The Production Board

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.

Over the past few years, we’ve been faced with the reality that the world as we know is changing. Whether it’s a shifting workforce dynamic, rising material costs and increased regulations or reframing business to a global mindset.‍ We acknowledge that growth and evolution are the status quo, and standing still is simply not an option. We took it upon ourselves to look to the future and imagine what our actions today may affect as we go about our daily lives. It is in our nature to question our decisions, our thought process, and to reconsider what our “normal” is in the pursuit of greater, better ideas. With that in mind, we are moving forward as venture builders, automation innovators, as Vebu Labs.‍ This new iteration of our operation is focused on many of the same things that Wavemaker Labs has grown to be known for, but with the added intention of focusing on the food supply chain, automation innovation, and improving access to quality food for everyone. At our core, we are venture builders We’ve always been a lab, we’ve always been builders. Whether that is big, broad sweeping changes to markets and industries ripe for change, or in smaller, intentional changes to problems we face, we’re here to build, and we do so with ventures and partners that have the same values that we do. What does this mean for our operations & partners? In a word, nothing. We are still the powerhouse of engineering, tech, and expertise that has propelled Wavemaker Labs to the status that we have today, but are refocusing ourselves in what we say, how we say it, and the core focus of our team. Though we’ve always been driven to build better, we are clear that our focus needs to be on automating the food supply chain and improving access across the board, whether that is through true partnership with technology and automation, intentional design with our brands and products, or by leveraging our tech stack to drive better options for the future.‍ To us, our brand is the overarching principle that guides our daily life. It is the spoken truth that informs all of the unspoken actions and activities that connect us as a team, to each other, to our partners, and to our overall purpose. Our intention, our purpose, is at the forefront of our minds at each step and is why we can feel confident we are all rowing this ship in the same direction. What is our purpose? We are here to Found, Fund, and Scale transformative ventures to enable better food production. This is true and prevalent throughout our work, but what does that mean on a daily, get out of bed in the morning, level?‍ Our operation is built on the development of a future that makes humanity more effective, that leverages technology in a way that is iterative and constructive, and that cooperates unselfishly to build what benefits the largest proportion of the world. We know the future of food is bright, and we are Venture Builders working to make that future a reality.

MANN+HUMMEL is a leading global company in filtration technology. Under its two business units Transportation and Life Sciences & Environment, the Ludwigsburg-based Group develops intelligent solutions that enable cleaner mobility, cleaner air and cleaner water. Thus, the company makes an important contribution to a clean earth and the sustainable use of limited resources. In 2020, over 21,000 employees at more than 80 locations generated a turnover of EUR 3.8 billion. Among the solutions are filter media and simulation technologies, liquid filters, air filtration and intake systems for various mobility and industrial applications, and membrane technologies for municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment and use in sensitive process applications such as food manufacturing or biotechnology. Furthermore, the family-owned company founded in 1941 offers air and molecular filtration technologies for building filtration as well as for industrial applications and cleanrooms. These are used, for example, in power generation, microelectronics or operating rooms. Stationary and mobile air purifiers for indoor, semi-open spaces and outdoor areas complete the holistic approach to clean air. Depending on the area of application, they filter viruses, free allergens, bacteria or fine dust and nitrogen oxides from the ambient air.

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.

Fresh Ventures is a venture building program and startup studio based in The Netherlands. We co-found companies with experienced professionals and entrepreneurs to address systemic challenges in the food system. Unlocking transformational potential Fresh is starting off with a focus on cultivation and production systems--the beginning of the chain where most of the impacts and challenges can be found. Building systemic ventures in these areas involves addressing critical barriers and unlocking key capacities that enable the broader sector to shift to a fundamentally sustainable state. Terrestrial Agriculture: Accelerating the transition to fully regenerative and climate-smart agriculture, combined with evolving horticulture and indoor production systems. Aquatic Agriculture: Utilizing our oceans, lakes, and rivers to support the sustainable production of food and biomass while regenerating ecosystems. Looking for: Future Founders! We are looking for people with the ambition to transform our food system and the entrepreneurial itch to address the world's most critical challenges by founding a new venture with us. Mission-drive: Working with Fresh means you have a tremendous, primary drive to change the food system. Ventures to us are not a goal in itself but a means to an end. The drive of our founders is informed by their experience and helps them to dig deep in order to analyse and solve difficult problems. Growth mindset: Working with Fresh requires the ability to deal with uncertainty and appreciate confronting lessons, everyday. We look for people able to self-propel, constantly critical of their own assumptions and not afraid to surround themselves with other excelling people. Entrepreneurial grit: We seek entrepreneurial, persistent people capable of agility - willing to re-route or cut through challenges to get to where they want to go. People willing to get their hands dirty in order to build their life’s work, with the openness to develop (more) entrepreneurial savviness. Systemic impact: We seek people who put impact first but who realize the implications of building a scalable business. We are looking for people that understand the importance of solving root challenges and expect our founders to be willing to kill darlings or change course when impact is insufficient.

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.