BOARDROOM
Nobel Laureate’s AI drug-discovery company lands $600mn in VC funding
Isomorphic Labs, a London-based AI-driven drug discovery company, has raised $600 million in its first external funding round. Founded in 2021 as a spin-off from Google DeepMind, Isomorphic Labs aims to accelerate the drug discovery process by using artificial intelligence.
The company is leveraging its advanced AI drug-design engine across a wide range of therapeutic areas. One of its most significant achievements is the Nobel-winning AlphaFold model, which predicts protein structures with unprecedented accuracy, providing a powerful foundation for drug design. Nobel Laureate and CEO Demis Hassabis has set an ambitious goal to have an Isomorphic Labs drug enter clinical trials by the end of the year.
Impact investment booms
Impact investment has grown by 160% since 2015, reaching €701bn by 2024. The figures, from Phenix Capital’s annual report, also reveal a 190% growth in the number of funds between 2015 and 2024.
But the number of new funds opening has slowed in recent years, with 122 in 2024, down from 153 in 2023. The most popular Sustainable Development Goal targeted by impact investment was affordable and clean energy at 37% of all funds, followed by industry and infrastructure, and health and well-being. Private equity launched more than half of all new funds in 2014, followed by private debt at 20%.
Bhutan’s Mountain Hazelnuts receives $7.9mn investment
Mountain Hazelnuts, a sustainable agroforestry enterprise in Bhutan, has secured a $7.9mn equity investment aimed at bolstering climate-resilient farming projects. Mountain Hazelnuts partners with the Bhutanese government to restore degraded mountain slopes by planting hazelnut trees. This initiative aids environmental restoration and generates income for local communities, providing trees, agricultural inputs, and technical support to smallholder families.
Mirova, part of the Natixis group, led the investment with €3.6m ($3.9m), while Finnfund contributed €2.7m ($3m), marking its first involvement with MH. The funds will support key projects, including factory expansions, and international certifications like Rainforest Alliance and Organic. The investment ensures operations are fully funded for the next five years, enhancing MH’s market position and promoting premium pricing for Bhutanese-grown hazelnuts globally.
African clean energy company raises $238mn
Inspired Evolution, a pan-African private equity firm focused on clean energy infrastructure and energy transition investments, raised $238 million for its Evolution III fund. The funding, sourced from 19 institutional investors, primarily in Europe, will support projects in clean energy, resource efficiency, and expanding energy access across Africa.
Key investors include the Development Bank of Austria (OeEB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Since its inception in 2007, Inspired Evolution has been instrumental in developing more than four gigawatts of renewable energy projects in Africa. The fund’s recent investments include a $160 million commitment to Red Rocket Group, a renewable energy producer in South Africa, and a significant minority investment in Equator Energy, a solar provider in East Africa.
