In 2025 I continued adding startups to my existing portfolio of innovative and sustainable companies. I also managed to reinvest in some of my portfolio companies (Ixorigue, Wily).
Additionally, to my investees, Debito and HeroGo in the GCC, in 2025 I added two regional startups: HyveGeo and Suppla.ai. These investments further diversified and strengthened my commitment to climate tech, emerging markets, and early-stage ventures.
Here’s an overview of the notable additions to my portfolio in 2025, in chronological order …
1. Assolia
Mission: Improve crop rotation strategies for sustainable and profitable farming through digital simulation
Product/Services: Multi-year crop rotation simulator with a personalized, rapid improvement tool supporting farmers and agricultural advisors
Target Markets: French agricultural sector, European farmers, and agronomic advisors
Country of Incorporation: France
Year of Incorporation: 2020
Last Financing Date & Round: Not publicly disclosed
Why I invested: as a co-founder of TreeGeoData, I have been scrutinizing the satellite monitoring landscape. There are plenty of companies working in the areas of fire prevention, insurance, and environmental attributes. Assolia stands out due to its different target market. It helps in the prevention of land degradation and increases revenues for farmers. The services are globally scalable.
2. HyveGeo
Mission: Transform arid deserts into productive arable land through biochar employing micro-algae technology for carbon removal and food security
Product/Services Microalgae-based desert regeneration and soil regeneration technology; carbon removal solutions targeting 12,000 hectares per megaton capacity
Target Markets: UAE initially; arid/desert regions globally, with focus on climate action and food security
Country of Incorporation: United Arab Emirates
Year of Incorporation: 2023
Last Financing Date & Round: 2023, Pre-Seed (SystemaNova.vc led; $200k VC + government grant from Majra CSR fund)
Why I invested: I had been tracking some biochar producer companies in GCC. However, I was truly impressed by Abdulaziz’s achievements. I also saw HyveGeo’s growth potential. Startup mission fits perfectly with my thesis about the needs of the GCC region in terms of food sovereignty.
3. Civ Robotics (Series A)
Mission: Advance construction automation through autonomous surveying robots, modernizing the $3 trillion infrastructure construction industry
Product/Services: CivDot series autonomous ground vehicles for automated layout marking with 8mm accuracy; capable of marking 3,000 points daily
Target Markets: Construction, renewable energy/solar, oil & gas, highways, airports; expanding to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
Country of Incorporation: United States (San Francisco, California)
Year of Incorporation: 2018
Last Financing Date & Round: June 30, 2025, Series A ($7.5M) led by AlleyCorp with Bobcat Co. and ff Venture Capital
Why I invested: I made a symbolic investment in this startup. Good track record, stellar clients and validated products. I work as an energy/construction lawyer by day. I am greatly interested in using robotic solutions and AI to improve construction works.
4. Ixorigue (follow-on)
Mission: Digitize livestock farm management to improve productivity and profitability for cattle farmers
Product/Services: IoT collar sensors for cattle tracking, GPS real-time monitoring, farm management app, health and reproduction monitoring
Target Markets: Beef cattle farmers in Europe and Latin America
Country of Incorporation: Spain
Year of Incorporation: 2019
Last Financing Date & Round: 2021, Seed round (Finaves V led; total funding ~$2.1M)
Why I (re)invested: I met Alfredo last year and his growth/expansion plan into Latin America greatly resonated with me. Cattle ranching is ripe for disruption and technology (e.g. my investment in now defunct Mootral), will help it become environmentally compliant.
5. Mous
Mission: Create protective tech accessories combining extreme impact protection with refined aesthetic design
Product/Services: Direct-to-consumer protective phone cases and tech accessories (Limitless, Clarity lines) featuring AiroShock technology
Target Markets: Global consumer tech accessories market
Country of Incorporation: United Kingdom
Year of Incorporation: 2014
Last Financing Date & Round: April 14, 2025, Angel – II (~$3.17M; total raised $8.12M)
Why I invested? Another symbolic investment since it is not aligned with my investment thesis. I bought a Mous iPhone protection case, and I am greatly delighted with such product.
6. Fonbnk
Mission: Enable financial access for unbanked populations in emerging markets via stablecoin infrastructure
Product/Services: Platform converting prepaid mobile payments, airtime, and local currency to stablecoins for frictionless cross-border settlements
Target Markets: Emerging markets, particularly Africa and cash-based economies; focus on mobile-first populations
Country of Incorporation: United States (Washington)
Year of Incorporation: 2021
Last Financing Date & Round: Not specified (total funding $3M+)
Why I invested: I had been tracking Fonbnk for years. It is akin to the community/BOP empowerment thesis behind my investment in Rank (formerly Moni). Fonbnk’s pivot to stablecoins should help them accelerate growth and/or become the next Coinbase for Africa.
7. Wastetide
Mission: Reduce industrial waste costs and carbon emissions through AI-powered waste stream optimization
Product/Services: AI image recognition for waste classification, invoice analysis, mobile app for factory floor documentation, compliance tracking (CSRD, REP EIC)
Target Markets: Industrial facilities, manufacturing plants across the US and the EU, requiring waste optimization
Country of Incorporation: France
Year of Incorporation: 2024
Last Financing Date & Round: Seed in 2025 (funding not publicly disclosed)
Why I invested: Besides waste avoidance, my portfolio is built around a circularity thesis. It includes the reuse and recycling of materials. I was looking for a software solution focused targeting the material waste market. I discovered Nicolas Brien´s B2B solution for industrial waste producers.
8. Suppla.ai (KSA)
Mission: Consolidation of cold cargos through AI-driven marketplace optimization
Product/Services: tracking of cold storage trucks, consolidation of routes, and cargos.
Target Markets: Saudi Arabia initially
Country of Incorporation: Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Year of Incorporation: Not publicly disclosed
Last Financing Date & Round: Not publicly disclosed
Why I invested: I had tracked Azmi Negro’s achievements and growth for over a year. I was forced to wait until I found the opportunity to pull the trigger. This startup’s story is akin to Trukker, but concentrated in the cold transportation market. I have invested in the solar refrigeration market in Africa. I am still looking into cold storage and transportation/logistics software plays and asset-light business models.
Furthermore, I believe that eventually, large transportation players/logistics companies will consolidate regional transportation markets.
9. Leedana
Mission: Develop sustainable, water-efficient agriculture for desert and arid regions using sandponic technology to address water scarcity and food security
Product/Services: Sandponic farming system (closed-loop aquaponics using sand instead of soil), achieving 90% water savings and 80% energy reduction; produces fish (tilapia), cherry tomatoes, peppers, kale, lettuce
Target Markets: Egypt (operational farms), UAE, Mexico, North America deserts; global focus on water-scarce regions for food production
Country of Incorporation: Canada (Montreal, Quebec)
Year of Incorporation: 2020-2021 (launched during the second year at McGill Desautels; founder Hassan Elrakhawy)
Last Financing Date & Round: 2024, Dobson Cup Competition (3rd place environmental category, $5,000+ award); The Catalyst Accelerator Program (Masdar City, bp, Flat6Labs support)
Why I invested: I met Hassan at The Catalyst in Abu Dhabi. I found the patents and digital tools compelling. The cost competitiveness advantage was clear. There was an opportunity to accelerate the growth of the sandponics technology in the Middle East. This aligns with my theory about food import replacement in GCC.
10. Wily Anti Gaspi (follow-on)
Mission: Combat food waste (10 million tons annually in France) by rescuing products destined for destruction and making them accessible at 25-50% discount
Product/Services: E-commerce platform specializing in discounted food and non-food items (overstock, short-dated, packaging issues); 1,300+ organic and French brand references; 850,000+ products saved from waste
Target Markets: France (nationwide delivery); 18,000+ active customers; 50% in rural/small towns; 2,000+ orders monthly
Country of Incorporation: France (Asnières-sur-Seine / Saint-Ouen)
Year of Incorporation: 2022 (launched February 2022)
Last Financing Date & Round: September 2024, Follow-on Round (€2.3M: €1.4M from business angels & family offices + €900k non-dilutive debt from BNP Paribas, CIC, France Active, Bpifrance)
Why I (re)invested: Clement and his team have continued to execute well. Revenues are growing, and a new B2B business line was successfully launched, while preserving capex discipline. This was an insiders´/bridge round before a future larger round in 2026.
Portfolio Review
Not all was roses in 2025. Unfortunately, some of the startups in which I had strong faith and had even reinvested went bankrupt. Among these were Procens, Softseaweed, Solarmente, Gecco and Kapacity.io’s acquired-hire.
Despite the specific failures mentioned above, the overall portfolio continued to perform well. The portfolio’s MOIC is still over 2x. Targeting some partial exits in 2026.
Please contact me if you are interested in any of these startups. You can also reach out to learn about the startups that I am looking to graduate from my portfolio.
Please also reach out if you are interested in sharing deal flow (my views on this).
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker