Ecotone Ventures

What Ecotone Ventures does

Ecotone Partners is a Melbourne-based boutique funds management and advisory firm founded in 2021 by Amanda Goodman, Nicole Kleid Small, Dan Madhavan, and Jeremy Burke, with a stated mission of accelerating the climate transition. The firm operates through two sub-brands: the Planet Fund, a growth-stage climate investment vehicle deploying debt, equity, and hybrid structures to address what the firm terms the 'missing middle' of climate finance, and Ecotone Ventures, a pre-seed to seed stage angel syndicate connecting climate-focused investors with early-stage climate startups. Alongside these investment products, Ecotone Partners delivers bespoke advisory services to governments and foundations on sector development, investor engagement, and blended finance, and to corporates on translating net-zero strategies into actionable plans.

The firm generates revenue through management and performance fees on the Planet Fund, professional services fees on advisory mandates, and carried interest and deal-by-deal returns from the Ecotone Ventures angel syndicate. A third operational leg is the 4 Square Energy joint venture, which delivers energy cost and emissions solutions to large Australian energy users. The firm operates as a corporate authorised representative of True Oak Investments Pty Ltd (AFSL 238184) via four legal entities (Ecotone Partners Pty Ltd, Planet Fund Manager Pty Ltd, Ecotone Partners Financial Services Pty Ltd, and EP Investment Services Pty Ltd), enabling it to offer financial products to wholesale, sophisticated, and professional investors under the Australian Corporations Act.

Ecotone Partners serves a mix of investor and operating clients: institutional climate-focused investors, growth-stage climate companies seeking flexible capital structures, early-stage climate startups, federal and state government agencies (including DFAT and Sustainability Victoria), foundations (ClimateWorks Centre, Summer Foundation), corporates (Bank Australia, Future Super), and large energy users (via 4 Square Energy). Its go-to-market is partner-led and relationship-driven, with deal flow and advisory mandates generated through the team's prior networks and ongoing advisory work. As of 2024 the firm had received funding from LaunchVic (Victoria's startup sector body), maintains an active LinkedIn and content marketing presence, and offers EOI-based access to the Planet Fund and Ecotone Ventures for eligible investors.

Name

Ecotone Ventures

Legal name

Ecotone Partners Pty Ltd

Website

https://ecotonepartners.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ecotone Partners is a Melbourne-based boutique climate finance firm founded in 2021, operating the Planet Fund (growth-stage climate debt and equity) and Ecotone Ventures (pre-seed/seed angel syndicate), with advisory services to governments, foundations, and corporates on climate transition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate-Focused Fund Management and Advisory

NAICS

Other Financial Vehicles (52599), Other Financial Vehicles (525990), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Renewable Energy & Energy Transition Funds (FSANAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI)

Keywords

• Climate venture capital
• Angel syndicate investing
• Impact investment management
• Climate finance advisory
• Fund management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fund Management - The Planet Fund: Boutique funds management focused on climate solutions. Revenue generated through management fees and performance fees from the Planet Fund, which invests in growth-stage climate companies using debt, equity, or hybrid structures.
2. Advisory Services - Governments and Foundations: Strategic advice and consulting services including sector development, investor engagement, and blended finance for government and philanthropic groups. Revenue from advisory fees for strategic consulting and implementation services.
3. Advisory Services - Corporates: Partnership with corporates to translate net-zero strategies into actionable plans. Services include strategy development and business intelligence solutions. Revenue from consulting and advisory fees.
4. Angel Syndicate - Ecotone Ventures: Pre-seed to seed stage climate startup investment through angel syndicate model. Connects climate-conscious investors with early-stage ventures. Revenue model through carried interest and deal-by-deal investment returns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ecotone Ventures is a pre-seed to seed stage climate-focused angel syndicate operated by Ecotone Partners, a boutique funds management and advisory firm. It identifies and vets high-potential early-stage climate startups and connects them with an influential group of angel investors focused on climate impact. The firm also operates the Planet Fund for growth-stage climate companies and provides bespoke advisory services to governments, foundations, and corporates on climate transition strategies.

Product overview

Ecotone Ventures operates as part of Ecotone Partners, a boutique funds management and advisory firm with two distinct investment products: Ecotone Ventures (pre-seed to seed stage angel syndicate for early-stage climate startups) and the Planet Fund (growth stage climate solutions fund). The firm also provides advisory services to governments, foundations, and corporates, and holds a joint venture in 4 Square Energy for corporate energy solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Planet Fund: A climate solutions fund specifically designed to invest in the transition, addressing the 'missing middle' of climate finance with both debt and equity investments
• Ecotone Ventures

Products and services

• Ecotone Ventures A pre-seed to seed stage climate-focused angel syndicate that identifies and vets high-potential early-stage climate startups and connects them with an influential group of angel investors focused on climate impact.
• Planet Fund A fit-for-purpose climate solutions fund designed to invest in climate solutions at the growth stage, encompassing both debt and equity investments with a focus on lower-risk structured debt and high-conviction growth equity positions. Available to wholesale, sophisticated, and professional investors only.
• Government & Foundations Advisory Strategic advice and consulting services on sector development, investor engagement, and blended finance for government and philanthropic groups.
• Corporate Advisory Partnership with corporates and large organisations to translate net-zero strategies into actionable solutions, including strategy development, data and business intelligence, and emissions reduction initiatives.
• 4 Square Energy Joint venture supporting large energy users in Australia to reduce costs, increase energy reliability, and take action to reduce emissions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Target companies with near-term emissions impact and demonstrated path to profitability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• LaunchVicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLaunchVic is Victoria's startup sector body that supports and scales Victoria's startup ecosystem. Ecotone Partners is supported by LaunchVic, likely for ecosystem positioning and startup deal flow access.
• 4 Square EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture supporting large energy users to reduce costs, increase energy reliability, and take action to reduce emissions. Works with some of Australia's largest energy users. Provides energy efficiency and emissions reduction solutions as part of Ecotone's corporate advisory offerings.
• True Oak Investments Pty LtdcoreOthersCorporate authorised representative of True Oak Investments Pty Ltd (ABN 81 002 558 956, AFSL 238184). True Oak provides the regulatory licence framework under which Ecotone Partners operates as a corporate authorised representative.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Wavelength Capital: Emerging Australian specialist climate venture capital manager focusing on early and growth stage climate tech investments. Comparable as a newer, climate-specialised Australian fund manager targeting similar growth-stage climate companies.
• Climate Fund Managers: Specialist climate investment manager that blends debt and equity across emerging market climate infrastructure and growth-stage companies. Comparable climate-focused fund operating a hybrid debt-equity 'missing middle' model.

Direct peers

• Investible: Australia-based early-stage and climate tech VC fund manager running syndicate-style vehicles for impact-oriented startups. Direct comparable in geography (Australia), stage (early-stage climate), and syndicate model.
• Main Sequence Ventures: Australian deep tech and climate tech venture fund manager backed by CSIRO. Comparable as an Australian VC operating in early- and growth-stage climate/deep tech with strong government and institutional relationships.
• Generate Capital: US-based climate infrastructure and sustainable resource investment platform that operates a hybrid debt-equity 'missing middle' model for climate solutions. Closest conceptual peer to the Planet Fund's hybrid structure targeting growth-stage decarbonisation companies.
• Capricorn Investment Group: Mission-aligned investment manager focused on climate solutions and impact across venture, growth, and public markets. Comparable to Ecotone in combining direct climate solutions investing with a values-driven investment philosophy.
• Pollination Group: Australian-headquartered climate advisory and investment firm that bridges corporate, government, and capital markets on climate transition. Directly comparable in being a boutique climate finance and advisory platform based in Australia serving similar government and corporate clients.

Regional players

• Morrison & Co: Australia and New Zealand-based infrastructure and private equity investment manager with material exposure to energy transition assets. Comparable as a boutique-ish APAC fund manager investing in decarbonisation/transition assets, though at infrastructure scale rather than venture-stage.

Broad incumbents

• Brookfield Climate Transition: Large global asset manager with dedicated climate transition investment strategies spanning infrastructure and private equity. Operates in the same climate-investment thematic as Ecotone but at vastly larger scale and with broader mandate.
• TPG Rise Climate: Large-scale dedicated climate investing platform within TPG that invests in climate solutions across growth and venture stages. Operates in the same climate-transition investment theme but at materially larger scale and broader mandate than Ecotone's boutique funds.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecotone-ventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments4 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Ecotone Ventures