Air Liquide ALIAD, the venture capital arm of the Air Liquide Group, expands its footprint in Asia by investing for the first time in China, while strengthening its position in the energy transition through an equity investment in the Cathay Smart Energy Fund. Since its creation in 2013, ALIAD has made more than 35 investments globally for a total commitment of around 100 million euros.

 

Alongside Total Carbon Neutrality Ventures, Hubei Provincial High Technology Industry Investment Group Co., Ltd., CMA CGM Group and Wuhan Jingkai Industry Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd, ALIAD has invested in the Cathay Smart Energy Fund, a venture capital fund dedicated to the energy transition in China, with a specific focus on energy platforms, energy storage, smart grids, hydrogen energy, clean transportation, renewable energy and low-carbon solutions.

 

China is implementing environment-friendly policies which aim to foster the emergence of innovative enterprises and promote a renewal of its energy industry, addressing the global challenge of the energy transition to accelerate the energy transition with technology start-ups in China.

 

In this context, the Cathay Smart Energy Fund has identified numerous innovative companies that are reshaping the energy sector in order to design an efficient and low-carbon industrial landscape. The Fund has already carried out its first investment in ALLSENSE Technology, an innovative IoT solutions provider currently specialized in the digitization and optimization of China’s thermal power industry. 

 

These promising technologies, combined with the know-how and experience of the Air Liquide group, will allow innovative carbon neutral solutions to emerge, in line with Air Liquide Climate Objectives. Through this first fund investment in China, ALIAD supports Air Liquide’s innovation strategy in one of the most active and fast-transforming innovation ecosystems in the energy sector.