The Low Carbon Innovation Fund is a co-investment vehicle managed by Turquoise International on behalf of the University of East Anglia and regional authorities. Established in 2010, the fund channels more than £100 million from the European Regional Development Fund, the UK government and private partners into small and medium-sized enterprises developing technologies that lower greenhouse gas emissions. Based at The Enterprise Centre in Norwich, the fund covers up to 50 percent of an investment round alongside private investors, typically through equity stakes or convertible loans, to support projects with measurable environmental gains.
The fund principally supports businesses in the East of England, although companies anywhere in England can qualify if their offerings demonstrate significant carbon reductions or resource efficiency improvements. Since its launch, the fund has backed over 80 firms, contributing to the introduction of more than 100 products and services that collectively save over 10,000 tons of carbon annually. Investment performance is tracked through environmental and social governance metrics, and the fund fosters collaboration among entrepreneurs, academic researchers, government agencies and finance professionals to sustain an active low-carbon ecosystem.
Clean technology and battery systems are prominent areas of investment. The fund has supported energy storage ventures, including second-life battery projects that repurpose electric vehicle cells to stabilize the grid and boost renewable integration. Portfolio companies include Connected Energy, which offers repurposed battery modules, and Switchd, a marketplace for green energy tariffs and home solar solutions that help consumers reduce energy costs and emissions. These projects demonstrate how targeted funding can accelerate the deployment of scalable solutions in the cleantech sector.
