The Planet Fund

What The Planet Fund does

Ecotone Partners Pty Ltd, operating The Planet Fund, is an Australian boutique funds management and advisory firm founded in 2021 by four partners — Amanda Goodman, Dan Madhavan, Jeremy Burke, and Nicole Kleid Small — and headquartered in Richmond, Melbourne. The firm's core product, The Planet Fund, is a climate solutions fund that invests across both structured debt and growth equity to address what the firm describes as the "missing middle" of climate finance, where companies fall between the mandates of traditional VC, PE, and private debt funds. The fund targets profitable or near-profitable climate tech companies with validated technology and emission-reduction impact that are ready to commercialise and scale. A second strategy, Ecotone Ventures, operates a pre-seed to seed stage angel syndicate, connecting climate-conscious investors with early-stage Australian climate ventures on a deal-by-deal basis.

The firm complements its investment activity with bespoke advisory services delivered across three segments: wholesale and sophisticated investors (the fund's LP base under the Australian Corporations Act), government agencies and philanthropic foundations (sector development, blended finance, and capital mobilisation), and large corporates (net-zero strategy execution, energy cost reduction via the 4 Square Energy joint venture). Both Ecotone Partners Pty Ltd (ABN 25 650 796 473) and Planet Fund Manager Pty Ltd (ABN 88 676 971 912) operate as corporate authorised representatives of True Oak Investments Pty Ltd (AFSL 238184), giving the firm a regulated structure without the cost of securing its own AFSL.

The business derives revenue from three streams: recurring fund management fees on The Planet Fund's AUM, transactional investment returns from the underlying debt and equity portfolio, and professional services fees from corporate and government advisory mandates. Distribution is partner-led and relationship-driven, leveraging longstanding connections across the Australian climate ecosystem to source both deal flow and advisory clients. The core team consists of four Partners, one Manager, and one Analyst, with prior credentials spanning Goldman Sachs, JBWere, UK Green Investment Bank, Impact Investment Group, Rampersand VC, and Rothschild. No proprietary technology platform exists; competitive differentiation rests on the bespoke debt/equity mandate, team pedigree, and the cross-segment advisory-to-investment pipeline.

Name

The Planet Fund

Legal name

Planet Fund Manager Pty Ltd

Website

https://ecotonepartners.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Planet Fund, operated by Melbourne-based Ecotone Partners, is a climate-focused investment fund combining structured debt and growth equity for established climate tech companies, complemented by an early-stage angel syndicate and advisory services for governments, foundations, and corporates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Other Financial Vehicles (52599)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Renewable Energy & Energy Transition Funds (FSANAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate / Clean Tech & Decarbonization Funds (FSANAJAA), Carbon Markets & Climate Finance (Offsets, Allowances, Carbon Funds) (FSAAALAH)

Keywords

• Climate investment fund
• Growth equity capital
• Structured debt investments
• Climate transition advisory
• Impact investing management

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fund Management Fees: Management fees from operating The Planet Fund, a climate solutions fund designed for the transition. The fund encompasses both debt and equity investments with a focus on structured debt and growth equity.
2. Investment Returns: Returns from debt and equity investments in climate solutions companies, delivering both financial returns and climate impact through a unique mandate bridging private investors, companies, governments, and philanthropic foundations.
3. Advisory Services: Bespoke advisory services supporting governments and foundations on sector development, investor engagement, and blended finance. Also supports corporates to identify and action practical net zero solutions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Planet Fund is a climate solutions investment fund managed by Ecotone Partners that invests across debt and equity in growth-stage climate companies, targeting the 'missing middle' of climate finance between traditional VC, PE and debt strategies. The firm also operates Ecotone Ventures, a pre-seed to seed stage climate-focused angel syndicate, and provides bespoke advisory services to corporates (net-zero strategy implementation) and governments/foundations (sector development, investor engagement, blended finance).

Product overview

The Planet Fund is operated by Ecotone Partners, a boutique funds management and advisory firm focused on advancing the climate transition. The core product is The Planet Fund, a climate solutions investment fund designed to fill the 'missing middle' of climate finance, offering both debt and equity investments. The firm also operates Ecotone Ventures as a pre-seed to seed stage angel syndicate for early-stage climate startups. Advisory services for corporates and governments/foundations complement the investment offerings, helping clients translate net-zero strategies into actionable solutions including data and business intelligence services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Planet Fund: A climate solutions fund specifically designed to invest in the transition, offering both debt and equity investments focused on lower-risk structured debt and high conviction growth equity positions. Targets transformational, ready to scale climate solutions with a clear path to profitability.
• Ecotone Ventures

Quantifiable outcome

• Addresses climate solutions investment gap - the 'missing middle' of climate finance where climate companies fall between mandates of existing VC, PE and private debt strategies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 4 Square EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture supporting large energy users to reduce costs, increase energy reliability and take action to reduce emissions. 4 Square Energy works with some of Australia's largest energy users, providing services that align with Ecotone's climate transition mission.
• True Oak InvestmentscoreOthersTrue Oak Investments Pty Ltd (AFSL 238184) is the AFS Licensee under which Ecotone Partners Pty Ltd and Planet Fund Manager Pty Ltd operate as corporate authorised representatives. Regulatory licensing relationship.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Generate Capital: US-based sustainable infrastructure financier providing debt and equity to climate solutions companies, often in the 'missing middle' of project finance. Closest comparable in mandate and structure to The Planet Fund.
• Virescent Ventures: Australian climate-tech venture fund targeting growth-stage climate startups. Closely aligned with The Planet Fund's growth-stage mandate, though at smaller cheque sizes and earlier stage.
• Pollination Group: Australia-headquartered climate advisory and investment firm combining advisory, capital raising and fund management for the transition. Competes with Ecotone on climate advisory mandates and LP capital from Australian institutions.
• Impact Investment Group (IIG): Australian impact investment manager where two Ecotone partners previously led. Offers multi-strategy impact investing across climate and other themes, with comparable investor base and LP relationships.
• Investible: Australian early- and growth-stage VC with a dedicated climate/sustainable tech thesis. Comparable on geography and target founders, though broader sector mandate.
• Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC): Australian government-backed green financier providing debt and equity to clean energy projects and climate companies, including growth-stage and 'missing middle' capital. Directly comparable to The Planet Fund's mandate, geography and target customer set.
• Climate Fund Managers: Specialist climate infrastructure and growth fund manager investing across renewable energy and transition themes in emerging and developed markets. Highly comparable in fund structure (debt/equity blend) and target investees.

Broad incumbents

• KKR Global Climate Strategy: Global PE platform with an explicit climate strategy spanning infrastructure, growth equity and credit. Competes for institutional capital and climate investees, though as part of a much broader multi-strategy offering.
• Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners: Leading global fund manager dedicated to renewable energy and greenfield transition infrastructure with debt and equity strategies. Comparable thematic focus but at much larger scale and primarily project-finance oriented.
• Brookfield Climate Transition Investments: Global alternative asset manager with dedicated climate transition fund deploying multi-billion-dollar capital across renewables, clean tech and decarbonisation. Competes for the same climate solutions companies at much larger cheque sizes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecotone-partners

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about The Planet Fund