Antwerp-based Junction Growth Investors today announced the successful closing of its first fund at €115 million, surpassing its initial target of €100 million.
The fund is backed by a series of large family offices including some of the owners of AB-Inbev, and Umicore, as well as well-known technology entrepreneurs, Jan-Willem Rombouts, Gregoire de Streel and Jean-Guillaume Zurstrassen amongst others.
Most recently, the global specialist investment Fund of Funds (FoFs) Keeling Capital amongst others decided to join the capital. Through its FoFs, Keeling sources, selects, and underwrites leading managers dedicated to climate technology.
Also major institutional investors such as the European Investment Fund (EIF), BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, PMV and Belgian Growth Fund are among the fund’s investors. The fund was supported by Argo Law and Private CFO advisory, amongst others.
Dirk Dewals, Managing Partner at Junction said: “Climate change continues to advance, leaving tangible impacts on societies and personal wealth. However, the energy transition is not solely about combating climate change. It also presents a pivotal opportunity for Europe to reduce its dependence on geopolitically sensitive carbon fuels and to build a couple of European technology leaders with global reach such as Ampacimon, which has 50% of its order book in the USA. We firmly believe that electrification, particularly in the B2B sector, will play a crucial role in driving this shift, and we are actively seeking enablers to accelerate this revolution.”
The Antwerp-based investor was founded in 2022 by CEOs Bruno Vanderschueren (ex-Lampiris) and Pieter-Jan Mermans (ex-REstore), complemented by investment professionals Dirk Dewals (ex-Gimv) and Vincent Gregoir (ex-Inven Capital).
Junction Growth Investors is a long-term, sustainable investment fund (art 9, SFDR) focused on non-listed European SMEs and scale-ups that play a crucial role in the energy transition.
Junction continues to commit its resources to industrialise and scale European scale-ups and SMEs which play a crucial role in the energy transition, either through minority or majority growth capital, with equity tickets ranging up to €15 million per deal.
Since its inception, the team, now comprising eight investment professionals, has deployed capital into seven investments across distinct verticals identified as crucial to accelerate the energy transition which include, for example: grid enhancing technologies, B2B installers, sustainable buildings, (home) energy management systems and decarbonization of industry.
“Junction Growth Investors’ distinctive approach to venture investing and deep domain expertise in building and scaling energy businesses make them an ideal partner as we work to accelerate the growth of innovative climate tech companies,” said Ross Madden, Partner at Keeling Capital. “Their hands-on approach, industry knowledge, and extensive network will enable portfolio companies to build some of the most scalable and commercially successful, asset-light climate solutions in Europe.”
With Ampacimon (BE) and Eneida (PT), the fund holds two truly international investments in high and low-voltage grid enhancing technologies enabling low-capex grid expansion as well as further adoption of renewables and distributed assets.
These investments are complemented with two investments headquartered in the DACH region. Eturnity (CH) which provides software solutions for increasing efficiency and digitalization of installers, wholesalers, and manufacturers active in renewable energy systems and EET (AT) which offers an easy-to-use smart plug-in battery solution to apartments and renters looking for savings on their energy bill, enabling this underserved segment to play their part in the energy transition.
Furthermore, Hysopt (BE) is a Software-as-a-Service solution which enables the engineering and simulation of large complex HVAC systems in commercial and industrial real estate optimising energy and reducing carbon emissions, while Belgian “De Tijd Changemaker” nominee Haulogy (BE) offers a suite of software solutions to Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and energy utilities, including asset and field services management solutions, as well as congestion/flexibility management solutions.
Through its most recent buyout of Solora (BE), together with co-investor BNP Fortis Private Equity, Junction now also acts as majority shareholder of a leading B2B installation and maintenance provider for commercial- and industrial-scale solar panel and battery energy storage systems, across the Benelux and France.
Stephan Heberer, CEO of Ampacimon, concludes on a highly synergetic relationship since Junction’s investment: “Junction’s deep industry expertise and extensive network have been instrumental in our latest growth acceleration and global scaling of our solutions. Thanks to their partnership, we successfully attracted Neil Chatterjee, former Chairman of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), as a board member for Ampacimon. Their involvement has been a game-changer for our company, and we look forward to continued success together.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/02/junction-closes-e115-million-fund-to-bridge-growth-stage-funding-gap-for-europes-energy-transition/
