Motion Capital

What Motion Capital does

Motion Capital Management Limited is a New Zealand-based venture capital fund founded in 2024 by Lachlan Nixon, an investment principal with eight years of prior VC experience. The firm raised a $20 million debut fund dedicated to early-stage climate technology companies and operates as a hands-on lead investor, typically anchoring rounds of $1m-$10m and syndicating 6-8 co-investors per deal. Its portfolio of 11 companies spans energy generation, storage and pricing infrastructure (Factor, Hachiko, Maestro, Supa Energy), decarbonised materials and carbon capture (Zincovery, Zethos, Ternary Kinetics, Aspiring Materials), and food systems (Miruku, Dot Ingredients, Aplenty).

The firm's competitive positioning is built on a thesis that commercial-economics-driven climate technologies will outperform ideological alternatives. Portfolio companies develop proprietary technologies ranging from hydrogen-based zinc dust recycling (Zincovery, claiming 95% emission reduction and 45% cost reduction), molecular farming for animal-free dairy proteins (Miruku), volcanic-rock-based industrial carbon capture (Aspiring Materials), and smart micro-grid platforms (Supa Energy). Motion Capital provides active portfolio support through a core team of five (Founding Partner, two Partners, Associate, Analyst) and an expert adviser community of 11 specialists across climate science, policy, and operations.

Motion Capital's revenue mechanics follow standard VC fund structures: management fees on committed/invested capital plus carried interest on successful exits. Notable performance milestones include Factor's acquisition by Gentrack for up to NZ$34.9m approximately 13 months after Motion Capital's pre-seed SAFE, and co-investment from Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy in Aspiring Materials. The firm is headquartered at 2A Williamson Ave, Ponsonby, Auckland, and primarily sources deals through proprietary founder networks, expert adviser referrals, and ecosystem partnerships with groups such as Icehouse Ventures.

Name

Motion Capital

Legal name

Motion Capital Management Limited

Website

https://motioncapital.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Motion Capital is a New Zealand-based venture capital fund that invests in early-stage climate technology companies across energy, materials, and food systems. Founded in 2024, the firm manages a $20 million debut fund and holds stakes in 11 portfolio companies with one successful exit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)

Keywords

• Venture capital fund
• Climate technology investing
• Early-stage capital
• Decarbonisation investments
• Portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

Ponsonby

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Returns: Motion Capital generates returns through traditional VC mechanisms including carried interest from successful portfolio company exits (e.g., Factor acquired for NZ$34.9m) and management fees from their $20m debut fund.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Motion Capital is a hands-on venture capital fund that invests in early-stage founders building commercially viable climate technologies aimed at decarbonisation. The firm provides lead investment capital, active portfolio support, and access to an expert adviser network across sectors including energy, materials, food systems, and carbon capture. It operates a $20 million debut fund and earns returns through carried interest from portfolio exits and standard fund management fees.

Product overview

Motion Capital is a hands-on venture capital fund investing in early-stage climate technology companies. The fund provides active support to portfolio companies including Factor (energy pricing optimization), Hachiko (battery portfolio management), Zethos (zinc recycling), Ternary Kinetics (liquid electricity), Dot Ingredients (cellulosic surfactants), Aplenty (green CO2 for horticulture), Aspiring Materials (critical minerals and carbon capture), Miruku (animal-free dairy via molecular farming), Maestro (energy orchestration), Supa Energy (smart micro-grids), and Zincovery (zinc recycling technology). Motion Capital takes a lead investor role and has attracted co-investors including Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Motion Capital Debut Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% reduction in CO2 emissions and 45% cost reduction in zinc recycling (Zincovery)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Bill Gates-founded climate-focused venture firm that has co-invested with Motion Capital in Aspiring Materials. Directly comparable as a sector-focused VC investing across decarbonisation verticals, though operating at vastly greater scale and global footprint.
• Khosla Ventures: Large US venture firm with one of the most active climate-tech investment programs, backing companies across energy, materials, food, and carbon. Comparable on thematic focus but operates at $1bn+ fund scale and global mandate.

Direct peers

• Blackbird Ventures: Australia and New Zealand early-stage venture firm that co-invested alongside Motion Capital in Factor's $3m seed round. Comparable as an ANZ-focused lead investor at seed stage with similar check sizes and stage focus.
• Icehouse Ventures: New Zealand early-stage VC that has co-invested with Motion Capital in multiple portfolio companies (Miruku, Aspiring Materials, Factor) and frequently acts as a syndicate partner. Comparable as an NZ-domiciled lead-investor VC.
• Movac: New Zealand venture capital firm specialising in deep-tech and science-backed companies. Co-invested with Motion Capital in Miruku. Highly comparable as an NZ deep-tech specialist investor at similar stage and check size.
• Lowercarbon Capital: US-based venture firm exclusively focused on climate tech, investing across energy, food, materials, and carbon removal. Comparable as a sector-specialist climate VC, though at materially larger fund scale.
• DCVC (Data Collective): US deep-tech venture firm that invests in computationally-driven climate, energy, and materials companies. Comparable as a sector-specialist investor in deep-tech decarbonisation plays, with greater reserves and global reach.
• Pacific Channel: New Zealand deep-tech venture firm focused on science and engineering-driven companies, including climate and clean-tech. Comparable as an NZ-domiciled specialist VC investing at similar early stages.
• K1W1: New Zealand venture capital firm co-founded by Sir Stephen Tindall, investing in early-stage NZ tech companies. Co-invested with Motion Capital in Factor. Comparable as an NZ-focused early-stage lead investor.

Emerging players

• Climate Capital Bio: Early-stage venture firm focused on climate biotech, including molecular farming and alt-protein adjacencies that overlap with Motion Capital's Miruku investment. Comparable on climate-adjacent biotech specialism, though narrower in sub-sector focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/motion-nz

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments8 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Motion Capital