Two VC clean tech funds close with over $150 million

Two VC funds with their beady eye on the world of clean tech have this week announced they’re now shut tighter than a nun’s knickers.

The lucky pair are Capricorn Venture Capital and Craton Equity Partners, both of which have closed with investments that look a bit like telephone numbers.

First up, Capricorn Venture Captial, which has shut the doors on its Capricorn Cleantech Fund with over €100 million. Those who joined in for the first time included pharma company Solvay Group and 15 new private investors, while existing investors including investment company PMV (ParticipatieMaatschappij Vlaanderen), Belgian financial services company Ethias and a Dutch pension fund all upped their participation in the investment.

And where will all those euros go? Here’s where:

The fund invests in European growth companies developing innovative breakthrough technologies in the field of e.g. renewable energy and energy efficiency, water purification and re-use, bio-based material conversion and biorefinery platforms, clean air, climate change, green chemistry and advanced materials, materials recovery and recycling.

And onto Craton, who closed its Clean Tech fund with $191.5 million. Craton said its institutional investors are “are some of the nation’s largest” but didn’t give any names.

Here’s where it will be splashing the cash, according to one of Craton founders, Bob MacDonald:

Craton’s philosophy is to invest in those technologies that are known alternatives to carbon intensive technologies currently in use. Craton focuses on investing in small emerging growth companies whose products and services provide green building materials, renewable energy generation, alternative fuels, water remediation and management, and solid waste reduction and conversion technologies.”