aviation solutions.
CleantechHardwareMobility & TransportationMunich, DE
Co-investorsCoastCapProject A VenturesVsquared Ventures
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
404Customcells GroupEnerkiiHyperscale PowerIQM Quantum ComputersMISSION ZERO TECHNOLOGY
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesPlanet A Ventures · planet-a.com · Jun 24, 2026
Lithosquare · finsmes.com · May 7, 2026
Barocal · eu-startups.com · May 4, 2026
VAERIDION · vaeridion.com · Mar 4, 2026
Space Forge · finance.yahoo.com · Jun 5, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has World Fund made?
- World Fund has 33 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited, including 7 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does World Fund invest at?
- World Fund invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B stages.
- What is World Fund's typical check size?
- World Fund typically writes checks of $1.1M – $16.5M.
- What sectors does World Fund focus on?
- World Fund focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AgTech, Circular Economy, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Deep Tech, Energy, FoodTech, New Materials, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is World Fund located?
- World Fund is headquartered in Munich, DE.
- Does World Fund lead rounds?
- Yes, World Fund leads investment rounds.
- Who does World Fund co-invest with?
- World Fund most often shares deals with Bayern Kapital, Revent, Vsquared Ventures, among 95 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamDaria Saharova, Partner World Fund: Viel heiße Luft (#4)
DEALMACHER mit Iskender Dirik · Daria Saharova
Danijel Višević – World Fund
Leaders in Cleantech podcast · Danijel Višević
Investing €300M in climate-tech that can sell to climate deniers - Tim Schumacher (World Fund)
New Wave. · Tim Schumacher
#58 🌱 World Fund-Founder und VC Tim Schumacher
DealCircle · Tim Schumacher
#79 Venture Capital & Climate Tech Investing (Danijel Višević - Founding Partner beim World Fund)
enPower Podcast · Danijel Višević
Daria Saharova, World Fund: "Für alle Fonds sollte Diversität ein wichtiges KPI sein!"
der brutkasten · Daria Saharova
Images
Co-investors · 32
Vsquared Ventures is a deep tech venture capital firm that backs companies tackling significant technological challenges, focusing on conviction-driven investments rather than trends.
Cherry Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that backs European founders across a wide range of industries, from AI and energy to gaming and space tech.
Addition is a venture capital firm that invests in early and growth-stage tech companies.
EQT Ventures is the venture capital arm within the EQT platform, backing early-stage European founders building what it calls Generation-Defining Companies.
Breakthrough Energy, founded by Bill Gates, backs innovators developing affordable, reliable, and clean energy technologies, investing across manufacturing, electricity, agriculture, transportation, and buildings.
Earlybird Venture Capital is a European venture capital investor that backs early-stage technology founders with capital, strategic support, and access to an international network.
Project A Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm backing founders across sectors, combining thematic expertise with a generalist operational platform. It also runs Project A Studio, a pre-investment platform for founders to validate ideas.
Redalpine is a multi-stage venture investment advisor with Swiss roots and a pan-European focus, active since 2006, that invests at the intersection of software and science.
KOMPAS VC is a specialist venture capital firm backing founders building industrial and climate-focused technologies that reduce emissions, drive productivity, and address global risk.
Maniv Mobility is a venture capital firm focused on the transformation of transportation and the broader economy of movement, backing startups across energy transition and the digitization of automotive, transportation and logistics.
Type One Ventures is a multi-stage venture capital firm focused on funding founders building technologies, infrastructure, and industrial systems aimed at advancing humanity toward an abundant, self-sufficient, and interplanetary future.
1435 Capital Management is an early-stage and growth-stage venture investor that backs technology companies across sectors and invests in late-stage pre-IPO secondaries.
▶20 more co-investors
Development Bank of WalesSpaceFundElbow Beach CapitalUnknown VenturesAccel-KKRPoint NineAntlerSerena VenturesHeartcore CapitalPeakValar Ventures LlcGraph VenturesAngel InvestAscension VenturesAglae VenturesbyFoundersfinway360 Capital10x GroupMaki.vc
Firms observed investing alongside World Fund, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with World Fund's recorded portfolio.
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