NextSTEP is the venture capital arm of NextEnergy Group, created to accelerate the growth of early-stage ClimateTech startups.
With a focus on pre-seed and seed investments, NextSTEP bridges the gap between bold ideas and market adoption, supporting visionary founders at the most critical stage of their journey. Our approach goes beyond providing capital. We combine strategic guidance, operational support, and access to an extensive ecosystem of partners, corporates, and institutions. This collaborative model empowers startups to validate, scale, and deliver technologies that address climate change, sustainability, and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Since its launch, NextSTEP has grown its portfolio across diverse sectors and expanded globally with investments across different markets. Each investment is guided by a commitment to measurable environmental impact, long-term value creation, and a mission to build a greener future.
At NextSTEP, we believe that innovation and collaboration are the keys to building our lasting tomorrow.
GEVI is pioneering the next generation of vertical-axis wind turbines, powered by an advanced AI-enabled control system and patented geometry that optimize performance under any wind and installation conditions. Their turbines boast active blade pitch control, delivering up to 60% more energy output compared to conventional micro wind solutions. Engineered for flexibility and ease, GEVI units can be installed in under six man-hours without cranes or specialized personnel. Their smart design also ensures self-protection during storms, automatically aligning blades with the wind to reduce structural loads by up to 70%, while maintaining impressively low noise levels (below 38 dB). With fully connected systems providing 24/7 remote monitoring and diagnostics, GEVI turbines enable seamless performance insight. Built sustainably from 100% recyclable materials, they also deliver significant environmental benefits, saving over 22 tons of CO₂ equivalent per kW installed compared to average European grid electricity.
Byewaste transforms decluttering into a powerful act of sustainability with its free, door-to-door service for pre-loved items. Through a user-friendly app, households schedule convenient pickups of textiles, books, and so on, which are then given a second life by trusted, eco-conscious partners, or responsibly recycled when reuse isn’t possible. Tackling a staggering reality, that only 35% of non-traditional waste is recycled and 70% of textiles often end up unused. Byewaste closes the loop on waste with ease and impact. This approach brings clarity and purpose to sustainability: declutter your home, curb waste, and feel good knowing every pickup contributes to a cleaner planet.
Leafr bridges the critical sustainability skills gap by connecting businesses with a marketplace of pre-vetted freelance sustainability specialists, AI-powered project guidance, and targeted upskilling resources. Designed to streamline and scale sustainability initiatives, the platform provides tailored solutions for navigating complex regulations and achieving ESG goals without the high costs and delays of traditional consultancies. By combining data-driven insights with expert guidance, Leafr fosters efficiency and delivers actionable results, empowering over 75 million businesses worldwide required to adopt sustainability practices. With a proven track record of success, Leafr is revolutionizing how organizations address climate challenges and align with their Net Zero commitments.
Switch is a cutting-edge B2B SaaS platform transforming urban mobility through AI-powered tools and data-driven insights. Designed for shared mobility operators, logistics providers, and local governments, Switch helps optimize fleet distribution, predict demand, and streamline operations to make urban transportation more efficient and sustainable. At the heart of Switch are solutions like Urbiverse and Urban CoPilot, which leverage digital twins, real-time simulations, and advanced predictive analytics to address the complex challenges of modern mobility. By providing actionable insights and intelligent tools, Switch empowers businesses and cities to reduce inefficiencies, improve service availability, and design smarter, greener transportation systems that align with the future of urban living.
SIEve is an innovative startup that has developed a groundbreaking, all-in-one regenerable filter for advanced wastewater treatment. Designed with a fully circular approach, the filter ensures both environmental and economic sustainability. The solution repurposes hazardous slag, a byproduct of aluminum oxide mining that is typically left unused and stored in massive open dumps. By transforming this waste material into a valuable resource, it addresses a critical environmental challenge while creating economic opportunities. At the end of its lifecycle, the filter is not discarded. Instead, it gains a new purpose as an inert filler for the construction industry, further closing the loop and enhancing its circular impact.
Algapelago is pioneering the development of sustainable seaweed-based products aimed at revolutionizing regenerative agriculture and beyond. By cultivating extensive offshore kelp forests, Algapelago produces natural fertilizers and animal feed supplements that eliminate the need for freshwater, land, pesticides, or fertilizers. Their innovative approach not only sequesters carbon and enhances marine biodiversity but also supports coastal communities through job creation and economic revitalization. As the largest licensed kelp cultivator in the UK, Algapelago is committed to scaling its operations to create a global network of “algapelagos”, contributing to a greener future.
Snelix is pioneering sustainable protein production through its innovative, technology-driven snail farming solutions. By combining advanced AI with precision agriculture, Snelix revolutionizes heliciculture to produce high-quality protein products with minimal environmental impact. Their state-of-the-art approach ensures efficiency, sustainability, and a reduced ecological footprint, making Snelix a key player in the transition to eco-friendly protein alternatives.
Pulpatronics is transforming RFID technology with their groundbreaking metal-free and chipless tags, designed to protect natural resources. Using an innovative laser-induced process, they imprint conductive circuitry directly onto paper, eliminating the need for metal components and simplifying manufacturing. This approach not only reduces costs but also cuts CO2 emissions significantly, saving 2,400 kg of CO2 for every million tags produced. Fully recyclable and eco-friendly, Pulpatronics’ tags set a new standard for sustainability, minimizing waste and environmental impact.
The easy-to-use app, enhanced by a proprietary ML-powered algorithm (patent pending), accurately measures and certifies EV range and battery health. ClearWatt’s unique GPS-based approach eliminates third-party data limitations and enables OEM and telematics-agnostic deployment, ensuring maximum coverage and rapid scaling. ClearWatt EV Health Reports provide detailed advanced performance metrics, fostering trust between buyers and sellers throughout the entire sales process.
Musthad provides a sophisticated excess inventory management software that enhances circularity in the fashion industry. Their data-driven platform automates waste management, ensures traceability, and reports impact KPIs, benefiting both the environment and businesses by improving efficiency, reducing costs, ensuring regulatory compliance, and supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Atium’s advanced reusable filter technology provides a highly effective and cost-efficient solution for the selective removal of toxic mercury from water. This technology, grounded in electrochemistry, is the culmination of several years of dedicated research at Chalmers University of Technology.
Chloris Geospatial employs cutting-edge technology to quantify carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems. Through their advanced machine learning algorithms, Chloris is able to integrate data from various Earth observation satellites to deliver precise measurements of above-ground biomass stock, as well as data on forest cover and change.
Agrisky offers an IoT and AI solution for indoor farming that monitors, analyses and calculates carbon footprint, and delivers carbon credits to its users while helping the decision making in order to improve farming performances.
ToMove innovates urban mobility with sustainable vehicle designs, prioritizing environmental impact reduction to enhance city life.
Nina.Energy transforms agricultural waste into solid biofuels and biochar, offering sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Their innovative technology yields diverse secondary products like biochar, torrefied biofuels, and liquid products, enriching soil, reducing CO2 emissions, and providing sustainable energy solutions for various sectors.
Ganiga is an innovative startup revolutionizing waste collection efficiency and sustainability with their patented smart bins, ‘Hoooly!’, which communicate with citizens, autonomously sort waste, and utilize AI for data analysis, ultimately reducing costs, enhancing recycling practices, and cutting pollution.
iotilize.me is a startup that enhances waste collection efficiency and sustainability by utilizing fill-level sensors and advanced algorithms to optimize collection routes, reducing costs by 30% and CO2 emissions significantly.
Bufaga is a smart device that can be mounted on any vehicle in order to improve air quality. Its purpose is that of removing pollutants from air through a specific filtering process and gathering data about pollution levels, with the aim of reducing the environmental footprint of company fleets in our cities. We are fighting pollution, simply by driving.
The First Element pioneers clean energy solutions with Smart Tank technology, enabling safe, scalable green hydrogen generation. From homes to industries, TFE empowers users to contribute to net-zero emissions, using water and renewable electricity.
