DOEN Ventures
DOEN Ventures (DOEN Participaties B.V.) is the impact-first investment arm of the Dutch DOEN Foundation, providing patient equity and convertible loans to early-stage sustainable and social startups across Northwest Europe since 1995.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DOEN Ventures does
DOEN Ventures (legal entity: DOEN Participaties B.V.) is the impact-first investment company of Stichting DOEN, the Dutch foundation funded by the Postcode Lottery (Postcode Loterij) and Friends Lottery (VriendenLoterij). Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Amsterdam, the firm provides convertible loans and equity to early-stage sustainable and social startups across Northwest Europe, with an explicit geographic focus on the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, and Sweden. Investment activity is concentrated in five thematic areas: sustainable consumer products, alternative materials, circular business models, sustainable food systems, and blue economy.
The firm operates as a patient capital investor with a 7-10 year holding horizon, accepting governance structures such as steward-ownership to protect impact mission. DOEN does not develop proprietary technology; its offering is financial capital combined with network access, co-investor syndication, and marketing exposure routed through the Postcode Lottery ecosystem. As a fully foundation-owned, reinvesting entity, it does not require short-term financial returns, enabling underwriting of pre-commercial, high-risk ventures that conventional venture capital typically avoids.
To date, DOEN has deployed approximately €143 million across 68 portfolio companies (47 in the Netherlands, 21 international), with disclosed check sizes ranging from €1.5 million to a €49 million Fairphone consortium round in 2023. The firm almost always co-invests alongside other impact-aligned funds, using syndication as a deal-validation mechanism, and holds minority stakes. Operations are run by a small team of roughly 12 impact investment professionals from a single Amsterdam office.
DOEN Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DOEN Ventures
- Legal name
- DOEN Participaties B.V.
- Website
- https://doenventures.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- DOEN Ventures (DOEN Participaties B.V.) is the impact-first investment arm of the Dutch DOEN Foundation, providing patient equity and convertible loans to early-stage sustainable and social startups across Northwest Europe since 1995.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DOEN Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Impact Investing
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Development Finance, Guarantees & Blended Finance Programs (BPADABAM)
Keywords
Where DOEN Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DOEN Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: DOEN Ventures generates returns through equity investments and convertible loans in early-stage sustainable and social start-ups. They are a reinvesting fund that does not require short-term returns, allowing them to support companies for 7-10 years to realize system change.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Early-stage equity and convertible loans for impact start-ups |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
DOEN Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DOEN Ventures provides early-stage equity investments and convertible loans to sustainable and social startups, with a focus on impact-first returns rather than purely financial gains. The firm targets frontrunners accelerating the transition to a regenerative economy, including sustainable consumer products, alternative materials, circular business models, sustainable food systems, and blue economy ventures across the Netherlands, UK, Germany, Norway, and Sweden.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DOEN Ventures Early-Stage Impact Investments Core investment offering providing early-stage equity investments and convertible loans to sustainable and social startups across the Netherlands, UK, Germany, Norway, and Sweden. Targets frontrunners in sustainable consumer products, alternative materials, circular business models, sustainable food systems, and blue economy. For impact-driven founders seeking patient capital with 7-10 year horizons.
- Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge Fund Specialized impact investment fund associated with the Postcode Lotteries that invests in sustainable enterprises developing alternatives to unsustainable materials, products, and processes (e.g., insulation, packaging, biofuels, land restoration). Targets green innovation ventures globally.
Quantifiable outcome
- 68 portfolio companies supported across sustainable sectors
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use DOEN Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
DOEN Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DOEN Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- The Next TonyminorDOEN Ventures partners with The Next Tony podcast and content platform that gives impact-driven consumer brands a stage. The platform explores how brands with social missions can grow into successful consumer brands.
- Katapult Future FestminorDOEN Foundation supports Katapult Future Fest, an international impact festival that brings together investors, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders to accelerate regenerative business solutions.
- Blue Economy NetworkminorDOEN Foundation supports the regenerative Blue Economy sector through investments in seaweed farms, oyster/mussel farms, coastline protection, and coral reef/mangrove conservation initiatives.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DOEN Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Bridges Fund Management: Bridges is a UK-based impact investment fund manager with sustainable growth, property, and venture strategies. It is a regional peer serving a comparable early-stage impact-investor mandate in the UK, with limited direct overlap with DOEN's Dutch/European core.
- Big Issue Invest: Big Issue Invest is the UK's social investment arm supporting early-stage social enterprises and impact businesses. It is a regional peer to DOEN in providing patient, impact-first capital to socially driven startups.
Direct peers
- ICOS Capital: ICOS Capital is a Dutch impact VC focused on scaling sustainable and circular deeptech solutions and has co-led rounds with DOEN (e.g., Foamlab). Its technology- and impact-driven early-stage mandate overlaps directly with DOEN's.
- Rabo Foundation: Rabo Foundation is the impact-oriented foundation of Rabobank providing long-term financing and knowledge to early-stage sustainable entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and internationally. It is a directly comparable patient-capital impact provider and a frequent DOEN co-investor.
- Shift Invest: Shift Invest (manager of TTT Green Tech) is a Dutch early-stage impact VC focused on green and sustainability themes and is an actual co-investor with DOEN in deals such as Foamlab. It is a directly comparable Dutch seed-stage impact investor.
- Pymwymic: Pymwymic is a Dutch cooperative of impact investors backing early-stage purpose-driven companies in Europe. Its member-driven, seed-stage impact focus and Dutch base make it a directly comparable peer to DOEN.
- Triodos Investment Management: Triodos IM is a Dutch impact investment manager offering venture, renewable energy, and sustainable real estate funds across Europe. It directly competes with DOEN as a Netherlands-based, mission-aligned investor in early-stage sustainable ventures.
- Capricorn Industrial Biotech Fund: Capricorn's Industrial Biotech Fund is a Belgian impact VC backing industrial biotech and circular solutions. It is an actual co-investor with DOEN (Foamlab) and shares a directly comparable early-stage, sustainability-focused thesis.
- Phitrust: Phitrust is a French impact investor focused on social and environmental ventures in Europe. It has co-invested with DOEN in United Repair Centre and shares a similar European, early-stage, impact-first mandate.
Emerging players
- Better Ventures: Better Ventures is a US early-stage impact VC backing mission-driven founders tackling environmental and social challenges. While geographically distant, it shares DOEN's seed/early-stage impact-investing model in sustainability and inclusion themes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DOEN Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceDOEN Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DOEN Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
DOEN Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DOEN Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DOEN Ventures
What does DOEN Ventures do?
DOEN Ventures provides early-stage equity investments and convertible loans to sustainable and social startups, with a focus on impact-first returns rather than purely financial gains. The firm targets frontrunners accelerating the transition to a regenerative economy, including sustainable consumer products, alternative materials, circular business models, sustainable food systems, and blue economy ventures across the Netherlands, UK, Germany, Norway, and Sweden.
Is DOEN Ventures a public or private company?
DOEN Ventures is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DOEN Ventures founded?
DOEN Ventures was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is DOEN Ventures based?
DOEN Ventures is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does DOEN Ventures make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Returns.
Who are DOEN Ventures's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Bridges Fund Management and Big Issue Invest. Direct peers are ICOS Capital, Rabo Foundation, Shift Invest, Pymwymic, Triodos Investment Management, Capricorn Industrial Biotech Fund and Phitrust. Better Ventures is listed as an emerging player.
Does DOEN Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for DOEN Ventures.
What industry is DOEN Ventures in?
DOEN Ventures's product category is Impact Investing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAA, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed), with a secondary code of BPAGAKAH, International Grantmaking & Development Foundations. Its NAICS code is 525 and its SIC code is 6199.