Forwards Fund

Outsiders Fund is a Seed and Series A venture capital firm that partners with founders disrupting outdated markets where massive value remains trapped in stale software or infrastructure. The dustier and more boring an industry, the more excited we get. The firm has deployed $50m out of its first fund, and is currently deploying capital out of its second fund. Outsiders was founded by Austin McChord and Teddy Seem in early 2020 after leaving General Catalyst to focus on the parts of the world they felt were not getting enough attention. Before that, Austin was the founder of Datto, a data back-up and continuity company he grew from his parents’ basement into a multi-billion dollar public company. Teddy was an investment engineer at Bridgewater Associates and later led the machine learning initiatives at a NYC start-up before attending Harvard Business School and starting Outsiders Fund. Technological Innovation Continues To Accelerate, Yet The Distribution Of This Innovation Is Glaringly Non-Uniform. The day’s hottest, most visible sectors attract talent, media attention, and venture dollars. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that visibility constitutes importance. Patient perspective, however, leads the observer to understand that hidden sectors and technologies exert outsized impact on our day-to-day lives. With That, We Find The Most Interesting Spaces Are Those That Are Overlooked. Overlooked spaces present mismatches between sector-specific technological adoption and the broader state of technological innovation, thereby creating opportunities to unlock massive value from stale infrastructure. Understanding the hidden complexities and the gaps presented from long-standing incumbents in these sectors excite us. We Believe The Best Disruptors To Build In These Sectors Are Those With Outside Perspectives. They rely on grit, curiosity, and unwavering conviction - and aren’t afraid to disrupt the status quo. They bring fresh perspectives, unburdened by the way things have always been done. They bring a cross-pollination of ideas from variegated experiences. At the core, they are the ones willing to put everything on the line to make their vision a reality.

The Climate Pledge Fund is a corporate venture program that invests in companies accelerating Amazon’s path to meeting the commitments of The Climate Pledge. Our mission Support innovative climate technology companies with the most potential to help Amazon and others reach net‑zero carbon emissions by 2040. This dedicated program - with an initial $2 billion in funding - invests in visionary companies with a potential for long-term impact. We fund companies across multiple industry sectors that impact climate change. We’re looking for companies of various sizes, from startups to well-established enterprises, developing solutions that will help Amazon and others decrease the overall cost of decarbonization. Transportation and logistics: For 45% of countries transport is the largest source of energy related emissions. For the rest of the countries, it is the second largest source. (Source: un.org) Energy generation, storage, and utilization: Electric power generates the second largest share of greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 60% of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, mostly coal and natural gas. (Source: un.org) Buildings: The operations of buildings account for 30% of global final energy consumption and 26% of global energy-related emissions. (Source: IEA – International Energy Agency ) Manufacturing and materials: One-fifth of the world’s carbon emissions comes from the manufacturing and production sectors consuming 54% of the world’s energy sources. (Source: The World Economic Forum ) Circular economy: The way we live now is using 60% more resources than the Earth can provide and creating too much waste. In a circular economy, things are made and consumed in a way that minimizes our use of the world’s resources, cuts waste, and reduces carbon emissions. (Source: weforum.org) Food and agriculture: Without intervention, food system emissions will likely increase by up to 40% by 2050. (Source: un.org) Carbon removal: The world needs to remove roughly 1 trillion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the course of this century to keep global warming below the 1.5° Celsius limit set by the Paris Agreement. (Source: IPCC.com) Water: Only 0.5% of water on Earth is useable and available freshwater – and climate change is dangerously affecting that supply. Over the past 20 years, terrestrial water storage – including soil moisture, snow and ice – has dropped at a rate of 1 cm per year, with major ramifications for water security. (Source: unwater.org) We’re searching for mission-driven and forward-thinking climate technology entrepreneurs to help us reach net-zero.

As a leading, multi-stage capital investment firm, we strive to be among the first investors and trusted partners to brilliant entrepreneurs with a shared vision for a sustainable future. Based in Luxembourg and Munich, we invest in Venture Capital and Private Equity across stages, maturities, regions, and industries. We create an environment where founders can thrive. Our international network, capital, and background in company-building ensures we enter active partnerships and support portfolio companies. Our goal is to be among the first institutional investors to brilliant entrepreneurs with superior self-starter attitudes. We believe that investment means more than just financial support and strive to become trusted partners in the journey to success. We invest globally in companies fueling the low-carbon economy, EV revolution, and global battery transition. This commitment to sustainability means that our portfolio companies become market leaders in shaping a better future for us and for future generations. We Invest in a Sustainable FutureEnergy & Sustainability: The transition to a low-carbon economy depends on the development and deployment of sustainable energy technologies, as well as the enforcement of sustainability standards. We believe in the electrification of the world including all major ways of transportation, heating and industrial processes up to 200°C. The focus on energy and sustainability is vital for creating a more sustainable future. AI & Robotics: Advances in artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming industries across the board, and this is particularly true in the field of climate tech. From predictive analytics to autonomous systems, AI and robotics can help reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency, and facilitate a shift to a more sustainable future. Digitalization & Software: Digital technologies and software are critical enablers of climate tech solutions, allowing for greater efficiency, automation, and data-driven decision-making. This category includes a range of digital tools and platforms that can help optimize energy consumption, increase operating efficiencies, and streamline supply chains. METS: The natural resources industry will continue to be essential. METS (Mining equipment, Technology and Services) play a key role in solving the upcoming challenges, including resource depletion, commodity demand shifts due to global megatrends, and a trend of increasing environmental awareness and sustainability. We Look for Brilliant Entrepreneurs The financing of any venture is a journey with several stages that we walk together. We typically invest up € 500k – 5mio initially with the potential to grow our investment in subsequent rounds joined by our network of international growth investors. Stages Pre Series A, selectively later stage and private equity investments with cash flow. Geographies We source deals and invest globally but due to our origin we focus on Europe. Investment Criteria You have found your complementary co-founders and you are hyper-motivated to move fast and disrupt the industry You have positioned yourself in one of our target sectors, identifying a true problem and working to solve it You are among the first players in a niche that is going to explode You have developed a competitive edge over others You have validated your business model and have a proven track record with first successes We're All in the Same Boat Being entrepreneurs and seasoned executives ourselves, we know the challenges that companies face in the various stages of maturity. Always having an eye on the vision, we support with smart and patient capital. We become your sparring partner on all questions of business strategy, infrastructure, processes, and people. In personal meetings we jointly define the strategy for the company, co-create financing models, set roadmaps and milestones for hyperscaling your business. Ambitious entrepreneurs need high profile contacts in all areas, be it lawyers or advisors, PR or Marketing or introductions to other investors or corporates: Our contact list is open to you.

The World Fund is a €350M venture capital fund built around the belief that decarbonisation is the key value driver for the future. We help to decarbonise the global economy. We are a driven, passionate team of go-getters, working together to have a global impact. ‍As a climate tech VC, we are driven by tackling the climate crisis and only invest in technologies with scalable businesses and significant emissions savings potential. We support startups from early to growth stage, focusing on Energy, Food and Agriculture, Manufacturing, Buildings, and Mobility. Entrepreneurs who understand decarbonisation as a value driver are whom we back; those who think big, act macro; those who build tech for a regenerative world.

The NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) was created to supercharge the Alliance’s unique innovation ecosystems. Allied talent and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are world-leading, but the market to support deep tech innovation is underfunded. With the NIF, we are creating a commercialisation machine in both the private and public sectors, backing innovators to secure the future for the Alliance's 1 billion citizens. Focus The NIF is a standalone EUR 1 billion venture capital fund supporting ambitious founders developing emerging and disruptive technologies. For us, high-impact verticals include artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, energy & propulsion, manufacturing, and space. We are passionate about autonomy, hypersonics, new materials and quantum, and want to shore up cutting-edge hardware and software. Rallying around NATO’s Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs), our focus will evolve in parallel with today’s rapid innovation environment. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Autonomy Quantum Biotechnologies Hypersonic Systems Space Novel Materials & Manufacturing Energy & Propulsion Next-Generation Communications Objectives With a long-term view, the NIF enables transformative technologies with the potential to shape our security for decades to come. Our mission is an essential one, and it holds us to seeking out cutting-edge developments that solve NATO's challenges through adoption in defence and security markets; bolstering the capacities of Allied innovation ecosystems; and ultimately driving the scale and success of our portfolio.

As a member of the Nemzeti Tőkeholding group, MFB Invest Befektetési és Vagyonkezelő Zrt. invests capital to support the growth of companies facing expansion and capital-intensive investments, as well as to development projects that are particularly important to the national economy, especially energy and green field projects. It operates within the group of the Hungarian Development Bank and Nemzeti Tőkeholding. Its aim to increase the integration of the Hungarian economy into Europe. In collaboration with market investors and international organizations, it establishes and oversees registered capital funds in Hungary, directing investments towards domestic companies. Through this, it efficiently allocates state resources, while catalysing the engagement of Hungarian private and international co-investors to ensure the successful implementation of numerous projects. It is also involved in traditional industries but places particular emphasis on the green economy, real estate development and achieving energy independence. It engages in tight professional and economic collaboration with the Hungarian Development Bank. Our investment operation in capital funds MFB Invest follows an indirect investment strategy. It establishes capital funds and guides them through their 5–15-year trajectory, securing resources within the funds with co-investors. It delegates the allocation of funds to private fund managers with a focus on various sub-markets so that: capital is distributed more efficiently in the economy, leading to improved aggregated success and returns on investments, with the addition of co-investor capital, state resources can offer amplified financing to enterprises for their development and growth, projects with the goal of correcting or eliminating market deficiencies and gaps, while contributing to the development of the economy, are successfully implemented. Investment areas Real estate investments: The growth rate of infrastructural and real estate investments significantly impacts overall economic growth. Through our investment funds focused on real estate development, we are dedicated to supporting developments and greenfield investments targeting domestic industrial, logistics and service facilities. Energy and innovation: Our investment funds, with a focus on energy efficiency and prioritizing renewable alternative energy sources, network development, and the country's innovation performance offer long-term capital financing through a predictable business model. Green investments: Apart from adhering to ESG compliance and strict regulations, our investment funds dedicated to green investments concentrate on renewable energy, green transport, sustainable cities, eco-friendly construction industry and real estate development, environmental protection, and on those agricultural areas which are particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Agriculture: Our agriculture-focused investment funds are designed to support and develop the entire value chain of agricultural activities, including related supply, processing and distribution processes. International cooperations: Capital funds that strengthen the Hungarian economy's international relations system effectively support the inflow of foreign capital into key domestic industries. Collaborations, such as .the capital fund jointly established by the European Investment Fund and MFB Invest, accelerate the inflow of international capital. Traditional industries: Fortifying traditional industries is not merely an option; it is an economic and sustainability necessity. Through strategic capital funds, we support companies engaged in traditional sectors, including the machine industry, automobile industry, pharmaceutical and chemical industry, process manufacturing, tourism, and the food industry. About the Nemzeti Tőkeholding MFB Invest operates under the coordination of Nemzeti Tőkeholding Zrt., which is responsible for establishing a harmonized and predictable operational framework and norm system for capital funds with partial or full state backing. Additionally, it defines a unified strategic direction for the sufficient capital financing of domestic enterprises. The collective mission of the group members of Nemzeti Tőkeholding is to contribute capital to achieve the goals set by the Ministry for National Economy. In pursuit of this mission, they possess both direct and "fund of funds" investor competencies.