Partnerships

SQUAKE closed €3.5m seed round to enable travel and logistics players to make more sustainable choices, completing €5m of total funding

Berlin,
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
  • Led by Simon Capital, the new funding will be used to grow strategic market share following rising company demand‍
  • Sustainable aviation fuels and carbon removal technologies prioritised for immediate and lasting impact needed as global warming set to break the key 1.5C limit ‍
  • Collaboration with qualified climate partners and external auditors sets SQUAKE apart


SQUAKE
– the climate tech startup powering accurate carbon calculations and providing tangible compensation for travel and logistics emissions – today announces it has raised €3.5 million in funding led by Simon Capital, with participation from Schenker Ventures and Rivus Capital. Existing investors Neosfer and Backbone Ventures also participated in the round, along with business angels Michael Riegel and Matthäus Niewodniczanski – all joining Lufthansa Group on the cap table. The new capital – which takes SQUAKE’s total funding to date to €5 million – will be used for technology R&D and operational hires to meet customer demand, fuelling growth in strategic markets.

Started in 2020 by Philipp von Lamezan (CEO) and  Dan Kreibich (CPO), Berlin-based SQUAKE born from the Lufthansa Innovation Hub, is operating independently since 2021. Through one single API, SQUAKE blends seamlessly into the backend of any digital infrastructure to make precise carbon calculations for all types of travel and logistics activities – such as flights, shipping, car rentals, and hotels – based on national and international standards. In the process, SQUAKE bridges the tremendous gap in emission awareness across these industries, triggering information-based decision-making by shining a spotlight on more sustainable choices.

Even with more choice, carbon emissions remain rife, which is why compensations are needed. SQUAKE focuses mainly on carbon removal through its portfolio. By connecting customers with principled and established partners globally – including sustainable aviation fuels, direct carbon capture, and reforestation providers – SQUAKE automates the carbon reduction and removal process. Through this rigorously qualified network of partners, SQUAKE makes meaningful climate action accessible to everyone.

End users, such as travellers and logistics buyers, now have a reliable way to be pragmatic with their emissions without any friction, thanks to SQUAKE’s technology underpinning the digital infrastructure they already use. This ranges from booking tools and travel agencies to freight ordering platforms. Beyond this, working with external auditors optimises the platform’s data security, building awareness and trust.

“The sustainable transformation of the travel and logistics industry is facing many challenges. By 2030, the EU aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 55 per cent compared with 1990 levels. However, just a few weeks ago, it was announced that global warming is set to break the key 1.5C limit for the first time. Consumer-led efforts will only get us so far, which is why corporate change is so crucial. With customer, competitor, and investor-related pressures growing, we support companies by helping them react as fast as possible to ensure swift transformations. While supply chain improvements have been made – from sustainable fuels to engine optimisation and plastic reduction – decision-makers in all areas are still lacking key knowledge to make more sustainable purchasing decisions. Sustainability and business go hand-in-hand, but trust is vital to make this partnership work. Our investors and corporate partners are a testament to the trust we’ve built already – but there’s much more to be done and no more time to waste.”

Phillip von Lamezan
Phillip von Lamezan
CEO and Co-founder of SQUAKE
Squake-SEED-Round

“The mobility of people and goods are central in our everyday lives and will continue to impact all efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. To us, SQUAKE clearly stands apart from competitors through its unique history of being born from and built for the industry. Seeing industry names like Reed & Mackay, HomeToGo or DB Schenker partner with SQUAKE is a shout-out to its impressive product and means millions of people can already benefit from its cutting-edge technology.”

Jan Leicht
Jan Leicht
Managing Partner
Simon Capital

“We have been impressed by the tech built by SQUAKE. We see great potential for driving the sustainable transformation of our industry with this solution.”

Paulina Banszerus
Paulina Banszerus
Head of Venture Capital
Schenker Ventures

About SQUAKE Fast. Scalable. Secure. SQUAKE is the industry solution for sustainable travel and logistics, today. A single API plug-in to power precise carbon calculations for all types of activity – including air, road, sea, accommodations, and warehousing – according to national and international standards. Automating carbon removal and reduction along the purchase flow – from vendor selection (Sustainable Aviation Fuels, Direct Air Capture, reforestation), to inventory management, invoicing and credit retirement.‍

About Simon Capital Simon Capital is an early-stage VC fund based in Germany. The fund invests in driven founders who reshape their industries across consumption, wellbeing, and productivity. Simon Capital makes use of its broad network and expertise rooted in an entrepreneurial heritage to lift new generations of sustainable businesses. The fund follows an active portfolio approach, where capital means more than just mere money; investments so far include e.g., waterdrop, Just Spices, MushLabs, Holy, Ordio, and Sastrify. If you are interested to learn more about Simon Capital, please visit https://simoncapital.com/and follow them on Linked

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