Today at The Business Booster in Lisbon, InnoEnergy appoints Sébastien Clerc as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 January 2026.
Diego Pavia, who has successfully led InnoEnergy since its 2010 inception, remains in the company for three more years to perform specific missions contributing to InnoEnergy’s ongoing success.
InnoEnergy ranked #1 most active venture capital investor globally in energy, according to PitchBook (Morningstar Group) in 2020, and from 2022 to 2024. Since 2010, InnoEnergy has launched or supported 540+ start-ups and scaleups, helping to grow four into industrial unicorns. These companies have raised more than €34 billion to date, created 47,000+ jobs and are on track to reduce 2.3 gigatons of CO2e by 2030.
Together with InnoEnergy’s team and relying on its unique ecosystem of industrial, financial and public partners, Sébastien Clerc will implement an ambitious 2030 growth plan unanimously backed by InnoEnergy’s 39 shareholders. Over the next five years, InnoEnergy will scale new industry champions by accelerating its current 160+ clean tech portfolio investments and by supporting additional companies, while reinforcing its academic and training business units – fully contributing to Europe’s clean industrial ambitions. By 2030, InnoEnergy plans to mobilise up to €160 billion in clean tech investment representing the total financing required for its portfolio over the next five years. InnoEnergy’s plan reflects its solid pipeline of clean industrial ventures.
InnoEnergy’s shareholders unanimously appointed Sébastien Clerc, recognising his extensive leadership in the energy transition, his long experience as investment decision-maker, and his strong track record in mobilising finance. For the past 13 years, Clerc was CEO of Voltalia. During his tenure, he transformed what was a young start-up into an integrated renewable energy producer and service provider, active in 20 countries. Voltalia, which was listed on Euronext Paris in 2014, is invested in hundreds of solar, wind, biomass and battery projects, and in innovative start-ups in sectors such as electric vehicle charging and biomass valorisation. Previously, he founded and led for 12 years Natixis Environment & Infrastructure (now renamed Mirova), a pioneering fund management firm dedicated to sustainable investment, including in industry decarbonisation and renewable energy production.
Hervé Bernard, Chairman of the InnoEnergy Supervisory Board, said: “On behalf of InnoEnergy, I want to thank Diego for his unwavering leadership, which has been instrumental in the company becoming the number one clean tech impact investor in the world. Sébastien brings the right experience to take over the helm and deliver on the company’s ambitious 2030 growth plans.”
Diego Pavia, CEO of InnoEnergy, said: “I have been honoured to lead InnoEnergy for the past 15 years. Our track record is the result of the hard work of this incredible trusted ecosystem of 1.400+ partners. As our upgraded branding captures well, we are ‘industrialising clean tech innovation, at scale and at unprecedented speed’. Now we are gearing up for the next phase captured with our ambitious ‘Vision 2030’, unanimously approved by our shareholders. Sébastien is the best choice for leading its implementation.”
Sébastien Clerc, incoming CEO of InnoEnergy, added: “I am honoured to join InnoEnergy as we witness a new industrial revolution, which brings tremendous business opportunities all over the world. Reaffirmed by the Clean Industrial Deal, clean tech is the backbone of Europe’s economic growth, where only the bold frontrunners will prevail. I recognise InnoEnergy as being in that category. Building on Diego’s legacy and together with InnoEnergy’s incredible team, I look forward to taking the company to the next level.”
