At Catalyst by Wellstar, we are dedicated to not only advancing healthcare but also embracing sustainability to ensure a healthier planet for future generations.
Sustainability is one of Catalyst’s six strategic focus areas where we strive to lessen our environmental impacts through thoughtful investments in areas like farming and nutrition, renewable energy, and sustainable value chains. These initiatives are vital steps toward creating a sustainable future that nurtures both our planet and its people.
This Earth Day, we are pleased to announce our latest endeavor in our sustainability focus area—an investment in the climate tech-focused venture capital fund, VoLo Earth. This fund is committed to tackling the climate crisis at its roots by providing crucial first-in funding and strategic leadership to early-stage climate tech companies. With this investment, Catalyst will take a diversified approach to supporting promising companies that are making significant strides in environmental innovation.
Through our investment with VoLo Earth, we are supporting over 30 portfolio companies that collectively offset more than 7 Tonnes of CO2 in 2022 alone. These companies are at the forefront of developing technologies and solutions that have the potential to revolutionize industries and significantly reduce our environmental footprint. Three such portfolio companies include:
Blue Frontier
Blue Frontier‘s mission is to transform buildings into sustainable, comfortable, and interactive spaces through the commercialization of a revolutionary air conditioning technology.
Gaiascope
Gaia‘s focus is the electric grid of the future by providing customers with the capability to optimize returns of their renewable and energy storage assets with price forecasts and bidding strategies tailored to their needs.
VECKTA
VECKTA’s platform allows business leaders have access to actionable insights and a vibrant marketplace of vetted providers to confidently plan, assess, deploy and monitor their energy transition strategy with maximum efficiency.
“The investment from Catalyst by Wellstar underscores their leadership in recognizing and supporting the intersection of environmental sustainability and public health. The connection between the environment and the health and wellbeing of our communities is unmistakably clear. This investment highlights Catalyst’s commitment to supporting promising climate tech companies that are poised to make significant impacts on our planet’s and people’s health,” said Eric Riesenberg, Managing Partner of VoLo Earth Ventures.
It’s important to recognize that the connection between climate and health outcomes is becoming increasingly clear. While VoLo Earth is not a healthcare company per-se, our investment in this fund underscores a key component of Catalyst’s thesis that not all healthcare problems will be solved with healthcare solutions.
“With our investment in the VoLo Earth, Catalyst by Wellstar demonstrates Wellstar’s leadership in pushing the healthcare industry forward, not just in patient care but in environmental stewardship. This initiative is another element of our strategy to develop healthcare solutions that are sustainable and responsible, ensuring we not only meet today’s health demands but also protect tomorrow’s environment,” said Beth A. Kost, Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, Wellstar Health System and Board Chair, Catalyst by Wellstar.
We understand that to truly transform healthcare, we must look beyond traditional methods and explore how environmental sustainability can also lead to better health outcomes. This holistic approach is not just about “sick care” but preventing illness by fostering a healthier environment.
By investing in funds like VoLo Earth, we’re demonstrating how health systems can play a crucial role in environmental stewardship and embrace innovations that help us protect and preserve our planet.
