Planet A Ventures

The firm runs a dedicated science team, led by Co-Founder and General Partner Lena Thiede and Principal Dr. Benedikt Buchspies, that conducts life-cycle assessments and quantifies ecological innovation potential before an investment decision. This assessment is not advisory; it serves as a gatekeeping function embedded inside the deal process. The methodology and underlying data are published openly to encourage adoption across the venture industry.

Planet A invests from seed through growth stages in European green-tech startups. The firm leads and participates in early-stage rounds while reserving capital for follow-on investments as companies scale. Its portfolio is concentrated in Europe, with holdings in Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and other European markets.

Planet A is structured as a venture capital firm that raises commingled funds from institutional limited partners. The inaugural fund attracted backing from Allianz Investment Management, KfW Capital, REWE Group, and Vaekstfonden. The firm's operational platform and in-house science team function alongside the investment team, making it a hybrid of a venture fund and a thematic research institution.

Planet A sources deal flow through its network of founders, corporate LPs, and policy advisors, with GPs focusing on specific verticals such as energy, food tech, and manufacturing. Co-investment alongside corporate partners, development-finance institutions, and other venture firms is a regular feature of the strategy, evidenced by its LP base and syndicated portfolio rounds.