Starshot Capital Launches $35M Fund for Climate-Focused Startups

Starshot Capital, a venture capital firm dedicated to supporting high-impact companies in underinvested climate sectors, has announced the launch of Starshot Fund I, a $35 million fund aimed at advancing decarbonization goals. The fund targets early-stage companies capable of eliminating a cumulative one gigaton of carbon emissions by 2050 while delivering competitive returns. Starshot focuses on the industrial sector, manufacturing, food and agriculture, the built environment, materials, and chemicals.

“The climate transition is the largest financial opportunity of the next decade,” stated Jeremy Brewer, Starshot Managing Partner. “Every industry is undergoing radical transformation, reassessing supply chains, materials, and partners to adopt more sustainable practices.” Brewer, a former executive at Google and Facebook, co-founded Starshot Capital in 2021 with childhood friend Sam Levac-Levey, a mechanical engineer with experience at Tesla and SpaceX. They are joined by Zoe Samuel, a former Google employee who co-created Alphabet’s climate community, and Dr. Nick Gould, a chemical engineer specializing in decarbonizing industrial processes.

Levac-Levey emphasized the strategic investment in under-invested sectors to maximize impact and returns. The fund aims to provide not only financial support but also connections to potential customers, strategic partners, investors, and key employees. Dr. Gabriel Rodriguez-Calero, CEO of Ecolectro, highlighted the pivotal role of Starshot Capital in their success, citing the firm’s involvement in securing significant investment and customer accounts.

Starshot Capital’s advisory team includes prominent venture capitalists and business leaders, such as Jeff Seabright, former CSO of Unilever and Coca-Cola, and executive director of the White House Climate Change Task Force under President Bill Clinton. Starshot’s portfolio includes companies like Mojave, Rumin8, Harvest Thermal, and Ecolectro, which are developing technologies to significantly reduce emissions and enhance sustainability across various sectors.

Zoe Samuel noted Starshot’s unique advantage in the climate sector due to their extensive work with climate-focused communities and networks, enabling early identification and support of promising climate founders. Starshot Capital supports entrepreneurs building high-impact, high-growth climate companies, believing that the green transition represents a significant opportunity for positive impact and economic returns over the next decade. Their mission is to accelerate the work of founders by connecting them to key partners, customers, and employees. For more information, visit Starshot Capital.

(image: Matt Palmer / Unsplash)