On April 10th, the Cleantech Friendship Group hosted an informal breakfast session at the European Parliament in Brussels to tackle one of the most pressing hurdles for the clean industry: the cleantech financing gap.

The session was specifically designed to provide European Parliament Assistants and Advisors with a deeper understanding of the financial realities faced by European cleantech scaleups. As APAs play a critical role in shaping legislative reports, amendments, and policy positions, the event offered a unique space to demystify cleantech finance and bring practical investor insights directly into the policy conversation.

Expert Insights from Industry Leaders The discussion featured key perspectives from key figures in the European investment landscape:

• Victor van Hoorn from Cleantech for Europe.
• Craig Douglas from World Fund.
• Laurits Bach Sørensen from Nordic Alpha Partners.

Moving Beyond Advocacy to Awareness Rather than pushing for specific legislative outcomes, the objective of the gathering was to create a constructive exchange between funding experts and the staff who support MEPs. The goal was to build awareness regarding how the private capital often actually evaluate investments and financing.

Inside the Session The morning followed an informal and interactive format:

• Concrete Case Studies: The speakers shared real-world examples from their investing experience, highlighting exactly where financing is currently working in Europe and where gaps remain.
• Lessons for Policymakers: Each expert provided a short, 15-minute intervention to translate these investment experiences into actionable lessons for those working within the Parliament.‍
• Open Dialogue: The session concluded with a Q&A discussion, allowing Assistants to engage directly with the experts on the challenges of scaling clean technologies.

By fostering this direct exchange, we aim to ensure that future European policy is informed by the practical financial realities of the energy transition.

Thank you to our speakers and the advisors who joined us for this vital conversation. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to bridge the gap between cleantech innovation and policy.

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