KBW Ventures’ Post

Everyday at Iceland Ocean Cluster, I see firsthand how much innovation is happening in the blue economy. From AI-driven fisheries and aquaculture that optimise operations and reduce waste, to marine biotechnology turning by-products into life saving solutions, it’s clear that the future is being built today. These innovations will not only shape the future of our oceans but redefine the blue economy as a thriving, sustainable pillar of the global economy 🌊 That’s why I’m thrilled to share that I, Bala Kamallakharan, Thor Sigfusson PhD and the team at Iceland Ocean Cluster are launching a dedicated venture fund, Blue Nova Ventures. The journey ahead is exciting, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come 🚀 Alexandra Leeper PhD, Taylor Holshouser, Thor Kristjansson, Oddur Ísar Thorsson, Clara Jégousse, Justine Vanhalst, Judith Schuijs, Júlía Helgadóttir, Startup Iceland

📣 EARLY STAGE FUNDING SUMMIT – T-minus 1 month until Seed the South is back for the first time since 2020! #SeedtheSouth is an investor summit aimed at unlocking early-stage capital for the Southeast. The programming is bigger + better than ever, along with $100k in multiple funding opportunities for *actually* early-stage startups. TL;DR - if there's one event you need to be at this year, Seed the South is it. It'll be the destination for top startups, community leaders, investors - curated specifically for early-stage. If you're not even in startups, you should be there. This was my first project in Charlotte, and it remains a top initiative for me. There are sooo many incredible and deserving startups grinding away in the SE, but we're losing talent to cities with better resources (yes, check the numbers - more leaving than moving in). I'm so excited for Jenny Farias + Juan Garzón to be closing this gap in a way that puts QC on the freaking map. In 2020, we had investors come in from some of the top firms across the country. This year, it's going to be even bigger. Regular tix close April 30 - startup, community, investor tickets. My link: https://lnkd.in/eqUtQsST 🎥 RedefineU - Chase Price (also our first project together! killer.) __ #seedthesouth #charlotteinnovationweek #innovatecharlotte #gWen #charlotte #atlanta #nashville #venturecapital #funding #startups #earlystage

Presenting a market map of Estonia’s climate tech startups! 🇪🇪 Since beginning my research here, I’ve tracked over 80+ climate companies being built in Estonia’s startup sector. These enterprises range from supporting sustainable forestry practices to deep technologies developing eco-positive materials. Some things I’ve learned and discovered so far: • Almost a third of all climate tech startups here are currently tackling clean energy issues, such as VOOL and Roofit.Solar. • Four of the top 10 highest funded startups in Estonia are climate companies, ranging from energy storage company Skeleton Technologies to green hydrogen enterprise Elcogen. • In 2023, approximately 40% of funding deals were toward climate tech companies like RAIKU Packaging, Woola, and Arbonics. 🌱 I’m currently interviewing climate founders, investors, and operators across Estonia to tell the story of the country’s green innovations. I’d love to hear from you if you have any feedback or insights!

Apply now for The Algae Accelerator❗ Are you a startup or SME in the algae value chain ready to take your business to the next level? The Algae Accelerator, part of the AlgaeProBANOS project, is now accepting applications for a six-month mentorship programme designed to help scale your business with expert mentor support. ✅ The overarching objective of AlgaeProBANOS is to demonstrate market accessibility and the presence of sustainable and innovative algae products and solutions from 6 different pilots in the Baltic and North Seas. 🔵Duration: Six months. 🔵Target Audience: Startups and SMEs working with algae. 🔵Goal: Upscale your business strategy and bring innovative algae products to market. Who should apply? 🔵Startups and SMEs working with algae or developing sustainable ocean solutions. 🔵Companies seeking to expand and scale up their innovative products. But be quick! Applications close on this friday, 20th December! ⏰ Read more and apply here 👇🏼 Dagbjorn Skipnes

🚀 Exciting News! 🎉 Catalyst Fund has been selected as one of five Ecosystem Builders for the next phase of Village Capital's Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa program! 👏 We’re thrilled to continue our journey supporting tech startups offering climate adaptation solutions that enhance resilience in Africa. With up to $260K in support, we'll focus on Kenya, empowering local startups, strengthening teams, and fostering climate-focused innovation across the country. We are proud to be selected alongside these incredible organizations: - Reach for Change Foundation (Ghana) - Ennovate Ventures (Tanzania) - Emerge Livelihoods (Malawi) - ideiaLab (Mozambique) This is a huge step forward in tackling climate challenges and creating sustainable solutions. Thank you to Village Capital and Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation for this incredible opportunity! Learn more about the announcement here: https://lnkd.in/dJfvP_fS Maelis Carraro, Maxime Bayen, Rasima Swarup, Sydney Thiam, Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Maureen K., Charles I. Nweke

🚀 Calling all blue economy innovators! Applications are now open for 1000OS member APelago Accelerator 2025 Programs! Both programs seek out highly scalable ocean solutions that are either based or can be tested in the Baltic Sea region. Look no further if your venture focuses on: 🔵 Aquatech. 🔵 Solutions to combat sea pollution and runoff. 🔵 Aquaculture and seafood substitutes. 🔵 Sea-based renewable energy. 🔵 Other emerging blue economy innovations. The two programs are: ⏩ A'Pelago Accelerator Full Program: for idea, pre-seed and seed level blue economy start-ups, which includes 5 months of online coaching and onsite workshops in Turku, Finland. ⏩ A'Pelago Accelerator Venture Track: for seed and growth stage ventures, which offers 3-5 days of mentorship, including 1-to-1 advisory sessions and pitch workshops. 🌟 Both programs include entry to the semi-finals of Finland's first blue economy pitch contest – the A'Pelago Pitch Challenge – with a chance to win part of the €25,000 prize! ⏰  Application deadline: 31 December, 2024 🔗  Apply here: https://lnkd.in/dRBw9Unw #1000OceanStartups #BlueEconomy #OceanInnovation #Aquatech #StartupOpportunities #Accelerator

Africa is a continent brimming with innovation, and environmental tech startups are at the forefront of tackling the continent's challenges and creating a more sustainable future. Here are 10 African startups making waves in the environmental tech space: These are just a few examples of the many African startups making a positive impact on the environment. By harnessing technology and innovation, these companies are helping to build a more sustainable future for Africa and the world.

While the seas tend to be calmer during the summer months, at 1000 Ocean Startups the Lighthouse team has been busy preparing the most substantive data project in the ocean innovation space to date. ⚡️ 🤝 In collaboration with 1000OS’ 49 members, the Lighthouse is gathering quantitative and qualitative information on the flow of blue investments across 6 continents, reporting on the impact of +350 innovative ocean-health start-ups. 💡 In addition, in collaboration with the Ocean Catalysts Working Group, 1000OS is mapping the different catalytic business models, themes and geographies across the ecosystem. These aggregated insights will be instrumental in:  🔹 Identifying gaps across the ocean impact innovation ecosystem.  🔹 Evaluating processes and trends deciding the future of the ocean space.  🔹 Recognizing the diversity of the global ecosystem.  🔹 Finding the different business models and strategies catalyzing growth — to ultimately accelerating the blue economy. As the project nears its two month milestone, we want to thank Conservation International Ventures LLC, Mirova, Faros Accelerator, Sustainable Ocean Alliance, Ocean Born Foundation, Faber, Bold Ocean Ventures, Port of San Diego, Sote Hub, and Potato Impact Partners for being the first ten players to contribute their data! A special shoutout to Conservation International Ventures LLC for being the first to report for the second year running! ⭐️ Many thanks to 1000OS Members for their collaborative support in our effort to consolidate data on the global ocean impact innovation ecosystem as we chart progress towards 1,000 ocean start-ups! 🌊 #1000OceanStartups #BlueEconomy #BlueInvestments #ImpactInvesting #OceanCatalysts #BlueInvestments #ImpactInvesting #OceanCatalysts

At Hello Tomorrow, we’re proud to be supporting the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) in their mission of bridging the gap between corporations and the most cutting-edge startups in Europe🚀 Take a look into how European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)’s EIC Corporate Partnership Programme is helping Holcim drive innovation in sustainable construction 🏗️ 🌍 And hats off to the 10 startups and scaleups whose bold vision is changing the world! Altaroad, AEInnova - Alternative Energy Innovations, SL, Ecoat, Hiboo, MATERRUP Ciments bas carbone, Plenesys, Polylabs, PowerUP Energy Technologies, Svenska Aerogel AB, VIDEO SYSTEMS Srl

At Delta40, we're thrilled to support Samaking, a game-changing venture revolutionizing the fish value chain in East Africa. Led by visionary founder @Clinton Obura, Samaking is on a mission to make fish the #1 protein on African plates while improving the livelihoods of smallholder fish farmers and fisherfolk. 🔎 Why Samaking? 1. Addressing Market Gaps: Fish is under-distributed, with 84% of it sold through informal roadside traders, often raising health and safety concerns. Samaking is solving these challenges with innovative, tech-enabled fish shops and an expanding franchise model. 2. Empowering Farmers & Entrepreneurs: By creating aggregation hubs and improving cold-chain infrastructure, Samaking is connecting small-scale farmers to larger markets, increasing income, and driving growth for local businesses. 3. Climate-Friendly & Sustainable: Fish has a much lower carbon footprint than other proteins, making it a critical solution for Africa’s growing food security challenges. With strong backing from Delta40 Venture Studio and partners like Kaleo Ventures, Gatsby Africa, and BFA Global, Samaking is poised for impactful growth. We’re proud to continue supporting this journey as Samaking expands its reach, empowering farmers, improving nutrition, and driving economic development. Want to learn more about Samaking’s journey and why we believe in their potential to transform Africa’s fish value chain? Check out our latest blog post: https://lnkd.in/dNFq4vn9 #VentureCapital #SustainableDevelopment #FoodSecurity #ClimateSmartAgriculture #FishValueChain #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Africa #TechForGood #ProductiveUseofEnergy