# BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund

BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund is a Venture Capital based in Paris, France.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Venture Capital
- **Headquarters:** Paris, France
- **Region:** Europe
- **Address:** Paris, France
- **Founded:** 2022
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** bnpparibas.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/solar-impulse-venture-fund

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Bnp Paribas' Solar Impulse Venture Fund is a venture capital firm. It has made one investment, deploying $16 million in total capital. The fund focuses on E-commerce.

## Sectors

- ClimateTech
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- Mobility & Transportation
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- Industrial Tech

## Offices

- Menlo Park, CA
- Stuttgart
- Berlin
- Berkeley, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Denver, CO
- Lausanne

## People

- Bertrand Piccard — Partner and Solar Impulse Foundation Chairman
- Yann Lagalaye — Managing Partner

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund?

Yann Lagalaye serves as Managing Partner, leading deal evaluation and execution. He previously worked in BNP Paribas' Principal Investments unit. Bertrand Piccard is the strategic partner and Foundation chairman, actively involved in origination through the Solar Impulse Foundation network, but the day-to-day investment committee authority rests with Lagalaye's team, per the firm's 2022 launch communications.

### How does the fund source proprietary deal flow?

The fund draws from the Solar Impulse Foundation's portfolio of over 1,500 certified efficient solutions. Companies apply to the Foundation for the label, undergo third-party technical and economic review, and — if approved — become visible to the fund's investment team. This creates a pipeline pre-screened for both climate impact and commercial readiness, distinct from typical bank-originated deal networks.

### Does the fund participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The vehicle makes direct venture and growth-equity investments into operating companies. As of the fund's public profile, there is no mandate to invest as a limited partner in other venture or private-equity funds.

### What investment stages does BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund target?

The fund targets early-stage and growth-equity rounds, with an emphasis on companies that have reached at least Series A. The Foundation's labeling process favors solutions with proven prototypes or initial commercial traction, so pre-seed and concept-stage bets are outside the fund's typical scope, per its 2022 mandate description.

### How is the Solar Impulse Foundation structurally separated from the fund?

The Foundation is a non-profit, independent entity based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It certifies solutions without taking equity or fees. The venture fund operates under BNP Paribas' asset management umbrella with a separate partnership structure, and portfolio eligibility requires the label — but Foundation staff are insulated from fund economics and carry.

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Updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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