VitaminºC, a new female-led venture capital firm, has announced the first close of its $20.8 million debut climate fund. With operations in Zurich and San Francisco, the firm aims to back early-stage founders in climate mitigation and human adaptation. This launch comes as many investors are pulling back, positioning VitaminºC to capitalize on a shifting market landscape with a focused, transatlantic strategy.
A Strategic Transatlantic Bridge
Founded by Nathalie Moral in Zurich and Sophie Lamparter in San Francisco, VitaminºC is designed to be a strategic bridge between continents. The firm combines European impact investing principles with Silicon Valley's expertise in scaling global companies from their earliest stages. This unique structure provides founders with crucial dual-ecosystem support to navigate international markets effectively.
The founding partners bring extensive and complementary experience to the new venture. Moral was an early investor in ClimateTech unicorn Climeworks and has a background at Bain & Company, while Lamparter has spent 15 years helping European deep tech companies like MindMaze expand into the US market. Their combined expertise underpins the firm's hands-on approach to building resilient, global businesses.
Capitalizing on a Market Shift
While global climate tech funding has slowed and valuations have reset, VitaminºC views this market dislocation as a key opportunity. The firm is investing when many generalist funds have deprioritized the sector, allowing it to back companies with strong fundamentals at more appealing valuations. This counter-cyclical strategy reflects a strong conviction in the sector's long-term, non-negotiable growth.
Founding Partner Nathalie Moral stated that the firm is here to “rewire climate venture capital,” noting the biggest economic buildout of our generation is just beginning. The firm believes climate solutions are evolving from a niche into essential economic infrastructure. This perspective drives their commitment to investing in the 30% of technologies needed for rapid emissions cuts that are still pre-commercial.
Investment Thesis and Impact
The fund targets key climate levers, including energy, food and agriculture, carbon removal, and human adaptation. It will deploy checks of $0.6–$1.7 million million in pre-Seed and Seed stage companies. Each investment must demonstrate the potential to either cut 100,000 tons of CO₂ or improve the resilience of 100,000 people within five years.
The firm’s first investment, Satellites on Fire, exemplifies this dual thesis by using AI and satellite data to prevent and monitor wildfires. For VitaminºC, impact and financial returns are inseparable, with impact serving as the core of its investment thesis rather than a constraint. The firm also actively connects its portfolio with academic institutions for rigorous impact validation and pilots blended capital models.
With its debut fund, VitaminºC is not just providing capital but also building a supportive ecosystem for its portfolio companies. Backed by European entrepreneurial families and climate tech experts, the firm is poised to nurture a new generation of innovators. Its transatlantic model and unwavering focus on both impact and returns signal a fresh, resilient approach to climate venture capital.