Craton Equity Partners

Craton targets growth equity investments in capital-intensive cleantech companies that have technology proven at pilot scale but require substantial funding for commercial demonstrations and first projects. The firm backs clean energy, water treatment, mobility, and sustainable agriculture companies where the capital gap is too large for conventional venture capital and too early-stage for project finance lenders. Craton's mandate covers equity checks into asset-heavy businesses with environmental infrastructure outcomes.

Craton was purpose-built for asset-heavy companies rather than capital-light software or IP-licensing models. The firm takes serious minority or control positions in companies that own physical infrastructure — generation assets, water treatment facilities, fleet-charging networks — requiring longer hold periods and larger individual equity checks than a standard venture fund could accommodate. Its fund structure reflected infrastructure-oriented timelines rather than the 10-year horizon typical in venture capital.

Bob MacDonald, the founding Managing Partner, launched Craton in 2008 with a blend of operating experience in technology and energy companies. His background included executive roles with direct P&L responsibility at growth-stage businesses, which shaped Craton's hands-on approach to portfolio company operations. Todd W. Carter also served as a Partner at the firm.

Craton's portfolio concentrated on companies with US operations, with an initial emphasis on California — a market with strong regulatory and policy tailwinds for clean energy, water infrastructure, and advanced transportation. Sector coverage extended across clean energy generation, energy storage, water treatment and reuse, sustainable agriculture, and mobility transformation.

Craton raised a debut institutional fund focused on environmental infrastructure growth equity. Publicly available information on active deployment, current fund vehicles, and total capital raised is limited. The firm maintained a low public profile and has not released detailed portfolio or performance metrics in recent years.