On today's episode of the Climate Insiders podcast, we’re sitting down with Fabian Heilemann, CEO of AENU. AENU is an impact fund that focuses on seed and Series A investments in climate technologies, esp. energy transition and carbon economy, in Northern Europe.
Fabian shares insights into his journey from being an entrepreneur to becoming a venture capitalist with a focus on sustainable investments. Highlighting his experience of burnout post-Google acquisition, Fabian discusses how maintaining a routine involving physical workouts and meditation has been crucial for his mental wellbeing. This episode dives into how he and his brother pivoted their careers towards impact investing, driven by a profound commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
Fabian Heilemann is a serial-entrepreneur and investor from Berlin, Germany. He founded Heilemann Ventures together with his brother Ferry after the trade sale of his company DailyDeal, Europe's first couponing portal, to Google in 2011.
Since then he has been an early stage VC-investor, actively supporting companies in the digital sector. Meanwhile, Fabian and his brother Ferry set the fundamentals for their holding Sky & Sand. Currently it combines DailyDeal, which the brothers bought back from Google in early 2013, and the mobile-POS system provider pepperbill.
This episode delves into:
- Burnout Prevention
- Transition from Founder to VC
- Investment Strategies
- Role of VCs
- Impact vs. Branding
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our channel!
Want to go deeper?
Invest in climate moonshots with Climate Insiders. Join 300+ members and become a shareholder of the best climate tech startups alongside us, from $1,000.
Become a member now: https://www.climateinsiders.com
Join the Climate Insiders newsletter, The only newsletter you need to invest in climate tech. Every Saturday I share one actionable tip to invest successfully in climate tech. Join 3,500+ investors and get access to investing tips and strategies to invest today: https://climateinsiders.substack.com/
(00:00) - Intro Hook
(00:58) - Intro
(02:37) - What’s the secret to avoiding burnout?
(05:40) - From Founder to VC: Is It a Natural Path or a Tough Trade-off
(08:21) - Should Entrepreneurs Turn Family Offices into Climate Tech Funds?
(17:08) - Would the VC World Benefit from More Former Entrepreneurs?
(20:33) - What makes a great VC?
(22:55) - Who are the top role models in the VC space?
(27:12) - Is It Time to Remove Barriers and Let More Professionals Drive Climate Investments?
(30:40) - Are Top VC Firms More Focused on Building Brands or Creating Impact?
(34:52) - Can Europe Catch Up to the U.S. in Funding Climate Innovation?
(36:43) - Can Climate Tech Survive Political Swings Like Trump’s Era?
(43:58) - Does Climate VC Favor Software Over Hardware for Long-Term Success?
(46:28) - Is a Software-Heavy Strategy Enough to Drive Real Climate Impact?
(49:26) - How Can Climate Funds Balance LP Expectations with Risk-Taking?
(54:28) - Do VCs Shape Startup Quality, or Is It All About the Founders?
(58:44) - Is It the VC's Role to Fill Gaps in Startup Teams?
(01:04:48) - How do you find happiness while watching the world burn?
(01:09:16) - Outro
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com