Danish Climate VC Climentum Capital Closes $63.5M Fund II

·
Listen to this article~4 min

Copenhagen-based Climentum Capital hits first close of its second fund at $63.5M, matching its first fund. Backed by EIF, EIFO, and IDA, the VC continues backing European climate HardTech startups.

Copenhagen-based Climentum Capital just hit the first close of its second fund at $63.5 million, matching the full size of its first fund. The firm continues backing European climate HardTech companies that aim to strengthen the continent's industrial resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness. ### Who's Putting Money In? The European Investment Fund (EIF) committed $42.3 million to the fund. Denmark's Export and Investment Fund (EIFO) invested $15.9 million, and the Danish Society of Engineers (IDA) chipped in $5.3 million. It's a solid mix of institutional and strategic backers. And that matters more than ever right now. "The fundraising environment for early-stage climate HardTech has not been easy in recent years," says Morten Halborg, General Partner at Climentum Capital. "Investors are more selective, timelines are longer, and the proof bar is higher. That is why the composition of the Fund II launch matters: our investor syndicate reflects informed conviction, not momentum investing." ### The Bigger Picture: 2026 Funding Activity Climentum's first close comes amid continued 2026 funding activity across European climate HardTech, industrial decarbonisation, and adjacent energy-transition sectors. EU-Startups has reported at least $258.5 million in disclosed startup funding across comparable areas this year. Some notable deals include: - RIFT's $120.6 million financing for industrial heat in the Netherlands - Entrix's $45.5 million raise for battery optimisation in Germany - D-CRBN's $18.5 million Series A for industrial CO2 conversion in Belgium - Exergy3's $12.1 million Seed round for clean industrial heat in the UK Danish relevance is also visible through Copenhagen-based Kvasir Technologies, which raised $10.6 million to scale climate-neutral marine biofuel. EU-Startups has previously listed Climentum Capital as a backer of Nature Robots and an existing investor in one.five, placing the new fund close within a wider European pattern of capital moving into technologies linked to industrial efficiency, energy security, circularity, and emissions reduction. ### Why This Matters for European Startups "Europe has excellent research and business ideas," adds EIF Deputy Chief Executive Merete Clausen. "To build on these, it needs investors willing to back companies developing the industrial technologies that will shape the next generation of clean growth. Climentum Capital Fund II addresses an important financing gap by supporting entrepreneurs building climate solutions for the real economy." Founded in 2022, Climentum Capital backs HardTech companies that can help reduce the carbon footprint of sectors responsible for a significant share of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions. ### Track Record and Strategy Its first fund launched at $63.5 million and has already delivered a realised exit. Studsvik acquired KNXT less than three years after Climentum's initial investment. The firm said the deal demonstrated its thesis in action, with a strategic industrial player acquiring capabilities needed to remain competitive. Climentum Capital Fund II is targeting up to $106 million and will invest primarily in Seed and Series A companies developing hardware and DeepTech solutions across energy, industry, transport, and agriculture. The fund will focus on businesses working on energy security, industrial efficiency, supply chain sovereignty, and industrial decarbonisation, particularly across Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. ### How the Fund Works The new fund is structured as an Article 9 fund and uses a dual carry model that links the firm's economics to both financial returns and verified CO2 savings. Climentum Capital Fund II aims to support companies whose technologies are capable of reducing CO2 emissions by around 1.5 million tonnes a year, equivalent to emissions from 350,000 gasoline-powered cars driven for one year. "EIFO's mission is to accelerate the green transition while strengthening Europe's strategic independence," says EIFO Chief Investment Officer Erik Balck Sorensen. "Through our investment in Climentum Capital Fund II, we are helping to scale critical, yet significantly underfunded, climate technologies that can make a real difference."

📌 Worth Reading Next