InnoEnergy, the impact investor accelerating the industrialisation of clean tech innovation, has announced the appointment of Sébastien Clerc as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 January 2026.
Current CEO Diego Pavia, who has successfully led InnoEnergy since its founding in 2010, will remain with the organisation for a further three years to undertake specific missions supporting the company’s continued success.
Recognised as the world’s most active venture capital investor in energy by PitchBook (Morningstar Group) in 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024, InnoEnergy has played a leading role in scaling Europe’s clean tech ecosystem. Since its inception, the company has launched or supported more than 540 start-ups and scale-ups, helping four grow into industrial unicorns. Collectively, these ventures have raised over €34 billion, created more than 47,000 jobs, and are on track to prevent 2.3 gigatons of CO2e emissions by 2030.
Working alongside InnoEnergy’s team and leveraging its extensive ecosystem of industrial, financial, and public partners, Sébastien Clerc will execute an ambitious 2030 growth plan, which has received unanimous backing from InnoEnergy’s 39 shareholders. Over the next five years, the company aims to scale new industrial champions by accelerating the growth of its existing 160+ clean tech portfolio companies and onboarding additional ventures. It will also strengthen its academic and training divisions, directly supporting Europe’s clean industrial ambitions.
By 2030, InnoEnergy plans to mobilise up to €160 billion in clean tech investment — the total projected financing required across its portfolio for the next five years — supported by a strong pipeline of clean industrial ventures.
Clerc’s appointment reflects the shareholders’ confidence in his leadership within the energy transition, his deep investment expertise, and his ability to mobilise large-scale finance. Over the past 13 years, he has served as CEO of Voltalia, transforming the company from a start-up into a global renewable energy producer and service provider active in 20 countries. Listed on Euronext Paris since 2014, Voltalia manages a broad portfolio of solar, wind, biomass, and battery projects, as well as investments in emerging sectors such as electric vehicle charging and biomass valorisation. Before joining Voltalia, Clerc founded and led Natixis Environment & Infrastructure (now Mirova), a pioneering fund management firm focused on sustainable investments in industrial decarbonisation and renewable energy.
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.”
The announcement was made in Lisbon at InnoEnergy’s annual flagship event, The Business Booster, which gathers more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate the energy and industrial transition.
