ETF Partners
London-based venture capital firm founded in 2005, investing across five themes — Energy Transition, Future Mobility, Green Connectivity, Responsible Consumer, and Sustainable Food — into European sustainable-technology companies through Article 9 SFDR-classified funds and serving institutional limited partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ETF Partners does
ETF Partners LLP (also marketed as "The Environmental Technologies Fund") is a London-based venture capital firm founded in 2005 by Patrick Sheehan and Peter Horsburgh, authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 453441). The firm invests growth-stage equity into European technology companies whose products and services enable sustainable infrastructure, organised around five binding themes: Energy Transition, Future Mobility, Green Connectivity, Responsible Consumer, and Sustainable Food. Its most recent fund, Environmental Technologies Fund 4 LP, is classified Article 9 under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), with impact KPIs aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Impact Measurement Project standard embedded in term sheets.
ETF Partners reviews approximately 1,000 deals per year and holds more than 30 portfolio companies across quantum computing (QuantWare), space-traffic management (Look Up Space), battery/grid software (Amber Electric, Dexter Energy, Modo Energy), software-defined vehicles (Basemark), food waste (AIPERIA), sustainable consumer goods (Fairly Made, Phenix, Hubcycle), and digital infrastructure (Cubbit, Open Cosmos, Wirepas). The firm is led by Managing Partners Patrick Sheehan and Rob Genieser, with Senior Partners Remy de Tonnac and Fabrice Bienfait, and supported by Venture Partners including Mikko Suonenlahti and Claudio Simao. Recurring co-investors include Intel Capital, In-Q-Tel, Molten Ventures, EIC Fund and BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund.
The firm generates revenue through fund management fees on assets under management, carried interest (partially linked to portfolio companies meeting impact goals), and returns from equity stakes. Distribution to LPs is bilateral, restricted to qualified Professional Clients and Eligible Counterparties. Surrounding the funds, ETF Partners operates a content platform — the "Sustainability Talks" podcast, the "ETF Digest" newsletter, and a series of whitepapers (notably "The Intelligence Layer") — used to convene LPs, founders and ecosystem participants and to reinforce its positioning as a specialist sustainability investor.
ETF Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ETF Partners
- Legal name
- ETF Partners LLP
- Website
- https://etfpartners.capital
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- London-based venture capital firm founded in 2005, investing across five themes — Energy Transition, Future Mobility, Green Connectivity, Responsible Consumer, and Sustainable Food — into European sustainable-technology companies through Article 9 SFDR-classified funds and serving institutional limited partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ETF Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- SDG / Thematic Sustainable Investment Funds (FSANAJAN), Renewables & Energy Transition Funds (Solar, Wind, Hydrogen, CCUS) (FSANAEAD)
Keywords
Where ETF Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ETF Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Fund Management Fees: Recurring management fees on assets under management across multiple fund vintages (e.g., Environmental Technologies Fund 4 LP, classified Article 9 under SFDR); standard venture capital limited-partnership structure.
- Carried Interest / Performance Fees: Performance-based carried interest on fund returns; for some products partially contingent on portfolio companies meeting impact goals set at acquisition, aligning financial incentives with measurable sustainability outcomes.
- Investment Returns (Capital Gains): Returns generated from equity stakes in portfolio companies, including successful exits (e.g., Greenbird exited to GE; other portfolio liquidity events); reinvested into subsequent funds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | LP capital commitments to Environmental Technologies Fund vintages (e.g., ETF Fund 4) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
ETF Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ETF Partners is a European sustainable venture capital firm that invests growth capital in innovative private companies across five binding themes: Energy Transition, Future Mobility, Green Connectivity, Responsible Consumer, and Sustainable Food. The firm manages multi-vintage limited partnership funds — most recently Environmental Technologies Fund 4 LP, classified as Article 9 under the EU SFDR — and provides portfolio companies with board-level governance, sector expertise, and access to a curated co-investor network, while offering institutional limited partners a credible vehicle for measurable sustainability outcomes.
Product overview
ETF Partners is a European sustainable venture capital firm (legally ETF Partners LLP, also known as "The Environmental Technologies Fund"), founded in 2005 and authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 453441). Its core offering is a series of venture capital funds — most recently Environmental Technologies Fund 4 LP (ETF Fund 4), classified as Article 9 under the EU SFDR — that invest across five binding themes: Energy Transition, Future Mobility, Green Connectivity, Responsible Consumer, and Sustainable Food. Surrounding the investment products, ETF Partners operates a content and thought-leadership platform that includes the "Sustainability Talks" podcast, the "ETF Digest" monthly newsletter (distributed via Mailchimp), and an annual series of whitepapers and impact reports (notably "The Intelligence Layer" published for the firm's 20th anniversary and the annual Impact Reports). The active and exited portfolio — listed on the Companies page — comprises more than 30 companies spanning quantum computing, space, energy, mobility, AI-enabled SaaS, sustainable consumer goods, and food. Customer-facing integrations on the etfpartners.capital website include Spotify for the podcast, Vimeo for video content, Typeform for the contact form, Mailchimp for the newsletter, and TravelTime + Leaflet + OpenStreetMap for the Contact page map.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Environmental Technologies Fund 4 LP (ETF Fund 4) ETF Partners' latest venture capital fund, classified as Article 9 under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation. The fund invests in private growth-stage companies delivering innovative products and services with positive environmental impact across five binding themes. Available to qualifying Professional Clients and Eligible Counterparties via bilateral limited-partnership commitments. Impact KPIs aligned with UN SDGs are tracked from deal entry through quarterly portfolio reporting.
- Environmental Technologies Fund (multi-vintage fund platform) Series of venture capital fund vintages operated by ETF Partners under the Environmental Technologies Fund umbrella, providing growth equity to European sustainable-technology companies across the firm's five investment themes. Each fund vintage is offered to institutional limited partners as a limited-partnership vehicle with negotiated capital commitments, management fees, and carried-interest economics.
Quantifiable outcome
- Portfolio company Basemark's financial performance increased by a factor of 10 during ETF Partners' involvement (since 2020).
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ETF Partners
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ETF Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature2 records
ETF Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Spacedata Inc.minorLook Up Space (an ETF Partners portfolio company) partnering with Japan's Spacedata Inc. to build a dedicated SSA (Space Situational Awareness) data platform in Japan; partnership highlighted via ETF Partners portfolio coverage.
- ConnectedCosmos / Open Cosmos (sovereign LEO constellation)coreOpen Cosmos (an ETF Partners portfolio company) launching ConnectedCosmos — a sovereign Low Earth Orbit constellation; Patrick Sheehan (ETF Partners Founder & Managing Partner) sits on the Open Cosmos board.
- AilantominorDistribution/reseller partnership with Cubbit (ETF Partners portfolio) to enter the Swiss cloud market; channel relationship for Cubbit's distributed-storage technology.
- E.ON Group InnovationcoreE.ON Group Innovation publicly highlighted their collaboration with Amber Electric (ETF Partners portfolio) to support battery automation and EV optimisation across European utilities.
- Natsu GroupminorAIPERIA (ETF Partners portfolio) expanded into the ultra-fresh food sector through a new partnership with Natsu Group, a major supplier of fresh sushi — channel/commercial partnership in Germany.
- LuxoftminorBasemark (ETF Partners portfolio) partnered with Luxoft to deliver cutting-edge automotive augmented-reality solutions — strategic go-to-market alliance for automotive HMI software.
- Invest EuropecoreIndustry body of which Patrick Sheehan (Founder & Managing Partner of ETF Partners) was instrumental in founding the venture-capital platform; Zoë VanderWolk presented at Invest Europe's inaugural Impact Gathering in London (May 2026).
- Tech TourcoreRemy de Tonnac (Senior Partner, ETF Partners) is Chair of the International Venture Club of the Tech Tour — the largest VC association in Europe — and Mikko Suonenlahti (Venture Partner) was recognised as EIC Scaling Club's 'Most In-Demand Mentor' at its Growth Forum.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ETF Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Bill Gates-backed global climate-tech investment fund — operates at significantly larger scale with global mandate; overlapping thesis but broader portfolio and capital base than ETF.
- Mirova Natural Capital: Affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers investing in natural capital, climate and impact strategies — adjacent European impact/ESG investor with broader product set beyond VC.
Direct peers
- Clean Growth Fund: UK-based venture capital fund investing in clean growth and sustainability-focused early-stage companies — directly comparable UK/European cleantech stage and thesis.
- 2150: European venture fund investing in urban tech and sustainable infrastructure startups — overlaps directly with ETF's Green Connectivity, Future Mobility and Sustainable Food themes.
- pale blue dot: European early-stage venture capital firm focused on climate-tech founders tackling the climate crisis — directly comparable thesis, stage, and European footprint.
- Planet A Ventures: Copenhagen-based impact VC investing in deep-tech start-ups tackling environmental and climate challenges — comparable European sustainable-tech thesis and stage.
- Extantia Capital: European climate-first VC backing founders decarbonising energy, industry and infrastructure — directly comparable European sustainable-tech mandate.
- Planet First Partners: European sustainable/impact private equity and venture investor backing companies delivering environmental solutions across Europe — same Article 9-style impact mandate and similar target geographies.
- Kiko Ventures: Climate-tech VC investing across Europe (formerly associated with IP Group) — comparable deep-tech / sustainable-tech investment stage and European scope.
Regional players
- Lowercarbon Capital: US-based venture capital firm funding startups that reduce CO2 — directly comparable climate-tech thesis but US-anchored, not a head-to-head competitor in Europe.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ETF Partners social profiles
Digital presenceETF Partners compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
ETF Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ETF Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles23 records
ETF Partners subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
ETF Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ETF Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments92 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ETF Partners
What does ETF Partners do?
ETF Partners is a European sustainable venture capital firm that invests growth capital in innovative private companies across five binding themes: Energy Transition, Future Mobility, Green Connectivity, Responsible Consumer, and Sustainable Food. The firm manages multi-vintage limited partnership funds — most recently Environmental Technologies Fund 4 LP, classified as Article 9 under the EU SFDR — and provides portfolio companies with board-level governance, sector expertise, and access to a curated co-investor network, while offering institutional limited partners a credible vehicle for measurable sustainability outcomes.
Is ETF Partners a public or private company?
ETF Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ETF Partners founded?
ETF Partners was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ETF Partners based?
ETF Partners is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ETF Partners make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fund Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest / Performance Fees and investment Returns (Capital Gains).
Who are ETF Partners's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Mirova Natural Capital. Direct peers are Clean Growth Fund, 2150, pale blue dot, Planet A Ventures, Extantia Capital, Planet First Partners and Kiko Ventures. Lowercarbon Capital is listed as a regional player.
Does ETF Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for ETF Partners.
What industry is ETF Partners in?
ETF Partners's product category is Sustainable Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure), with a secondary code of FSANAJAN, SDG / Thematic Sustainable Investment Funds. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.