EIF Commits €30 Million to Wind II Fund to Drive Climate Tech Innovation in Europe

EIF Commits €30 Million to Wind II Fund to Drive Climate Tech Innovation in Europe

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Fund (EIF) has committed €30 million to Wind II, a venture capital fund targeting €130 million. Wind II focuses on early-stage tech startups across Europe developing innovative solutions for essential services and infrastructure industries to address climate adaptation challenges. The fund has already supported three companies in areas such as energy storage and green IT. This investment aligns with the EU’s climate targets and supports the European Green Deal. Wind II plans to invest in 30 startups with ticket sizes from €500,000 to €5 million.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 17-Sep-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Wind, a European venture capital firm focused on sustainable innovation, has secured a €30 million investment from the European Investment Fund (EIF) for its new early-stage fund, Wind II. This Article 9 fund, with a target of €130 million, is dedicated to supporting tech startups across Europe that are developing solutions to help essential services and infrastructure industries adapt to climate change.

Wind II will invest in companies addressing critical sectors such as energy, mobility, construction, and food and air quality, fostering innovative technologies that enhance both sustainability and commercial viability. The fund has already backed three companies—Eclipse, Sopht, and Entroview—specializing in areas like energy storage, green IT, and battery diagnostics.

The EIF’s investment reinforces its commitment to supporting climate-focused innovation, aligning with the European Green Deal and contributing to the EU’s Climate Targets. Wind II is expected to fund around 30 startups, with individual investments ranging from €500,000 to €5 million. The final closing of the fund is anticipated in 2025, offering new opportunities for strategic investors.

EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falksteadt highlighted the importance of such investments in addressing the growing impact of climate change on essential infrastructure, while Wind’s founding partners emphasized the fund’s potential to deliver both sustainable and profitable solutions for the future.

Background information

The European Investment Fund (EIF):The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group). Its central mission is to support Europe’s micro, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) by helping them to access finance. The EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments that specifically target this market segment. In this role, it contributes to the achievement of key EU policy goals such as competitiveness and growth, innovation and digitalisation, social impact, skills and human capital, climate action and environmental sustainability.

The EIB Group, consisting of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), reported total financing signatures in France of €12 billion in 2023, approximately €6.9 billion of which went to climate action and environmental sustainability projects. Globally, the EIB Group signed €88 billion of new financing in 2023.

Wind: Founded in 2015 by successful repeat entrepreneurs, Thierry Vandewalle and Xavier Gury, Wind is a European VC with a strong track record in financing and mentoring tech companies from Preseed to series A. Having invested in over 80 startups to date across multiple sectors, and completed 29 successful exits, Wind is now channelling its expertise into climate adaptation. Wind recently launched its new Article 9 fund, Wind II, with the aim of supporting highly innovative climate companies across Europe’s essential services and infrastructure industries.

Media Contacts:

EIF: 

Christophe.alix
c.alix@eib.org
tel.: +33 6 11 81 30 99
www.eif.org
X: @eif_eu

WIND: 

Helen O’Reilly-durand
helen@wind.capital
tel.: +33 6 24 36 82 21
www.wind.capital

SOURCE: European Investment Fund