What Future Five does

Future Five is a Copenhagen-based private venture builder and investor founded by Kasper Hulthin and Morten as the fourth generation of a family business originating in 1907. The firm builds and invests in global ideas across three focus verticals — climate, food, and education — operating a hybrid model in which it co-founds and actively builds a small number of companies while taking passive early-stage positions in a broader portfolio of approximately 15 companies. Active co-founded projects include Normative (a carbon accounting engine backed by a market-leading emissions database, partnered with the United Nations), BeMakers (a direct beverage distribution platform in Europe integrated with EMCS systems, payment providers, VAT lookup, and invoicing services), and Kost Capital (a €25 million venture fund focused on future food system inputs, launched in 2023 with Future Five as founding LP).

The business model combines co-founding equity stakes in actively built companies with passive minority investments in teams the partners believe in. Future Five does not operate as a traditional fund with a team of analysts or an annual investment target; instead, it concentrates operating involvement in a few select ventures where the founders can apply their operating experience from previous companies (notably Podio and Peakon for Kasper Hulthin, plus global food industry experience for Morten). The remainder of the portfolio spans climate tech (Voyager, Planet A Ventures, 2150), cellular agriculture (Gourmey, Swan Neck Bio), bioenergy (Mash Makes), SaaS analytics (Lative, Gillion), quantum computing (Kvantify), consumer products (Flyers), and education (Lylli). Geographic reach spans 12+ countries including Denmark, Sweden, the UK, Germany, France, Ireland, the US, and India.

Future Five generates economic value through equity appreciation in co-founded companies, returns on early-stage passive investments, and management economics from Kost Capital. There is no publicly disclosed pricing, revenue model, or subscription offering at the firm level. Marketing and deal sourcing rely on direct outreach, the firm's website, and a LinkedIn presence rather than inbound demand generation.

Name

Future Five

Legal name

Future Five

Website

https://future5.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Future Five is a Copenhagen-based private venture builder and investor that co-founds and actively builds companies in climate, food, and education, while taking passive early-stage positions across a global portfolio spanning 12+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Startup Building

NAICS

Management of Companies and Enterprises (55111)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Energy & Sustainability / Climate Growth Equity (FSANACAG)

Keywords

• Venture capital investing
• Company building
• Early-stage investments
• Climate technology
• Future food systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Co-founding equity: Future Five engages actively as co-founders in companies where they can apply their experience and network, building equity stakes in these ventures.
2. Early investment returns: Passive investments into global ideas led by teams they believe in, generating returns through equity appreciation and exits.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Future Five builds and invests in global ideas focused on climate, food, and education. The company operates as a selective, hands-on build-and-invest vehicle: it actively co-founds and helps build a small number of companies (including Normative for carbon accounting, BeMakers for direct beverage distribution, and Kost Capital for food system venture capital) and makes passive early investments in teams and ideas they believe in.

Product overview

Future Five is a venture building and investment company that operates as co-founders and early investors in global ideas focused on climate, food, and education. The company actively builds three core projects: (1) Normative, a carbon accounting engine for climate footprint calculation, (2) BeMakers, a direct beverage distribution platform for Europe, and (3) Kost Capital, a venture capital fund for future food system innovations. Future Five also maintains a portfolio of passive investments across climate technology, food & beverages, education, and helping-ideas-grow categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Normative The world's first carbon accounting engine that helps businesses calculate their entire climate footprint and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Powered by a market-leading emissions database and built for scientific accuracy in emissions accounting, serving top-performing companies committing to net zero. Future Five co-founded the business and Kasper Hulthin serves as Executive Chairperson.
• BeMakers The leading platform for direct beverage distribution in Europe, providing infrastructure that allows craft beverage makers to circumvent traditional distributors and sell directly to businesses and consumers internationally via multiple channels. Fully integrated with EMCS systems, shipping partners, payment providers, VAT lookup, email and invoicing services. Future Five co-founded the business and Kasper Hulthin serves as Executive Chairperson.
• Kost Capital A venture capital firm focused on the inputs for the future food system, backed by a €25 million fund. Invests in early-stage startups developing ingredients and technologies pivotal to the future of food and the bioeconomy. Future Five is a founding LP and part of the Investment Committee; backed by a strategic partnership with Kost Studio.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Kost StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKost Studio is a food product development company with gastro-physicians, former Michelin chefs, and food historians. They support Kost Capital as an extended product exploration team and co-develop early-stage food innovations.
• United Nations (UN)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNormative, in which Future Five is involved as Executive Chairperson, partners with the United Nations to deliver actionable sustainability intelligence. This partnership positions Normative as a key climate action enabler globally.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Antler: Global venture builder and early-stage investor that co-founds companies with founders across multiple geographies and sectors. Directly comparable to Future Five's co-founder-led model and selective approach to backing 'leaders who have done parts of the journey before.'
• Entrepreneur First: Company builder that brings together individuals to co-found technology startups from scratch. Mirrors Future Five's active co-founding model and operator-led approach to early-stage venture creation.
• The Family: European venture builder/community that supports founders from inception through scale. Shares Future Five's hands-on, operator-first ethos and selectivity across multiple sectors.

Broad incumbents

• Atomico: European venture capital firm founded and led by a repeat founder (Niklas Zennström, Skype). Comparable to Future Five in founder-led brand, thematic conviction, and large-scale European/early-stage ambition, though at meaningfully greater fund size.
• Northzone: Nordic-headquartered venture capital firm investing across European tech stages. Comparable to Future Five in Nordic roots and multi-sector approach, though at significantly larger fund scale.
• Cherry Ventures: Berlin-based early-stage European VC with a founder-led, concentrated-portfolio approach. Comparable to Future Five in selective deal pacing and operator-backed brand, though at larger fund scale.
• Synthesis Capital: Dedicated food-tech and alternative-protein venture capital firm. Highly comparable to Future Five's Kost Capital food-system thesis and direct stakes in Gourmey/Swan Neck Bio.
• Speedinvest: European early-stage venture capital firm with sector-focused funds across climate, deep tech, and consumer. Comparable to Future Five in multi-thematic European approach and early-stage concentration.

Regional players

• 2150: European climate-tech venture firm focused on Constructive Capital and urban infrastructure. Direct co-investor alongside Future Five in Normative, making it a natural thematic peer in the climate-fund subsegment.

Emerging players

• Planet A Ventures: European early-stage VC backing founders tackling climate change, plastic pollution, and water scarcity. Overlapping investment mandate with Future Five's climate focus and similar early-stage ticket sizes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/future-five

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Future Five