Blisce has develop into the most recent enterprise capital agency to launch a local weather know-how fund, with plans to boost as much as 150 million euros (about $162 million). The corporate is hiring investor Pierre-Edouard Berion to guide the fund, whereas Too Good To Go co-founder Lucie Basch will assist the fund as a enterprise accomplice.
If you happen to’re not acquainted with Blisce, the Paris-based enterprise capital agency with places of work in New York is healthier referred to as the funding automobile of Alexandre Mars (pictured above). Ma is an entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist who based a number of know-how corporations within the early 2000s and offered them to large names like Publicis and Blackberry. Blisce raised $240 million (roughly €225 million) for its final fund.
Most lately, Mars launched Blisce, a basic for-profit enterprise capital agency, albeit one with a B Corp label. He additionally based Epic, a nonprofit basis that gives funding to organizations that cut back inequalities in kids’s schooling or well being and helps organizations preventing local weather change.
It is onerous to speak about Blisce with out mentioning Epic, as a portion of Blisce’s earnings are reinvested in Epic to cowl the muse’s working prices. Likewise, the Blisce workforce dedicated 20% of its carried curiosity to Epic.
It appears to be working very properly, particularly since Blisce has invested in a number of unicorn corporations reminiscent of Spotify, Pinterest and Headspace. Most lately, the corporate invested in Brut, Sorare and Welcome to the Jungle. As you’ll be able to see, the corporate’s portfolio is a mixture of shopper know-how corporations, however it’s not but targeted on local weather know-how.
By the corporate’s new fund, Blisce hopes to spend money on know-how startups which have a constructive affect on local weather change, particularly in polluting industries reminiscent of supplies, meals, development, transportation and vitality. The agency will assemble a devoted workforce for the fund and, as talked about above, has employed Pierre-Edouard Berion to guide the workforce.
Bellian is a well-recognized face within the Paris enterprise capital neighborhood. After a number of years as funding director at Eurazeo, the place he invested in Zenly, Withings and Vestiaire Collective, he joined Increase Ventures as a accomplice.
As for Lucie Basch, she already is aware of the Blisce workforce properly as the corporate is an investor in her firm Too Good To Go. She is going to develop into a enterprise accomplice on the New Local weather Fund — which, in enterprise capital lingo, means she’s going to stay at Too Good To Go whereas serving to the fund. Blisce continues to be elevating cash for his new fund, so will probably be fascinating to see how a lot they will elevate.
