Copenhagen-headquartered VC firm VÅR Ventures brings a new impact fund to the market and thrilled to invest in the green transition through seed stage startups with innovative sustainable solutions. The firm has already made debut by contributing the round of the Danish foodtech startup REDUCED that upcycles waste food by creating high quality food products and flavor enhancers. This new fund will be a helping hand for those building a new perspective for the challenges in the areas such as agriculture and food, education and energy.
New fund invests in the sustainable solutions of the future
A new Danish venture fund has seen the light of day. VÅR Ventures invests in start-ups that combine sustainability with technology to support scalable, innovative sustainability solutions:
“We are driven by investing in sustainable solutions that can be scaled to contribute to the green transition,” explains Anne-Louise Thon-Jensen, General Partner. “There is a great global need for us to support the companies and people who are in the process of developing technologies and solutions that ensure that the next generations have a sustainable society. We have founded VÅR Ventures precisely to find, develop and scale the best solutions globally ”.
Technology and sustainability go hand in hand
VÅR Ventures invests in start-ups that develop technologies and solutions that directly address the global challenges in areas such as agriculture and food, education technology and energy. The three investment areas constitute some of the sectors where the need for sustainable innovation is greatest, while at the same time they are sectors where the Nordic countries are particularly strong. The foundation’s goal is to support the Nordic ecosystem, and help create some of the Nordic region’s next major business adventures.
VÅR Ventures have a special focus on tech solutions, as these are precisely the scalable solutions that the world needs. An analysis carried out by the consulting house PwC and the World Economic Forum from 2020, showed that technology has a large impact on 10 out of the 17 world goals, and that as much as 70% of the 169 goals linked to the 17 world goals can be supported of tech solutions.
“We do not want to develop niche products for small exclusive markets. We want to help solve systemic challenges, and innovation and tech are central here, ” says David Højelsen, General Partner.
Unique competencies and focus on the people behind the companies
The people behind VÅR Ventures have experience in building companies, providing advice, investment, financing and sustainability.
“As a foundation, we come with a knowledge of building sustainable start-ups. Our team consists of people who have built and sold companies themselves, and we are some of the most experienced and competent in sustainable investments in the Nordic region. We want to use our knowledge, experience and large networks to support the people behind the companies we invest in. ” says Mette Fløe Nielsen, General Partner.
The companies that get VÅR Ventures on board can look forward to having an investor who focuses on supporting the founders of the company and who thinks sustainability into all aspects of the business:
“We see sustainability as value-creating. We believe that investing in companies born with a focus on sustainability, technology and scalability can create attractive returns for our investors. In addition, we help ensure that sustainability is considered throughout the value chain of the companies we invest in, ” explains Maria Hjorth, General Partner. “
We have developed a very special program for how we work with our companies, which ensures that sustainability is taken into account in the companies’ growth journey. Our philosophy is that it is both easier and creates more value to think about sustainability in the entire organization from the start – it is strongly influenced by our ownership ”.
Upcycled raw materials should boost the movement towards plant-based diets
VÅR Ventures has already made their first investment in the Danish start-up REDUCED, which makes high-quality food products and flavor enhancers from upcycled ingredients from the food industry.
“We are incredibly happy to have become an investor in REDUCED. The company has a fantastically passionate and dedicated team, and they work with two of the biggest challenges in the global food industry – namely food waste and the transition to a more plant-based diet, ” says Louise Lachmann, General Partner and board member of REDUCED.
The investment in REDUCED has been made together with Vækstfonden, Rockstart, Pollen Capital and a number of angel investors.
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