Which areas of water-tech are hot for investors in 2025? Rethink Events asked key water players for their insights:

🌊 Helge Daebel (Emerald) sees that different industrial verticals are realizing that water is a key risk factor for their business. This has catalyzed multi-million-pound investments in water conservation and sustainable solutions at record speed.

⚡ Kelly Trott (Aqualateral) sees momentum being driven by the water-energy nexus, the rise of digital solutions, regulatory tailwinds, and the growing costs of water-related disasters.

🙌 Oliver Puckering (Xylem Innovation Labs) highlights that there is a growing emphasis on community engagement and localized solutions.

👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e8XPtGJn
#watertech #watervc #waterinnovation #waterinvestment #waterstartups

Robert O'Connor, Kyle Baker and Gina Domanig were at the Cleantech Group Forum last week, fostering a lively panel discussion on "preparing your portfolio company for an exit".

Key take-aways for start-ups:
💁 engage the best counsel you can afford
💲 develop relationships with good bankers as early as possible to avoid value-destroying decisions as you grow towards exit and to ensure that you are sold for venture value
☝ understand that VCs struggle with any waterfall where they don't get paid first

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati I Jefferies
#exits #venturecapital #startups #cleantech #climatetech

Investor trends to watch in sustainable materials for 2025:

📦Packaging Innovation:
Neil Cameron forecasts breakthroughs, stating, “We’re particularly excited about paperization, sustainable polymers, and high-performance coatings. These innovations promise both circularity and compatibility with existing infrastructure.” He also underscored the potential of digitalization, adding, “Smart, connected, and sortable packages will add value across the supply chain.”

♻️End-of-Life Solutions:
Frank Lehmann anticipates a strong focus on recyclability and circularity, emphasizing, “Solutions addressing end-of-life challenges will be central in 2025.”

💲Efficiency Over Sustainability:
Guillaume Gras notes a shift towards cost-effective solutions, saying, “Increased sustainability may not be the primary focus anymore; instead, cost savings and efficiency will drive investment.”

🤝Consolidation of Leaders:
David Walker predicts market consolidation, observing, “We’ll see competitive players pulling ahead. Barrier coatings, in particular, will remain a key innovation area.”

💡Novel Materials from Waste Streams:
Sophie Thomas sees potential for disruptive innovation, stating, “If we can overcome investment cautiousness, novel materials from difficult waste streams could emerge. Material innovation needs longer-term Capex investment to truly disrupt incumbents like oil.”

Read more: https://lnkd.in/ekuYUNE4
Fredric Petit I Amcor I European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF) I UB FIGG I etsaW #sustainablepackaging #investortrends #sustainablematerials #packaginginnovation #novelmaterials

👏 Congratulations to portfolio company INERATEC on securing €70 million with European Investment Bank (EIB) & Breakthrough Energy Catalyst!

🤩 The package will support INERATEC’s carbon neutral e-Fuel production plant in Frankfurt, which is set to be the Europe’s largest when it opens in 2025.

Christoph W. Frei I Max Hefti I Julien Dillon, CFA I Christina Held

👏 Congratulations to portfolio company Kilimo on gaining Luciana Aquino-Hagedorn as the Chair of their Board!

🌊 Our water lead Helge Daebel highlights that, “When we invest, we often seek to strengthen the Board by adding independent members. But it is rare to find such a perfect fit. Luciana’s passion for and experience with entrepreneurs, coupled with extensive knowledge in the natural capital space, including carbon and water, makes her an asset for Kilimo’s growth.”

#watertech #waterstewardship #waterinvestment #waterleadership