What Kiko Ventures does

Kiko Ventures is the evergreen cleantech investment platform of IP Group plc, a publicly listed UK technology and life sciences investment company. Formally launched in 2022, the firm was built by Founding Partners Robert Trezona (who joined IP Group in 2011 with a mandate to create a cleantech practice) and Arne Morteani, with a $450 million commitment from IP Group representing a tripling of the parent's prior cleantech investment rate. Kiko deploys permanent patient capital across Seed to Series B (and follow-on) into science-based, IP-rich companies developing breakthrough climate technologies.

The portfolio of 15+ companies spans hydrogen electrolysers (Hysata, achieving 95% system efficiency), direct air capture (Alithic), solvent-based carbon capture (C-Capture), CO2-to-fuels conversion (OXCCU), reusable packaging (Vytal), smart thermostats (tado°), solid-state heat pumps (Barocal), hydrogen fuel cells (Bramble Energy), nuclear fusion (First Light Fusion), magnetic gears (Magnomatics), intelligent hot water tanks (Mixergy), silicon battery materials (Nexeon), universal autonomous vehicle software (Oxa), natural hydrogen exploration (Mantle8), and green ammonia cracking for shipping (Sunborne Systems).

Kiko's business model combines capital appreciation on equity investments (realized at IPO, M&A, or secondary exits) with management fees on assets under management. The evergreen structure removes traditional fund lifecycle constraints and enables continuous follow-on participation. Deal flow is sourced through IP Group's university spin-out network (Oxford, Leeds, Wisconsin, Imperial), Energy Transitions Commission participation (Trezona serves as commissioner), and curated co-investment syndicates with strategic corporates including bp ventures, POSCO, Vestas Ventures, CEFC, Templewater, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Founding membership in the Cleantech for UK Coalition (£6 billion+ in combined member funds) positions Kiko as a UK policy and capital coordinator in the deep-tech climate space.

Name

Kiko Ventures

Legal name

Kiko Ventures Limited

Website

https://kiko.vc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kiko Ventures is the evergreen cleantech investment arm of IP Group plc, deploying $450 million of permanent patient capital into early-stage, science-based climate technology companies across hydrogen, carbon capture, energy, and transport sectors globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

SDG / Thematic Sustainable Investment Funds (FSANAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Evergreen / Open-Ended Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAGAM), Climate Finance Funds & Green Investment Facilities (BPADACAH), ESG/SRI/Impact Mutual Funds (FSAAAEAI)

Keywords

• Cleantech venture capital
• Early-stage climate investing
• Science-based startups
• Evergreen fund management
• Deep tech investment

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns: Kiko Ventures generates returns through capital appreciation of portfolio companies, realized upon exit events such as IPOs, acquisitions, or secondary sales. As an evergreen fund backed by IP Group, they provide long-term patient capital to science-based startups.
2. Management Fees: As the cleantech investment platform of IP Group plc, Kiko Ventures earns management fees from fund operations, typically calculated as a percentage of assets under management.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kiko Ventures is the cleantech investment arm of IP Group plc, deploying a $450 million evergreen fund to provide patient equity capital to early-stage science-based startups developing breakthrough climate technologies. The firm sources deals through university spin-outs, research networks, and co-investor relationships, investing from Seed through Series B and continuing follow-on capital throughout a portfolio company's growth journey across Energy, Buildings, Industry, and Transport sectors.

Product overview

Kiko Ventures operates as an evergreen cleantech venture capital investor and is the investment arm of IP Group plc. Rather than offering a traditional product-platform architecture, Kiko provides venture capital investment services focused on early-stage, science-based climate technology companies. The company's investment approach is built around patient capital that can support companies from research breakthrough through to scale, covering sectors including Energy, Buildings, Industry, and Transport (EBIT). Kiko's portfolio companies form the core of its climate impact, including Mantle8 (natural hydrogen exploration), AirForestry (drone-based forestry), Alithic (direct air capture), tado° (smart home climate), Vytal (reusable packaging), Barocal (solid-state heat pumps), Hysata (green hydrogen electrolysers), OXCCU (CO2-to-fuels conversion), Bramble Energy (hydrogen fuel cells), C-Capture (carbon capture chemistry), First Light Fusion (nuclear fusion), Magnomatics (magnetic gears), Mixergy (intelligent hot water), Nexeon (battery materials), and Oxa (autonomous vehicle software).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kiko Ventures Investment Services Evergreen cleantech venture capital investing providing patient equity capital to science-based climate technology startups from early-stage research breakthrough through to scale, with follow-on funding capability throughout the company's growth journey. Targets founders and operators of deep tech, IP-rich companies in Energy, Buildings, Industry, and Transport sectors.

Named customers16 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cleantech for UK CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2023Coalition founded by leading UK cleantech investors and accelerators with combined funds of over £6 billion. Supported by Breakthrough Energy and organized by Cleantech Group. Objective is to supercharge UK cleantech innovation through policy dialogue and industry collaboration. Members include Kiko Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Undaunted, Clean Growth Fund, Just Climate, and Legal & General Capital.
• UndauntedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2023Imperial College London's cleantech accelerator, founding member of Cleantech for UK coalition.
• Breakthrough EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2023Bill Gates-founded organization that supports the Cleantech for UK coalition. Ann-Mettler serves as Vice President for Europe at Breakthrough Energy.
• Reaction EnginescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2021Space propulsion company that developed heat exchanger technology with unprecedented thermal power and efficiency. Partnered with STFC and Kiko to develop ammonia cracking technology for Sunborne Systems.
• University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOXCCU was spun out from the University of Oxford in 2021. Kiko Ventures has been involved since the early days working through IP Group, supporting the technology invented by Professor Peter Edwards and his team.
• Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment research organization whose scientist Professor Bill David developed new ammonia catalyst technology. Partnered with Reaction Engines and Kiko to form Sunborne Systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Bill Gates-founded climate-focused VC that co-invests with Kiko Ventures (Mantle8, Hysata syndicate) and co-founded the Cleantech for UK coalition. Directly comparable as a deep-tech early-stage climate investor with mission-driven permanent capital.
• Trill Impact Ventures: European impact-led venture investor that led tado°'s EUR 43M growth round alongside Kiko Ventures. Comparable as an early-to-growth stage European investor backing science-based climate and impact companies.
• Just Climate: Climate-led investment firm and founding member of the Cleantech for UK coalition with Kiko. Comparable as an institutional climate-focused investor targeting scaled industrial decarbonization, operating with similar permanent-capital mindset.
• Clean Growth Fund: UK-based cleantech venture capital investor and co-founding member of the Cleantech for UK coalition alongside Kiko Ventures. Directly comparable as an early-stage UK cleantech VC deploying institutional capital into science-based climate startups.
• Counteract: UK climate-focused venture investor that co-invested with Kiko Ventures in Alithic's seed round. Directly comparable as an early-stage UK cleantech VC backing science-based climate startups.

Emerging players

• Undaunted: Imperial College London's cleantech accelerator and co-founding member of the Cleantech for UK coalition. Comparable as a UK deep-tech cleantech investor/sourcing engine, though operating as a non-profit accelerator rather than a fund.
• Planet A Ventures: Germany-based early-stage science-focused VC investing in climate and sustainability startups. Comparable as a European deep-tech VC targeting science-based founders with long development horizons, similar to Kiko's cleantech thesis.
• Elemental Impact: Climate-focused venture platform backing early-stage science and technology companies targeting decarbonization. Comparable as a thematic impact investor overlapping with Kiko's cleantech portfolio strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Legal & General Capital: Alternative asset platform and founding member of the Cleantech for UK coalition. Comparable as an institutional capital allocator into UK cleantech, though as part of a much broader investment portfolio rather than a dedicated VC fund.

Others

• IP Group plc: Parent company and sole capital backer of Kiko Ventures. Comparable as a UK-listed IP commercialization and venture investor with university spin-out sourcing infrastructure that directly feeds Kiko's deal pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KikoVentures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments18 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Kiko Ventures