Reportedly, European VC fundraising began in 2025 on a subdued note, with only €2.3 billion raised across 24 funds in Q1, accounting for 11% of global venture capital down from 16% in 2024. This slowdown is attributed to factors such as rising interest rates, economic uncertainties, and a challenging exit environment. Yet, amid these headwinds, VC firms, including P101 SGR, The Founders Fund, and Revent also closed new funds.
Now, KOMPAS VC, a specialist early-stage venture capital firm focused on industrial technology, has closed its second fund at €150 million. The announcement marks a major milestone for the firm, as it doubles down on its mission to support transformative startups that address some of the world’s most pressing industrial challenges: decarbonisation, productivity, and resilience.
Confronting industrial challenges
The manufacturing and built environment sectors are among the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions and are plagued by stagnant productivity and rising vulnerability to global risks like cyberattacks and supply chain disruptions. KOMPAS VC was founded in 2021 to tackle these issues at the root by backing bold founders building industrial technologies that can drive both environmental and economic progress.
With Fund II, KOMPAS VC plans to invest in up to 25 startups developing breakthrough solutions that improve industrial efficiency, cut emissions, and future-proof businesses from escalating geopolitical and digital threats.
Experienced partners
The firm’s three partners – Sebastian Peck, Talia Rafaeli, and Andreas Winter-Extra bring a deep understanding of industrial complexity, having previously led innovation and venture efforts for three of Europe’s largest Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Their frontline experience in navigating industrial transformation gives KOMPAS a sharp edge when it comes to identifying and scaling truly impactful ventures.
Peck was a backer of Battery Resourcers, a leading battery recycling company, and Circulor, which provided transparency of the supply chain and supported ethical sourcing. Rafaeli, meanwhile, was involved in UBQ, a waste management technology that helped reclaim waste for useful products, and Ecotech, a specialised developer that recycled rubber. Andreas brings experience from previous roles at smartworks innovation, Volvo Cars Tech Fund and Volvo Car Group.
Strategic support for visionary startups
KOMPAS VC doesn’t just invest capital. It brings deep sector expertise, operational support, and a vast network of industry connections to help startups achieve product-market fit and expand globally. This high-conviction, hands-on approach has already earned the trust of major Limited Partners (LPs), many of whom participated in Fund I and have now doubled down on their commitments in Fund II.
The continued support from seasoned LPs underscores the firm’s reputation for spotting and supporting companies with both high impact and high returns.
A portfolio driving industrial transformation
The Fund II builds on a strong portfolio foundation. KOMPAS VC has already invested in several category-defining companies, including:
- Prewave: A global risk management platform helping enterprises mitigate supplier disruptions raised $67 million.
- Makersite: An AI-powered tool raised $18 million to help companies optimise product design and supply chains with real-time data.
- Again: A green chemistry startup converting captured CO2 into acetate and other essential chemicals snapped $43 million.
- Ecoworks: A retrofitting platform enabling net-zero renovations for buildings at scale bagged €40 million.
- Findable: an AI solution automating documentation and property management in the real estate sector raised €2 million.
Each of these companies embodies KOMPAS’s core thesis: enabling industries to evolve while respecting planetary boundaries.
A vision for sustainable growth
KOMPAS VC is not just building a portfolio but also helping shape a new industrial era. By focusing on startups that drive decarbonisation, productivity, and resilience, the firm is enabling the creation of technologies that are both economically and environmentally sustainable.
With Fund II, KOMPAS VC strengthens its role as a catalyst for industrial innovation, one that aligns growth with sustainability and empowers the industries of tomorrow.
What’s next for KOMPAS VC?
With fresh capital in hand, KOMPAS VC is scaling its own capabilities to match its growing ambitions. The firm is expanding its investment and platform teams, adding more operational firepower and manufacturing expertise to deepen its value creation efforts across the portfolio.
As global industries adapt to increasing pressure to become cleaner, smarter, and more resilient, KOMPAS VC is well-positioned to lead the charge. Its geographic reach spans Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, and Copenhagen, and its search for game-changing startups stretches across Europe, the US and Israel.
“We are focused on the application layer of industrial tech. With Fund II, KOMPAS VC is doubling down on its strategy to work closely with industry partners to identify the most promising technology solutions for the manufacturing industry and the built environment and to support founders with capital and unrivalled industry access” said Sebastian Peck, Partner at KOMPAS VC. “The insights we derive from our industry network provide important impulses for our investment selection, and help us understand when new technologies are ready for adoption. This gives us a real edge in the market.”
“We are witnessing a global shift in the geopolitical and regulatory order across continents, which has created significant vulnerabilities and increased the pressure to innovate”, said Talia Rafaeli, Partner at KOMPAS VC. “To build the resilience our industrial partners will need in the coming years, they must harness today’s breakthrough opportunities in artificial intelligence, robotics, material science and synthetic biology. This will allow them to better manage risks and improve their productivity growth, improving their decarbonisation profile. We have the capital and risk appetite to back ambitious founders who develop these much-needed industry solutions, and help them scale.”
“We now live in an era where the commitment to sustainability does not go unquestioned, despite clear evidence that we are well on our path to fail future generations on climate and biodiversity”, said Andreas Winter-Extra, Partner at KOMPAS VC. Fund II remains committed to investing in hardware and software solutions that support the transition to net zero and help prevent further pollution and loss of biodiversity. “Technological advances can create more sustainable products, services, and business models. Innovation is essential to striking the delicate balance between economic prosperity and reducing the harmful externalities that threaten our future.”
