Greentech 2023 for document

Visa Foundation and Village Capital Invest USD $125,000 in 13 Women-Led Sustainability Startups

London, UK (July 15, 2023) – Visa Foundation and Village Capital have announced the closing of the first cohort of the Greentech Europe 2023 program, an accelerator that supports and invests in women-led, greentech startups in Europe. 

The most recent cohort will be granted USD $125,000 in non-dilutive financial support, contributing to a cumulative investment of USD $425,000 that has been injected in 37 women-led sustainability startups, across 17 European countries, within the past two years. 

Village Capital employed its pioneering peer selection investment model to determine the allocation of funds. This model disrupts the conventional power dynamics of traditional venture capital by shifting decision-making authority away from investors. Instead, entrepreneurs play a crucial role in the process, conducting peer due diligence and evaluating each other's investment potential, with investment decisions made based on these rankings.

Meet the 13 startups that were awarded grant funding: 

Startups that received USD 25,000

  • Ecosmic (Noordwijk, Netherlands) enables the long-term sustainability and safety of space operations through leading-edge software solutions.
  • Eve (Dublin, Ireland) is a  cloud-based SaaS solution that enables corporate fleet electrification without compromising operational efficiency or financial bottom line.

Startups that received USD 15,000

  • The Surpluss (Cambridge, UK) is a B2B ecosystem for companies to respond to climate action through the sharing economy, profitably.

Startups that received USD 10,000 

  • MakeGrowLab (Pulawy, Poland) is turning bio waste into high-quality nanofibers to replace plastic in packaging.
  • Olsights (Middlesex, UK) develops applications for global energy projects and decarbonization to allow better understanding to accelerate the energy transition.

Startups that received USD 5,000

  • Agreed Earth (London, UK) uses remote sensing and AI to reduce the climate and environmental impact of agriculture, with a specific focus on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer.
  • BCome (Barcelona, Spain) is a global sustainability management platform that helps fashion companies build resilient supply chains, ensure transparency and bring it to the end consumer.
  • Binkiapp (Helsinki, Finland) uses climate scenarios and microbiology to boost the carbon sequestration potential of soil for the future.
  • Insusty (Toulon, France) is a sustainable loyalty program connecting sustainable companies to eco-conscious individuals.
  • Kweevo (London, UK) is a no-code AI and analytics SaaS platform helping businesses analyze, optimize, and decarbonize their supply chains.
  • Munasafn RVK Tool Library (Reykjavík, Iceland) provides a software and hardware solution to reduce waste and extend the life of items through a self-checkout library system.
  • ParaStruct (Innsbruck, Austria) provides sustainable and cost-effective solutions for the construction industry’s waste management problem.
  • Resale Future (London, UK) empowers fashion brands with the technology to extend the life of their products and offer resale services to their customers.

The program is preparing to recruit the second and final cohort of the year. Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter, and to learn more about you can join our growing greentech community as an entrepreneur or mentor here.  

For more information, reach out to Eva Waweru at Village Capital eva.waweru@vilcap.com.

About Village Capital

Village Capital is reinventing the system to back the entrepreneurs of the future. Known for its groundbreaking approaches to supporting founders who are building solutions to emergent social, economic, and environmental challenges, VilCap unlocks critical social and financial capital for early-stage companies to maximize business and impact growth.

Village Capital has operated in Europe since 2016 by running over 12 accelerator programs for European entrepreneurs from more than 25 countries in the region. VilCap has supported more than 160 startups from all over Europe, working in sectors such as climate change, data privacy, financial health, and refugee-tech. Learn more at www.vilcap.com and follow @villagecapital.

About Visa Foundation

Visa Foundation seeks to support inclusive economies where individuals, businesses, and communities can thrive. Through grant making and investing, Visa Foundation prioritizes the growth of gender diverse and inclusive small and micro businesses. The Foundation also supports broader community needs and disaster response in times of crisis. Visa Foundation is registered in the U.S. as a 501(c)3 entity.