The Cologne-based GreenTech startup Planted has obtained €5 million in seed financing to develop its AI software program that provides full Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) administration, from materiality evaluation and carbon footprint to CSRD studies and biodiversity safety.
The funding is backed by TechVision Fonds, WENVEST Capital, neoteq ventures, AWS Gründungsfonds and Sensible Infrastructure Ventures to additional develop the ESG software program.
Along with the traders, enterprise angels Nina Kani, Felix Schürholz (CO-Founder & MD SoSafe), Frank Piotraschke (CRO SoSafe), Arno Nonnen and Julius Göllner (ARRtist) are supporting the funding.
“We’re turning the CSRD obligation into a chance,” says Wilhelm Hammes, CEO and Co-founder of Planted. “As a substitute of spending months on CO₂ measurement and reporting, we automate these processes. This permits corporations to focus their assets on efficient measures, resembling decarbonisation.”
Based in 2021 by Wilhelm Hammes, Cindy Schüller, Heinrich Rauh, and Jan Borchert, Planted is a supplier of a holistic ESG administration resolution. Jonas Quilitz joined the staff as CPO in February 2023. With this financing spherical, Julian Grunewald joins as CFO, bringing intensive expertise in finance and technique.
With a mixture of software program and private consulting, Planted helps corporations of their sustainability transformation – from materiality evaluation, carbon accounting and decarbonisation to the ultimate CSRD report.
Planted combines “compliance with actual transformation” and integrates energetic environmental safety: corporations can defend forests regionally or plant their very own firm forest.
Greater than 350 corporations, together with Caritasverband Bruchsal, Senacor Applied sciences AG and Insta GmbH, depend on Planted to realize their sustainability targets.
“Via sensible automation, Planted combines ecological accountability with financial success – and makes sustainability measurably worthwhile,” says Dr Ansgar Schleicher, Managing Accomplice of TechVision Fonds. “Planted is already supporting over 350 clients in Germany with their sustainability technique.”
The marketplace for ESG software program is extremely aggressive. In response to Planted, what makes them distinctive is that the platform just isn’t restricted to pure compliance however permits corporations to endure a whole transformation in direction of sustainable worth creation. Along with assembly regulatory necessities, Planted helps decarbonisation – typically with a reported discount in emissions of greater than 50%.
Clients can even become involved in native environmental safety efforts, resembling planting blended forests.
Planted makes use of AI applied sciences to implement the CSRD. For instance, the software program can extract particular knowledge from paperwork, establish appropriate discount measures and spotlight impacts, dangers and alternatives within the double materiality evaluation. This reportedly saves customers as much as 75% of their time.
Christophe Aumaître, Accomplice at WENVEST Capital, says: “Planted provides corporations an clever resolution to not solely doc sustainable transformation, however to actively form it. The staff combines in-depth ESG experience with state-of-the-art expertise and goes considerably additional than many different options in the marketplace.”
