Credit: Sustainable Ventures
Sustainable Ventures co-founder reflects on building one of Europe's leading climate tech clusters, helping its companies collectively raise over £1.1bn and create 7,000 green jobs.
Operating from hubs across the UK, Sustainable Ventures has supported more than 800 climate tech start ups to date. The business is now expanding to build the world's most impactful climate tech ecosystem, connecting its start up community with public sector bodies, investors, corporates and key innovation partners to deploy sustainable solutions globally. Partners include The Greater London Authority, Lambeth Council, Google Cloud and Barclays.
Managing partner Andrew Wordsworth, who co-founded Sustainable Ventures following roles at Esso, Bain & Co and Carbon Trust Enterprises, where he was managing director, has been directly involved in securing more than £250m in equity commitments into portfolio ventures.
BusinessGreen Intelligence: What was your first role in the green economy and what attracted you to the sector?
Andrew Wordsworth: My first role in the green economy was with the Carbon Trust, where I worked on launching innovative ventures like Partnerships for Renewables and the Low Carbon Workplace. My motivation stemmed from a desire to address the climate crisis through technology and innovation, a passion that began when I worked on a refrigerant plant early in my career, realising the environmental harm caused by outdated technologies.
Sustainable Ventures was named Early-Stage Investor of the Year at last year's UK Green Business Awards - what did it mean to walk away as a winner on the evening?
Winning Early-Stage Investor of the Year was an incredible honour, validating our efforts to support over 800 climate tech start ups. It highlighted our role in fostering innovation and scaling impactful solutions like Sennen, which was later acquired by Octopus Energy. The award celebrated the trust entrepreneurs place in us to help them succeed.
What green projects or achievements are you most proud of?
I'm particularly proud of our role in supporting 1,000 climate tech start ups by 2025 and building one of Europe's largest climate tech clusters at County Hall. Our portfolio companies have collectively raised over £1bn and created 7,000 green jobs. The recent refurbishment of our flagship workspace at County Hall, which now hosts 150 start ups, is another milestone as is opening our second workspace community in Manchester.
Sustainable Ventures is sponsoring the Innovation of the Year category at this year's awards – what do you think differentiates ‘great' from ‘good' green innovation?
Great green innovation delivers both environmental impact and commercial viability at scale. It addresses systemic barriers, like Airex's smart ventilation system reducing energy consumption, while being accessible and scalable. Collaboration between diverse stakeholders is key to accelerating adoption and achieving lasting impact.
What would you say has been the single most innovative thing Sustainable Ventures has done or launched in the past year?
Launching our new SEIS and EIS funds, with FCA regulatory approval, was transformative. These funds enable us to invest in early-stage climate tech start ups at scale, providing the capital they need to grow rapidly. This initiative underscores our commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and driving the net zero transition.
What parts of the green economy are you most excited about?
The rapid growth of climate tech excites me most. From hydrogen innovation to circular economy solutions, emerging technologies are creating unprecedented opportunities. The shift in consumer demand and regional ecosystems, such as our expansion into Manchester and Glasgow, further fuel my optimism. Deakin-Bio and Parallel Hydrogen are just two of the fantastic companies building on the North West's regional strengths to accelerate the transition.
What developments do you think are currently under the radar?
The potential of local ecosystems to accelerate the green transition is underappreciated. Regions like Greater Manchester are leading the way in hydrogen and clean energy innovation. By supporting localised clusters, we can unlock untapped potential and drive significant progress, creating jobs across the UK. Delivering local partnerships with Universities such as Liverpool and working with LB of Lambeth have all been instrumental in creating multiple economic and local benefits.
What is the biggest misconception about the green economy?
One misconception is that the net zero transition is purely a cost. It's an economic opportunity. Climate tech doesn't just mitigate risks – it drives job creation, innovation, and GDP growth. Our portfolio companies exemplify how sustainability and profitability go hand in hand. There can be a focus on large clean technology solutions such as wind and solar, however, it's also the smaller innovations, and start-ups that have a huge contribution to play by embedding these technologies into our everyday lives. For example, Propelair who provide super flow flushing toilets, saving thousands of litres of water everyday for their customers.
What do you see as the biggest challenges to the net zero transition?
The biggest challenge is scaling solutions quickly enough to meet net zero targets. This requires systemic change, regulatory support, and collaboration across sectors. Sustainable Ventures bridges these gaps by connecting start ups with corporates, investors, and policymakers to accelerate market adoption. For example, our recent partnerships with You.com and Google Cloud will enable our ecosystem of over 800 companies to gain access to AI tools to accelerate their growth.
What advice would you give to someone looking to work in the green economy?
Stay curious, build a strong network, and be prepared to collaborate. The green economy thrives on partnerships and innovation. At Sustainable Ventures, we create opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and grow. Start by identifying where your skills can make the most impact.
You are also a finalist at this year's UK Green Business Awards, can you tell us a little bit about your work over the past 12 months?
Over the past year, we've supported 120 companies, launched new funds, and expanded regionally with hubs in Manchester and Glasgow. Notably, our start ups raised an additional £250m, and we achieved FCA approval for new investments. We also hosted over 200 sustainability events at County Hall.
We are proud that 65 per cent of the founders we invested in are female or from underrepresented backgrounds - comfortably outperforming industry benchmarks.
Our six-year partnership with Lambeth Council stands out as an example of public-sector collaboration fostering local green growth. Together, we have delivered four business support programmes for 50 local climate tech start ups, while providing net zero strategy guidance to 89 SMEs. The Lambeth Innovation Challenge has been particularly successful in connecting climate innovators with anchor institutions and large enterprises, facilitating the market adoption of sustainable solutions.
What would your green superpower be?
My green superpower would be the ability to use AI to accelerate innovation timelines. Imagine compressing years of R&D into months, enabling climate tech solutions to reach the market faster and make a more immediate impact on the net-zero transition.
Andrew Wordsworth is co-founder and managing partner of Sustainable Ventures
Sustainable Ventures is sponsor of the Innovation of the Year category at the UK Green Business Awards 2025, which will take place on the evening of 11 June at The Brewery in London. You can reserve your place at the awards here.
