BaltCap co-founded NordicNinja VC announces new €200M Fund II

NordicNinja VC, the Japanese–European joint venture of BaltCap and JBIC IG Partners, has announced a new €200M Fund II. The fund will focus on investments in climate tech, deeptech, and digital society to help founders to tackle global challenges and create a more sustainable future. Building upon its existing presence in the Nordics and the Baltics, the fund is expanding its operations to the UK, Ireland, and BeNeLux countries. 

NordicNinja VC, recognised as the largest Japanese VC in Europe, is using its Fund II to target early-stage founders who are spearheading significant change. NordicNinja invests in companies that are tackling the world’s biggest problems, with an emphasis on climate tech, deeptech, and digital society. From its inaugural €101 million Fund I, NordicNinja has made investments in transformative companies like Bolt, Einride, Veriff, and many others. To date, they have carried out 20 investments, with three companies achieving unicorn status, and several others showing similar potential.

Peeter Saks, Managing Partner at BaltCap, says he is proud of the success of NordicNinja VC, which was co-founded in 2019 with Japanese JBIC IG Partners. “The fact that NordicNinja is announcing a second fund twice the size of the first fund, and is expanding its operations to the UK, Ireland and BeNeLux countries, speaks of solid growth.”

Saks adds that he is confident in the current investment and management team of NordicNinja as they transition into Fund II. “Marek Kiisa, Shinichi Nikkuni, Tomosaku Sohara, and Rainer Sternfeld make up a unique team of world-class, seasoned investors from Northern Europe and Japan. I trust the successor fund will continue the success of Fund I when backing founders in solving the most pressing global challenges through innovative technologies.“

The largest investor in NordicNinja Fund II is the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), a Japanese public financial institution represented in 18 countries around the world, which promotes economic cooperation between Japan and overseas countries. European investors of the fund include BaltCap and Swedbank Investment Funds. Japanese investors include Honda and Omron, which also invested in Fund I.

BaltCap establishes procurement service platform CaPS Baltics

BaltCap establishes procurement service platform for its portfolio companies under the name CaPS Baltics, which is a joint venture with CapMan Procurement Services CaPS. CaPS Baltics will introduce professional procurement service concept to BaltCap portfolio and provide portfolio companies access to centralised procurement of non-strategic products and services across many categories ranging from logistics to IT.

Introducing the CaPS procurement concept allows BaltCap to offer its portfolio companies additional value and benefits through savings, more efficient procurement practices and new customer relationships. It fits well with BaltCap’s goal of building the portfolio companies into business champions.

The procurement service for BaltCap portfolio will be led by Hannes Laaser, the Procurement Director for the joint venture. Hannes will be responsible for managing the membership, offerings and services to the member companies across BaltCap portfolio. Hannes has more than 15 years of international work experience in procurement and management. He joins CaPS Baltics from Glamox Group where he was responsible for direct and indirect materials procurement.

Partnering with CapMan Procurement Services provides BaltCap an opportunity to team up with the Nordic market leader – CaPS team has more than ten years of remarkable experience in driving savings and improving customer satisfaction for its member companies in Finland and Sweden. We trust that launching the service in the Baltics provides our portfolio companies a clear competitive edge and enables to create additional value.