Unconventional Ventures (UV), a venture capital fund focused on impact tech companies with diverse founding teams, is targeting a €30 million fund for investments in the Nordics. Founded by Thea Messel and Nora Bavey, UV is addressing the diversity gap in the region’s startup and VC landscape. UV has already secured investments from LPs such as Atomico, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, Investinor, and Danish investment firm Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker. Its portfolio includes startups like Climate X, Ocean Oasis, SciFree, and Meela Health. The fund aims to focus on synthetic biology startups in its next investment round.
About Unconventional Ventures (UV):
Unconventional Ventures is a venture capital fund that invests in impact tech companies in the Nordics with diverse founding teams. The fund’s portfolio includes startups addressing climate change, diversity and inclusion, and female health-related challenges.
Founders: Thea Messel and Nora Bavey
Investors: Atomico, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, Investinor, Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker, The Case for Her, The Inner Foundation, and others.
Key Sectors: Impact tech, healthtech, femtech, diversity tech, sustainable fashion, foodtech, fintech, and synthetic biology.
Diversity Focus: 75% of portfolio companies are founded by all-female teams, and over 25% have a founder or co-founder from an ethnic minority.
Climate Focus: 67% of the portfolio focuses on combating climate change.
About the Founders:
Thea Messel is a former banker and co-founder of platforms supporting tech and impact startups. She’s also a former member of the UNEP-FI working group for Sustainable Banking.
Nora Bavey is a former EdTech founder with experience in building and launching concepts to support underrepresented founders in the Nordics.