World Fund
World Fund is a Berlin-based European climate tech venture capital firm that invests seed-to-Series B in decarbonization startups, deploying a €300M debut fund (the largest debut climate VC in European history at the time of close) using a proprietary science-based impact methodology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM type—
- OfferingServices
What World Fund does
World Fund is a Berlin-based European climate tech venture capital fund manager, structured as WF World Fund Management GmbH, that backs seed-to-Series B climate tech founders with initial ticket sizes typically between €1-15M and material follow-on reserves. The firm was co-founded in 2021 by Managing Partners Daria Saharova, Tim Schumacher, and Danijel Višević, and closed its debut fund at €300M in 2024, at the time the largest debut climate VC fund in European history, with institutional LPs including the European Investment Fund (€50M via InvestEU), KfW Capital, BPI France, NRWbank, UK Environment Agency Pension Fund, and Wiltshire Pension Fund.
The fund's core product is WF World Fund I GmbH & Co. KG, supported by the proprietary Climate Performance Potential (CPP) methodology — a science-based assessment framework co-developed with TU Berlin, Project Drawdown, and Project Frame and independently validated by RegenIntel. CPP combines quantitative CO2e savings analysis (including life-cycle assessment), qualitative impact assessment using IRIS+ metrics, and a four-pillar regenerative world check. The fund is classified as SFDR Article 9 and operates an impact-influenced carried interest mechanism that ties a portion of carry to climate KPIs. Revenue is generated through traditional VC fund management economics — recurring management fees on committed capital plus performance-based carried interest — alongside the impact-linked carry overlay.
World Fund's customer base is two-sided: European climate tech startups (20+ portfolio companies across energy, food & agriculture, manufacturing, buildings, mobility, quantum computing, AI infrastructure, critical materials, and direct air capture) form the supply side, and a curated set of institutional LPs (pension funds, sovereign and government investors, development banks, corporates) form the demand side for fund commitments. The portfolio includes one unicorn (IQM Quantum Computers, pending $1.8B SPAC exit) and notable names such as Customcells, cylib, VÆRIDION, Aedifion, Planet A Foods, Mission Zero Technologies, and Barocal.
World Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- World Fund
- Legal name
- WF World Fund Management GmbH
- Website
- https://worldfund.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- World Fund is a Berlin-based European climate tech venture capital firm that invests seed-to-Series B in decarbonization startups, deploying a €300M debut fund (the largest debut climate VC in European history at the time of close) using a proprietary science-based impact methodology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
World Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital / Climate Tech Private Equity
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Climate / Clean Tech & Decarbonization Funds (FSANAJAA)
Keywords
Where World Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
World Fund business model
Business model- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Venture capital fund management fees & carried interest: World Fund Management GmbH operates as a venture capital fund manager generating revenue through traditional VC economics: recurring management fees on committed/invested capital from limited partners, plus performance-based carried interest on fund returns. The firm operates 'WF World Fund I GmbH & Co. KG' and a related Feeder Fund structure, with an impact-influenced carry mechanism tying a portion of carried interest to achievement of climate performance KPIs.
- Performance / impact-linked carried interest: A portion of the fund's carried interest is tied to the achievement of impact KPIs (climate performance goals and impact metrics per portfolio company), in addition to financial returns, creating an outcome-based overlay on traditional fund economics.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Seed-to-Series B venture capital investments with €1–15m initial tickets and meaningful follow-on capacity |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
World Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
World Fund is a European climate tech venture capital fund manager that invests from seed through Series B in European climate tech startups with measurable CO2e reduction potential. The firm manages the WF World Fund I GmbH & Co. KG fund vehicle (€300M first close in 2024) and deploys initial tickets of €1–15M, with significant follow-on reserves, primarily across Energy, Food & Agriculture, Manufacturing, Buildings, and Mobility.
Product overview
World Fund is a leading European climate tech venture capital fund, operating as a single unified fund offering (WF World Fund I GmbH & Co. KG) rather than a multi-product platform. Its core service is providing venture capital from seed through Series B to European climate tech startups, with initial ticket sizes typically between €1-15 million and significant follow-on capacity. Underpinning all investment decisions is the proprietary Climate Performance Potential (CPP) methodology, a science-based framework developed with TU Berlin, Project Drawdown, and Project Frame, with independent external validation by RegenIntel. The fund supports portfolio companies including cylib, IQM, Aedifion, Planet A Foods, Freshflow, Anaphite, VÆRIDION, Nitricity, Barocal, Lithosquare, Hyperscale Power, and many others (more than 20 initial investments with 11 uprounds), while publishing research via the Knowledge Base & White Papers, maintaining an LP-facing Investor Portal, and operating a Typeform-based pitch submission form for deal flow.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- World Fund Climate Tech VC Fund I (WF World Fund I GmbH & Co. KG) European climate tech venture capital fund investing from seed through Series B in startups with measurable CO2e reduction potential. Sectors include Energy, Food & Agriculture, Manufacturing, Buildings, and Mobility, plus key enablers (advanced computing, data centers, critical materials). Provides equity capital, follow-on reserves, and active long-term partnership (strategy, hiring, communications, scaling).
- Investor Portal (Fundrbird)
- Knowledge Base & White Papers
- Climate Tech Newsletter (Mailchimp)
- Portfolio of Climate Tech Investments
Quantifiable outcome
- Closed €300M first fund in 2024 — largest debut climate VC fund in European history at that time
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use World Fund
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
World Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
World Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Kaya PartnersflagshipCo-author of World Fund's 'Europe's Power Play' white paper (April 2026) with contributions to the policy section; partner in the Copenhagen 'Strengthening Europe's Resilience' event alongside the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TechBBQ. Bo Lidegaard, Partner at Kaya Partners, is quoted in the report.
- NATO Innovation FundflagshipContributing partner to the 'Europe's Power Play' white paper (April 2026), alongside Kaya Partners and World Fund.
- Prime Coalition (Project Frame)coreWorld Fund joined forces with Prime Coalition on Project Frame to bring transparency and accountability to climate tech investing; the framework feeds into World Fund's CPP methodology and the SFDR Article 9 fund disclosures.
- TU BerlincoreCo-developed World Fund's proprietary Climate Performance Potential (CPP) methodology together with Project Drawdown and Project Frame.
- Project DrawdowncoreCo-developed World Fund's CPP methodology. Research Director Chad Frischmann (also CEO of RegenIntel) serves on World Fund's advisory board.
- RegenIntelcoreIndependent third-party validation partner that audits World Fund's CPP assessments. RegenIntel CEO Chad Frischmann also serves on World Fund's advisory board.
- European Commission (EU Commission on Energy)coreCraig Douglas (Partner at World Fund) is an advisor to the EU Commission on Energy. The fund also benefits from European Union support under the InvestEU Fund.
- Katapult VCcoreCo-published a deep-dive article sharing insights on scaling seaweed as a climate solution, and partner in World Fund's seaweeed knowledge work.
- IgnitecoreCo-author with World Fund and Dealroom of a report identifying Europe's green computing leaders, tied to the 'Green Computing in the AI era' white paper.
- DealroomcoreData partner co-authoring the 'Green Computing in the AI era' report with World Fund and Ignite.
- Worthwhile Capital PartnerscoreCo-author with World Fund and Kaya Partners of the white paper 'The Importance of Climate Tech for European Resilience'.
- Venture Climate Alliance
- Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)
- Tech For Net ZerocoreCo-hosts the biannual Climate Tech Meetup with World Fund, bringing together policymakers, VCs, startups and scaleups in Berlin.
- SlushcoreWorld Fund hosts the Climate Summit by Slush, the only climate tech-focused Slush signature side event at the world's leading tech-startup gathering in Helsinki.
- Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
World Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Bill Gates–backed climate tech venture fund investing across the full decarbonization stack with very large fund sizes. Direct competitor for top-tier European deep-tech climate deals; co-invests with World Fund in Barocal and Hyperscale Power.
- SET Ventures: One of Europe's longest-running dedicated climate tech VC funds, where World Fund Partner Craig Douglas previously spent 12+ years. Highly comparable mandate, stage, and European focus on energy and decarbonization.
- Vsquared Ventures: European deep-tech VC that has co-invested with World Fund in Hyperscale Power and shares exposure to European science-led deep tech (quantum, robotics, climate). Comparable seed-to-Series B stage and pan-European footprint.
- Pale Blue Dot: European climate VC fund focused on early-stage startups reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Comparable sector-agnostic climate mandate, European geography, and seed-to-Series A deployment profile.
- Lowercarbon Capital: US-based climate tech VC investing across decarbonization with comparable check sizes and stage flexibility. Direct peer in the transatlantic climate VC market, particularly relevant given World Fund's California exposure (Nitricity).
- Energy Impact Partners: Global VC platform investing in decarbonization, where World Fund's Chief Climate Officer Morgan Sheil previously worked. Comparable climate-deep-tech mandate and LP base of utilities and energy corporates.
- Clean Energy Ventures: US early-stage climate tech VC funding seed and Series A startups with measurable emissions reductions. Closely comparable impact-measurement approach and seed/Series A stage focus.
- Prelude Ventures: San Francisco-based early-stage climate tech VC investing across energy, mobility, buildings, food, and industry. Comparable climate-pure mandate and stage focus with significant European deep-tech exposure.
- Climate Capital: US climate tech VC investing in early-stage startups that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Similar seed-to-Series A climate-only mandate and active co-investor in European deals.
Broad incumbents
- Engie New Ventures: Corporate venture arm of global energy major Engie, with a broader (non-VC-only) investment mandate across energy transition. OPhélie Laurin, a World Fund Investment Associate, previously worked at Engie RDE, signaling direct operational overlap.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
World Fund social profiles
Digital presenceWorld Fund compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
World Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
World Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
World Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
World Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments37 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about World Fund
What does World Fund do?
World Fund is a European climate tech venture capital fund manager that invests from seed through Series B in European climate tech startups with measurable CO2e reduction potential. The firm manages the WF World Fund I GmbH & Co. KG fund vehicle (€300M first close in 2024) and deploys initial tickets of €1–15M, with significant follow-on reserves, primarily across Energy, Food & Agriculture, Manufacturing, Buildings, and Mobility.
Is World Fund a public or private company?
World Fund is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was World Fund founded?
World Fund was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is World Fund based?
World Fund is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does World Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Venture capital fund management fees & carried interest is the primary driver. The others are performance / impact-linked carried interest.
Who are World Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Breakthrough Energy Ventures, SET Ventures, Vsquared Ventures, Pale Blue Dot, Lowercarbon Capital, Energy Impact Partners, Clean Energy Ventures, Prelude Ventures and Climate Capital. Engie New Ventures is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does World Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for World Fund.
What industry is World Fund in?
World Fund's product category is Venture Capital / Climate Tech Private Equity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAJAA, Climate / Clean Tech & Decarbonization Funds. Its NAICS code is 525.