Is Venture Capital Evolving to Meet Pro-Planet Challenges?

Hi ,

The VC world is shifting, and pro-planet founders are feeling the impact.

Across Australia, Europe, and beyond, the traditional VC model—focused on “growth at all costs”—is being tested like never before. For startups tackling the planet’s most pressing challenges, this raises an important question: Is this model fit for purpose?

Here’s what we’ve observed from working with incredible pro-planet founders and tracking emerging trends in the ecosystem:

The VC Model Is Being Tested

Chasing rapid growth and outsized exits isn’t always compatible with long-term impact. Patient, aligned capital can still deliver the returns investors seek—something Dan Winter and the team at Arbor Capital are championing with their new fund. This approach is particularly relevant for deep tech and mission-driven startups solving complex challenges.

Innovation Needs the Right Capital Stack

Pro-planet founders often need funding that aligns with their mission, rather than being forced into a single path of rapid growth. Early in Raaise’s journey, we developed the Raaise SAFE for this exact reason—a novel investment instrument designed to balance the founder-investor relationship, provide optionality in decision-making, and incentivise all stakeholders, regardless of the startup’s eventual path.

At the time, the ecosystem wasn’t ready. But perhaps it is now?

Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet?

Infinite growth isn’t sustainable on a finite planet. But with long-term thinking and innovation—not just in climate, clean, and regenerative tech, but in how we fund these solutions—we can create lasting change.

The VC landscape may be in flux, but these shifts present opportunities to rethink and reshape how we fund pro-planet solutions.

Read the Full Blog

If you’d like to learn more about the Raaise SAFE—or just have a good yarn about the future of funding—drop us a line.

Here’s to bold ideas, big impacts, and the right kind of growth.

Together, let’s build a better way forward.

Team Raaise