Zero Carbon Capital
Zero Carbon Capital is a London-based early-stage VC firm founded in 2019 that invests pre-seed and seed capital in European deep tech climate startups, backing scientific founders developing decarbonisation technologies across energy, materials, fuels and food.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Zero Carbon Capital does
Zero Carbon Capital is a London-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2019 that invests at pre-seed and seed stage in European deep tech climate startups. The firm targets "visionary scientific founders" developing technologies aimed at the hardest decarbonisation challenges, spanning thermal energy storage, smart grids, alternative proteins, carbon-negative concrete, sustainable aviation fuels, tidal energy, green hydrogen, and biomass conversion. Its stated role is to provide first-money investment plus founder support to bridge the lab-to-company transition for scientist-entrepreneurs. The firm is structured as a closed-ended alternative investment fund in limited partnership form, raising capital from professional clients and eligible counterparties, and operates under FCA regulation as an appointed representative of Sapphire Capital Partners LLP (FRN 916588).
The portfolio reflects a thesis-led approach rather than a sector-concentrated one, with disclosed holdings including Epoch Biodesign, Exergy3, IONATE, Nutropy, Reclinker, RepAir, Spark e-Fuels, Vema Hydrogen, Caudal Energy, Carbonaide, and Level Nine. Recent activity (October 2025 to May 2026) shows five disclosed participations including a co-led $8.1M Nutropy round, a follow-on in Exergy3's £10M seed, and entry into new geographies (Finland via Carbonaide, Germany via Level Nine). Go-to-market is sales-led at the deal-sourcing layer (direct outreach to scientific founders, university spinouts and ecosystem referrals) and direct at the fundraising layer (institutional LPs and eligible counterparties through regulated channels). Revenue mechanics are conventional venture fund management: management fees on committed or deployed capital plus carried interest on exits, with both unquantified in source material.
The firm employs 11-50 people and is led by Founder and Managing Partner Pippa Gawley with director Alex Gawley, alongside an investment team based at the registered office in Portsmouth. Distribution is concentrated through the firm's website, LinkedIn, and direct outreach to scientific founders; portfolio syndicate relationships with Oxford Science Enterprises, Empirical Ventures, AlbionVC, Axeleo Capital, Redstone and Visionaries Tomorrow provide both deal flow and validation signals across European deep tech climate markets.
Zero Carbon Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zero Carbon Capital
- Legal name
- Zero Carbon Capital Limited
- Website
- https://Zerocarbon.capital
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Zero Carbon Capital is a London-based early-stage VC firm founded in 2019 that invests pre-seed and seed capital in European deep tech climate startups, backing scientific founders developing decarbonisation technologies across energy, materials, fuels and food.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zero Carbon Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investors, Nec (6799)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Climate / Clean Tech & Decarbonization Funds (FSANAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)
Keywords
Where Zero Carbon Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Zero Carbon Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Venture Capital Fund Management: Zero Carbon Capital operates as a venture capital firm that generates returns through equity investments in early-stage deep tech climate companies. As a closed-ended alternative investment fund structured as a limited partnership, the firm raises capital from professional clients and eligible counterparties and deploys it into pre-seed and seed stage companies with potential for significant value creation through technological innovation and market disruption.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Zero Carbon Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zero Carbon Capital is an early-stage venture capital fund that invests pre-seed and seed capital into deep tech climate startups across Europe. The firm targets visionary scientific founders developing transformative decarbonization technologies—including thermal energy storage, smart grid systems, alternative proteins, carbon-negative concrete, sustainable aviation fuels, tidal energy, and green hydrogen—and provides first-money investment plus hands-on support to help founders transition from lab to fully-fledged company. The fund is structured as a closed-ended alternative investment fund and is offered only to professional clients and eligible counterparties.
Product overview
Zero Carbon Capital is a deep tech climate venture capital firm that operates as an appointed representative of Sapphire Capital Partners LLP (FCA authorized). The firm provides pre-seed and seed investments to visionary scientific founders across Europe, targeting transformative innovations that reduce costs and emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors. The firm does not offer products or services in the traditional sense; instead, it provides capital and strategic support to early-stage deep tech companies developing solutions for industrial decarbonization, renewable energy, carbon capture, and sustainable materials. The firm's portfolio includes companies such as Epoch Biodesign (plastic recycling), Exergy3 (thermal energy storage), IONATE (smart grid technology), Nutropy (animal-free dairy), Carbonaide (carbon-negative concrete), Caudal Energy (tidal energy), Level Nine (biomass conversion), and Spark e-Fuels (sustainable aviation fuels), among others.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Zero Carbon Capital Fund Closed-ended alternative investment fund structured as a limited partnership that deploys pre-seed and seed capital into European deep tech climate startups; available only to professional clients and eligible counterparties.
Companies that use Zero Carbon Capital
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Zero Carbon Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Zero Carbon Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Sapphire Capital Partners LLPcoreZero Carbon Capital Limited is an appointed representative of Sapphire Capital Partners LLP which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Sapphire Capital Partners LLP is responsible for the regulated activities carried on by Zero Carbon Capital Limited and operates as principal for financial promotions.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Zero Carbon Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Multi-billion-dollar climate VC backed by Bill Gates and partners, investing globally across stages in deep tech decarbonisation. A large incumbent that competes for the same deep tech climate founders and helps validate the category for LPs.
- Lowercarbon Capital: US-based climate VC investing across stages in decarbonisation and carbon removal startups. Broader and better-capitalised than Zero Carbon Capital, but pursues a similar deep tech climate thesis and competes for many of the same founder profiles.
Direct peers
- Pale Blue Dot: Sweden-based early-stage climate VC backing science- and deep-tech-driven climate startups in Europe. Most directly comparable in mandate, stage (pre-seed/seed), and geography, and frequently a competitor in the same university-spinout sourcing pool.
- Climentum Capital: European early-stage climate VC backing deep tech decarbonisation founders at seed stage with a clear net-zero thesis. Closely comparable in stage, sector, and European focus.
- Extantia Capital: Berlin-based early-stage climate VC investing across Europe in deep tech decarbonisation (energy, mobility, circular economy). Directly comparable pre-seed/seed climate thesis and European footprint.
- Planet A Ventures: Germany-based early-stage climate tech VC investing in European founders tackling environmental challenges with science-based solutions. Comparable in stage, sector focus (decarbonisation), and European geography.
- AENU: Berlin-based climate tech VC investing seed-stage in European decarbonisation startups across energy, mobility, and circular economy. Comparable stage, geography, and deep tech climate mandate.
- 2150: European early-stage VC investing in climate tech and urban tech with a strong decarbonisation and built-environment focus. Comparable stage, geography, and climate/deep tech investment mandate.
- Future Energy Ventures: European early-stage VC focused on climate-tech and energy-transition startups with a deep tech and venture-building orientation. Comparable stage and decarbonisation thesis, with overlap in industrial heat, hydrogen, and grid themes.
- Clean Energy Ventures: US-based seed-stage climate VC backing science- and engineering-driven decarbonisation startups. Comparable early-stage deep tech climate mandate, though geographically North American rather than European.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Zero Carbon Capital social profiles
Digital presenceZero Carbon Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zero Carbon Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Zero Carbon Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zero Carbon Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments28 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zero Carbon Capital
What does Zero Carbon Capital do?
Zero Carbon Capital is an early-stage venture capital fund that invests pre-seed and seed capital into deep tech climate startups across Europe. The firm targets visionary scientific founders developing transformative decarbonization technologies—including thermal energy storage, smart grid systems, alternative proteins, carbon-negative concrete, sustainable aviation fuels, tidal energy, and green hydrogen—and provides first-money investment plus hands-on support to help founders transition from lab to fully-fledged company. The fund is structured as a closed-ended alternative investment fund and is offered only to professional clients and eligible counterparties.
Is Zero Carbon Capital a public or private company?
Zero Carbon Capital is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Zero Carbon Capital founded?
Zero Carbon Capital was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Zero Carbon Capital based?
Zero Carbon Capital is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Zero Carbon Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: venture Capital Fund Management.
Who are Zero Carbon Capital's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Lowercarbon Capital. Direct peers are Pale Blue Dot, Climentum Capital, Extantia Capital, Planet A Ventures, AENU, 2150, Future Energy Ventures and Clean Energy Ventures.
Does Zero Carbon Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zero Carbon Capital.
What industry is Zero Carbon Capital in?
Zero Carbon Capital's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAJAA, Climate / Clean Tech & Decarbonization Funds, with a secondary code of FSANAAAA, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed). Its NAICS code is 525 and its SIC code is 6799.