World Fund

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.

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

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

• Venture capital funding
• Climate tech investing
• Seed to series b
• Private equity management
• Impact investing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core 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

Named customers24 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Kaya PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-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 FundflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner to the 'Europe's Power Play' white paper (April 2026), alongside Kaya Partners and World Fund.
• Prime Coalition (Project Frame)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld 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 BerlincoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-developed World Fund's proprietary Climate Performance Potential (CPP) methodology together with Project Drawdown and Project Frame.
• Project DrawdowncoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-developed World Fund's CPP methodology. Research Director Chad Frischmann (also CEO of RegenIntel) serves on World Fund's advisory board.
• RegenIntelcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent 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)coreOthersCraig 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 VCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-published a deep-dive article sharing insights on scaling seaweed as a climate solution, and partner in World Fund's seaweeed knowledge work.
• IgnitecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-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.
• DealroomcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerData partner co-authoring the 'Green Computing in the AI era' report with World Fund and Ignite.
• Worthwhile Capital PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-author with World Fund and Kaya Partners of the white paper 'The Importance of Climate Tech for European Resilience'.
• Venture Climate AllianceOthers
• Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)Others
• Tech For Net ZerocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the biannual Climate Tech Meetup with World Fund, bringing together policymakers, VCs, startups and scaleups in Berlin.
• SlushcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld 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 AffairsOthers

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/WorldFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/worldfund

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments37 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about World Fund