Europe’s climate technology start-ups have gained renewed strategic importance as the continent’s leaders react to wider geopolitical change, even as some data appears to show waning appetite for green investments.
Some early stage businesses have taken a hit from a year of upheaval since US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. But others are emerging stronger. Green start-ups producing core technologies that meet broader economic and industrial demand are benefiting from European efforts to improve defence capabilities and cut reliance on foreign technology and supply chains.
“Climate is no longer a standalone objective. It is interlinked with politics, security, resilience and competitiveness,” says Sebastian Heitmann, co-founder of Extantia Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in climate technologies.