Rockstart,kondigt aan dat het zich aangesloten heeft bij de in Kopenhagen gevestigde Diversity Commitment. Deze beslissing toont aan dat Rockstart zich bewust is van de uitdagingen op het gebied van gendergelijkheid die alomtegenwoordig zijn in de industrie
Rockstart sluit zich aan bij de Diversity Commitment
De accelerator-VC neemt een proactieve houding aan om hogere diversiteits- en inclusienormen binnen het startup- en VC-ecosysteem te bevorderen
Amsterdam, Nederland, 8 maart 2024: Rockstart, een accelerator-VC, kondigt aan dat het zich aangesloten heeft bij de in Kopenhagen gevestigde Diversity Commitment, naast EIFO, Danske Bank, Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Danish Business Angels en verschillende andere VC's. Deze beslissing toont aan dat Rockstart zich bewust is van de uitdagingen op het gebied van gendergelijkheid die alomtegenwoordig zijn in de industrie. Rockstart erkent dat er meer nodig is om gendergelijkheid te bereiken dan ambities alleen; het vereist een gezamenlijke inspanning, in het hele investeringsproces én alle interne activiteiten.
De Diversity Commitment doet dienst als een platform om de bewustwording en dialoog te versterken en tastbare veranderingen door te voeren in het cruciale gebied van de diversiteit. Sinds 2023 heeft de community zich tot buiten Denemarken uitgebreid en omvat ze ook gegevens uit de Scandinavische landen. In het kader van dit engagement zal Rockstart de vertegenwoordiging van de genders meten en opvolgen en jaarlijks via de Diversity Commitment verslag uitbrengen over interne activiteiten en investeringsprocessen, waaronder dealflow.
Rockstart begrijpt dat een tweeledige aanpak noodzakelijk is om veranderingen door te voeren in de gehele sector: door mogelijkheden te bieden aan genderevenwichtige oprichtersteams binnen het hele portfolio en door diversiteit te creëren binnen de eigen interne activiteiten. Tussen 2022 en 2023 heeft het bedrijf zich actief ingezet om een vrouwelijke COO te werven om het directieteam te versterken. In september 2023 werd Anne Mette Frejsel met succes aangesteld, wat blijkt geeft van de toewijding van Rockstart om de gendergelijkheid binnen het bedrijf te versterken. Momenteel identificeert 54% van het Rockstart-team zich als vrouw, wat de toewijding aan genderdiversiteit benadrukt. Het doel is om deze verhouding niet alleen te handhaven, maar ook de promotie van meer vrouwen naar leidinggevende posities actief te stimuleren.
In een poging om de inclusiviteit te vergroten, heeft Rockstart zijn investeringsprocedure gestandaardiseerd, werd de inzameling van gendergegevens in de dealflows en de investeerderspool geïntroduceerd en werden er stappen ondernomen om de interne leidinggevende rollen te diversifiëren. Daarnaast classificeerde Rockstart in 2023 zijn meerjarige, in de EU gevestigde fondsen als SFDR Artikel 8 (ter bevordering van ecologische en sociale kenmerken), en begon het met het verzamelen van Significante Negatieve Impact-indicatoren en andere DE&I-indicatoren van alle actieve portfolio-ondernemingen.
"We zijn heel verheugd dat Rockstart zich aansluit bij de Diversity Commitment community. Zij helpen ons om het bewustzijn en de interesse buiten de Scandinavische regio te verspreiden. Rockstart heeft proactief stappen ondernomen om zijn personeelsbestand te diversifiëren tot en met de leidinggevende functies. Dat is van groot belang, gezien de aanzienlijke afname van diversiteit die we vaststellen in gezagsposities. Het delen van inzichten over het aanpakken van diversiteitsuitdagingen maakt integraal deel uit van de Diversity Commitment en we kijken er heel erg naar uit om kennis uit te kunnen wisselen met Rockstart."
— Stine Colding Alstrup, Oprichter en CEO van Intentional en de initiatiefnemer van de Diversity Commitment"Solo vrouwelijke oprichters krijgen vaak te maken met sceptische reacties, maar Rockstart zag potentieel in mijn persoonlijk traject. De erkenning die zij gaven aan mijn ambities heeft mijn leven veranderd. De betrokkenheid van Rockstart bij initiatieven zoals de Diversity Commitment benadrukt hun toewijding aan het ondersteunen van ondervertegenwoordigde oprichters en aan het bevorderen van diversiteit in het startup-landschap. Met de steun van Rockstart voelen solo-oprichters zoals ik zich gevalideerd en gesterkt om vol vertrouwen door de uitdagingen van het startup-landschap te navigeren."
— Celine Sandberg, Oprichter en CEO van Agroprene (Rockstart AgriFood portfoliobedrijf)"We zijn trots op het genderevenwicht dat we in ons hele bedrijf bereikt hebben, waarbij 54% van onze teamleden zich als vrouw identificeert. We erkennen echter dat het belangrijk is om de diversiteit binnen de besluitvormende functies te vergroten. In 2023 trad ik in dienst bij Rockstart. Ik ben er een groot voorstander van om onze Raad van Bestuur te diversifiëren en ons talent te benutten om mogelijkheden te creëren voor genderevenwichtige teams. We blijven ons inzetten om een cultuur van inclusie te bevorderen waarin verschillende perspectieven niet alleen welkom zijn, maar ook actief nagestreefd worden bij het vaststellen van onze strategische doelstellingen."
— Anne Mette Frejsel, COO van Rockstart,"Net zoals het voor de hele sector een alomtegenwoordige uitdaging is, is het ook voor Rockstart een blijvende doelstelling om gendergelijkheid te blijven nastreven binnen oprichters- en management teams. We erkennen de behoefte aan concrete ondersteuning voor genderevenwichtige oprichters met behulp van strategische investeringen. We streven naar een gelijke toegang tot financiering, gelijke kansen en ondersteuning voor vrouwelijke ondernemers. Onze focus blijft gericht op een voortdurende progressie naar een meer inclusief ecosysteem voor ondernemers."
— Rune Theill, CEO en medeoprichter van RockstartRockstart zet zich in om gendergelijkheid en diversiteit te bevorderen en hun voortdurende inspanningen blijven waardevolle lessen opleveren in dit opzicht. Rockstart DEI 2024 erkent dat er behoefte is aan meer diversiteit, het wil de vertegenwoordiging in het eigen team nog versterken, startup-investeringen diversifiëren, inclusiviteit stimuleren, communicatie- en marketingstrategieën op maat implementeren en prioriteit geven aan transparantie door initiatieven zoals de Diversity Commitment.
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Over Diversity Commitment
Diversity Commitment werd opgericht door de twee ondernemers Liva Echwald en Stine Colding Alstrup. Het maakt deel uit van hun missie om diverse bedrijven op te starten en deze bewust te ontwerpen met diversiteit in het achterhoofd. Sinds 2023 werd de community uitgebreid buiten Denemarken met gegevens uit de Scandinavische landen. De partners die de doelstellingen van de Diversity Commitment bepaald en ondertekend hebben zijn EIFO, Danske Bank, Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Danish Business Angels, en VC's zoals PreSeed Ventures, by Founders, Noon Ventures enz.
Rockstart annoncerer sit medlemskab af Copenhagen Diversity Commitment sammen med EIFO. Rockstart ser behovet for at adressere de udfordringer der findes i branchen med hensyn til ligestilling mellem kønnene, som Diversity Commitment sætter fokus på og arbejder for.
Rockstart tilslutter sig Diversity Commitment
Rockstart indtager en proaktiv holdning om at opnå højere standarder for mangfoldighed og inklusion i økosystemet for startups og venturekapital.
København, Danmark, 8. marts 2024: Rockstart, en accelerator af venturekapitalfond i den tidlige fase, annoncerer sit medlemskab af Copenhagen Diversity Commitment sammen med EIFO, Danske Bank, Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Danish Business Angels og flere andre venturekapitalfonde. Rockstart ser behovet for at adressere de udfordringer der findes i branchen med hensyn til ligestilling mellem kønnene, som Diversity Commitment sætter fokus på og arbejder for. En opnåelse af ligestilling kræver mere end blot ambitioner - det kræver en indsats gennem hele investeringsprocessen og den interne drift.
Diversity Commitment fungerer som en platform til at skabe opmærksomhed, fremme dialog og skabe konkrete forandringer på det vigtige område, som mangfoldighed er. Siden 2023 er fællesskabet blevet udvidet ud over Danmark og inkluderer nu data fra de nordiske lande. Som en del af forpligtelsen vil Rockstart måle og spore kønsrepræsentation og rapportere årligt om interne operationer og investeringsprocesser, herunder deal flow, som en del af Diversity Commitment.
Rockstart mener, at ændringer i hele branchen kræver en fremgangsmåde på to fronter: at fremme kønsbalancerede grundlæggerteams på tværs af porteføljen og at fremme mangfoldighed i sin egen interne drift. Mellem 2022 og 2023 søgte virksomheden aktivt at ansætte en kvindelig COO for at styrke sit ledelsesteam. I september 2023 lykkedes det at ansætte Anne Mette Frejsel. I øjeblikket er 54% af Rockstarts team kvinder, hvilket underbygger virksomhedens engagement i kønsdiversitet. Målet er ikke kun at fastholde denne andel, men også aktivt at forfremme flere kvinder til lederstillinger.
Rockstart har standardiseret sin investeringsproces, indført kønsspecifik dataindsamling på tværs af sin portefølje og udvælgelseskomite og taget skridt til at diversificere interne lederroller for at sikre en inkluderende tilgang til investering. Derudover har Rockstart 2023 kategoriseret sine flerårige, EU-baserede fonde som SFDR Artikel 8 (Fremme af miljømæssige og sociale karakteristika) og er begyndt at indsamle vigtige påvirkningsindikatorer og DE&I-indikatorer fra alle aktive porteføljevirksomheder.
“Vi er begejstrede for at have Rockstart med i Diversity Commitment-fællesskabet, som hjælper os med at sprede opmærksomhed og interesse ud over Norden. Rockstart har taget proaktive skridt til at diversificere sin arbejdsstyrke, også i ledende stillinger. Dette er afgørende i betragtning af det betydelige fald i mangfoldighed, vi har observeret i ledelsesstillingerpositioner. At dele indsigt i, hvordan man håndterer mangfoldighedsudfordringer, er en integreret del af Diversity Commitment, og vi ser meget frem til at udveksle viden med Rockstart."
— Stine Colding Alstrup, grundlægger og CEO for Intentional og initiativtager til Diversity Commitment"Kvindelige solo-stifterebliver ofte mødt med skepsis, men Rockstart så potentialet i min personlige rejse. Deres anerkendelse af mine ambitioner har forandret mig. Rockstarts engagement i initiativer som Diversity Commitment understreger virksomhedens forpligtelse til at støtte underrepræsenterede kvindelige stiftere og fremme mangfoldighed i startup-landskabet. Med Rockstarts støtte føler solo-stiftere som mig selv sig valideret og bemyndiget til at tackle udfordringerne i startup-verdenen med selvtillid.”
— Celine Sandberg, grundlægger og administrerende direktør, Agroprene (porteføljeselskab i Rockstart AgriFood)“Vi er stolte af den kønsbalance, som vi har opnået i hele vores virksomhed, hvor 54 % af vores medarbejdere identificerer sig selv som kvinder. Vi anerkender dog vigtigheden af øget diversitet i beslutningstagernes roller. Jeg kom til Rockstart i 2023, og jeg er en stærk fortaler for at diversificere vores ledelse og at løfte vores talenter med henblik på at skabe muligheder for kønsbalancerede teams. Vi har hele tiden været forpligtet til at fremme en inklusionskultur, hvor forskellige perspektiver ikke blot bydes velkommen, men også efterspørges aktivt, når vi former vores strategiske retning.”
— Anne Mette Frejsel, administrerende direktør, Rockstart“I tråd med en udfordring i hele branchen fortsætter Rockstart med at stræbe efter ligestilling mellem kønnene i grundlægger- og bestyrelsesteams som et løbende mål. Vi anerkender behovet for konkret støtte til kønsbalancerede kvindelige grundlæggere gennem strategiske investeringer. Vi stræber efter at sikre lige adgang til finansiering, muligheder og støtte for kvindelige iværksættere. Vores fokus er fortsat på fortsatte fremskridt mod et mere inkluderende økosystem for iværksættere.”
— Rune Theill, CEO og medstifter af RockstartRockstart er dedikeret til at fremme ligestilling og mangfoldighed, og vi har fortsat meget at lære af vores nuværende initiativer i forhold til dette. Rockstart har en DE&I strategi for 2024 hvor viplanlægger at forbedre repræsentationen på tværs af teams, diversificere investeringer i start-ups, fremme inklusivitet, implementere skræddersyede kommunikations- og marketingstrategier og øge gennemsigtigheden gennem initiativer som f.eks. Diversity Commitment.
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Om Diversity Commitment
Diversity Commitment blev startet af de to iværksættere Liva Echwald og Stine Colding Alstrup som en del af deres mission om at opbygge mangfoldige virksomheder og bevidst sikre mangfoldighed. Siden 2023 har fællesskabet udvidet sig ud over Danmark og inkluderer nu også data fra de nordiske lande. Partnere, der har defineret og underskrevet målene for mangfoldighedsforpligtelsen, omfatter EIFO, Danske Bank, Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Danish Business Angels og venturekapitalfonde som PreSeed Ventures, af grundlæggere, Noon Ventures m.fl..
Rockstart announces its membership in the Copenhagen-based Diversity Commitment alongside EIFO, Danske Bank, Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Danish Business Angels, and several other VCs. This decision reflects Rockstart’s acknowledgment of the gender equity challenges pervasive in the industry.
Rockstart joins the Diversity Commitment
The accelerator-VC takes a proactive stance to drive higher diversity and inclusion standards within the startup and VC ecosystem
Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 8th, 2024: Rockstart, early stage accelerator-VC, announces its membership in the Copenhagen-based Diversity Commitment alongside EIFO, Danske Bank, Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Danish Business Angels, and several other VCs. This decision reflects Rockstart’s acknowledgment of the gender equity challenges pervasive in the industry. Rockstart recognizes that achieving gender equity requires more than mere aspirations – it necessitates a concerted effort throughout the investment process and internal operations.
The Diversity Commitment serves as a platform for driving awareness, fostering dialogue, and effecting tangible change in the crucial area of diversity. Since 2023, the community has expanded beyond Denmark to include data from the Nordics. As part of the commitment, Rockstart will measure and track gender representation, reporting annually through the Diversity Commitment on internal operations and investment processes, including dealflow.
Rockstart understands that achieving industry-wide change requires a dual approach: empowering gender-balanced founder teams throughout its portfolio and addressing diversity within its own internal operations. Between 2022 and 2023, the company actively pursued the recruitment of a female COO to join its executive team. In September 2023, Anne Mette Frejsel was successfully onboarded, showcasing Rockstart’s commitment to advancing the company in terms of gender equity. Currently, within the Rockstart team, 54% identify as female, underscoring its dedication to gender diversity. The objective is not only to maintain this ratio but also to actively cultivate the promotion of more women into leadership positions.
In efforts to increase inclusivity, Rockstart has standardized its investment process, introduced gender data collection across dealflows and the investor pool, and has taken steps to diversify internal leadership roles. Additionally, in 2023, Rockstart classified its multi-year, EU-based funds as SFDR Article 8 (promoting environmental and social characteristics), and began gathering Principal Adverse Impact indicators and other DE&I indicators from all active portfolio companies.
"We're thrilled to have Rockstart join the Diversity Commitment community, helping us spread awareness and interest beyond the Nordic region. Rockstart has taken proactive steps to diversify its workforce, extending to leadership roles. This is crucial, considering the significant decline in diversity we've observed in positions of authority. Sharing insights on addressing diversity challenges is integral to the Diversity Commitment, and we eagerly anticipate exchanging knowledge with Rockstart."
— Stine Colding Alstrup, Founder & CEO, Intentional and the initiator of the Diversity Commitment"Solo female founders frequently encounter skepticism, yet Rockstart recognized the potential in my personal journey. Their acknowledgment of my ambitions has been transformative. Rockstart's involvement in initiatives such as the Diversity Commitment underscores its dedication to backing underrepresented founders and promoting diversity in the startup landscape. With Rockstart's support, solo founders like myself feel validated and empowered to navigate the challenges of the startup world with confidence."
— Celine Sandberg, Founder & CEO, Agroprene - Rockstart AgriFood portfolio company“We're proud of the gender balance we've achieved throughout our company, with 54% of our team members identifying as female. However, we acknowledge the importance of increasing diversity within decision-making roles. Having joined Rockstart in 2023, I’m a strong advocate for diversifying our leadership board and leveraging our talent to provide opportunities for gender-balanced teams. We remain committed to fostering a culture of inclusion where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but actively sought after in shaping our strategic direction."
— Anne Mette Frejsel, COO, Rockstart“In line with a pervasive industry-wide challenge, Rockstart continues to pursue gender parity within founder and board teams as an ongoing goal. We recognize the imperative for concrete support for gender-balanced founders through strategic investing. We strive to ensure equal access to funding, opportunities, and support for female entrepreneurs. Our focus remains on continuous progress toward a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
— Rune Theill, CEO & Co-Founder, RockstartRockstart is dedicated to promoting gender equity and diversity, and ongoing efforts continue to provide valuable lessons in this regard. Recognizing the imperative for stronger diversity, Rockstart DEI 2024 plans to bolster representation across its team, diversify startup investments, foster inclusivity, implement tailored communication and marketing strategies, and prioritize transparency through initiatives like the Diversity Commitment.
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About Agropene
Agropene is on a mission to develop a sustainable alternative to oil-based foam. Utilizing locally-sourced seaweed and crab shell waste, they revolutionized the material production landscape, directly combating the industry's carbon footprint.Agoprene produces sustainable biofoam. The startup was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Barkåker, Vestfold, Norway.
About the Diversity Commitment
Diversity Commitment was initiated by the two entrepreneurs Liva Echwald and Stine Colding Alstrup as a part of their mission to build diverse companies and intentionally design for diversity. Since 2023, the community has expanded beyond Denmark to include data from the Nordics. The partners who have defined and signed the goals of the Diversity Commitment are EIFO, Danske Bank, Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Danish Business Angels, and VCs such PreSeed Ventures, by Founders, Noon Ventures etc.
Rockstart announces its co-investment in Eddy Grid, a Rockstart Energy portfolio company. The €1.5 m round was led by the Graduate Entrepreneur fund, Herberth Samsom, alongside Rockstart’s Energy Fund and Volve Capital.
Eddy Grid raises €1.5 million to accelerate the fight against grid congestion
Amsterdam, Netherlands, January 22, 2024: Rockstart, global early stage VC and accelerator, announces its co-investment in Eddy Grid, a Rockstart Energy portfolio company. Eddy Grid will start the Rockstart Energy accelerator program in February 2024. The €1.5 m round was led by the Graduate Entrepreneur fund, Herberth Samsom, alongside Rockstart’s Energy Fund and Volve Capital. In addition to these major investors, several leading angels have also joined, including Jan Saan of CM.com, Thijs Verheul and Sjuul Berden of United Wardrobe, and Bastiaan van de Rakt of WhyCommitCapital.
This capital will be utilized to expedite the growth of Eddy Grid. The team aims to further expand its offerings to serve customers more broadly and accelerate the rollout of collaborations, such as the Energy Hubs in partnership with Skoon Energy.
Eddy Grid is committed to ensuring the continuous availability of affordable green energy. This contributes to sustainable energy consumption and indirectly accelerates the electrification of mobility and industry. Eddy Grid supports a range of businesses, from SMEs to large industrial enterprises. Whether they face a power shortage, have surplus capacity on their contracted capacity, or own solar panels, Eddy Grid can help. Transparency is a fundamental principle in their approach.
"We are incredibly pleased that so many people are eager to help build a greener and more resilient world. There was an enormous amount of interest and support for our plans and confidence in our team. We believe that together with these experienced partners we can accelerate and increase our impact."
— Sam Rohn, CEO and co-founder of Eddy GridWe are thrilled to have Eddy Grid on board in our portfolio and our accelerator program. They have an impressive team with strong commercial skills and a proven track record in building scalable businesses. Their energy management and storage solutions address the urgent pain of grid capacity limitations for C&I customers, which is reflected in their strong traction so far. We look forward to supporting Eddy Grid in expanding their business and impact on the energy transition.”
— Max ter Horst, Managing Partner at Rockstart Energy“With Eddy Grid, companies can scale their access to energy while increasing OI on renewable investments. This is the way to a more sustainable future, a goal shared by the Graduate Entrepreneur fund.”
— Auke van den Hout, Managing Partner at the Graduate Entrepreneur fundSince 2014, Rockstart has been accelerating and investing in energy startups, which makes Rockstart a forerunner in the energy domain with 75 early-stage startup investments. Collectively, these portfolio companies have raised over €150 million to date. Rockstart Energy invests in and accelerates startups at the pre-seed stage and continues to support them alongside other investors until series B. On average, Rockstart invests in approximately 12 energy startups per year.
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About Eddy Grid
Eddy Grid is a new challenger in the energy storage market. Founded by an experienced 'growth' team (with senior experience at Booking.com, Tesla, Lightyear, and Red je Pakketje), the company aims to help build a more beautiful,
cleaner future. Eddy Grid is committed to building sufficient energy storage to guarantee stable and full access to renewable energy day and night. The company was established by Emma Wolthuizen, Jasper Cramwinckel, Maxim Sprey, Renno
Rockstart announces its second AgriFood fund, advancing its mission to finance the shift toward a regenerative and sustainable future.
Rockstart launches second AgriFood Fund to double down on early stage impactful Ag & Food Tech startups
Amsterdam, December 6, 2023: Rockstart, global early-stage accelerator-VC, announces the launch of its second AgriFood fund. The new fund furthers the firm’s purpose to fund the transformation to a regenerative and sustainable future. Rockstart reinforces its commitment as the initial impact investor for early-stage startups with AgriFood Fund II, demonstrating its long-term dedication and support. The fund targets a final close at €50m and plans to invest in up to 50 startups within the coming 5 years. The fund is backed by The Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), De Hoge Dennen, and Danish Agro, amongst other new and existing backers.
Rockstart AgriFood Fund II marks Rockstart's fourth fund, following launches in AgriFood (2019), Energy (2020), and Emerging Tech (2022). Rockstart AgriFood Fund II will continue to fund early stage purpose-driven founders scaling impactful solutions by leveraging emerging technologies and new business models that improve our food supply system from soil and ocean to gut.
This fund is actively seeking investments in regenerative solutions that restore our soils and oceans to become CO2 capture powerhouses, in responsible and circular innovations that create value from wasted food while reducing food loss, and in quantifiable solutions and tools that provide consumers with better access to nutritious food that tastes good and does good.
Selected startups receive an initial investment and gain access to Rockstart’s tailor-made AgriFood accelerator program, running biannually throughout spring and autumn. The customized program prepares startups for their next growth stages and helps them make a positive impact in the long term. The program includes custom early stage sessions on fundraising, scaling, and ESG data collection and reporting, among other valuable resources preparing the founders to maximize their impact. Rockstart AgriFood Fund II will follow-on invest into its portfolio companies, aligning with the market up to series B.
"We are on a mission to empower purpose-driven founders on a global scale. Guiding startups through scaling and offering access to capital, especially in challenging markets, remains fundamental to our founder-focused ethos. We're excited about our ongoing collaborations with partners, mentors, and stakeholders, forging impactful alliances that drive positive change across diverse domains."
— Rune Theill, CEO and Co-Founder, Rockstart"Since 2017, we've been committed to championing a regenerative and sustainable food system, investing in 50+ startups. With the launch of our new fund, we continue this mission by investing in early stage agrifood startups, aligning with EU climate and ESG targets to build a better future. Our appreciation extends to existing and new investors for their unwavering support. The trust from organizations like EIFO, De Hoge Dennen, and Danish Agro makes us more determined than ever to continue enabling progress within the sector."
— Mark Durno, Managing Partner AgriFood, Rockstart"When we invested in Rockstart AgriFoods' first fund, we were part of attracting an experienced and competent accelerator manager to Denmark. Rockstart AgriFood is an important investor in our ecosystem, thanks to their specialization and early-stage focus, which can contribute to the development of the agrifood market from the ground up. The fact that Danish Agro is now also joining the investor circle is seen as a further strengthening of the fund's Danish footprint, and we at EIFO are pleased that we can continue our partnership with Rockstart AgriFood as investors in Fund II,"
— Lars Nordal Jensen, Head of Fund Investments, EIFO"At Danish Agro, we have an ambitious goal of making agricultural production climate neutral by 2050 and at the same time economically sustainable for farmers. This target requires collaboration and innovation throughout the value chain, and for a number of years, we have successfully partnered with various startups. This gives us access to new technologies, knowledge, and inspiration, and therefore we see great perspectives in participating in Rockstart's AgriFood Fund II. We know Rockstart from our joint ownership in Cordulus, and we are very much looking forward to expanding the collaboration."
— Henning Haahr, Group CEO, Danish AgroSince its launch in 2019, Rockstart AgriFood Fund I invested in 50 ag and food tech startups, whom we are proud to work alongside. Startups like Orderlion (software for supply chain optimization), Beyond Leather Materials (upcycling food waste to create alternative leather textiles), Cordulus (super accurate micro-climate forecasting), and Reduced (upcycling side streams to create natural food flavors and ingredients) have raised over €60m collectively since the fund’s initial investment in July 2019.
Rockstart has LPs in its funds, including EIFO, family offices like De Hoge Dennen, large pension funds like APG, and corporates like Arla Foods and Eneco. Over the years, Rockstart has co-invested alongside Balderton, EQT, Endit, Astanor, Accel, SET Ventures, AgFunder, and ForwardOne, in addition to many other VCs, informal investors, and CVCs.
Startups can apply to Rockstart AgriFood via the website at rockstart.com/agrifood/
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About EIFO
The Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) is the national promotional bank and export credit agency of Denmark combined in one financial institution. EIFO provides a single point of access for Danish companies as well as for their foreign and domestic business partners who need risk-tolerant government capital. EIFO wants to support successful businesses which can grow the Danish economy and green the globe. We make the world Denmark´s business.
About Danish Agro
The Danish Agro Group consists of various domestic and foreign agro-industrial companies. All of them have the general objective - in close interaction with customers - to contribute to value creation solutions for individual businesses. The group is primarily involved in the sale of feed mixes, raw materials and vitamin premixes, fertilizers, plant protection, seeds and energy, as well as the purchase of agricultural crops. In addition, the group deals with several strong brands of agricultural machinery and manages an extensive chain of hobby and leisure stores. The Danish Agro Group employs approx. 5,200 employees and had in 2022 a turnover of DKK 59 billion.
Den nye fond styrker virksomhedens mål om at finansiere overgangen til en mere regenerativ og bæredygtig fremtid. Rockstart cementerer dermed sin rolle som en af de mest aktive impact investorer for agri/foodtech startups med AgriFood Fund II.
Rockstart lancerer sin anden AgriFood-fond for at intensivere indsatsen for tidlige Agri/FoodTech-startups
Den hollandske venturekapitalfond, Rockstart, annoncerer lanceringen af sin anden AgriFood-fond.
Den nye fond styrker virksomhedens mål om at finansiere overgangen til en mere regenerativ og bæredygtig fremtid. Rockstart cementerer dermed sin rolle som en af de mest aktive impact investorer for agri/foodtech startups med AgriFood Fund II. Fonden sigter mod at rejse €50 mio. til fonden og planlægger at investere i op til 50 startups inden for de kommende fem år. Fonden bakkes op af Danmarks Eksport- og Investeringsfond (EIFO), De Hoge Dennen og Danish Agro, sammen med andre nye og eksisterende internationale investorer.
Rockstart AgriFood Fund II markerer Rockstarts fjerde fond i række, efter lanceringerne af AgriFood Fond I (2019), Energi Fond I (2020) og Emerging Tech Fond I (2022). Rockstart AgriFood Fund II vil fortsætte med at finansiere tidlige faser af virksomheder, der skalerer løsninger ved at udnytte nye teknologier og forretningsmodeller, der forbedrer vores fødevareforsyningssystem fra jord og hav til fordøjelsessystemet.
Udvalgte startups modtager en indledende investering og får adgang til Rockstarts skræddersyede AgriFood-acceleratorprogram, der bliver afholdt to gange årligt. Det tilpassede program forbereder startups til deres næste vækststadier og hjælper dem bl.a. med at blive klar til at rejse kapital fra senere stadie VC-fonde.
"Hos Rockstart er vores mission centreret om at styrke ambitiøse iværksættere på globalt plan. At guide startups gennem skaleringsprocessen og tilbyde adgang til kapital, især i udfordrende markeder, er fundamentalt for vores iværksætterfokuserede ethos. Vi ser frem til vores fortsatte samarbejde med partnere, mentorer og interessenter, hvor vi skaber indflydelsesrige alliancer, der driver positiv forandring på tværs af forskellige områder."
— Rune Theill, administrerende direktør og medstifter af Rockstart"Siden 2017 har vi forpligtet os til at støtte et regenerativt og bæredygtigt fødevaresystem ved at investere i mere end 50 startups. Med lanceringen af vores nye fond fortsætter vi denne mission ved at investere i tidlige stadier af agrifood-startups og tilpasse os EU's klima- og ESG-mål for at opbygge en bedre fremtid. Vi takker eksisterende og nye investorer for deres ubetingede støtte. Tilliden fra organisationer som EIFO, De Hoge Dennen og Danish Agro gør os mere opsatte på at fortsætte med at muliggøre fremskridt inden for sektoren."
— Mark Durno, ledende partner af AgriFood fonden hos Rockstart"Da vi investerede i Rockstart AgriFoods første fond var vi med til at trække en erfaren og kompetent accelerator-forvalter til Danmark. Rockstart AgriFood er en vigtig investor i vores økosystem, i kraft af deres specialist- og tidlige stadie-fokus, som kan være med til at udvikle agrifood markedet nedefra. At Danish Agro nu også træder ind i investorkredsen, ser vi som en yderligere styrkelse af fondens danske aftryk, og vi er i EIFO glade for at vi kan være med til at fortsætte vores partnerskab med Rockstart AgriFood som investorer i fond II.”
— Lars Nordal Jensen, chef for fondsinvesteringer hos EIFO"Hos Danish Agro har vi et ambitiøst mål om at gøre landbrugsproduktionen klimaneutral inden 2050 og samtidig økonomisk bæredygtig for landmænd. Dette mål kræver samarbejde og innovation i hele værdikæden, og i adskillige år har vi succesfuldt samarbejdet med forskellige startups. Dette giver os adgang til nye teknologier, viden og inspiration, og derfor ser vi gode perspektiver i at deltage i Rockstarts AgriFood II. Vi kender Rockstart fra vores fælles ejerskab af Cordulus, og vi glæder os meget til at udvide samarbejdet."
— Henning Haahr, koncernchef for Danish AgroSiden lanceringen i 2019 har Rockstart AgriFood Fund I investeret i 50 ag- og foodtech-startups, som vi er stolte af at arbejde sammen med. Startups som Orderlion (software til optimering af forsyningskæden), Beyond Leather Materials (genbrug af madspild til at skabe alternative lædermaterialer), Cordulus (super præcis mikroklimaforudsigelse) og Reduced (genbrug af biprodukter til at skabe naturlige mad-smage og ingredienser) har samlet rejst over €60 mio. i funding siden fondens første investering i juli 2019.
Startups kan ansøge om at deltage i Rockstart AgriFood via hjemmesiden rockstart.com/agrifood/
Rockstart announces the appointment of Anne Mette Frejsel as COO. With over ten years of experience in strategy, sales, and operations, Anne Mette will work together with the Rockstart team as the company gears up for its next growth phase.
Rockstart appoints Anne Mette Frejsel as COO to further strengthen the model and organization
Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 31, 2023: Rockstart, early stage accelerator-VC, today announces the appointment of Anne Mette Frejsel as COO. With over ten years of experience in strategy, sales, and operations, Anne Mette will collaborate closely with Rockstart's CEO and co-founder, Rune Theill, and the rest of the Rockstart team as the company gears up for its next growth phase.
Anne Mette Frejsel will concentrate on advancing the accelerator, professionalizing the organization to facilitate future growth. This will enable the organization to provide more effective support for the development of early-stage startups. Anne Mette joins after a one-year sabbatical, and she was most recently Senior Director of Commercial Strategy and Communication at TDC NET. Before this, she held several senior positions at NKT, Maersk Group Strategy, and Maersk Growth in Denmark. Additionally, Anne Mette’s background encompasses her work as a scientist with the European Space Agency during her Ph.D. research in Astrophysics at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, and Stanford.
This appointment aligns with Rockstart's ongoing commitment to scaling early-stage startups through its three thematic funds and accelerator programs in AgriFood, Energy, and Emerging Technologies by providing access to capital, market, expertise, and community. The team has expanded in the last year, growing with the launch of the Rockstart Emerging Tech fund and accelerator.
“We have entered a new age of VC investments and startup acceleration, and Anne Mette’s appointment is a pivotal step in our efforts to further professionalize and better support purpose-driven founders on their journey to drive positive change, both environmental and societal. We are at an inflection point, and I firmly believe that many of the world’s most impactful companies will be built out of Europe throughout the next decades. In the context of getting more startups off the ground, Rockstart plays a crucial role as we continue to support early-stage founders, and Anne Mette brings an unique skill set ranging from high-level strategy to hands-on operations, which will allow us to scale our impact even further.”
— Rune Theill, CEO and Co-founder, Rockstart“Rockstart's mission and purpose resonates deeply with me, and I am excited to have the opportunity to work alongside Rune and the talented team to drive the next stage of growth. Rockstart has a portfolio of highly skilled and driven founders. A key objective for me in my role as COO is to drive value for both current and future cohorts of purpose-driven entrepreneurs. I look forward to leveraging best practices from my experience in larger organizations alongside an entrepreneurial approach to make an impact through our accelerator and operations.“
— Anne Mette Frejsel, COO, RockstartRockstart meddeler, at man har ansat Anne Mette Frejsel som COO. Med mere end ti års erfaring inden for strategi, salg og drift kommer Anne Mette til at samarbejde tæt med Rockstarts CEO og medstifter Rune Theill.
Rockstart udnævner Anne Mette Frejsel til COO for yderligere at styrke sin model og organisation
Amsterdam, Holland, 31. oktober 2023: Venturekapital-virksomheden Rockstart kan i dag meddele, at den har udnævnt Anne Mette Frejsel til ny COO. Med mere end ti års erfaring inden for strategi, salg og drift kommer Anne Mette til at samarbejde tæt med Rockstarts CEO og medstifter Rune Theill samt resten af Rockstart-teamet, mens virksomheden gør sig klar til sin næste vækstfase.
Anne Mette Frejsel vil koncentrere sig om at drive acceleratoren fremad og gøre organisationen mere professionel med henblik på at opnå vækst i fremtiden. Det vil gøre organisationen i stand til at give mere effektiv støtte til udviklingen af iværksættervirksomheder i den tidlige fase.
Anne Mette kommer til Rockstart efter et sabbatår, men var inden da Senior Director of Commercial Strategy and Communication hos TDC NET. Inden havde hun ledende stillinger hos NKT, Maersk Group Strategy og Maersk Growth i Danmark. Oven i dette har Anne Mette en baggrund som forsker hos European Space Agency under sit ph.d.-studie i astrofysik på Niels Bohr-Instituttet på Københavns Universitet og Stanford.
Udnævnelsen ligger i forlængelse af Rockstarts fortsatte forpligtelse i forhold til at skalere iværksættervirksomheder i den tidlige fase gennem sine tre temafonde og acceleratorprogrammer i AgriFood, Energy og Emerging Technologies. Teamet er vokset det seneste år, sideløbende med lanceringen af fonden og acceleratoren Rockstart Emerging Tech.
“Vi er gået ind i en ny tidsalder for venturekapitalinvesteringer og accelerering af iværksættervirksomheder, og udnævnelsen af Anne Mette er et afgørende skridt i vores bestræbelser på at gøre værdidrevne iværksættere mere professionelle og give dem bedre støtte på deres vej mod at drive positive forandringer både i forhold til den grønne omstilling og samfundet. Vi står ved en skillevej, og jeg tror fuldt og fast at mange af verdens mest indflydelsesrige virksomheder vil blive bygget i Europa i løbet af de næste årtier. I forhold til at få flere iværksættervirksomheder til at løfte, spiller Rockstart en afgørende rolle, idet vi fortsat støtter iværksættere i den tidlige fase, og Anne Mette vil tilføre en unikt sæt af kompetencer fra strategi på højt niveau til drift med fingrene i maskineriet, hvilket gør, at vi kan øge vores påvirkning endnu mere.”
— Rune Theill, CEO og medstifter, Rockstart“Rockstarts mission og formål ræsonnerer dybt hos mig, og jeg er rigtig glad for at få mulighed for at arbejde sammen med Rune og hele det dygtige team for at drive det næste vækststadie. Rockstart har allerede en portefølje af meget kompetente og drevne iværksættere, og et hovedmål for mig i min rolle som COO er at sørge for at levere den bedste værdi for både for dem, og for kommende formålsdrevne iværksættere. Jeg ser frem til at tage best practises ind fra min erfaring i større organisationer sammen med en iværksættertilgang, og at gøre en forskel via vores accelerator og drift.“
— Anne Mette Frejsel, COO, RockstartRockstart announces its co-investment in Circadian, a Rockstart Energy portfolio company. The startup plans to use the funding to expand its SaaS data platform functionality and scale up operations to immediate demand.
Circadian raises €1.25M to accelerate the energy transition for telecom towers in frontier markets
Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 12, 2023: Rockstart, global early stage VC and accelerator, announces its co-investment in Circadian, a Rockstart Energy portfolio company. The €1.25m round was led by BayWa r.e. Energy Ventures alongside Rockstart, Persistent Energy Capital, Great Stuff Ventures, Tofino Capital, and Ralicap Climate. The startup plans to use the funding to expand its SaaS data platform functionality and scale up operations to immediate demand.
The Berlin-based startup has developed an Energy Management System hardware and Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for solar developers and asset owners, particularly in grid-challenged emerging market countries in Africa. Thanks to their all-in-one solution platform, the entire project value chain, from site assessment and design to commissioning and asset management, can be optimized. Circadian helps C&I companies to adopt renewable energy systems in place of diesel generators, starting with telecom tower companies across the continent, driving forward decarbonization on a significant scale. The team strives to become the leading B2B platform for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) in emerging markets.
“We want to empower renewable energy installers and strive to be the catalyst for the mass adoption of decentralized energy in growth markets. Circadian is currently scaling across Africa, where we want to extend the team, build out the platform’s functionalities, and drive further growth. The backing of our investors will be a tremendous help for this.”
— Mike Rosenberg, CEO, Circadian“With their innovative technology, Circadian facilitates solar micro grids for companies in emerging markets, making an important contribution towards decarbonization. This is our first investment on the African continent, and we are excited to see more opportunities from companies looking to accelerate energy transition in the region.”
— Greg Zavorotniy, Managing Director, BayWa r.e. Energy Ventures“We see Circadian as a perfect example of an ecosystem player and enabler: they are filling a significant gap in the C&I solar space that we believe will help the whole sector scale faster and increase the rate at which renewable, solar energy replaces diesel generators and other sources of dirty energy. Their offering is particularly attractive for solarizing TelCo towers and thus, this is also an exciting and growing space that our investment in Circadian will give us further insights into.”
— Tobias Ruckstuhl, Managing Partner, Persistent Energy“Telecom tower companies and C&I customers in emerging and established markets want to reduce their diesel generator consumption by implementing renewable-powered microgrids. Circadian supports them with a hardware and SaaS platform that turns complex projects into plug-and-play solutions. In this way, the company greatly enables the scaling of renewable energy use among customers. We are thrilled to participate in this funding round, led by BayWa r.e. Energy Ventures, which will enable Circadian to expand its business even further.”
— Max ter Horst, Managing Partner, Rockstar EnergySince 2014, Rockstart has been accelerating and investing in energy startups, which makes Rockstart a forerunner in the energy domain with 75 early-stage startup investments. Collectively, these portfolio companies have raised over €150 million to date. Rockstart Energy invests in and accelerates startups at the pre-seed stage and continues to support them alongside other investors until series B. On average, Rockstart invests in approximately 12 energy startups per year.
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About Circadian
Circadian empowers solar developers to win more projects, reduce operating costs and grow revenue with its SaaS platform and proprietary IoT hardware. The company was founded by Mike Rosenberg and Max Boit who have extensive experience in the African markets. Circadian is on a mission to decarbonize Africa’s business growth by empowering solar companies. For more information, please visit Circadian’s website.
Circadian raises €1.25M to accelerate the energy transition
Rockstart announces its co-investment in Klimate.co, a Rockstart Energy portfolio company. The startup plans to use the funding to grow its team, scale internationally, and further develop Klimate.co's software platform.
Klimate.co secures €3.5M in seed round to advance carbon removal technologies and ensure transparency
Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 17, 2023: Rockstart, global early stage VC and accelerator, announces its co-investment in Klimate.co, a Rockstart Energy portfolio company. The round was led by Eneco Ventures alongside Helen Ventures and was joined by existing investors Rockstart and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO). The startup plans to use the funding to grow its team, scale internationally, and further develop Klimate.co's software platform.
The Copenhagen-based startup was founded in 2020 and has quickly established itself as a forward-thinking company dedicated to addressing climate change through innovative carbon management solutions. The company's CO₂ asset management platform empowers businesses to actively secure high-quality carbon removal solutions, effectively turning carbon liabilities into valuable future assets. Klimate.co strategically allocates funding to carbon removal projects, emphasizing environmental responsibility and promoting social and economic development.
“This investment is a testament to our commitment to combating climate change and advancing carbon removal technologies. We are grateful for the support of our investors, and this funding will be instrumental in further accelerating our commercial efforts, enhancing our platform's capabilities and ultimately drive our mission to scale up carbon removal capacity"
— Katja Grothe-Eberhardt, Founder and CEO, Klimate.co"We are excited to partner with Klimate.co in their quest to make a meaningful impact in the fight against climate change. We believe their CO₂ asset management platform is a game-changer in how businesses manage their carbon removal, particularly for future removals.”
— Robert Blom, Investment Director, Eneco Ventures"We are excited to join Klimate.co in their mission to advance carbon removal solutions. Carbon neutrality is a huge imperative across sectors. We are highly impressed by both the technical competencies and achieved commercial proof points of the Klimate team as they tackle this significant challenge together with their customers.”
— Mikael Myllymäki, Vice President and Head of Helen Ventures“EIFO is dedicated to achieving the net zero-goals. If we are to fulfill the ambitions of the Paris Agreement, we need to establish real and large-scale carbon removal. But the market is still immature. Supply is limited, and it is challenging to decide which technologies and projects are greenwashing or delivers on their promise. We see Klimate.co playing a part in solving these two issues. With their innovative Carbon Purchase Agreement-concept they have the potential to increase the number of projects being financed and as one of the most knowledgeable carbon removal teams out there, they are on a mission to ensure transparency around the quality of the projects,” says Johan Bitsch Nielsen, Investment Manager at Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, EIFO."
— Johan Bitsch Nielsen, Investment Manager at Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, EIFO.“Klimate operates within the rapidly expanding sector of carbon removal initiatives, a critical component in achieving climate objectives aimed at limiting global temperature increases to less than 2℃.. The startup offers a unique proposition to make such projects bankable and therefore scalable, while supporting offtakers in optimizing their carbon removal portfolios. We are excited to join forces with prominent investors like Eneco Ventures and Helen Ventures in this funding round, who bring in the market knowledge necessary to make Klimate a success.”
— Max ter Horst, Managing Partner, Rockstar EnergySince 2014, Rockstart has been accelerating and investing in energy startups, which makes Rockstart a forerunner in the energy domain with 75 early-stage startup investments. Collectively, these portfolio companies have raised over €150 million to date. Rockstart Energy invests in and accelerates startups at the pre-seed stage and continues to support them alongside other investors until series B. On average, Rockstart invests in approximately 12 energy startups per year.
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About Klimate
Klimate.co is a pioneering company founded in 2020, specializing in carbon asset management. Its platform enables businesses to proactively secure high-quality carbon removal solutions, transforming carbon liabilities into valuable future assets. By strategically financing carbon removal projects, Klimate.co is dedicated to scaling and accelerating the development of carbon removal methods and technologies essential to combating climate change. Klimate is based in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark, and currently has 11 employees. Klimate has clients across northern Europe and The US. Klimate is among the world's largest resellers of permanent carbon removal according to CDR.fyi.