The Footprint Firm

We are proud to have acted as sustainability adviser to Ratos in the sale of airteam to Nalka 🤝🎉   The transaction enables airteam to further solidify its position in Denmark and expand its position beyond to create a leading Nordic ventilation specialist 🌍❄️ with an ambition to drive an impact via energy-efficient ⚡and healthy indoor climate solution 🏡 🌿 Big congratulations to everyone who was a part of this transaction! 👏 And a huge thank you to financial advisors, Carnegie Investment Bank, airteam, Poul Pihlmann, Benny Holm Kristensen, and Michael Hougaard for great teamwork 🤝💡, lots of interesting discussions 🗣️✨ and an overall fantastic collaboration throughout the process! 💚 👉 Read more in the press release linked in the comments (in Danish)

In our latest Finans column, Christian Sparrevohn explores how the EU’s green transition isn’t slowing down—it’s speeding up 🚀🌱 With global turbulence 🌍🌪️, some might assume that sustainability is taking a backseat. But the reality? The EU is doubling down. The European Commission just unveiled The Clean Industrial Deal—a roadmap linking competitiveness and decarbonization 👏👏 The EU is maintaining its 90% decarbonization target for 2040 and aims to double its circular economy rate by 2030 🔄 It plans to establish 100 GW of new renewable energy annually 📈 The cleantech sector is the heart of the EU’s future competitiveness, and traditional energy-intensive industries must receive immediate support to decarbonize and electrify ⚡ And much of this needs to be in motion by 2026 ⏳ For businesses, this is a wake-up call 🚨 The green transition is no longer just about climate—it’s about security 🔐, resilience 💪, and competitiveness 🏆 Agendas have a very different sense of urgency and political attention. The companies that lean in 🤝, adapt 🔄, and innovate 💡will be the ones shaping the future. The goal is competitiveness and security, but the path is painted green 💚 Read more in the article linked in the comments (in Danish) 👇

Blue economy investments are gaining serious momentum! 🌊 🚀 Marina Porto from our team joined Blue Invest Day in Brussels—an inspiring gathering of founders, investors, and ecosystem enablers committed to accelerating ocean-based solutions. Hosted by the EU Blue Invest platform, this event reinforced the critical role of innovation and investment in unlocking opportunities across 10 key blue sectors. Key takeaways from two days of deep dives, pitches, and discussions: 🔵 The blue economy is at a turning point. The European Ocean Pact and the upcoming UN Ocean Conference in Nice are driving new commitments and capital into the space. 💸 Venture capital is shifting. Funds traditionally focused on climate impact are expanding their scope to include blue economy ventures, alongside the rise of dedicated blue economy funds. 🌊 Ocean tech is crucial for decarbonization. The EU continues to prioritize funding in this area, with groundbreaking solutions emerging from the sector. 💰 Blended finance is unlocking capital. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is actively supporting new financing models to accelerate innovation. 🚀 Startups in the sector are scaling up. From pre-seed to Series A & B, the pipeline of investable blue economy ventures is growing rapidly. It’s exciting to follow the developments in this space, and thank you to Marina Porto for your passion on this topic continuing to drive our focus internally! 🩵

A big warm welcome to Sofie Käll who is joining us as Chief Investment Officer! 🎉👏 Sofie brings a decade of experience in investment, corporate finance, strategy, and sustainability 📊 Having worked across private equity, growth capital, and venture capital, she has been deeply involved in investments, advisory boards, and sustainability initiatives 🌱 Before joining us, Sofie was part of the investment team at SEB Private Equity, where she was responsible for investing capital from top-tier third-party institutions into private equity on a global scale in different structures 🌍 She worked as a sparring partner 🤝, serving on the advisory board of private equity firms and led numerous co-investments spanning private equity, growth capital, and venture capital 🌱 In the Nordics, Sofie led the acquisition and divestment of majority and significant minority investments and served on the board of companies like Planday, VaccinDirekt, and Better Jusage 📋 Additionally, her experience includes running mandates and raising external funds 📢, as well as being a driver of the sustainability strategy 🌱 and serving on the ESG Committee of SEB Private Equity. 🎓 Academically, Sofie holds an MSc in Corporate Finance from Cass Business School (now Bayes Business School) in London 🇬🇧 and a BSc in Business Administration from Lund University (including a secondment at the University of Melbourne). On a personal note, Sofie is always on the lookout for innovative investment opportunities 🚀💡 and is passionate about backing brilliant entrepreneurs ✨ and accelerating sustainability through innovation and investments. A world traveller from a young age 🧳, she once had a cherished world map in her childhood room 🗺️ and still finds joy in exploring new places 🏕️🏝️ When she’s not exploring new ventures, you can find her recharging on a yoga mat 🧘♀️, chasing the best ski slopes 🎿🏔️, or embarking on road trips 🚗⛰️—a passion that even took her through the Alps during parental leave! 👶🍼🏞️ These days, Sofie lives in Limhamn with her husband and two daughters 👨👩👧👧, often enjoying the beaches of Ljunghusen in her spare time 🌊🏖️☀️ We’re beyond thrilled to have you on board, Sofie—welcome to the Footprint team! 👣💚

Join us on the 1st of April for a webinar 💻 discussing the important topic of Human Rights & Environmental Due Diligence under the CSDDD. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is set to reshape corporate responsibility, requiring companies to take a proactive approach 💪 to human rights ✊ and environmental risks 🌿 across their value chains 🔗 But with recent developments - including the EU Commission's Omnibus package 📜 - what does this mean in practice? Together with Poul Schmith/Kammeradvokaten, Danish Institute for Human Rights and UN Global Compact Network Denmark🤝, we’ll dive into: ✅ The key requirements of the CSDDD incl. latest EU Updates on the proposed Omnibus ✅ Practical steps for implementing due diligence processes ✅ What companies can do now to prepare Whether you’re navigating compliance or aiming to strengthen your ESG strategy, this session will provide valuable insights 💡 We are looking forward to engaging in the conversation! 📅 Date: 1 April ⏰Time: 14.00 – 15.00 👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/dxvecTsn 💚 We'll be joined by: Cathrine Bloch Veiberg, UN Global Compact Network Denmark Gabrielle Holly, Danish Institute for Human Rights Mathias Kirk Jordansen, Poul Schmith Sigrid Majlund Kjærulff, Footprint

Last week, we co-hosted an event with Klimate.co 🌍 on “Accelerating Success in the Net Zero Transition: The Role of CSRD, Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), and Carbon Credits as Strategic Levers.”    To kick off the day, Asger Kongstad and Nikolaj Herskind from our side set the scene by sharing trends 📊 and challenges in the corporate landscape of CSRD and CDR. We can see that companies increasingly pivot towards highly material strategic focus areas from their Double Materiality Assessment (also considering the recent omnibus proposal 📜), however, they struggle to translate material topics, reporting areas, and data points into strategic initiatives to drive business outcomes 🚀 In this session, we shared perspectives on how to make that connection through value paths 🔗 and insights on how we work with clients to develop a tailored CDR strategy 🌱 as part of companies’ overall sustainability and climate strategies 🌿. A key challenge – and reason for this session – is the complexity 🌀 of this area, with many companies understandably finding it difficult to navigate the CDR landscape and ask the right questions to guide decisions on quality removals ✅ Simon Bager, PhD from Klimate.co explained the theoretical side of CDR 🧠 and how companies can utilize Klimate’s platform 💻. He gracefully broke down why CDR is an important part of the net-zero transition and detailed the different CDR techniques, from less permanent (e.g., soil sequestration, forestation 🌳) to more permanent (e.g., bio-oil 🛢️, direct air capture 🏭), emphasizing that it’s not about one perfect solution but rather how they work together in your carbon removal strategy. He also provided insights into the evolving landscape of standards and guidelines 📑, where we expect net-zero target setting 🎯 and decarbonization to include both reduction and removal targets. One of the key takeaways 📌 from the session is the need for a CDR strategy that aligns with your company, considering aspects such as integrating CDR into your sustainability strategy 🌱, budgeting for both the short and long term ⏳, and learning from best-in-class actors in the same industry 🏆 This is where Klimate’s platform 🖥️ comes in, supporting companies in their CDR efforts by securely managing portfolios 🔐 and meeting reporting requirements 📊. Momentum Energy Group A/S then translated theory into practice, sharing how they’ve worked with Klimate and their own CDR strategy 🌎 Thank you to Klimate.co (Simon Bager, PhD, Erik Wihlborg, Tatyana Folgado) for bringing together sustainability professionals 🤝 to discuss this important and complex theme. Big thanks Momentum Energy Group A/S, Marie Bach Michaelsen & Louise Løkke Klintholm for sharing your experiences 🙏, and to everyone for joining us and contributing great questions and discussions 💚

Big congratulations to Frederik Steensbæk Lauritsen on his well-deserved promotion to Manager! 🎉👏 Frederik is a true force of nature at Footprint—cool ❄️, confident 💪, and incredibly sharp 🎯 in everything he does. He has a structured, hypothesis-driven approach 🧠 that makes him extremely efficient in his problem-solving, whether on the advisory or investment side of our work. And then there’s his legendary “PowerPoint Gamer” status 🎮—the speed and precision with which he crafts high-quality slides is nothing short of mind-blowing 🤯. Some say this skill comes from a trial-by-fire 🔥 experience in the world of commercial DDs, while others argue it’s his competitive streak 🏆 kicking in. Either way, it’s something to behold! 👀 Beyond his stellar execution, Frederik is deeply passionate about our investment work 🚀 He has been a driving force in making our sourcing and screening processes more efficient and has played a key role in shaping our Circularity investment vertical 🔄—including our recent investment in Nordic Salt Cycle. But what truly sets Frederik apart is his generosity as a colleague 🤝. He’s kind, thoughtful, and always looking out for the team 🫶, putting a ton of effort into creating a great atmosphere and ensuring that everyone is thriving and developing 🌞 He gets a lot of energy by going out and engaging with clients and is always well-liked by whoever he works with (this comes as no surprise! 😉). Outside of work, Frederik’s love for challenges and drive also shines through. Most recently, he took a 2-month sabbatical 🌍 which included hiking Patagonia throughout January 🥾 ⛰️ He’s an avid runner 🏃♂️ (a very fast one at that!), regularly taking on marathons 🎽 and dominating our Footprint running club 👟. It’s rumored that he holds the record 🏆 for the fastest sprint up the infamous Folkemødet hill at Sanne’s camping ground ⛺ (our usual spot to stay). And when he’s not outrunning us all, he’s outdancing us 💃—he’s the last one off the dance floor and always brings the best energy to Footprint parties. Not to mention, he’s one of our unofficial in-house DJs 🎧, with a love for music 🎵 that takes him to festivals like Roskilde, where he’s always on the lookout for new artists 🎤 And when he does finally slow down? You’ll find him enjoying a glass of natural wine 🍇 🍷 and diving into the world of magic realism 📖—Murakami being a recent favorite. Frederik, your combination of drive, warmth, and intellectual curiosity is truly rare, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have you on the team 👣 Huge congratulations on this well-earned promotion! 💚

A huge thank you 🙏 to everyone for joining our webinar on The EU Omnibus Package that we hosted together with Poul Schmith/Kammeradvokaten 🤝 With a lot of talk going on around the omnibus🗣️, we wanted to focus on the current status and what actions you can take 👣 while the package goes through negotiations with the Council and Parliament before it can be adopted, making the timeline and final changes uncertain 🤔 However, here are our four key recommendations to stay ahead 🏃➡️ 🎯Assess Your Ambition  Sustainability isn’t just about compliance; it’s about competitiveness. Many companies are continuing with CSRD-level reporting to stay ahead in investment, talent attraction, and risk management. 🌍 Engage Strategically with Climate Risks  “No regrets” actions like climate transition plans, sustainability risk management, and target-setting will strengthen your business, regardless of the proposed changes to CSRD and CSDDD. ♻️ Think Beyond CSRD – Engage Suppliers & Redeploy Teams  Your company’s suppliers might be out of the proposed scope now, but ESG data from them is still critical. Additionally, if your company’s ESG team was preparing for CSRD, it could be an idea to redirect their focus to improving sustainability performance and business strategy. 📖 Read the EFRAG VSME Standard  Even if your company will not be included in the new, proposed scope of CSRD, the EFRAG VSME is a valuable tool for ESG data collection. It’s likely to shape the future Delegated Act on Voluntary Reporting that the omnibus proposal has introduced — so becoming familiar with it now will help in the long run. Even though the regulatory landscape is evolving, a strong ESG strategy remains a competitive advantage 💪 Thank you again to Poul Schmith/Kammeradvokaten for teaming up with us on this one 💚 Flemming Pristed Daniel Scavenius Sonne-Schmidt Mathias Kirk Jordansen Christian Sparrevohn Sigrid Majlund Kjærulff

Happy International Women’s Day to all the incredible women and girls out there ♀️💪 – and all other incredible people of all genders who support equal rights for all⚖️ With everything going on in the world right now, celebrating this day feels more important than ever. While it can feel like little change each and one of us can push forward, we all have the obligation to do what is within our power and try to inspire others to do the same🏋️🌍🏋️♀️ One way we are trying to make a contribution is through First Footprints👣👣👣, an initiative launched about one year ago aimed at improving and driving diversity, equity, and inclusion in our start-ups as a joint effort🤝💚💪 The goal of this initiative is to work together in a way that leads to actual actions and provide sparring, resources, facilitation of knowledge sharing and tools to incorporate inclusion by design in these young organisations👭👫🧑🤝🧑 We’ve learned a lot, and not all of it can be summarized, but some key takeaways are: 👣There is no one-size-fits-all approach; DEI needs to link to the goals of the company and the pain points employees are currently experiencing 👣Leadership needs to show the way and inspire others to do the same – even when there are tons of fires to put out and many other important things to focus on 👣Get things done and get going! Step by step is fine and rather do one small thing well and build on that, than fall into the trap of making a big fancy strategy that never will happen 👣Starting early while you build your company’s processes and culture can pay off greatly in the long run – and as a start-up you have the opportunity to make this a natural part of how you run your company from the very beginning, which is much easier than changing things later 👣Processes inform culture - and culture informs processes. So focusing on how an employee tangibly experiences a company — from things such as onboarding, benefits, feedback and leaderships focus — is core to creating an equitable workplace 👣Creating a community to share resources, ideas, and challenges is more important than ever when you’re strapped for time and resources, and it keeps you accountable It has been a huge motivation to launch First Footprints and experience the genuine wish and commitment from our start-ups to push this agenda. And thank you for your honesty about wanting this but just not always being sure about how to get started or who to turn to for good advice as a founder❤️ 🙏💚A huge shout-out to the co-creators on the ongoing development of our DEI toolkit: CELLUGY® Søuld Reel Octarine Bio FoodOp Klimate.co Legacy: Carbon Accounting for Real Estate. And a big heartfelt thank you to the rest of our start-ups and fellow Footprinters for your common dedication to make a contribution to improving gender equality. ❤️#IWD2025 #takeactionnow #footprintpeople

A massive congratulations to a:gain [again] on securing their recent seed round of €4 million 🎉🚀, led by Change Ventures (Jacob Jelsing) with support from North Ventures, The Footprint Fund, and several leading industry players, including 2degrees, Tscherning, and AG Gruppen 🤝 a:gain has been a start-up we've backed from the very beginning 🌱, working with the team since its inception as a spinout into an independent entity. It’s been an incredible journey to witness 🛤️👀—from the early days with just a handful of people in a small office to becoming a well-recognized and professional provider of circular building materials made from upcycled materials ♻️ 🏗️ Since then they’ve been involved in over 100 projects 👏, a key highlight being the Træ project in Aarhus where they contributed to a wide range of circular building products. And their mission is more important than ever 🌍: the built environment accounts for nearly 40% of the 90+ billion tons of raw materials ⛏️ extracted from the earth each year and is responsible for almost the same share of CO₂ emissions 📈 It's a pleasure collaborating with a:gain 💚 to reimagine how we build the future of sustainable materials 💡🏗️, and this successful funding round is a true testament to the team’s hard work and vision 💪 The investment will help a:gain scale its impact, expand its market reach, and further drive the green transition 🚀—and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of what’s next. A huge congratulations to Thomas Nygaard Hamann, Christian Rosengren, Martin Lobbato Laursen, CFA, Christian Wittrup, Mathias Ruø Rasmussen, Jesper Wøldike Brandt and the entire a:gain [again] team on this impressive milestone 👏 🎉🥳, and a warm welcome to the new investors, Change Ventures (Jacob Jelsing), North Ventures, 2degrees, Tscherning and AG Gruppen—we look forward to the journey ahead! 🤝 You can read more about a:gain’s fundraising round in the Børsen article linked in the comments (in Danish), and in a:gain's press release (in English)👇