Europe's sustainability ecosystem is entering a pivotal phase as innovation accelerates across climate tech, clean energy, circular economy, and food systems. Driven by regulatory pressure, investor appetite, and rising consumer demand, startups across the continent are building next-generation solutions that target decarbonization, resilience, and resource efficiency. From biotech-driven materials to electrified logistics, these companies are tackling some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.

This surge in activity is reflected in the capital inflows, with billions in venture funding flowing into sustainability-focused ventures. Emerging leaders are not only attracting world-class investors but also scaling rapidly—enabled by supportive policy environments like the European Green Deal and growing corporate demand for low-carbon technologies. This landscape spotlights the top companies defining the next wave of sustainable industry in Europe, organized by theme and growth stage to showcase where innovation is taking root and scaling most effectively.

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Highlights & Key Insights

The momentum behind European sustainability innovation is being shaped by several defining trends:

  • AI-Enabled Optimization: Across verticals from energy to agriculture, startups are embedding artificial intelligence into sustainability workflows—whether in precision farming (hexafarms), intelligent EV charging (EcoG), or industrial process monitoring (ReMoni).
  • Hardware-Software Integration: Many high-impact solutions combine proprietary hardware with software intelligence. Examples include smaXtec's livestock sensors, Notpla's seaweed-based packaging, and VitiBot's vineyard robotics.
  • Circular Economy Execution: Startups like Revive Eco and GAIA BioMaterials are turning waste streams into valuable products, showing commercial traction for circular economy models that are both regenerative and scalable.
  • Decentralized Infrastructure: Distributed systems—from Gropyus’s modular housing to UrbanChain’s peer-to-peer energy exchange—are redefining how infrastructure and services are deployed sustainably.
  • Multi-Sector Collaboration: Climate leaders like Zenobē Energy and Cloover are leveraging deep partnerships across government, finance, and industry to accelerate transition pathways at scale.

Biotechnology

  • EnginZyme: Uses enzyme technology for sustainable biomanufacturing, significantly reducing ecological impacts. Raised $34.8M, recently backed by Bunge Ventures and Sofinnova Partners. Founders: Karim Engelmark Cassimjee, Robin Chatterjee, Shailendra Singh.
  • Cambrium: Develops sustainable micro-molecular compounds, aiding industries' transition to bio-based alternatives. Total funding of $8.5M, latest on June 20, 2024, from HOF Capital and others.
  • GAIA BioMaterials: Produces Biodolomer, a biodegradable biomaterial for sustainable packaging solutions. Funded $5M by Almi Invest on April 3, 2024.
  • Biopipe Global AG: Offers eco-friendly biotechnology solutions for wastewater treatment. Secured total funding of $1M, last round of $600K on January 25, 2015. Founders: Enes Kutluca, Enver Misirli.

Built Environment

  • Apsiyon: Provides property management software solutions streamlining residential and commercial management processes. Raised $10M, most recently securing $5M on March 13, 2020, from investors Bek Ventures, Jak Baruh, and Tarık Yıldırım. Founders: Erkan Dogan, Kudret Turk, Meric Akdamar.
  • Elinta Charge: Delivers innovative electric vehicle charging solutions, enhancing infrastructure for sustainable transportation. Secured a total of $7M, fully raised on July 14, 2022, with support from Avia Capital and LitCapital. Founders: Dainius Janulevičius, Laurynas Jokuzis.
  • Concular: Enables circular construction by digitizing and facilitating the reuse of building materials through material passports and marketplaces. Raised a total of $2.5M, with the latest funding on March 1, 2023, backed by CommerzVentures and Foundamental. Founders: Dominik Campanella, Robin Bruck, Anaïs Cosneau.
  • Triqbriq: Specializes in sustainable wood construction solutions, focusing on modular and ecological building techniques. Funded $971K fully on September 28, 2022.
  • Gropyus: Constructs sustainable, affordable, and scalable residential buildings using innovative manufacturing techniques. Raised nearly $294M, with its latest funding of $110M on October 7, 2024, backed by FAM AB, Vonovia, and Manta Ray Ventures. Founders: Bernd Oswald, Harald Mahrer, Markus Fuhrmann.

Carbon

  • Net Zero Teesside: Specializes in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), significantly aiding industries to achieve carbon neutrality. Secured $72.3M in funding from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund on March 16, 2021.
  • Elyos Energy: Optimizes energy consumption in commercial buildings using AI-driven solutions to drive decarbonization and operational savings. Secured a total of $3.53M, with $3.03M fully raised on October 13, 2023, supported by Rebel Fund, Zeno Partners, and High-Tech Gründerfonds. Founders: Adrian Johnston, Panos Stravopodis, Philippa Brown.
  • Cocoon: Focuses on decarbonizing challenging sectors like steel and cement through innovative solutions. Funded $5.4M recently on August 8, 2024, with backing from Gigascale Capital, Wireframe Ventures, and SOSV.
  • UrbanChain: Operates a peer-to-peer energy exchange platform promoting renewable energy usage. Raised $71.7M total, with the latest round of $63.4M on December 16, 2024, backed by Manchester Enterprise Centre and others. Founders: Mo Hajhashem, Somayeh Taheri.
  • Aegis Energy: Develops clean, multi-energy refueling hubs supporting the energy transition. Secured substantial funding of $123.3M from Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners on January 20, 2025.

Climate Finance

  • Candi: Provides solar solutions with embedded financing for SMEs in emerging markets, enabling affordable clean energy adoption. The company focuses on solar leasing models tailored to businesses with limited upfront capital. Candi has raised significant funding from investors such as Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Norfund.
  • FOROS Green Invest Platform: Online marketplace facilitating green investments and sustainable project funding. Total funding of $2.1M, most recently $1.4M on July 5, 2021, supported by Koinvesticinis Fondas and Iron Wolf Capital. Founders: Audrius Jotauta, Danielius Visockas, Justas Kalvaitis.
  • MESPAC: Provides accurate metocean data for offshore renewable energy projects, raising $1.9M in total, last $1.5M on February 3, 2025, from Galaxia and COREangels Climate. Founders: Andrea Gulisano, Edoardo Pasta, Giulia Cervelli.
  • Perfecta Energía: Installs solar panels to promote sustainable energy usage across Spain. Fully funded $4.2M on June 14, 2021, by Creas. Founders: Borja Saez, Elena De Roda.
  • Cloover: Offers embedded financing for sustainable home improvements. Raised $121.4M, with a recent $108.5M round on May 28, 2024, from 9900 Capital and Broadhaven Ventures. Founders: Jodok Betschart, Peder Broms, Tony Kirmo, Valentin De Wulf.

Climate Management

  • Waterdrop: A hydration brand offering eco-friendly microdrinks that reduce plastic waste. Raised $67.4M from investors like Novak Djokovic and Bitburger Ventures. Recent activity includes strong social growth. Founder: Martin Donald Murray.
  • repath: Identifies and manages climate risks with SaaS tools that integrate physical risk analytics into corporate decision-making and reporting. Secured a total of $5.67M, including $4.02M fully raised on September 19, 2024, with support from SaaSgarage, Nucleus Capital, better ventures, and others. Founder: Julius Pröll.
  • ReMoni: Provides intelligent sensors for optimizing energy and operational efficiency. Total funding of $1.3M, last raised $1.2M on July 1, 2016, backed by EASME. Founder: Bo Eskerod Madsen.
  • Planted: Offers a platform for managing carbon offsetting and supporting climate-positive lifestyles. Raised $6.2M, latest round of $5.2M on February 10, 2025, from Julius Göllner and others.
  • Nova Lumos: Delivers off-grid solar power to underserved communities. Secured $172M, last $35M on September 29, 2020, backed by OPIC and IFC. Founders: Adam Howard, Davidi Vortman.

Energy

  • EkWateur: Supplies 100% renewable electricity, gas, and wood to residential and business customers in France. Raised $51.3M, including a $31.7M round on May 9, 2022, from BNP Paribas Développement and others. Founders: Jonathan Martelli, Julien Tchernia.
  • Axle Energy: Connects home energy devices to electricity markets using smart software to optimize energy usage. Raised $10.6M, with $8.9M secured on August 1, 2024, backed by Accel and others. Founders: Karl Bach, Archy de Berker.
  • Greenlyte Carbon Technologies: Captures CO₂ from the atmosphere through low-energy direct air capture (DAC) systems. Raised $20.1M, with $11.4M raised on March 6, 2024. Founders: Florian Hildebrand, Niklas Friederichsen, Peter Siska.
  • Supercritical: Developing the world’s first high-pressure, ultra-efficient electrolyser for green hydrogen production. Raised $17.4M, fully secured on March 11, 2025, with support from Shell Ventures and others. Founders: Luke Tan, Matt Bird, Mike Russ.
  • Aira: Provides accessible clean energy technologies such as heat pumps and solar for residential use. Raised $535.4M in total, including a $68.4M round on October 16, 2024, from Statkraft Ventures and Temasek. Founder: Harald Mix.

Food & Land Use

  • smaXtec: Provides advanced health monitoring systems for dairy farmers to improve livestock management and milk production. Raised $8.2M, last funding on January 16, 2025, from EASME and others. Founders: Mario Fallast, Stefan Rosenkranz, Stefan Scherer.
  • Grubby: Delivers plant-based recipe kits for efficient, sustainable home cooking, promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing food waste. Secured a total of $3.52M, including $2.03M fully raised on September 16, 2022, with support from Crowdcube. Founder: Martin Holden-White.
  • hexafarms: Enhances commercial greenhouse food production with AI-powered precision farming tools. Raised $1.5M, including $1.4M on May 14, 2024, from Techstars, Speedinvest, and others. Founder: David Ahmed.
  • VitiBot: Designs autonomous electric robots for sustainable vineyard operations. Raised $16.3M, including $12.8M on November 2, 2020. Founder: Cedric Bache.
  • Formo: Produces animal-free dairy products using precision fermentation, aiming to reshape food systems. Raised $151.4M, most recently $36.1M on January 14, 2025, with backing from EQT Ventures, FoodLabs, and M Ventures. Founders: Britta Winterberg, Raffael Wohlgensinger.

Industrial

  • UNISERS: Develops contamination control technology for semiconductor manufacturing, improving chip yield and performance. Raised $14M, last round on April 28, 2023, with backing from M Ventures and Swisscom Ventures. Founders: Ali Altun, Fabian Walter, Timo Schneider.
  • Elmodis: Provides Industrial IoT solutions for monitoring and optimizing industrial machinery. Raised $5.2M, with a $4.9M round on April 9, 2017, from Intel Capital and SET Ventures. Founders: Kamil Kozak, Marcin Święch, Tomasz Hartwig.
  • Atlas Metrics: Offers an all-in-one ESG and sustainability management platform to help companies track, report, and improve their environmental impact. Raised $19.22M, including $13.59M on September 30, 2024, from MMC Ventures, Redstone.VC, and others. Founder: Wladimir Nikoluk.
  • Packmatic: Operates a digital procurement platform connecting brands with flexible packaging suppliers to streamline sourcing and reduce costs. Raised $16.32M, fully closed on January 24, 2024, with backing from HV Capital, Oliver Roskopf, and Christian Hülsewig. Founders: Jonas Boland, Matthias Geiss, Paul Schraven, Tim Hoffmann.

Recycling & Packaging

  • Modern Milkman: Delivers groceries in returnable glass bottles and reusable containers, promoting zero-waste consumption. Raised $81.9M, including a $678K round on November 28, 2022, from ETF Partners, Insight Partners, and others. Founders: Becky Hilton, Simon Mellin.
  • MIWA: Offers a refill and reuse platform for packaging-free retail, reducing waste and costs through IoT-powered dispensing solutions. Raised $6M, with $2.9M last secured on March 24, 2023, from the European Innovation Council and Tilia Impact Ventures. Founder: Petr Baca.
  • Revive Eco: Converts used coffee grounds into natural oils for use in cosmetics, cleaning products, and more. Raised $1.2M, last $66K round on November 1, 2023, from Zero Waste Scotland and Crowdcube. Founders: Fergus Moore, Scott Kennedy.
  • Notpla: Creates biodegradable packaging from seaweed and plants to replace plastic in food delivery and beyond. Raised $48.2M, including a $26.9M round on September 24, 2024, backed by Horizons Ventures and Astanor Ventures. Founders: Pierre Paslier, Rodrigo García González.

Transportation

  • Hop: Provides eco-friendly electric scooter sharing services, helping cities reduce carbon emissions through micromobility solutions. Raised $7.86M, including $2.17M on September 13, 2022, from Inveo Ventures and others. Founders: Ahmet Bati, Emrecan Bati, Gökalp Üstün, Yigit Gursoy.
  • Pixies: Builds autonomous robots for urban cleaning, aiming to make city maintenance smarter and more sustainable. Raised $213K on September 1, 2021, with funding from Key Capital and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. Founders: Andrea Saliola, Flavio Ceccarelli, Pier Paolo Marcolongo.
  • Iduna: Operates Be.EV, the UK’s fastest-growing public EV charging network, accelerating adoption of electric vehicles. Raised $5.58M on April 29, 2021. Founders: Adrian Gray, Asif Ghafoor.
  • EcoG: Provides an operating system for EV chargers and helps manufacturers deploy flexible, interoperable charging infrastructure. Raised $8.4M, including a $6.4M round on December 20, 2022, backed by Techstars and Right Side Capital. Founders: Johannes Hund, Jörg Heuer, Manuel Heckmann.
  • Zenobē Energy: Delivers large-scale electrification and battery storage solutions for fleets and grid infrastructure. Raised $2.47B, including $521M on May 29, 2024, from Infracapital and NZ Green Investment Fund. Founders: James Basden, Nicholas Beatty, Steven Meersman.

Strategic Outlook

As sustainability-focused technologies continue to mature, their influence across Europe’s industrial and consumer landscapes will only deepen. The coming years will see these solutions increasingly integrated into the core operating models of businesses—from energy systems and food supply chains to packaging logistics and built environments. For startups, scaling impact will depend on strategic collaboration, policy alignment, and the ability to commercialize innovation at pace.

Key Takeaways:

  • AI-enabled tools and climate data platforms will become core infrastructure across sectors like energy, agriculture, and industry.
  • Solutions tailored to specific emissions-intensive sectors (e.g. steel, transport, food) will define the next wave of decarbonization.
  • Continued capital deployment, coupled with regulatory momentum, signals deepening investor confidence in the space.

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