Renewable energies have come of age. Wind and solar parks are now standard for investors. In recent years, many start-ups have emerged in this cleantech environment, including suppliers, service providers, software vendors. Few can be invested in directly, for example via the stock exchange. "Private equity is sought after here and enables access to these extremely interesting companies in early phases", says Markus W. Voigt, CEO of aream Group.

Cleantech has been one of the driving forces of the German economy in recent years and start-ups have played a special role in this. In 2017, 17 percent of all German start-ups had a sustainable business model; this share has risen in recent years. The rapid growth of electromobility and the increasing competitiveness of renewable energies are the main driving forces behind cleantech companies and thus ensure attractive investment opportunities.

These are companies in early-stage phases as well as in the expansion and growth phase. "We see these companies because many of them turn to us as one of the major players in renewable energies", says Voigt. "If they have a clear business plan and mature technology or products and we can create direct added value through our size, our network and our market access, we participate through a fund set up specifically for this purpose." This vehicle, the aream Cleantech Capital, is open to external investors. 

Many companies within the Cleantech sector have attractive technologies and a solid business model, but need growth capital. "As the demand for investments in mature cleantech companies is expected to triple in the next five years, a liquid market for the sale of company shares will emerge", says Voigt. The focus of the developing cleantech industry is on Germany, Austria and also Israel. Very interesting companies have been founded there, whose technology is already widely used and which are now looking to make the leap into other markets.

These include the Israeli incubator Capital Nature, which has already successfully taken several of its portfolio companies public. The company's own IPO is planned for 2021/2022. "For aream Cleantech Capital, we have agreed on exclusivity to invest directly in the incubator in the last financing round before the IPO", says Voigt. "The included portfolio companies fit perfectly with our target portfolio and offer attractive profit opportunities due to an upcoming IPO and the IPO of the parent company." 

One example of this is Chakratec. The company has developed a way to quickly and easily set up charging stations for increasing e-mobility. "The product is good, the business plan is solid and we can pave the way from Israel to Europe", says Voigt. One reason why Chakratec is also a target company for the portfolio. "Here it is also interesting that an IPO is already planned in the next six to eight months", says Voigt.

Electromobility, energy storage, PV technology, energy efficiency, software for renewable energies, hydrogen, recycling management or water treatment are the topics in which the best investment opportunities are currently emerging. "Climate change is in full swing", says Voigt. "We need the more cost-efficient infrastructure of renewable energies and the associated technological developments, just like the technological leaps in other cleantech areas, to enable a sustainable future." This path is also supported by the German government, which minimizes risks for investors in this area.