Planet First Partners invests in disruptive entrepreneurs to scale tech-enabled businesses whose technologies will deliver the transition to a sustainable economy
Planet First Partners is a specialised growth equity fund based in Luxembourg, supporting high-growth, tech-enabled businesses that deliver measurable environmental and social impact. Founded in 2020, Planet First Partners invests in growth-stage companies across North America and Europe, helping founders access capital, expertise, and strategic support to scale their impact while achieving commercial success. The firm is committed to driving positive change by backing mission-driven entrepreneurs and businesses that prioritise purpose, profitable growth, and people-centric cultures.
Planet First Partners’ mission is to empower purpose-driven entrepreneurs and drive positive environmental and social change by investing in and supporting growth-stage, tech-enabled businesses. The firm is committed to building a sustainable future by backing companies that deliver measurable impact for people and the planet while generating profitable, long-term growth.
Goals
Planet First Partners aims to:
Values
Planet First Partners’ core values centre on integrity, accountability, and long-term stewardship. The firm believes that financial success and sustainability are mutually reinforcing and only backs companies whose business models produce tangible environmental and social benefits. Internally, Planet First Partners promotes a culture of transparency, collaboration, and inclusivity, united by a shared commitment to responsible investment. The firm upholds the highest standards of ethical governance and sustainability principles in all its operations, ensuring discipline and purpose guide every decision.
Planet First Partners was founded in 2020 by Frédéric de Mévius, who shared a vision of supporting high-growth companies that drive sustainable and inclusive transformation. Drawing on his extensive experience in private equity, impact investing, and operational leadership, Frédéric established the firm as a mission-led investment platform combining long-term capital with measurable environmental and social impact.
Frédéric de Mévius, a seasoned investor and former founding partner of Verlinvest, brought decades of expertise in scaling globally recognised consumer and sustainability brands. He has played a central role in shaping Planet First Partners' long-term, impact-aligned strategy and governance. Under his leadership, the firm invests exclusively in companies contributing positively to environmental or social objectives, aligned with Article 9 SFDR standards.
Supported by a team of sustainability and finance experts, Frédéric positioned Planet First Partners as a growth equity platform that partners with disruptive entrepreneurs to scale tech-enabled businesses with purpose-driven missions, profitable growth, and people-centred cultures. His leadership continues to guide the firm's commitment to sustainable transformation and responsible growth across Europe.
Explore the founders professional journeys: Frédéric de Mévius.
Planet First Partners invests in growth-stage companies developing innovative technologies and solutions that address critical environmental and social challenges, with a strong focus on climate technology, sustainable consumer goods, resource efficiency, and health and wellbeing aligned with sustainability. The firm’s primary objective is to support businesses that deliver measurable environmental and social impact while achieving scalable, profitable growth.
Geographic Scope:
Planet First Partners primarily invests in companies based in Europe. While the firm targets businesses with a clear European presence and growth potential, many of the solutions supported have global relevance and the capacity to scale internationally.
Sectors of Interest:
Planet First Partners invests across sectors that contribute to a sustainable, net-zero future, prioritising companies that create positive systemic impact. Key areas include:
To be considered for investment, companies must meet the following criteria:
Planet First Partners follows a thorough, multi‑stage assessment process to identify and invest in mission‑driven growth companies that deliver measurable environmental and social impact.
The process begins with an initial evaluation of the company’s business model, impact alignment, market opportunity and financial performance. Founders are expected to have clear product‑market fit and demonstrable revenue traction, showcasing readiness for growth‑equity investment. Planet First’s Article 9 classification under SFDR ensures each opportunity is assessed for its alignment with stringent sustainability and impact criteria.
Following this, Planet First engages closely with the management team to understand strategic priorities, operational capabilities, and potential to scale impact. The firm assesses each opportunity against its Article 9 SFDR impact criteria, confirming that the investment contributes positively to environmental or social objectives and adheres to the “do no significant harm” principle.
If the opportunity progresses, Planet First conducts detailed due diligence covering technical validation, commercial viability, financial forecasts and legal considerations. Review includes analysis of scalability and sustainability potential, with external sector and impact experts consulted as needed to validate assumptions around impact outcomes and growth potential.
Finally, the investment is evaluated by the investment committee, which rigorously reviews all findings to ensure alignment with Planet First’s mission‑led investment mandate, risk‑return profile, and ESG governance expectations. This disciplined, collaborative approach ensures the firm backs companies poised for significant growth and systemic impact, supported by Planet First’s operational expertise, active partnership model and extensive European network.
Planet First Partners invests in growth-stage companies whose innovative technologies deliver measurable environmental and social impact, aligned with its mission to support sustainability and scalable transformation. Some of the most notable portfolio companies include:
Nanogence
Nanogence is a material innovation company providing smart catalysts for the construction and building industries. Its proprietary technology offers significant cost and carbon emission reductions, helping to future-proof these sectors against increasingly stringent emission standards. Nanogence’s solutions directly support decarbonisation in construction materials, making it a key player in sustainable built environment innovation. Visit Nanogence.
Submer
Submer delivers advanced immersion cooling technology that enables data centres around the world to significantly reduce their energy consumption and environmental footprint. By leveraging the efficiency of liquid cooling, Submer supports greener AI infrastructure and contributes to lowering carbon emissions in digital technology operations. Its cutting-edge solutions address the rising sustainability demands of the global datacentre industry. Visit Submer.
Riverlane
Riverlane is a quantum computing company focused on developing Quantum Error Correction technology, ‘Deltaflow’, to make quantum computing more reliable and scalable. This technology has important applications in climate modelling, clean chemistry, and resource optimisation, potentially accelerating breakthroughs critical to sustainability and net-zero goals. Planet First Partners’ backing aids Riverlane in advancing its commercial deployment and impact reach. Visit Riverlane.
Discover more successful investments: Planet First Partners portfolio.
Planet First Partners is primarily supported by private capital raised from a diverse group of large family offices, institutional investors, and strategic partners across Europe, Asia, and South America. A key backer is Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer globally, which anchored the firm’s €450 million second fundraise in 2023. The fund was significantly oversubscribed, exceeding its initial target of €350 million, and reflects strong investor confidence in Planet First’s mission-led growth equity strategy.
The capital is deployed into growth-stage companies across Europe with proven technologies, products, or services that support the transition to a sustainable economy. Planet First typically invests through minority equity positions, acting as lead or co-lead investor, with individual investment sizes generally ranging from €10 million to €50 million. The firm secures board representation and strong minority rights to actively support the development and governance of its portfolio companies.
Unlike traditional venture firms, Planet First Partners’ fund is classified as an Article 9 fund under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). This classification means that all investments must pursue a clearly defined environmental or social objective, in line with the EU’s most stringent sustainability standards. The firm applies rigorous impact assessment methodologies, validated by independent third parties, to ensure full alignment with its sustainability and impact goals.
Planet First Partners does not publicly cite government or public sector funding as a significant capital source. Instead, its strength lies in attracting patient, long-term capital from global private investors who share its commitment to sustainable and impactful growth. The firm’s experienced investment team and mission-aligned advisory board complement its capital base, providing deep operational engagement and strategic collaboration across its European portfolio.
This blended private capital model, anchored by disciplined institutional investors with a focus on sustainability, underpins Planet First Partners’ ability to back scalable businesses delivering measurable and lasting environmental and social outcomes.
Stages:
Planet First Partners focuses on growth-stage investments, primarily targeting Series A through Series D rounds. The firm partners with companies that have proven products and services and are positioned for significant expansion across European and global markets.
Equity:
Planet First Partners typically invests on an equity basis with deal sizes of up to €50 million per company. It takes minority positions, often acting as lead or co-lead investor, while securing board representation and strong minority rights to actively support portfolio companies’ scaling efforts.
Funds:
The firm recently closed its second fund at €450 million, surpassing its initial €350 million target. The fund is classified as an Article 9 SFDR fund, meaning all investments must deliver clear environmental or social impact objectives in line with the EU’s most stringent sustainable finance standards.
Recent Developments:
Following the oversubscribed close of its €450 million fund, Planet First Partners has reinforced its capacity to back high-growth companies delivering the sustainability transition. Notable portfolio companies include Sunfire, a leader in green hydrogen electrolysis technology, and Submer, which provides advanced immersion cooling for data centres to reduce their energy footprint. The firm continues to focus on transformational growth opportunities aligned with its mission to deploy patient capital and operational expertise in scaling sustainable businesses.
Planet First Partners’ strategy emphasises partnering with visionary entrepreneurs to maximise social, environmental, and economic returns through late-stage equity investments, supporting companies at critical growth inflection points.
Planet First Partners is deeply committed to generating measurable environmental and social impact alongside strong financial returns. The firm embeds sustainability principles across its investment process and portfolio management, focusing exclusively on companies whose products or services contribute positively to the planet and society. Its mission-led approach ensures every investment supports long-term systemic change aligned with global sustainability goals.
Planet First Partners measures impact rigorously, aligning its portfolio with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and adhering to Article 9 standards of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). The firm works closely with portfolio companies to track progress using verified metrics, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the investment lifecycle. By focusing on scalable, technology-enabled businesses addressing climate change, resource efficiency, and sustainable consumer transformation, Planet First Partners drives meaningful environmental benefits and social value.
The firm adopts a strict exclusion policy, avoiding investments in sectors or companies that conflict with its mission, such as fossil fuels, unsustainable resource extraction, or activities harmful to human rights or ecosystems. Planet First also supports portfolio companies in adopting best practices in governance, diversity, and sustainability reporting, fostering responsible business conduct and enhancing long-term value creation.
Planet First Partners actively builds a collaborative community of mission-driven investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts across Europe and beyond. Through its network, the firm facilitates knowledge exchange, strategic guidance, and partnership opportunities to accelerate portfolio companies’ growth and impact.
The firm organises events such as investor meetings, thematic workshops, and impact forums to engage stakeholders and share insights on sustainability innovation and market trends. This active community enables co-investor collaboration, operational support, and capacity building, strengthening the ecosystem for sustainable business.
While primarily focused on institutional and family office investors, Planet First Partners maintains transparent communication with its network via regular newsletters, impact reports, and updates on portfolio developments. This fosters ongoing engagement and alignment with the firm’s mission to back companies that are better for people and the planet.
By combining capital, expertise, and community, Planet First Partners empowers its portfolio companies and partners to deliver positive systemic change in addressing the world’s most urgent environmental and social challenges.
Planet First Partners is led by a highly experienced group of professionals combining deep expertise in private equity, sustainability, and operational value creation. United by a shared commitment to scaling purpose-driven, tech-enabled businesses that deliver measurable environmental and social impact, the team provides strategic guidance and active partnership to portfolio companies across Europe.
Leadership and Key Team Members:
Additional Team Members:
Planet First Partners also includes senior investment associates, advisors, and sector specialists providing expertise in financial analysis, sustainability assessment, and portfolio management.
Learn more on the Planet First Partners team page
Are you a visionary entrepreneur scaling a tech-enabled business with measurable environmental or societal impact? Discover how Planet First Partners can support your growth journey by providing long term growth equity alongside strategic partnership. Visit Planet First Partners Website.
Stay informed on the latest insights, portfolio updates, and investment opportunities by following Planet First Partners on LinkedIn: Planet First Partners LinkedIn.
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