Green-tech VC firm VantagePoint to raise US$1.5bn fund

15 Dec 2010

VantagePoint is reportedly raising a US$1.5bn fund geared towards late-stage green-tech deals. The VC firm is renowned for having spotted Tesla’s potential, leading a US$40m round in the electric car manufacturer in 2006.

Greentechmedia has reported that VantagePoint is in the process of raising the US$1.5bn fund, which will help green-tech start-ups bridge the manufacturing gap. The media agency says the fund will likely take some time to raise, with VantagePoint declining to comment on the report, citing U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules.

Clean-tech portfolio

In the clean-tech domain, VantagePoint seeks out companies that tackle issues in the areas of resource scarcity, energy security and climate change via their technological innovations. It says it considers companies that operate in areas such as power generation, transportation, the smart grid, power management, energy storage, water or materials.

VantagePoint recently announced it was investing Goldwind, a China-based wind-turbine manufacturer.

It has also invested in Better Place, a provider of electric vehicle networks and services. Products Better Place develops include lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicle charging points.

In the solar area, VantagePoint has investment interests in MiaSolé, which manufactures thin film solar modules.

In the home-energy space, VantagePoint has invested in AlertME, a UK-based firm that is making advances in online energy management and the connected home. Its service enables people to manage and control their homes from their mobile phones and the web.

For a full list of VantagePoint’s portfolio of clean-tech companies, click here.

Carmel Doyle was a long-time reporter with Silicon Republic

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