Circular Economy

Ara Infrastructure Fund I is the debut infrastructure vehicle of Ara Partners, a private markets firm headquartered in Houston with offices in Boston and Dublin, recognized as a specialist in the decarbonization of the industrial economy. The fund reached its final close in May 2025, raising over $800 million in aggregate commitments—surpassing its $500 million initial target and drawing strong support from both existing Ara investors and new institutional partners including pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and foundations from North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Unlike traditional infrastructure funds focused on mature operating assets, Ara Infrastructure Fund I pursues a distinctive strategy centered on developing new infrastructure and repurposing high-quality legacy assets for the low-carbon industrial economy. The fund invests in mid-market infrastructure businesses across North America and Europe in sectors including terminal services and energy logistics, renewable fuel and biofuel feedstock infrastructure, and organics recycling and waste management. At the time of final close, the fund's portfolio encompassed 12 operational assets, including Lincoln (terminal services, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States), USD Clean Fuels (renewable fuel feedstock, U.S. West Coast), and Natural World Products (organics recycling, Ireland). The strategy is led by industry veterans George Yong and Teresa O'Flynn and represents a natural extension of Ara's existing private equity capability into infrastructure-grade assets, where longer hold periods, predictable cash flows, and defensible contract structures complement the firm's industrial decarbonization thesis. The infrastructure strategy operates alongside Ara's flagship private equity program (Ara Fund III, closed at $2.8 billion in December 2023), providing investors with exposure across the capital structure spectrum of industrial decarbonization.

Ardian Infrastructure Fund VI (AIF VI) is a flagship infrastructure core‑plus vehicle managed by Ardian, seeking to build and scale essential infrastructure assets across Europe and selectively in North America. It follows the firm’s strategy of combining financial rigor with deep industrial and operational expertise to unlock value in long-lived infrastructure. By targeting sectors such as transport networks, utilities and energy transition, and digital infrastructure, the fund aims to deliver stable, inflation‑linked returns in an evolving macro environment. The fund is capitalized with a target close of around €10 billion (with a hard cap up to €12 billion), with a net IRR target in the range of 12 % to 15 %. AIF VI continues Ardian’s thematic emphasis on sustainability, decarbonization and digitalisation — applying data analytics, operational improvement and ESG integration across its portfolio. Its investments already include stakes in renewable energy platforms (e.g. Akuo), waste / circular economy (Attero), data centers (Verne) and a significant shareholding in Heathrow Airport. Geographically, the fund focuses on OECD Europe as its primary investment zone, with flexibility to deploy up to ~20 % outside Europe (particularly North America) where opportunities merit. This geographic balance allows the strategy to capitalize on both core European infrastructure dynamics and the selective growth pockets elsewhere. From a risk / return standpoint, AIF VI targets stable cash flows from infrastructure, combined with operational value creation upside. The fund will generally invest in brownfield or mid-life (core‑plus) assets rather than greenfield early-stage development. It seeks to partner with experienced industry operators, leverage scale in capital expenditure, and apply digital / engineering practices to improve efficiency and carbon metrics.

BSocial Impact Fund II is the second social impact venture capital fund managed by Ship2B Ventures, the leading impact investment manager in Spain, targeting an EUR 80 million final close. The fund achieved its first close of EUR 65 million in November 2024, making it the largest social impact venture capital fund raised in Spain to date and exceeding EUR 120 million in total platform assets under management. BSocial Impact Fund II pioneers a blended finance structure in the Spanish market, combining institutional capital with first-loss coverage and technical assistance mechanisms designed to de-risk investments in companies tackling deep social and environmental challenges. The fund invests in startups improving the quality of life for vulnerable populations and the elderly, and in companies contributing to the decarbonization of industrial sectors and ecosystem regeneration. Its inaugural close attracted an influential coalition of public and private investors: the European Investment Fund (EIF), Axis (ICO Group), Banco Sabadell, VidaCaixa, the Institut Catala de Finances (ICF), and several leading Spanish family offices. The EIF anchor commitment validates the fund's additionality and impact credibility under EU standards. Ship2B Ventures was founded by the Ship2B Foundation and has built a decade-long track record as the pioneer of impact investing in Spain. The firm hosts the annual Ship2B Impact Forum in Barcelona, one of Europe's most prominent gatherings of impact leaders, founders, and investors. BSocial Impact Fund II operates under CNMV regulation as a Spanish alternative investment vehicle and builds directly on the performance of BSocial Impact Fund I, extending Ship2B's model of combining catalytic public capital with private institutional backing.

GEF US Climate Solutions Fund II LP is a private equity fund managed by GEF Capital Partners. It focuses on investing in North America-based lower middle-market companies that have developed solutions to address climate change and pollution mitigation. The fund exceeded its original $250 million target, closing with $325 million of capital commitments. Limited partners in Fund II include various climate change-focused institutions such as Blue Earth Capital, HQ Capital, ODDO BHF, INGKA Investments, GEM Investments, Första AP-fonden, Quilvest Capital Partners, Granite Capital Management, and Nordea. The fund aims to support small-scale businesses critical to the transition to a net zero and circular economy by providing both capital and guidance from impact investors. GEF Capital invests in companies in sectors including clean energy, energy efficiency, waste, water, and resource efficiency. As of May 2024, the fund has invested in six companies: InSite, a Washington DC-headquartered provider of software used by real estate owners and operators to reduce energy usage and improve building performance in order to meet sustainability goals (2021); Lifecycle Renewables, a Massachusetts-based recycler of used cooking oil into a branded heating oil that is used by universities, hospitals and utility companies to attain net zero carbon emission targets (2022); Murf E-Bikes, a California-based designer and maker of electric bikes (2022); Polargy, a California-based designer of energy efficient systems for hot and cold aisle containment systems, modular walls and structural ceilings in data centers (2023); Civic Renewables, a Maryland-based provider of residential solar energy installation services (2023); and Next Step Energy Solutions, a Colorado-based provider of LED lighting systems used in the healthcare, manufacturing and commercial real estate sectors (2023).. With the closing of Fund II, GEF Capital welcomed two new operating partners, bringing expertise in carbon credit development, sales, marketing, and operational support to deepen value creation and impact for portfolio companies. The fund aims to showcase that environmental outcomes can result in strong financial and environmental benefits. FirstPoint Equity served as the lead placement agent for GEF Capital in fundraising for Fund II, attracting a broad spectrum of responsible investors. Additional placement agent services were provided by Asante Capital, TritonLake, and Impactus Partners. Latham & Watkins served as legal counsel for the formation of Fund II.

INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund, managed by INVL Asset Management, is a closed-end private equity fund launched in June 2018 with committed capital of €164.7 million. The fund invests in late-stage growth SMEs and small to mid-cap companies, acquiring either controlling or significant minority stakes. Typical equity investments range from €5 million to €25 million, with capacity for larger deals via co-investments. Target companies are generally valued between €10 million and €100 million. The fund focuses on businesses with strong potential to become industry leaders in their respective sectors. Core geographies include the Baltic States and Poland, while investment scope extends across the broader European Union. INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund specializes in complex transactions, providing customized capital solutions for companies undergoing structural, strategic, or ownership transitions. It supports growth through a combination of organic expansion, acquisitions, and active value creation initiatives. Taking an active ownership approach, the fund works closely with management teams to align long-term goals and drive transformation. It typically invests by acquiring stakes from existing shareholders and providing growth capital. With an ESG-integrated investment model and a hands-on strategy, INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund helps its portfolio companies scale operations, increase efficiency, and execute cross-border expansion strategies.

MVI Fund III, managed by Stockholm-based MVI Advisors, achieved a final close at its SEK 2 billion hard cap in April 2025. The fund was oversubscribed after just five months of fundraising, reflecting strong investor confidence in MVI's strategy. This third fund represents an 84% increase in size compared to its predecessor, underscoring MVI's growth and the appeal of its investment approach. The fund attracted a diversified investor base, including returning LPs and new institutional investors from the EU and the U.S., such as Ingka Investment and Saga Private Equity. MVI Fund III continues the firm's focus on acquiring controlling stakes in founder-led, asset-light companies within the Nordic region, emphasizing sectors with strong buy-and-build potential. MVI Fund III has already made its first platform investment, establishing a Nordic environmental and sustainability platform through a partnership with Ametalis and the acquisitions of Envima, Westberg Vibrations- och Omgivningskontroll, and Natur og Samfunn. This investment aligns with MVI's thematic focus on sustainability and circular economy initiatives.

Macquarie’s Green Energy Transition Solutions Fund (MGETS) is a closed‑ended vehicle designed to deploy capital into technologies and infrastructure that go beyond traditional renewables. It targets growth‑stage companies offering decarbonisation solutions in sectors such as energy storage, distributed energy, clean transport, renewable fuels, carbon capture, and circular economy. At final close, MGETS surpassed its initial $2 billion target, raising over $2.4 billion in fund commitments and $647 million in co‑investment, for a total capital pool exceeding $3 billion. Over 65 % of that capital has already been committed across 12 investments spanning multiple geographies and technology domains. The fund targets a net IRR of 13 % to 15 %. It seeks companies that balance growth potential with infrastructure‑like characteristics, backing opportunities that are scaling and de‑risked yet operate in the next wave of energy transition technologies. MGETS has built a diversified portfolio including names like Eku Energy (battery storage), SkyNRG (sustainable aviation fuel), Verkor (EV battery manufacturing), and Calibrant Energy (distributed energy). Its geography‑agnostic approach allows deployment across Europe, North America, Asia‑Pacific, and beyond.