SHIFT Invest's portfolio companies realised CO2 emission reduction equal to the footprint of Delft

Dutch impact investor SHIFT Invest has continued to increase its impact in 2019. The cumulative realised reduction of CO₂ emissions since the start of the SHIFT funds increased to approximately 1500ktonnes, equivalent to the annual CO₂ footprint of households in a city the size of Delft. This has been achieved through its collective of 13 portfolio companies which includes start-ups such as Green Basilisk and Foamplant.

The fund’s impact journey can be explored in the new Impact Report of SHIFT Invest, of which a summary is available here. In 2019, the portfolio realised a 64% growth in annual CO₂ emission reductions compared to 2018. Furthermore, the production of renewable energy increased by 29% compared to last year and the reduction in the use of chemicals and pesticides has grown by 40%. Spectacularly, the fund’s portfolio saved 58 million litres of water in 2019, equivalent to 23 Olympic swimming pools, driven by the efforts of The Renewal Workshop and Squall.

Sustainability-focussed portfolio companies

NBI Investors manages five funds, among which SHIFT I (formerly Dutch Greentech Fund), SHIFT II and the recently launched SHIFT III. So far, SHIFT I and SHIFT II have invested approximately €20m in companies with an explicit sustainable motive. Collectively, the SHIFT portfolio addresses a diverse set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including responsible consumption & production (SDG 12) and climate action (SDG 13). The portfolio companies benefit from the expertise of various partners with whom NBI Investors cooperates. This diverse group of partners includes Rabobank, knowledge institutes Wageningen University & Research and Delft University of Technology, Menzis and the World Wildlife Fund.

New fund in 2020: SHIFT III

“With SHIFT Invest, we aim to invest in promising start- or scale-ups in the areas of agriculture, greentech, circularity and smart materials. In doing so, we operate in a niche in which not many other funds are willing to take risks.”, says Guus Verhees, managing partner at NBI Investors. Through thorough analysis, years of combined experience and close collaboration with knowledge institutes, SHIFT Invest is able to accurately assess the potential of start-ups. “With SHIFT III, we will expand our overall impact with a targeted committed capital of €65M. We will ensure that the net impact of our portfolio corresponds to our motivations and expectations.”

Environmental returns paired with financial returns

“Through our first two funds, we have been able to demonstrate how financial returns and environmental returns can coexist. This message has resonated with our investors and resulted in the genesis of our third SHIFT fund.”, says Florentine Fockema Andreae, partner at NBI Investors. "Through the size of SHIFT III, we are able to provide financial support to entrepreneurs through multiple stages in their impact journey. By sticking together longer, we can maximise the total amount of impact realised by our portfolio companies."