To support companies in tackling pressing climate and environmental issues
Mentha announces the closing of the Impact Fund I at €153 million. This is the first buy-out fund in the Benelux solely focused on investments in companies that contribute to achieving climate and environmental goals. The fund was oversubscribed by a mixture of private and institutional investors.
The new fund will invest in themes such as resource efficiency, sustainable production and process technology, and energy transition. It targets SMEs with revenues between EUR 5 and 100 million in the Benelux and Denmark. Mentha aims for significant and measurable results in climate and environmental impact, combined with financial returns. In addition to financing buy-outs, the fund can and will also provide growth capital to companies with impactful results.
Mentha Impact Fund I has attracted investments from both private and – reputable - institutional investors such as APG (on behalf of its clients ABP & bpfBOUW) and a leading global investor from Switzerland. The oversubscription of the Fund is a testimony to both Mentha’s trusted investment philosophy and approach and the perceived growing demand for impact investing.
“First of all, we are proud to have launched the Mentha Impact Fund I with broad support from various investors. The new fund is a natural step in our development to increasingly focus on improving the sustainability results of our companies with a sharp eye on people and the planet, but also with sound financial results,” said Edo Pfennings, co-founder of Mentha and responsible for Mentha Impact. “We want to apply our broad experience and knowledge to help accelerate and expand companies that have a positive impact on climate and the environment. With our first investment in Thermatras, and more to come, we are convinced we can do so.”
The Mentha Impact team consists of experienced investment professionals. The team is intrinsically motivated to use private equity to accelerate the growth of ‘green’ companies and to support companies with a ‘brown’ business model in their transition to become more sustainable. The team will actively collaborate with portfolio companies to achieve ‘transformative’ growth and thus maximize positive impact.