Motion Capital

Motion Capital

Nixon formed Motion Capital in Auckland as a venture vehicle dedicated exclusively to the energy transition and industrial decarbonisation. The firm's investment thesis holds that technology companies, not policy or incumbent corporates, provide the highest-leverage mechanism for meaningful emissions reduction. From its start, Motion Capital has concentrated its capital and operating support on a concentrated portfolio of early-stage New Zealand startups. Motion Capital invests across the clean-energy stack — grid-edge software, critical minerals processing, alternative proteins, and industrial reagents. The firm's portfolio includes Supa Energy, which closed a capital raise of up to $4m to expand its solar-and-battery micro-grid platform; Factor, an energy-retail optimisation company acquired by Gentrack for $34.9m; animal-free dairy developer Miruku; and Aspiring Materials, which produces local magnesium for transportation alloys. The partnership leads or co-leads seed and Series A rounds and works closely with founders on go-to-market, engineering, and regulatory navigation. Geographic focus remains overwhelmingly domestic, with all disclosed portfolio companies operating principally in New Zealand. The firm's partnership combines venture and operating experience. Partner Chris Harris previously founded and bootstrapped gaming company NinjaKiwi, selling it in 2021 for $366m. The team also includes climate-finance executive Ralph Chang and Oxford-trained systems engineer Monique Cooper. Motion Capital has not publicly disclosed total assets under management or aggregate deployment figures. In 2024, portfolio company Factor was acquired by Gentrack, providing a full exit for the fund and validating its early-stage climate-focused strategy. Motion Capital's structural distinction lies in its single-country, single-thesis concentration. While most climate-tech venture funds diversify across geographies and sub-sectors, Nixon's firm concentrates its portfolio, its partner attention, and its local network inside New Zealand's emerging decarbonisation economy. That density of engagement allows Motion Capital to act as a de facto operating partner for its companies rather than a passive capital source.