WE ARE A HANDS-ON, COMMUNITY-FOCUSED AND FOUNDERS VETTED EARLY-STAGE CLIMATE TECH-FOCUSED VC IN EUROPE & ISRAEL

For the last 100 years, the commodity of choice was oil. For the next 100 years it will be the electron. We partner with climate tech founders who lead the transition to net-zero.

We get our hands dirty while making the planet cleaner. We like to partner early. We like to lead rounds. We sit on boards, help companies hire, sell and scale. We are here to make the change together.

We made our first investment in 2018 and haven’t stopped since. Contrarian Ventures is not just a fund – it’s a platform. Community is our moat. By leveraging our initiatives such as Energy Tech Summit and Climate50 we shamelessly exploit and deliver our most valuable advantage – our network.

July 2017
Founding of the Firm
March 2019
Launch of Energy Tech Day
February 2020
Launch of Energy Tech Challengers and Bye Fossil Fuels
January 2021
Launch of Climate50
Vision
European Platform for Climate Tech Founders

 
 
July 2017
Founding of the Firm
March 2019
Launch of Energy Tech Day
February 2020
Launch of Energy Tech Challengers and Bye Fossil Fuels
January 2021
Launch of Climate50
Vision
European Platform for Climate Tech Founders

Investors

The “Smart-Energy Fund powered by Ignitis Group” provides early-stage sustainable energy and mobility start-ups in Europe and Israel with capital to grow their business.

With an emphasis on the decarbonisation of the energy sector by modernising the energy system, developing green energy generation and implementing innovation, Ignitis Group became an anchor LP in the Smart Energy Fund managed by Contrarian Ventures.

Ignitis Group is an international energy company and one of the largest energy groups in the Baltic region, operating in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Finland. It owns and operates power plants and large electric and gas distribution networks, supplying electric energy to more than 1.6 million consumers and natural gas to more than 570,000 customers. 98% of the company’s generated power is green and it aims to have 4 GW of installed green generation capacity by 2030.

Investment Areas

ENERGY TRANSITION

Energy Storage

Smart Grid

Alternative Energy Generation Technologies

Energy Efficiency

Carbon Capture

SMART MOBILITY

EV Charging

Logistics

Connected Vehicle

Micro Mobility

Mobility as a Service

FAQ

Who Do We Back?

We back entrepreneurs working on technological solutions in sustainable energy tech and smart mobility industries. We like to partner early – Seed is the ideal stage for us to get onboard. Europe and Israel is where we are based therefore we invest in companies based in this region.

What Sectors Do We Target?

Energy Storage, Smart Grid, EV Charging, Energy Efficiency – some but not all of the sectors that we have a huge interest in. Scroll up to the middle of this page and you will see more. However, if you are an entrepreneur working in sustainable energy tech or smart mobility space and you are not able to place your company in one of our buckets – please still do reach out. We want to talk to you.

What Is A Typical Investment Size?

We like to start with €500k investment but we can be flexible around entrepreneurs’ needs.

Does Contrarian Ventures Always Lead The Investment Rounds?

We like to partner early and to lead rounds where we can sit on the board and help companies hire, sell and scale. However, we can be flexible and sometimes be a co-lead or just a co-investor if it is the best for everyone involved.

Is Contrarian Ventures A Hands-On Investor?

Yes we are. Talk to our portfolio companies if you need proof.