What Carbon Collective does

Carbon Collective is a US-based, SEC-registered investment adviser (RIA) founded in 2020 and operating as Carbon Collective Investment LLC out of Albany. The firm offers climate-focused investment management under its proprietary ClimateSmart methodology, which systematically excludes fossil fuels and fossil-fuel-dependent industries, overweights climate-solutions companies, and combines passive global equity exposure with actively managed green and government bonds. Its product surface includes three ClimateSmart portfolios (Climate Only, Core, Yield), two proprietary ETFs (US Climate Solutions ETF/CCSO and Short Duration Green Bonds ETF/CCSB), a ClimateSmart Target Date Fund series, a Fiduciary 2.0 ERISA compliance software module, and services spanning individual IRA/brokerage accounts, employer 401(k)/403(b) plan management as a 3(38) fiduciary, and nonprofit endowment and cash management.

The business model is AUM-based advisory fees across three customer segments. Individuals pay 1.00% on the first $5,000 and 0.25% above that, plus a waivable $1/month maintenance fee, yielding a target total client cost of ~0.35% AUM. Employer plans are priced at 10% below the client's incumbent advisor or via consultation, with Fiduciary 2.0 bundled in. Endowments are served via consultation with custom bond portfolios co-built with green-bond specialist Artesian Investing. Custody for individual accounts runs on Altruist (SOC 2, SIPC-insured). Distribution blends self-serve sign-up via Typeform, direct consultative sales for employer plans, and a community-led referral engine anchored by 27+ climate-focused partner organizations including Project Drawdown, Terra.do, and Work on Climate.

As of March 2026, Carbon Collective reported $348.3M in combined AUM across individual, employer, and ETF/CIT vehicles, serving 5,000+ individual savers and 140+ employer plans. The company has raised approximately $4.2M across two funding rounds (~$2.0M in March 2021 led by Looking Glass Capital and a $2.2M seed in April 2022 led by Powerhouse Ventures) and remains privately held with a 1-10 person team. Strategic differentiation rests on thesis-driven climate specialization, a vertically integrated product stack, and a compliance-software wedge in employer retirement plans rather than scale or AI-driven personalization.

Name

Carbon Collective

Legal name

Carbon Collective Investment LLC

Website

https://carboncollective.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Carbon Collective is a US SEC-registered investment adviser offering climate-focused investment management under its proprietary ClimateSmart methodology, serving individual savers, employer 401(k)/403(b) plans, and nonprofit endowments through proprietary ETFs, target date funds, and bundled fiduciary compliance software.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate-focused Investment Management

akta.pro primary industry

Carbon Markets & Climate Finance (Offsets, Allowances, Carbon Funds) (FSAAALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon Neutrality/Claims Strategy & Communications (claims substantiation, greenwashing risk) (EUABAKAK), Regulatory & Disclosure Strategy (CSRD/ESRS, ISSB/IFRS S2, SEC, TCFD) (EUABAKAH), Carbon Finance & Investment Advisory (Project Finance, Funds, SPVs) (EUABADAD), Carbon Market & Policy Advisory (Compliance Schemes, ETS Design, Article 6) (EUABADAA), Carbon Claims, Labeling & Communications Advisory (VCMI/ICVCM Guidance, Claim Substantiation) (EUABADAI), Carbon Auctions & Tender Management (Buyer/Seller Programs, RFPs) (EUABADAH), Carbon Offtake Structuring & Contracting (ERPA, Long-term Offtakes, Price Floors) (EUABADAE), Benchmarking, Ratings & Stakeholder Reporting Portals (Scorecards, Dashboards) (EUABAEAJ), Offsets & Carbon Removal Procurement Strategy (portfolio design, quality screening) (EUABAKAL)

Keywords

• Climate-focused investment management
• Retirement plan advisory
• ESG portfolio management
• Endowment management services
• Green bond investing

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Investment Management: AUM-based fee on individual investor accounts: 1.00% annually on first $5,000, then 0.25% on amounts above $5,000, plus $1/month account maintenance fee. Fund fees average around 0.40% additional for underlying ETF/CIT expenses.
2. 401(k)/403(b) Advisory Services: Annual advisory fee at 10% less than client's current advisor (for existing plans) or competitive pricing for new plans. Includes Fiduciary 2.0 software at no additional cost.
3. Endowment Management: AUM-based advisory fees for nonprofit endowment management, with custom bond portfolios through partnership with Artesian Investing for larger accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Carbon Collective provides climate-focused investment management under its ClimateSmart brand, excluding fossil fuels and dependent industries while overweighting climate solutions companies. It delivers this strategy through three portfolio options (Climate Only, Core, Yield), proprietary ETFs (US Climate Solutions ETF and Short Duration Green Bonds ETF), Target Date Funds, and managed-account services for individuals, employer-sponsored 401(k)/403(b) plans, and nonprofit endowments. Fiduciary 2.0 compliance software is bundled with retirement plan services.

Product overview

Carbon Collective offers ClimateSmart, a climate-focused investment management platform comprising three portfolio options (Climate Only, Core, and Yield), multiple fund products (US Climate Solutions ETF, Short Duration Green Bonds ETF, and ClimateSmart Target Date Funds), and service offerings for individuals, employers, and nonprofits. The platform is built around the ClimateSmart investment thesis that excludes fossil fuels and overweights climate solutions, combining passive global equity exposure with actively managed green bonds. Services include individual investing accounts (IRAs, brokerage), 401(k)/403(b) plan management, endowment management, and cash management, with Fiduciary 2.0 compliance software included for retirement plans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ClimateSmart: The primary investment approach and brand for Carbon Collective, focusing on climate-focused investing that excludes fossil fuels and overweights climate solutions.
• US Climate Solutions ETF (CCSO)
• Short Duration Green Bonds ETF (CCSB)
• ClimateSmart Target Date Funds

Products and services

• ClimateSmart Investment Strategy Proprietary climate-focused investment methodology that excludes fossil fuels and fossil-fuel-dependent industries while overweighting climate solutions companies; combines passive global equity exposure with actively managed green bond allocation. Sold as managed-account services to individuals, employers, and nonprofits.
• Individual Investing Services Managed-account investment services for individuals, couples, families, and trusts via Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, taxable brokerage accounts, and trusts, implementing the ClimateSmart strategy. Pricing is 1.00% annually on first $5,000, 0.25% on amounts above $5,000, plus a $1/month maintenance fee (waivable). No minimum investment required.
• 401(k)/403(b) Plan Management Services Comprehensive 401(k) and 403(b) plan management where Carbon Collective acts as 3(38) fiduciary advisor, including fund lineup construction, ongoing monitoring, ERISA compliance support, participant education, and bundled Fiduciary 2.0 compliance software. Priced at 10% below incumbent advisor fees for existing plans.
• Endowment Management Services Long-term endowment investment management for nonprofits and foundations aligned with their mission, including foundation setup, long-term investment planning, and customized bond portfolios via partnership with Artesian Investing for larger accounts.
• Cash Management Service Cash reserve management combining money market funds with green bonds to optimize yield while maintaining liquidity and a climate focus, offered to organizational clients alongside endowment management.
• US Climate Solutions ETF (CCSO) Proprietary exchange-traded fund providing targeted exposure to companies driving the energy transition and climate solutions, available to investors as a standalone product.
• Short Duration Green Bonds ETF (CCSB) Proprietary exchange-traded fund investing in short duration green bonds, providing climate-aligned fixed income exposure and used as the bond component of the ClimateSmart portfolio.
• ClimateSmart Target Date Funds Series of target date funds that automatically adjust asset allocation based on the investor's target retirement date while applying the ClimateSmart investment philosophy of fossil fuel exclusion and climate solutions over-weighting.
• Fiduciary 2.0 Compliance Software ERISA-compliant documentation and compliance platform for 401(k) and 403(b) plan sponsors featuring quarterly task assignments, a compliance vault, and audit-ready documentation exports. Bundled at no additional cost into Carbon Collective's retirement plan advisory engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assets under management of $348+ million as of March 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AltruistcoreTechnology or IntegrationAltruist serves as Carbon Collective's brokerage and custodial platform for individual investor accounts. It is the third largest custodian in the US with SOC 2 security compliance and SIPC insurance up to $500K. Carbon Collective has partnered with Altruist since 2020.
• Artesian InvestingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtesian Investing is a green bond specialist firm that partners with Carbon Collective to manage their Short Duration Green Bond ETF and build customized bond portfolios for certain endowment clients. This is a co-development partnership for green bond investment strategies.
• Project DrawdownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProject Drawdown is a climate research organization that serves as a reference point for Carbon Collective's climate solution investment criteria. Their research on solutions that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions informs which companies qualify as climate solutions (>50% revenue from climate-relevant industries).
• Terra.dominorGTM or Marketing PartnerTerra.do is a climate education company whose employees and members are referred to Carbon Collective for climate-focused investment services. Terra.do's community of climate professionals represents a natural fit for ClimateSmart portfolios.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ethic: Ethic is a digital wealth advisor offering personalized sustainable and values-aligned portfolios for individuals and institutions. It is the closest direct competitor to Carbon Collective in combining a climate/values-driven thesis with technology-enabled advisory for individuals and employer plans.
• Aspiration: Aspiration is a sustainability-focused financial services firm offering banking, investing, and retirement products to climate-conscious consumers and businesses. It targets the same mission-aligned individual and employer segments as Carbon Collective, with broader financial product scope.
• Atmos Financial: Atmos is a climate-focused banking and investing platform that finances renewable energy projects. It shares Carbon Collective's climate-thesis-driven product approach for retail consumers and small employer retirement plans.
• Newday Impact Investing: Newday offers impact-focused investment portfolios aligned with environmental and social themes for individuals and advisors. Its thematic climate portfolio approach and advisor-friendly structure are comparable to Carbon Collective's ClimateSmart portfolios.
• GreenAlpha Advisors: GreenAlpha is a small RIA specializing exclusively in sustainable and climate-aligned equity portfolio management. Its narrow sustainability focus and RIA structure make it a close functional peer to Carbon Collective's ClimateSmart strategy.
• Calvert Impact Capital: Calvert Impact Capital manages impact-focused investment products including community investing notes and endowments. It overlaps with Carbon Collective's endowment and mission-aligned product positioning, though it leans more fixed-income and community-focused.
• Trillium Asset Management: Trillium is an ESG-focused investment manager offering mutual funds and separately managed accounts for individuals and institutions. Its long-standing sustainable investing expertise parallels Carbon Collective's climate thesis approach for similar client types.
• Saturna Capital: Saturna Capital offers ESG-aligned mutual funds and serves retirement plans and endowments through affiliated advisors. Its product mix (sustainable mutual funds, retirement plan focus) and RIA-like services overlap with Carbon Collective's individual, 401(k), and endowment offerings.
• Green Century Funds: Green Century is a fossil-fuel-free mutual fund family marketed to environmentally concerned investors and shareholder advocates. Its fossil-fuel exclusion strategy and retail mutual fund distribution are closely comparable to Carbon Collective's CCSO ETF and exclusion methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Impax Asset Management: Impax is a well-established asset manager specializing in sustainable and thematic investing across global equities and fixed income. It is a broader incumbent peer, offering climate-themed strategies at scale that compete for the same institutional and advisor-driven flows as Carbon Collective.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors8 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Carbon Collective