Ventures
Scaling the best ideas for public good requires a venture. But the world of traditional venture capital is unsuited to mission-driven initiatives.
Since 2021, Bax has been filling this gap, putting our own money to work on breakthrough ideas. Leveraging our network across Europe we support startups to test, build and scale new ventures on the ground.
From redesigning streets for healthy ways of living to launching the first autonomous vehicle pilot on public roads in Barcelona, our ventures are driving forward solutions for society’s biggest challenges.
Our Ventures
Healthy Cities is a healthy urban planning startup. We know that the urban environment can help or hinder health – however, despite growing scientific evidence, health is often left out of the urban planning conversation. At Healthy Cities, we’ve developed a model to change this. Our multidisciplinary team helps cities to put health at the heart of urban planning. Through urban planning practice, research and strategy Healthy Cities has shaped the built environment of over 20 cities throughout Europe and beyond, building cityscapes that help people live healthier lives. Our innovative healthy planning tool, the Healthy Cities Generator, makes integrating planning into health simple.
Pendel is an automated mobility consultancy that takes European mobility managers to the next stop on their mobility transition with tools, roadmaps and funding strategies for automated and demand-responsive transport. A Bax venture since 2021, Pendel launched the first pilot for an autonomous vehicle on Spanish public roads in 2022. Founded by Bax consultants Christian Riester and Giel Mertens, Pendel has supported more than 70 public and private mobility managers to learn, strategise and roadmap for a future in which public mobility is high quality, demand responsive and accessible for structurally underserved groups.
Starke is a cleantech provider offering smart battery systems that enable batteries to provide services to the local grid, solving local grid congestion while turning batteries into a revenue-generating asset for building owners. Founded by Rolf Bastiaanssen and Bax’s Energy Team, Starke aims to scale its Urban Power Bank solution to the city level by 2025. In 2022, Starke installed the first Energy-as-a-Service agreements in the Dutch residential sector, allowing a major social housing provider to reduce tenant bills using revenue generated from grid services.
Digital Kiosks
Digital Kiosks facilitates the sustainable implementation of sharing stations by working with public authorities, housing providers, sharing station providers, brand manufacturers and researchers. Kiosks support cities and housing providers with the planning, deployment and evaluation of sharing stations, and their integration within a wider sharing economy system.
Essential Housing
Essential Housing is a commercial approach to affordable livingThat redefines impact investing in the rental market. By focusing on minimum viable returns for investors and financiers, Essential significantly reduces rents for tenants.
The company acquires existing apartments in urban centers, offering rents at 80% of market prices with stability guaranteed for 10 years or more. With a long-term investment horizon of at least 20 years, Essential creates a sustainable housing solution. This innovative model addresses a critical need in a market that has seen over 90% rent increases in the past five years and lacks sufficient public initiatives to meet demand.
Want to find out more about our venture work?
