Planet2050 and the Race to Make Finance Work for the Planet

“Finance must work for the planet, not against it.”
That is the guiding conviction of Planet2050, a Berlin-based climate FinTech positioning itself as the missing link between climate action and capital markets. In an interview with MoveTheNeedle.News, CEO Lucas Zaehringer explains how the company plans to channel investor money into real-world carbon projects, combine transparency with technology, and make carbon assets a credible, measurable class of their own.
The making of a climate FinTech
Planet2050 calls itself “a digital pioneer at the intersection of climate action, financial innovation, and technology.”
Its core product, the Planet2050 Hub, is a digital platform where project developers apply for financing by submitting detailed data on carbon performance, risk, and funding needs. The Hub collects hundreds of data points to evaluate each project, ensuring that investment decisions are grounded in measurable science.
Capital raised on the public markets is channelled into these vetted projects — either as equity in project developers or through pre-purchase agreements for future carbon credits. Those credits, once verified, are sold to companies seeking to neutralise their remaining emissions.
Every project is monitored through satellite imagery and on-site sensors, with data available to investors, credit buyers and other stakeholders. “Transparency and trust are everything,” says Zaehringer. “In global carbon and financial markets, measurement is the foundation of credibility.”
Tackling the finance gap
The carbon ecosystem is full of players — from scientists and certifiers to project developers and brokers — but few deal directly with what Zaehringer calls “the elephant in the room”: financing. “Many companies focus on science or trading,” he says, “but very few address the missing link — the capital needed to get projects off the ground.”
Planet2050’s model aims to democratise access to climate investment. Instead of forcing individuals to pick one risky carbon startup or rely on opaque ESG funds, the company plans to offer shares in Planet2050 itself. Investors gain exposure to a diversified portfolio of high-integrity climate projects — an approach that spreads risk and aggregates impact.
“Every emerging asset class — from renewables to cryptocurrencies — reached a tipping point once it became broadly accessible,” Zaehringer notes. “The same transformation must now occur for carbon assets.”
A diversified portfolio for the planet
Planet2050 invests in both emission avoidance and carbon removal — two sides of the climate equation. Its portfolio spans engineered solutions such as biochar, CO₂ injection into concrete, and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), as well as nature-based projects like soil restoration, sustainable farming, and reforestation.
The company also supports projects tackling super-pollutants such as methane and fluorinated gases — short-lived but far more potent than CO₂.
Such projects often struggle to attract early-stage financing, as carbon revenues only begin to flow once credits are certified and sold. Planet2050’s catalytic finance bridges that gap, providing capital when it is most needed.
To select projects, Planet2050 applies four investment pillars:
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Integrity – adherence to recognised standards like Gold Standard, Puro.Earth, and Isometric.
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Resilience – diversification of revenue beyond credits, through integration into real value chains.
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Marketability – ensuring clear demand from carbon buyers.
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Performance – maximising measurable climate impact per euro invested.
“This rigorous approach,” Zaehringer says, “turns a climate necessity into an attractive, de-risked investment opportunity.”
Demand is rising, supply is scarce
Carbon credits have evolved from niche certificates to a fast-growing asset class. Zaehringer attributes that to a simple truth: pollution is no longer free. Governments are introducing carbon pricing, investors demand climate accountability, and consumers expect brands to act responsibly.
For companies in sectors like aviation, steel, or data centres, cutting emissions to absolute zero is often impossible. High-quality carbon credits — those that verifiably remove or avoid CO₂ — offer a practical solution for the residual footprint that remains.
Big technology and finance names such as Microsoft, Google, and JPMorgan have already committed billions of dollars to carbon-removal purchases. Yet, Zaehringer points out, only about 4% of companies with Net Zero pledges have begun buying. “Someone must ensure the projects capable of delivering the required billions of tonnes are financed and built today,” he states. “That’s the gap Planet2050 exists to fill.”
Serving investors, companies and governments
Planet2050 operates at the intersection of three stakeholder groups: investors preparing capital-raising activities, corporations implementing Net Zero strategies, and governments building frameworks for carbon markets.
Corporate buyers, Zaehringer says, are realising they must act early to secure high-quality supply and hedge against future price spikes. Some prefer to buy into individual projects; others favour a portfolio approach managed through the Planet2050 platform.
In aviation, frameworks such as CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) are already driving strong demand for certified credits. Meanwhile, national governments are beginning to include carbon removal in their climate planning — Germany, for example, has announced hundreds of millions of euros in funding to build domestic carbon-removal capacity.
Going public: transparency as strategy
Planet2050 plans to become one of the first publicly listed companies in Europe focused entirely on the CO₂ market. Zaehringer says the decision reflects both investor readiness and regulatory maturity.
“The EU offers one of the most advanced environments for climate protection,” he says. “It’s the ideal place to set new standards for integrity and investor confidence.”
But raising money is only part of the ambition. The listing is also a statement about ownership. “Big goals can only be achieved collectively. The required ten gigatonnes of CO₂ removal per year is such a big goal.”
He calls this new phase “CO₂ Market 2.0” — a shift from experimental offsets to a verified, measurable asset class defined by transparency rather than hype.
How Planet2050 will use its capital
Funds from the IPO will primarily go to:
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Project deployment – executing forward carbon agreements and direct investments in projects scheduled for 2026 and beyond.
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Technology – further development of the Planet2050 Hub, automating contracts and integrating live monitoring data.
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Team expansion – strengthening technical oversight both in Europe and in key growth regions such as Colombia, Kenya, India, and the Philippines.
“Our goal is to scale our climate action rapidly,” Zaehringer says — building the infrastructure, both digital and human, to support a global project portfolio.
Driving the message home — literally
To accompany its nationwide “Invest in Our Planet” campaign, Planet2050 has put its message on wheels. The company has teamed up with Microlino, the Swiss-designed electric microcar, which will tour four German cities in full Planet2050 livery as a stylish, emission-free brand ambassador.
The point, says Zaehringer, is that climate protection and mobility are not mutually exclusive — they can be fun.
“Climate protection requires measurable impact and credible role models. At Planet2050, we therefore support innovative companies and ideas that advance climate protection. The Microlino is a perfect fit for us.”
Just as the Microlino blends design with efficiency, Planet2050 aims to blend financial pragmatism with measurable sustainability. The car’s sleek presence on urban streets is a visual metaphor for what the company wants to prove: that sustainability doesn’t have to look like sacrifice.
Looking ahead to 2050
Asked what success would look like by mid-century, Zaehringer is both pragmatic and idealistic: one gigatonne of CO₂ removed through Planet2050-backed projects.
“We want a world where everyone breathes clean air and drinks clean water, where there are no fires or floods to fear, and where climate-positive assets are part of every investment portfolio,” he says.
By 2050, he hopes, sustainability will be a core principle of finance, not a niche.