The impact startups that went bankrupt in 2025 – and what they can teach us
5 jan. 2026
13:02
Record bets on Europe’s impact startups have turned into cautionary tales.
From batteries to foodtech, 2025 saw high-profile bankruptcies that offer hard – but valuable – lessons for investors and founders heading into 2026.
From batteries to foodtech, 2025 saw high-profile bankruptcies that offer hard – but valuable – lessons for investors and founders heading into 2026.
A few years ago, investors were making record bets on impact-focused startups, backing everything from next generation batteries to vegan bacon. Now, many of the those bets are coming undone.
Despite early optimism, scaling many clean technologies proved harder than expected. Political uncertainty, economic headwinds and rising interest rates pushed many investors away from climate hardware in particular. Some redirected capital toward software, AI and SaaS – bets perhaps seen as safer.