We believed, and still do, that doing good and doing well are not mutually exclusive. But in those early days, we didn’t find many ventures that met that bold ambition. So, we decided to build the ecosystem we wanted to see.
That’s how Ananda Impact Ventures was born. It became Germany’s first impact investment fund with a pan-European scope.
From Venture Philanthropy to Impact Venture Capital
Our journey reflects the evolution of the impact investing space itself.
- With Fund I (2009) and Fund II (2013), we embraced what many would call venture philanthropy. We backed mission-driven companies that were deeply committed to solving problems and, in the process, proved they could also deliver real financial returns. Fund I closed in 2023 at 2x MOIC, with strong, measurable impact.
- These early funds helped shape Europe’s impact investing landscape. We became the first impact VC backed by the European Investment Fund (EIF), and together, we co-developed the Impact Carry model, linking our success directly to the social and environmental outcomes of the companies we invest in. Today, it is a widely adopted standard.
- By the time we launched Fund III (2018), we had fully transitioned into impact venture capital. We began embedding HR due diligence, diversity and environmental clauses, and mental health standards in our termsheets long before these were considered standard practice.
- With Fund IV (€108M, 2022), backed by EIF, KfW Capital, Investcorp/Tages, and others, we took another leap. We began investing in bold, deep-tech companies with the potential to disrupt entire industries while solving systemic challenges. Our strategy was clear: back impact unicorns, ventures that could benefit billions and deliver outstanding financial returns in the process.
- Now, with Fund V, we are continuing this path, building on our experience, our track record, and our conviction.
Where We Stand Today
Fast forward to today:
- We now manage €270M across our funds.
- We have backed 5044 pioneering companies.
- 48% of our founding teams are diverse.
- Our portfolio contributes to 17 SDGs.
Ananda has become a pan-European force with roots in compassion, powered by research and data, and driven by a deep conviction that business can and should be a driver of meaningful change.
Our team is a mix of entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, and financial experts working across TechBio, Chemistry, and AI. Together with my partners Florian, Zoe, and Bernd, we remain united by one belief: solving the world’s biggest problems requires entrepreneurial courage and bold capital.
What Comes Next
From the very beginning, we have never believed that impact comes at the cost of returns. Quite the opposite. We have shown, time and again, that impact is a competitive advantage.
We know our work is far from done. The challenges ahead, from climate tipping points to biosecurity threats and growing social inequalities, are as urgent as ever.
But we also know this: the opportunities to drive change have never been greater. We are here to back the bold founders building the solutions the world needs and to keep pushing the boundaries of what impact investing can achieve.