Founded in 1925, Sabanci (www.sabanci.com) operates in 14 countries across 5 continents specializing in financial services, energy (generation and distribution), material technologies, digital services, and mobility solutions. In 2022, Sabanci’s Energy Group expanded its renewable energy business to the United States through the creation of Sabanci Renewables and a venture capital fund, Sabanci Climate Ventures (SCV). SCV invests in leading climate-tech-focused venture capital funds and early to commercial-stage innovative energy sector-focused startups in the United States and Europe
1) Investment Strategy & Mission
Sabanci Climate Ventures invests in category-leading startup companies and venture capital funds in the energy and climate-tech sectors. We focus on entrepreneurs who are fiercely passionate about “Energy Transition and Sustainability” while also addressing future sustainable energy needs.
For our U.S.-based investments, our unique value-add is opening the door to and accelerating partnerships, revenue opportunities, and expansion into important new European markets. For our European investments, SCV has built an extensive network of leading U.S.-based climate/energy-focused VCs and renewable energy partnership opportunities.
2) Investment Themes
SCV focuses on investments that are both a strategic fit and revolutionary ideas including but not limited to the following sectors:
Solar energy
Solar energy is the most important renewable energy for the Sabanci Group. Investing in all kinds of innovative solutions for solar energy and combining them with our existing solar energy assets aligns with the group’s global sustainability goal, reduces dependency on fossil fuels, and enhances our position as a leader in global renewable energy generation markets.
Wind energy
Wind energy is one of the most important renewable energy generation assets in Sabanci group. By Investing in wind energy technologies, Sabanci diversifies the overall energy portfolio, enhances energy security, and contributes to global sustainability goals.
Geothermal energy
Türkiye is one of the world’s richest countries in geothermal resources due to its unique geographic conditions. As a leading renewable energy company in the local market, we are investing in next-generation geothermal technologies and supporting them to harvest geothermal resources through both brownfield and greenfield projects.
Fusion energy
Fusion technology provides a limitless, safe, and clean energy source, that could revolutionize the global energy landscape, significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels and helping to combat climate change while ensuring long-term energy security and stability.
Hydrogen energy
The fast-growing hydrogen energy is a critical part of the renewable energy landscape across various sectors, including transportation, industry, and power generation. Investing in hydrogen technologies supports the transition to a low-carbon economy, and promotes technological innovation and economic growth in the emerging clean energy markets.
Energy storage and battery technology
Energy storage and battery technologies are critical for Sabanci’s global renewable energy sources. Grid-scale energy storage systems help balance supply and demand and solve renewable energy’s intermittency problem. This capability enhances grid stability, improves energy resilience, and ensures a consistent power supply. Sabanci has the license to build energy storage facilities with GW-level capacity in the U.S. and domestic markets.
Smart grid management and analytics
As the largest private utility company in Türkiye, Sabanci is investing in innovative smart grid and management and analytics companies to enhance the efficiency, reliability, and resilience of the electrical grid, From monitoring the utility assets, management of energy flows, allowing for more effective integration of renewable energy sources, and improving demand response to better forecasting, load balancing, and resource allocation, they largely reduce the cost and improve the quality of our service to our 22M utility customers.
Energy efficiency
innovative solutions with cutting-edge technology improve the energy efficiency of Data Centers, buildings, industrial processes, and transportation systems. They can lead to significant cost savings for our consumers and businesses, creating strong market demand and promising financial returns for the group.
EV infrastructure:
Sabanci operates the largest market share in EV charging business in Türkiye. By investing in next-generation charging and fleet management technologies, Sabanci brings better service to our customers and enhances the market leader position.
Carbon accounting
With a large amount of manufacturing and industrial facilities, carbon accounting and reporting technologies are critical to Sabanci’s carbon-neutral strategic goal.
3) Investment Stage
SCV invests across the spectrum of private companies, from seed stage to revenue/growth stage startups looking to expand to Europe and the U.S.
SCV selectively invests in leading energy & climate Tech VC funds as an LP and long-term strategic partner.
4) Geographic Focus
U.S. and Europe
