Climate First
Climate First is a company.
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Leadership Team
Key people at Climate First.
Climate First is a company.
Key people at Climate First.
Climate First is a European venture capital firm investing in deep-tech and climate tech startups to drive the global energy transition and industrial decarbonization. Its mission centers on backing visionary founders building category-defining companies in energy, electrification, industrial decarbonization, and AI, with a focus on zero-carbon technologies that deliver high impact, outsized returns, and substantial decarbonization potential amid €5.9T in net-zero commitments.[2][3] The firm's investment philosophy emphasizes exceptional teams, industry transformation, validated markets with attractive unit economics, and scaling breakthrough technologies into industrial giants, while upholding values like leadership, optimism, collaboration, perseverance, and grit.[2][3]
Rooted in the European ecosystem, Climate First supports its portfolio through an eight-week scale-up program with tailored climate content led by top-tier experts, fostering high-impact growth in the startup ecosystem.[6] It influences the climate tech landscape by nurturing companies into industry leaders, catalyzing sustainable economies, and addressing humanity's greatest challenges like decarbonization.[3]
Climate First was co-founded by Guy Cherni, a serial deep-tech founder and investor serving as Managing Partner, alongside a team of seasoned investors, entrepreneurs, and scientists.[3] Cherni has invested in over 30 companies across energy, materials, food, mobility, and more, including notable exits like CTRL-Labs (acquired by Facebook for ~$1B in 2019) and Sania Therapeutics; team members like Pavel bring track records with 49 deep-tech investments and 9 exits, including VisionMap acquired by Rafael and SK Group in 2013.[3]
The firm emerged from its founders' passion for the "Next Industrial Revolution," focusing on climate tech disruptions in a European context.[2] Its evolution has centered on building a stellar track record in energy transition investments, expanding to support scale-ups via structured programs that provide maximum value with minimal time waste.[2][6]
Climate First rides the global energy transition wave, capitalizing on industrial decarbonization, electrification, and AI-driven breakthroughs amid €5.9T in net-zero commitments that create tailwinds for zero-carbon tech with superior economics.[2] Timing is ideal as climate tech matures post-COP commitments, with market forces like regulatory pressures, corporate sustainability mandates, and tech advancements (e.g., AI for energy optimization) favoring scalable deep-tech solutions over legacy fossil fuel systems.[2][3]
The firm influences the ecosystem by accelerating European climate startups into global leaders, fostering collaboration on humanity's biggest challenges, and bridging investor expertise with founder grit to outpace slower incumbents.[3][6] This positions it as a catalyst in shifting industries toward sustainability, amplifying startup impact in a high-stakes decarbonization race.[2]
Climate First is primed to expand its portfolio and influence as energy transition investments surge, potentially launching more exits and scaling its eight-week program to dominate European climate tech.[2][6] Trends like AI-electrification synergies and stricter net-zero enforcement will shape its path, enabling outsized returns for resilient founders tackling industrial giants.[2][3] Its influence may evolve into a cornerstone of the "Next Industrial Revolution," nurturing perpetual decarbonization leaders and redefining VC impact in tech—proving mission-driven investing fuels both planet and profit, just as its thesis promises.[2]
Key people at Climate First.