Zurich, Switzerland — Emerald Technology Ventures, a pioneering climate tech venture capital firm, has announced that the Swiss Government, through the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), has officially extended the mandate for Emerald to manage the Technology Fund through 2030.
Since being awarded the Technology Fund mandate in 2014, Emerald has served as the external management agency on behalf of FOEN, assessing, recommending, and overseeing guarantee applications for climate‐tech Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Switzerland. The Fund supports innovations in greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy deployment, resource conservation, and energy efficiency.
The extension to 2030 affirms the Swiss Government’s confidence in Emerald’s ability to deliver on ambitious climate, environmental, and economic outcomes, and positions the Fund to continue accelerating Switzerland’s climate‐tech ecosystem over the coming years.
Key Highlights & Impact
- Proven track record: Over its mandate since 2014, Emerald has managed the guarantee process with rigor, transparency, and operational excellence. The Technology Fund has become a cornerstone instrument in Switzerland’s climate policy architecture.
- Significant scale & environmental impact: The Fund’s portfolio companies have collectively realized considerable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and advanced technologies helping Switzerland meet its climate goals.
- Supporting SME innovation without equity dilution: By offering loan guarantees rather than equity, the Technology Fund fills a vital gap in financing for climate‐tech SMEs, helping them access bank credit under favourable conditions.
- Strong institutional backing through 2030: The extended mandate ensures continuity, enabling Emerald to build further on the Fund’s impact, expand access, and deepen partnerships with private capital, research institutions, and the start‐up ecosystem.
Quotes from Emerald Leadership
“We are honoured by the trust the Swiss Government has placed in Emerald by extending this mandate through 2030,” said Simone Riedel Riley, Partner at Emerald and Head of the Technology Fund. “Over the past decade, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that the Technology Fund serves not only as a financial instrument, but also as a catalyst for innovation, environmental impact, and sustainable economic growth. This extension gives us the stability and horizon needed to scale further and deliver even greater results for Swiss climate‐tech SMEs, investors, and society at large.”
Gina Domanig, Managing Partner and CEO of Emerald, added: “This extension is a powerful signal to the market: Switzerland believes in the power of climate innovation, and Emerald is committed to delivering on that belief. Together, we will continue to unlock green technologies, support ambitious entrepreneurs, and generate both environmental and financial returns.”
Quotes from Technology Fund Portfolio Companies
David Eberli, Founder und CEO, smart-me: “The guarantee from the Technology Fund enabled us to deepen our product development and accelerate our market launch. This was particularly important because, as a startup, it is often not easy to find sufficient capital for the successful further development of innovative products.”
Gian Andri Diem, CEO, dhp Technology: “Support from the Technology Fund was an important building block for the success of our solar folding roof technology – for example, in the world’s largest movable solar folding roof over the Thunersee wastewater treatment plant with 3.5 MWp. In a challenging market environment, the Technology Fund enables sustainable innovation, visibility, and trust.”
Roger Stahel, CEO, IS SaveEnergy: “The guarantee from the Technology Fund helped us finance our internationalization strategy and our strong growth path. We were able to quadruple our revenue since! Last year we sold about 60 large installations all over Europe, the U.S., and South America.”
More on Emerald in Switzerland:
Emerald Technology Ventures Celebrates 25 Years of Climate Tech Leadership
Emerald leads CHF 23.5 M investment in Embotech, autonomous driving innovator
bNovate to expand globally – accelerating rapid water monitoring – with new Emerald investment