France’s makesense launches €15 million fund to back circular and socially inclusive ventures

makesense, a Paris-based nonprofit organisation working on social and environmental transitions, announces the first close of makesense seed II, a new pre-Seed investment fund to finance a socially inclusive, circular economy in France and Europe.

€15 million have already been raised through the European Investment Fund (EIF), Mirova, Revital’Empoi and a dozen business angels and family offices. makesense seed II is now investing from €200k to €500k in early-stage companies with high potential for environmental, social and economic value creation.

“To build a resilient portfolio that creates value for all stakeholders, we work closely with every entrepreneur we invest in. Our in-house Operating Team – now strengthened with circularity and inclusion experts – supports each startup step-by-step as they roll out their growth strategy,” says Anne Gerset, Partner and Co-founder, makesense_invest.

European circular-economy and impact funding activity in 2025 shows several relevant early-stage rounds.

German plastics-circularity startup aevoloop secured about €8 million in combined Seed and public support to scale its waste- and microplastics-reduction technology. Swedish battery-materials recovery company DREV raised €2.8 million to expand its contamination-control systems enabling reuse of critical metals in gigafactories. Italian packaging venture AlterEco Pulp closed a €3.5 million Seed round to advance biodegradable packaging aligned with circular-economy standards.

Collectively amounting to roughly €14 million, these rounds illustrate steady investor engagement across Europe in technologies that preserve resources, reduce waste and improve material-reuse pathways.

Within this landscape, the first close of makesense seed II fits into a broader continental push toward funding early-stage ventures delivering social and environmental value, particularly those operating at the intersection of circularity, inclusion and resource efficiency.

Founded in 2010, makesense is a mission-driven organisation committed to supporting social and environmental transitions. Through its nonprofit initiatives, entrepreneurial programmes and investment activities, makesense aims to mobilise thousands of citizens and supports hundreds of social entrepreneurs in France and in Europe to develop and scale solutions for a sustainable and socially inclusive future.

This second fund expands makesense’s investment activities, with over €100 million already under management and a portfolio of 40 impact-driven European ventures, including Vesto, Le Drive Tout Nu, Epoca, HandiGaspi, Lokki, Resortecs and Loom.

“Our strong makesense DNA makes our investment strategy a tool to build an essential, inclusive, sustainable society. This is why our management team is committed to donating 100% of our carried interest to the makesense endowment fund, which finances public-interest projects” adds Marion Schuppe, Partner, makesense_invest and circularity expert.

makesense seed II focuses on purpose-driven founders developing solutions to preserve resources, reduce waste, repair and extend product lifecycles, enable reuse and recycling, while fostering employment rehabilitation and access to essential services.

makesense seed II has completed its first investment in United Repair Center, a Dutch social enterprise providing industrial-scale apparel repair solutions for major fashion brands, including Patagonia, Decathlon and The North Face. URC reduces industry waste by​ extending textile lifecycles, while creating job opportunities for people excluded from the labour market.

The post France’s makesense launches €15 million fund to back circular and socially inclusive ventures appeared first on EU-Startups.