SECA guide spotlights climate tech in impact investing
Tue, 5th May 2026 (Today)
The Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association has published its SECA Impact Guide 2026, featuring contributions from Emerald Technology Ventures, a climate technology investor with €1.3 billion in assets under management and advice.
Aimed at institutional investors, family offices and wealth managers, the guide outlines core principles, investment strategies, market trends and regulatory developments in impact investing. It also offers practical guidance on portfolio alignment, risk appetite, fund selection and the use of artificial intelligence in investment analysis.
It defines concepts that have become central to the market, including intentionality, additionality and impact measurement. The guide also examines alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, outlines sustainability-linked strategies and includes a directory of Swiss private markets impact funds and asset managers.
Emerald's prominence in the publication reflects the growing role of climate technology in impact investing. Based in Zurich, with additional offices in Toronto and Singapore, the firm has focused since 2000 on startups addressing climate change and sustainability in areas including energy, water, materials, industrial AI and mobility.
Climate focus
A chapter on technology investments for impact includes a contribution from Gina Domanig, managing partner and chief executive officer of Emerald Technology Ventures. Emerald is presented as an example of how private market investors are directing capital to technology businesses seeking both financial returns and measurable environmental results.
Companies cited in the guide include Germany's INERATEC, which produces synthetic e-fuels from green hydrogen and captured CO2, and Canada's Genecis, which converts food waste into biodegradable plastics. Other examples are XFarm, a Swiss-Italian farm management platform that uses AI to improve resource use; India's Indra Water, which develops compact wastewater treatment systems; and Argentina's Kilimo, which focuses on measurable water savings in agriculture.
Dr. Ulrich Geilinger, former SECA chairman and editor of the guide, highlighted the role of private markets in directing capital into applied technologies.
"Private market investments, particularly in technology solutions, enable investors to directly steer capital toward measurable environmental and social impact. Emerald Technology Ventures exemplifies this approach through its long-standing focus on industrial innovation that tackles global issues like climate change," Geilinger said.
Investor demand
The guide reflects broader demand among professional investors for clearer frameworks around sustainable and impact investing. Wealth managers and family offices face growing pressure to assess not only expected returns and risk, but also whether investments can demonstrate credible environmental or social outcomes.
That has increased interest in standard definitions and measurement tools, especially in private markets, where disclosure and comparability can be harder to assess than in public equities or bonds. By setting out common concepts and practical steps, the publication aims to help close that gap for Swiss and international investors.
Emerald's model is shaped in part by a network of more than 50 corporate limited partners, giving it market insight and access to potential commercial customers for its portfolio companies. The firm manages four funds, has completed hundreds of venture transactions and oversees six third-party investment mandates, including loan guarantees for more than 100 startups.
Domanig said climate technology investing is an area where market conditions have changed.
"Private market climate tech investing has become one of the few places where environmental impact and return expectations are now structurally aligned. Being included in the SECA Impact Guide reflects how far this market has moved, and how industrial innovation is now expected to scale into real-world solutions," Domanig said.