Factor E
Factor E is a Fort Collins-based impact investment firm and venture studio founded in 2013 that provides $100K–$500K seed-stage capital and hands-on support to climate tech startups in Africa and emerging markets through an evergreen Innovation Trust, Factor E Ventures, and the Delta40 venture studio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersFort Collins, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Factor E does
Factor E is a Fort Collins, Colorado-based impact investment firm (legally FactorE Ventures PBC) founded in 2013 that operates a venture studio and evergreen fund model focused exclusively on early-stage climate technology companies in Africa and other emerging markets. The firm delivers its work through a "Think + Do + Learn" methodology executed via two principal programs: Factor E Labs, which applies design thinking and technology brokering to identify solutions by recombining ideas across disconnected industries; and Factor E Ventures, which provides equity capital ($100K–$500K initial checks at the idea-to-seed stage) along with hands-on operational support from concept through scale. Capital is structured through a non-profit Innovation Trust that recycles investment returns into future deals, creating a compounding evergreen pool supported by philanthropic donors including NORAD, Shell Foundation, FCDO, Autodesk Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Skoll Foundation.
The company's core technology and investment approach centers on "technology brokering"—recombining existing ideas from multiple industries and geographies into novel products and services for new markets. Its portfolio of approximately 39 companies spans five climate sectors (Clean Power, Advanced Transport, Building & Industry, Water, and Sustainable Agriculture) across 43 operating countries and includes notable operating companies such as Odyssey Energy Solutions ($1.3B in financing access), Sistema.bio (biodigesters for smallholder farms), Ampersand (electric motorcycle battery swapping), SunFi (solar financing), Sparkmeter and SteamaCo (IoT smart metering), Apollo Agriculture (ML-driven farmer credit), and S4S Technologies (solar conduction dryers). The firm also runs the Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Prize, a $50,000 challenge program co-sponsored with Shell Foundation and FCDO.
In March 2023, Factor E launched Delta40, a pan-African venture studio with $20 million in committed capital from 54 investors across 13 countries—including Soros Economic Development Fund, FMO, GIZ, Autodesk Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Skoll Foundation—focused on building and supporting early-stage climate ventures. That same year the firm established Equator, a complementary venture capital vehicle with teams in Nairobi, Lagos, London, and Colorado, designed to bridge the funding gap between pre-seed and later-stage rounds. Factor E's reported impact metrics include $529 million in leverage generated on investments, 379.7 million metric tons of cumulative GHG emissions reduced through portfolio companies, 2,515 direct full-time jobs created, 119.6 million livelihoods improved, 8 successful exits, and an 88% first-mover deal rate. The firm sells no traditional product; its "customers" are portfolio founders and its funding partners, and revenue (not publicly disclosed) flows from recycled investment returns and philanthropic donations and grants.
Factor E firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Factor E
- Legal name
- FactorE Ventures PBC
- Website
- https://factore.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Factor E is a Fort Collins-based impact investment firm and venture studio founded in 2013 that provides $100K–$500K seed-stage capital and hands-on support to climate tech startups in Africa and emerging markets through an evergreen Innovation Trust, Factor E Ventures, and the Delta40 venture studio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Factor E industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Impact Investing / Climate Tech Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investors, Nec (6799)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Impact / ESG Venture Capital (FSANAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- ESG Integration / Responsible Investment Funds (Broad ESG) (FSANAJAL), Gender Lens / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Funds (FSANAJAM), Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds (BPADACAO)
Keywords
Where Factor E is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Collins
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Factor E business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Impact Investment Returns: Factor E operates as an impact investment firm that generates returns through equity investments in climate tech startups. Investment returns are recycled through the Innovation Trust to fund future impact investing.
- Donations and Grants: Funding from foundations, governments, and donors. The cornerstone of the model is the non-profit Innovation Trust which recycles investment returns to fund future impact investing, creating an evergreen model.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Factor E product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Factor E is a venture capital and impact investment firm that identifies, funds, and supports early-stage climate tech startups, primarily in Africa and other emerging markets. It deploys $100,000–$500,000 equity investments at the idea-to-seed stage and provides hands-on operational guidance from concept to scale through its Think + Do + Learn model delivered via Factor E Labs and Factor E Ventures.
Product overview
Factor E is an impact investment platform that identifies and invests in solutions to some of the world's toughest climate and development problems. The firm operates through a Think + Do + Learn model delivered via two main programs: Factor E Labs (the 'Think' component combining design thinking and technology brokering for market landscaping, thesis development, and solution identification) and Factor E Ventures (the 'Do' component providing equity investments and hands-on guidance from concept to scale). Factor E focuses investments across five climate sectors: Clean Power, Advanced Transport, Building & Industry, Water, and Sustainable Agriculture. The portfolio includes over 30 portfolio companies spanning areas such as microgrid management software (60Hertz, Homer Energy, SteamaCo), energy transaction platforms (Open Access Energy, NeedEnergy), solar financing (SunFi), electric mobility (Ampersand, Roam Electric), agricultural technology (Sistema.bio, S4S Technologies, Clean Crop Technologies, Apollo Agriculture, InspiraFarms), cold chain management (Figorr), water treatment (Wase, Waterwhelm, Sentry Water Tech, WAVR Technologies), and climate insurance (Ibisa). Factor E also runs the Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Prize, a $50,000 prize program for solutions reducing post-harvest loss among smallholder farmers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Factor E Labs The 'Think' component of the Think + Do + Learn model that combines design thinking and technology brokering to discover innovations by critically understanding key climate problems and identifying the shortest path to solving them through market landscaping, thesis development, and solution landscaping.
- Factor E Ventures The 'Do' component of the Think + Do + Learn model that provides equity investments of $100,000 to $500,000 and experienced, hands-on guidance from concept to scale, including due diligence and investment, post-investment support, and monitoring and reporting, targeted at early-stage climate tech startups in Africa.
- Delta40 Venture Studio A pan-African venture studio launched by Factor E in March 2023 that develops technology ventures to address climate change and raise incomes in Africa, providing initial investments of $100,000 to $500,000 at the idea-to-seed stage alongside hands-on operational support to African and female founders in energy, agriculture, and mobility sectors. Raised $20M from 54 investors across 13 countries.
- Equator Venture Capital A venture capital firm established in 2023 with support from Factor E to address the critical funding gap many climate-tech startups encounter after pre-seed funding, investing in early-stage climate-tech ventures in energy, agriculture, and mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa with Factor E supporting deal sourcing, due diligence, and post-investment support.
- Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Prize A $50,000 innovation prize program launched by Factor E Ventures in collaboration with Shell Foundation and FCDO, seeking groundbreaking solutions that empower smallholder farmers in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa to reduce post-harvest loss, with finalists gaining access to a network of industry leaders and post-investment support.
- Innovation Trust A non-profit evergreen model that recycles investment returns to fund future impact investing, creating a compounding effect that transforms initial donations into sustainable catalytic capital for multi-generational impact. Serves as the cornerstone of Factor E's capital structure.
Quantifiable outcome
- 379.7M metric tons of GHG emissions reduced through portfolio
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Factor E
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Factor E technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature2 records
Factor E partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute)coreInnovation partner providing scientific expertise and research support. Collaborated on reports including 'The Opportunity for Grid Connectivity, Intelligence, and Flexibility in Africa' analyzing electricity access challenges and solutions.
- Arizona State UniversitymajorInnovation partner providing research expertise and venture experience opportunities. Center for offsetting Negative effects of development through sustainable systems research.
- Colorado State UniversitymajorInnovation partner contributing research capabilities and academic expertise to Factor E's climate tech initiatives
- NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)majorUS Department of Energy laboratory innovation partner providing technical expertise in renewable energy
- Stanford UniversitymajorInnovation partner through Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability providing academic and research collaboration
- EquatormajorVenture capital firm established in 2023 with support from Factor E to address funding gap after pre-seed stage. Invests in early-stage climate-tech ventures in energy, agriculture, and mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa. Factor E supports deal sourcing, due diligence, and shared post-investment support platform.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Factor E competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Acumen: Acumen is a non-profit impact investment fund focused on early-stage companies addressing poverty in Africa and South Asia. Directly comparable to Factor E as both deploy patient capital into climate-adjacent, emerging-market startups with hands-on operational support.
- Novastar Ventures: Novastar is an Africa-focused venture capital firm investing in early-stage consumer and climate-aligned businesses serving low-income markets. Closely mirrors Factor E's thesis of backing mission-driven founders building for African mass-market consumers.
- Persistent Energy Capital: Persistent Energy is a venture builder and early-stage investor in African clean energy and climate tech startups. Directly comparable to Factor E/Delta40 as both run venture studio-like models and deploy seed capital into distributed energy and mobility ventures across Africa.
- CrossBoundary Energy: CrossBoundary provides commercial finance and development capital to renewable energy and climate infrastructure projects across Africa. Comparable to Factor E in mission and geography, though focused more on project-level investment than venture-stage startups.
- E3 Capital (Energy, Environment & Equity): E3 Capital is an early-stage VC fund backing African climate tech and energy access startups. Directly comparable to Factor E Ventures in investment stage, sector focus, and African geography.
Emerging players
- Equator VC: Equator was established in 2023 with support from Factor E to bridge pre-seed to seed funding for African climate-tech ventures. An adjacent/sibling player with overlapping LP relationships and shared post-investment infrastructure.
Broad incumbents
- Khosla Ventures: Khosla Ventures is a major US venture firm with substantial climate tech exposure across energy, agriculture, and mobility. Operates at significantly larger scale than Factor E but competes for the same Africa- and climate-focused founders.
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Breakthrough Energy Ventures is a multi-billion-dollar climate tech fund backed by Bill Gates and others. While geographically and stage-different, it represents the institutional competition Factor E increasingly encounters for high-quality climate deals globally.
- Energy Impact Partners: Energy Impact Partners is a global investment platform partnering with utilities and energy companies to fund climate tech. Comparable in sector focus (clean energy, climate) but operates at much larger AUM and broader geography than Factor E.
Regional players
- All On: All On is a Shell-funded impact energy company investing in off-grid and renewable energy enterprises across Nigeria. Regionally comparable to Factor E/Delta40's Nigerian operations and shares the development-finance-backed investment model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Factor E social profiles
Digital presenceFactor E financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Factor E leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Factor E funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Factor E M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments32 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Factor E
What does Factor E do?
Factor E is a venture capital and impact investment firm that identifies, funds, and supports early-stage climate tech startups, primarily in Africa and other emerging markets. It deploys $100,000–$500,000 equity investments at the idea-to-seed stage and provides hands-on operational guidance from concept to scale through its Think + Do + Learn model delivered via Factor E Labs and Factor E Ventures.
Is Factor E a public or private company?
Factor E is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Factor E founded?
Factor E was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Factor E based?
Factor E is headquartered in Fort Collins, United States, in the North America region.
How does Factor E make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Impact Investment Returns are the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants.
Who are Factor E's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Acumen, Novastar Ventures, Persistent Energy Capital, CrossBoundary Energy and E3 Capital (Energy, Environment & Equity). Equator VC is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Khosla Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Energy Impact Partners. All On is listed as a regional player.
Does Factor E have an API?
No public API is recorded for Factor E.
What industry is Factor E in?
Factor E's product category is Impact Investing / Climate Tech Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAG, Impact / ESG Venture Capital, with a secondary code of FSANAJAL, ESG Integration / Responsible Investment Funds (Broad ESG). Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6799.