InnoEnergy, a leading impact investor in the clean tech industry, has announced the appointment of Sébastien Clerc as its new Chief Executive Officer. The appointment will be effective from 1 January 2026.
Clerc will succeed Diego Pavia, who has successfully led InnoEnergy since its inception in 2010. Pavia will remain with the company for three more years to take on specific missions that will contribute to InnoEnergy’s continued success.
InnoEnergy has been ranked as the number one most active venture capital investor in the energy sector globally by PitchBook (Morningstar Group) in both 2020 and from 2022 to 2024. Since its establishment, InnoEnergy has launched or supported over 540 start-ups and scale-ups, with four becoming industrial unicorns. These companies have raised more than €34 billion to date, created over 47,000 jobs, and are on track to reduce 2.3 gigatons of CO2e by 2030.
With a team of experts and a unique ecosystem of industrial, financial, and public partners, Clerc will lead InnoEnergy in implementing an ambitious 2030 growth plan that has been unanimously approved by the company’s 39 shareholders. Over the next five years, InnoEnergy aims to accelerate its current 160+ clean tech portfolio investments and support additional companies, while strengthening its academic and training business units. This will contribute significantly to Europe’s clean industrial ambitions. As part of its plan, InnoEnergy plans to mobilize up to €160 billion in clean tech investments, representing the total financing required for its portfolio over the next five years. This reflects the company’s solid pipeline of clean industrial ventures.
Clerc was unanimously appointed by InnoEnergy’s shareholders, who recognized his extensive leadership experience in the energy transition, his role as an investment decision-maker, and his track record in mobilizing finance. Clerc brings with him over 13 years of experience as the CEO of Voltalia, where he transformed a young start-up into an integrated renewable energy producer and service provider, operating in 20 countries. Voltalia is listed on Euronext Paris and has investments in numerous solar, wind, biomass, and battery projects, as well as innovative start-ups in areas such as electric vehicle charging and biomass valorization. Prior to this, Clerc founded and led Natixis Environment & Infrastructure (now renamed Mirova) for 12 years. This pioneering fund management firm focused on sustainable investments, including in industry decarbonization and renewable energy production.
Hervé Bernard, Chairman of the InnoEnergy Supervisory Board, expressed his gratitude to Diego Pavia for his unwavering leadership in making InnoEnergy the number one clean tech impact investor in the world. He also stated his confidence in Clerc’s ability to take over and deliver on the company’s ambitious 2030 growth plans.
Pavia, the current CEO of InnoEnergy, stated that he has been honored to lead the company for the past 15 years and credited the hard work of the company’s trusted ecosystem of over 1,400 partners for their track record. He also mentioned the company’s upgraded branding, which captures its mission to “industrialize clean tech innovation, at scale and at unprecedented speed.” He expressed his excitement for the next phase of the company’s journey and the ambitious “Vision 2030” plan that has been unanimously approved by its shareholders. Pavia also stated that Clerc is the best choice to lead the company’s implementation.
Clerc, the incoming CEO of InnoEnergy, expressed his honor to join the company at a time when the world is witnessing a new industrial revolution, which brings tremendous business opportunities. He also highlighted the importance of clean tech in Europe’s economic growth, as reaffirmed by the Clean Industrial Deal. He recognized InnoEnergy as a frontrunner in the industry and stated his commitment to building on Pavia’s legacy and working with the company’s incredible team to take it to the next level.
The announcement was made at InnoEnergy’s annual flagship event, The Business Booster, held in Lisbon. The event brought together over 2000 entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate the energy and industrial transition.
InnoEnergy, which was established in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), is committed to industrializing clean tech innovation to enable and grow a global net zero economy. The company operates in Europe and the US and invests in early-stage start-ups and the current and future workforce, building resilient clean tech value chains to drive sustainable economic growth. InnoEnergy has supported over 540 companies since its establishment, with four becoming industrial unicorns. These companies have raised more than €34 billion, created over 47,000 jobs, and secured €943 million in revenue. They are also on track to reduce 2.3 gig
