Dutch energy company Eneco invests €3.75M in Amsterdam-based accelerator Rockstart’s Energy Fund

Amsterdam-based Rockstart is a global accelerator-VC that supports purpose-driven founders across three domains, including Energy, AgriFood, and Emerging Tech. Today, the accelerator has announced that Dutch energy company Eneco has invested €3.75M in its Energy fund. The Rockstart Energy fund was launched in 2020 to help the startups that drive the energy transition forward.

Rotterdam-based Eneco claims to have been active in the energy sector for over 100 years. As of December 2020, the company recorded a net profit of €118M and total revenues of €4,148M. Active in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom, the company has over 2,800 employees. 

Eneco invests in startups and scaleups that help to promote the energy transition in Eneco’s principal markets. Following an earlier series of successful investments, in 2021 Eneco has started to build a new portfolio. Recent investments include EnergyWorx, which specialises in cloud-based data management solutions for energy companies, and the German commercial installation platform Installion.

With this investment, Eneco will also take a seat on the fund’s advisory board.

Robert Blom, Senior Investment Manager at Eneco says, “Investing in the Rockstart Energy Fund will give Eneco early access to the 50 startups in Rockstart’s Energy Accelerator Program and create opportunities for Eneco to form potential partnerships and investigate possibilities for further investments.”

About Rockstart Energy

Rockstart Energy empowers businesses to scale and drive the transformation towards renewable, clean and, low carbon energy solutions for cities and communities.

Its program runs for ±five months, online and onsite (if local health regulations allow) in Amsterdam as well as provides investments from Seed to Series B round. The program also offers one Deep Dive Week per month wherein it focuses on themes such as funding, pitching, sales, and financials. 

The programme also includes knowledgeable mentors who facilitate collaboration; help connect with potential investors; provide expert sessions and one-on-one consultancy for hands-on support; hold individual coaching sessions; facilitate peer-to-peer sessions to learn from each other and portfolio companies, and much more.

In a statement, Rockstart says, “Through our €22+M fund focussed on Energy startups we are dedicated to finding and investing in top tier founders. We empower early-stage startups going from early market validation to becoming market-leading companies, starting with our proven accelerator program and continuing with our co-investments.” 

Rockstart’s €22M+ Energy VC fund was backed by institutional investors, European family offices, informal investors, and the government.

After setting up in the last quarter of 2020, the Energy Fund has already invested in 12 startups. These include Klimate, Technology Catalogue, Fibersail, Advanced Infrastructure, Bia, eDRV, Helio, Okto, Soolutions, Starke, Lanterne, and Sympheny.

One of Europe’s first startup accelerators

Launched in 2011 in Amsterdam, Rockstart is a domain-focused accelerator-VC that provides follow-on growth funding to support and empower the “best” startups on their way to success across four domains: energy, health, agrifood, and emerging technologies. It provides startups with access to the capital, market, community, and expertise by connecting them to partners, investors, mentors and the wider Rockstart network.

The accelerator also offers programmes to boost collaboration between startups and corporates, providing them access to co-creation, commercial partnerships, and investment. Rockstart has experience in designing and executing programs for Maersk, Shell, Dutch Ministry of Health, and many others.

Since its inception, the firm has invested in more than 250 startups and its alumni currently represent a total value of almost $1B. Rockstart has an international team of 35+ professionals with offices in Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Bogotá (Colombia).

Earlier this year, in May, Rockstart announced the closing of its AgriFood fund at €22m with the participation of Vaekstfonden’s Green Future Fund, alongside new informal investors such as Joke Pronk and longtime Rockstart investors, Marcel Beemsterboer, Jasper de Rooij, Hans Maltha and, new investor global dairy cooperative Arla Foods.