Jan 16 2008
Morgan Stanley announced today that it has agreed to acquire a minority equity stake in NGEN Partners, LLC, a leading venture capital firm which invests in companies that focus on clean technologies.
This investment, the first by a major Wall Street firm in a clean technology venture firm, underscores Morgan Stanley’s commitment to finding market-based solutions to environmental issues, as well as its belief in the business opportunities that stem from sustainable global development.
Founded in 2001, NGEN Partners is a pioneering investor in the cleantech sector. The firm has deep expertise and a strong portfolio of companies in the areas of alternative energy, energy efficiency, pollution abatement and green resources.
“Our stake in NGEN represents an exciting investment opportunity for Morgan Stanley that we believe can help deliver attractive returns both for our shareholders and the environment. NGEN’s experienced team of investment professionals has an impressive history of identifying companies that are developing and bringing to market innovative clean technologies,” said Jeff Holzschuh, Chairman of the Morgan Stanley Environmental Committee. “And, we believe there will be an increasing investment focus on these technologies in the years ahead as a result of rising energy prices, natural resource constraints and acceptance of climate changes as a global challenge.”
Jim Butcher, Director of Morgan Stanley’s Office of the Environment, said, “The investment in NGEN builds on the actions that Morgan Stanley has taken in recent years to promote innovative solutions to environmental challenges, including the recent launch of the Morgan Stanley Carbon Bank to assist clients seeking to become carbon neutral. We are committed to considering environmental issues in all aspects of our business and assisting our clients as they do the same, and we believe this investment will allow us to leverage NGEN’s expertise in Morgan Stanley’s own advisory work.”
Morgan Stanley’s Commitment to Addressing Environmental Challenges
Morgan Stanley believes that leading financial institutions and the global capital markets have important roles to play in addressing the challenges facing the environment. In addition to this most recent investment in NGEN Partners, Morgan Stanley also has:
- Launched the Morgan Stanley Carbon Bank to assist clients seeking to become carbon neutral. Offered in conjunction with Det Norske Veritas (DNV), a leading international provider of emissions data certification, it is the market’s first broadly offered service providing integrated carbon verification and offsetting capabilities based on the highest recognized international standards.
- Committed to invest approximately $3 billion in initiatives related to greenhouse gas emission reductions over five years.
- Invested in several companies in the clean energy space including companies in the solar and smart grid sectors.
- Done extensive energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions to date, including committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7-10 percent below 2006 levels by 2012 through new green buildings and additional energy use improvements.
- Committed to being globally carbon neutral by 2008 by offsetting the greenhouse gases emitted from its worldwide offices and employee business travel through the purchase of carbon credits, which meet the standards of the Kyoto Protocol.