Halton Ventures to invest in sustainable development

Halton's new parent company is the first Nordic investor in the German PropTech1 investment fund. Halton Ventures is also now the owner of the Halton Group.

Ownership of the Halton Group and its investment activities were restructured at the beginning of 2023, and the ownership is now completely under the new Halton Ventures parent company. It also manages the investment activities of the family business.

"The new parent company separates the operational functions from the investment activities. Halton Group continues its business operations as normal under Halton Ventures’s ownership. Nothing there has changed. However, the significance of the parent company's investment activities will grow in the future," says Tarja Takki-Halttunen, Chairperson of the Board at Halton Ventures. Halton Ventures is 100% owned by the Halttunen family.

Halton Ventures' investment portfolio currently consists of five Finnish startups working in the field of property technology: Light Cognitive, Naava, Octacell, Smart Heating, and Spacent.

"Technology and ideas develop quickly in this space. Our investment activities help us to keep our fingers on the pulse of what is happening. We get ideas and know-how from the startups for Halton's own operations - and vice versa. A good example is Octacell, which produces sound insulated workspaces. The cooling of these workspaces is done with Halton's technology."

Halton Ventures invests in companies and funds whose objectives are the same as Halton’s: to enable the wellbeing of people in internal spaces in an ecologically sustainable manner. In the future, a broader range of investments can be made in support of sustainable development goals. All the investments are long-term.

The most recent investment has been a placement in the seed fund of the German company, PropTech1 Ventures. The Early Stage Fund II invests in European early-stage property and construction startups that are tackling the challenges of the climate crisis and the green transition.

PopTech1 Ventures' goal is to amass 100 million euros of capital in its fund. The company stated in January that it had reached the 40 million mark. Halton Ventures is the first Nordic investor in PropTech1.
 

“We are excited to welcome Halton Ventures to Fund II. Halton as a company is committed to the same principles of sustainability that are steering PropTech1. In addition, we believe that our portfolio companies will greatly benefit from Halton’s expertise and network. This is a great way to expand our activities to the Nordic countries which is our new focus region," says Theo Bonick, Corporate Comms Lead of PropTech1.

The theme of sustainable development has gained importance at Halton as the third generation of the family has risen to the leadership level. One example of the new goals is carbon neutrality during 2023.

"Energy efficiency and ecological sustainability have definitely been familiar to us for a long time. But I have to say that, thanks to our children, the effort being put into a sustainable future is reaching a whole new level", Tarja Takki-Halttunen says.

Besides the Chairperson, Halton Ventures' board consists of Mika Halttunen, and the entire third generation: Krista, Aleksi, and Joel Halttunen. Krista and Aleksi have worked on the Halton Group Board of Directors for a few years already. Joel is currently finishing off his Bachelor's degree at Warwick University in England.

For more information

Tarja Takki-Halttunen, Chairperson of the Board, Halton Ventures

Mobile. +358 40 501 0121

Email: tarja.takki@halton.com

Kai Konola, CEO, Halton Group

Mobile. +358 40 502 4900

Email: kai.konola@halton.com

Halton Ventures is the owner of Halton Group, a global technology leader in indoor air solutions for demanding spaces. Halton Group operates in over 35 countries with 1900 people and had a turnover of approx. 270 million euros in 2022. In addition, Halton Ventures invests with a long-term view into new technologies and services enabling a more sustainable planet. Halton Ventures is 100% owned by the Halttunen family.

Halton Group is a global technology leader in indoor air solutions for demanding commercial and public premises, workspaces, healthcare institutions and laboratories, professional kitchens, ships as well as energy production and industrial environments. Halton’s mission is to provide its end-users with safe, comfortable, and productive indoor environments that are energy-efficient and comply with sustainable principles. The company was founded in Finland in 1969. Today, Halton Group employs close to 1,900 people in over 35 countries. The company’s turnover in 2022 was approx. 270 million euros. For more information, visit www.halton.com

PropTech1 Ventures is a venture capital platform specializing in property and construction technology sectors. Its portfolio consists of European early-stage start-ups that accelerate the green transition of society by responding to the climate crisis and overuse of natural resources. www.pt1.vc