As we become more aware of our impact on the environment, the significance of renewable resources is becoming much more clear. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), green energy provides the highest environmental benefit and includes power produced by solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, hydroelectric, and certain eligible biomass sources. In utilizing the FINTRX family office data and research platform, which provides intel into thousands of direct deal transactions made by 3,000+ family offices worldwide, we explore three family offices making direct investments into green energy companies.
Before diving in, it's important to note that although renewable energy comprises the same sources as green energy, this energy includes technologies that can have a considerable impact on the local and global environment. Essentially, when you buy green power, you are also supporting renewable energy projects and the investment in technologies that help them grow.
1. Vandewater Capital (Aintabi Family Office)
Established in 2008, Vandewater Capital (Aintabi Family Office) is a New York, New York-based single-family office managing the assets of Jason Aintabi. Besides his day-to-day role at Vandewater, Aintabi leads Blackwells Capital, an alternative investment manager, which he founded in 2016, as a platform to invest in public market securities globally. Aintabi has also held CEO and BoD roles in the hospitality, real estate, and media industries. Vandewater invests in private and public equity across a range of sectors, regions, and asset classes including direct investments, private equity, real estate, venture capital, and long-only investments, with a primary interest in private equity and direct transactions. Its direct investment interest is quite diverse and greenly takes an opportunistic view, with most falling into the sectors of green energy, technology, financial services, and real estate. Vandewater specializes in originating, structuring, and making proprietary principal investments. The firm distinguishes itself by providing operational oversight and sophisticated relationship-management procedures to provide complete investment solutions.
Vandewater was the lead investor and controlling shareholder of AltAir Fuels from 2013 until its sale to World Energy in 2018. Headquartered in Paramount, California, AltAir Fuels produces low carbon fuels and chemicals derived from sustainable feedstock. For its first commercial project, AltAir partnered with Alon Energy USA (now Delek) to retool idled refining equipment on the 62 Acre Paramount refining facility, ultimately increasing the nation’s energy supply. The plant also produces renewable jet fuel. Vandewater invests primarily in established businesses and opportunistically in earlier stage ventures, where the firm’s long-term outlook and its financial expertise underpin enhanced value generation for its stakeholders. Its dedicated team of professionals source, structure, invest in, and operate companies and assets primarily in North America and Western Europe.
2. Creadev Family Office
Founded in 2002, Creadev Family Office is a Paris, France-based single family office with additional locations in Shanghai, New York, and Nairobi. Creadev Family Office invests on behalf of the Mulliez family. The Mulliez family accumulated their wealth through the founding of Auchan, a French multinational retail group headquartered in Croix, France. Today, the Mulliez family is one of the richest families in the world, with an estimated net worth of $30B. Creadev seeks venture capital and private equity investments across a diverse landscape inclusive of green energy, recycling, waste management, environmental services, AgriTech, FoodTech, telemedicine, E-health, education, data analytics, and consumer services - among others.
In April 2017, Creadev Family Office directly invested in Actility, an information technology company that deploys unified, scalable and multipurpose IoT network infrastructure for utilities and cities, providing well-defined points of interoperability between systems, therefore simplifying integration difficulties. It enables smart utility services where energy, gas, and water use is being monitored and proactively managed for waste reduction, conservation, and sustainability goals. Since 2019, Actility Energy has become Flexcity, part of the Veolia group. Creadev Family Office has invested more than €1B in companies across stages including venture capital, growth equity, and buyout. The group frequently makes co-investments and comprises a team of 30-50 employees across their four office locations.
3. The Cordish Companies
With roots tracing all the way back to 1910, The Cordish Companies is a Baltimore, Maryland-based single-family office managing the assets of Louis Cordish and his family. In 1963, David Cordish inherited the firm and assumed the position of Chairman and CEO. The firm founded Cordish Private Ventures in 1998, which acts as the direct investment private equity vehicle focusing on small-cap opportunities. As a family-owned and managed business for over a century, The Cordish Companies builds projects to prosper for generations to come. The family is one of Baltimore's largest philanthropists and active volunteers within the community. Today, The Cordish Companies takes a relatively opportunistic investment approach and is active in the real estate and private equity landscapes. Sectors of particular interest include commercial and residential real estate, green energy, entertainment, gaming, hotels, international development, restaurants, and sports. The group is also active in impact investing, particularly regarding their real estate investments. The Cordish Companies actively partakes in large-scale commercial revitalization projects, including mixed-use developments, corporate office space, and lifestyle. These projects have taken place across the United States in cities including Philadelphia, Houston, Kansas City, Louisville, and Atlantic City.
With a particular interest in sustainable energy solutions, The Cordish Companies have taken part in numerous alternative energy initiatives—from hydroelectric power generation to solar energy projects. The firm's commitment to energy sustainability ranges from the large (energy-efficient heating and cooling systems for recent developments) to the small (LED light conversion on existing projects). The Cordish Companies have been at the forefront of adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of abandoned spaces for decades as well. Award-winning projects—such as the Power Plant and Power Plant Live! in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, The Walk in Atlantic City, and Fourth Street Live! in Louisville—were all abandoned buildings later turned into active spaces for their communities. The Cordish Companies have won national recognition for its award-winning preservation and rehabilitation of historic urban buildings and places, where they work with the public sector to preserve distinguished urban landmarks.
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