This Berlin Startup Just Raised $11M to Fix Europe's Energy-Retrofit Crisis

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-21

### A Fresh $11M for Climate-Neutral Homes Deutsche Sanierungsberatung (dsb), a Berlin-based ClimateTech startup, just closed a Series A round of over $11 million. The company helps make residential homes climate-neutral. It plans to use the funds to launch a proprietary electricity tariff, enter the B2B market, and fuel further growth. You might think this is just another green startup raising cash. But look closer. The round was led by Simon Capital and VERBUND X Ventures. Existing investors IBB Ventures, Vireo Ventures, and Atlantic Food Labs also participated. In February 2025, the company secured about $3.9 million in a Seed funding round. ### Why This Matters for Homeowners Here's the thing: renovating a home for energy efficiency is a nightmare for most people. You don't know where to start. You don't know who to trust. And the tradespeople you need are overwhelmed with demand. Nico Heinz, Principal at co-lead investor Simon Capital, put it bluntly: "dsb solves a big, very concrete problem: millions of property owners don't know when or how to renovate, while the trades sector is chronically overloaded and inefficient at customer acquisition." Founded in 2024, dsb assists homeowners throughout Germany with energy renovations. They offer independent energy consulting, subsidy processing, and implementation by vetted skilled trades businesses. One point of contact for the whole mess. ### The Numbers Behind the Crisis Germany's Federal Environment Agency reports that building operations are responsible for roughly 30% of the country's CO2 emissions. That's about 112 million tons per year. The main culprit? Heating with fossil gas and oil. Residential buildings are one of the biggest levers for the energy transition. Yet most homeowners find the renovation journey overwhelming. dsb claims to fix this by combining independent consulting, subsidy services, and a network of vetted trades on a digital platform. ### How It Works Certified energy consultants collect all relevant building data digitally on site. This creates a digital twin of the house. That twin becomes the basis for an individual renovation roadmap (iSFP). The roadmap prioritizes measures over several years and secures additional subsidy bonuses. - Reviews all funding options through KfW and BAFA - Handles the application process through to disbursement - Covers all major renovation measures: solar panels, heat pumps, window replacements, and insulation - For homeowners, the process reduces required time by approximately 80% ### Growth and Ambition Since its founding in 2024, dsb has tripled in size. It now serves over 10,000 private customers. For 2026, the company forecasts revenue exceeding $16.3 million. Niclas Kern, CFO and co-founder, noted: "Right now, capital is flowing mainly into AI, and GreenTech is getting less attention. Our round shows that strong growth and a working business model can still win over investors, even outside the hype." The company plans to expand its platform and its network of 300 local skilled trades businesses. Alongside the launch of a proprietary electricity tariff, it also intends to enter the B2B market. ### The Road Ahead Adam Khenissi, CCO and co-founder, summed it up: "Two years ago, we were still sitting in a living room researching insulation materials. Today, we've helped more than 10,000 families with their renovations. Around 80% of Germany's 15 million single-family homes are still not energy-efficient. We're only at the beginning of this journey." This isn't just a funding story. It's a signal that practical climate tech can still attract capital, even when the hype machine is focused elsewhere.