AENU Is Now a Certified B Corporation™ — And We’re Just Getting Started
We’re proud to announce that AENU is now officially a Certified B Corporation™ — with an exceptional score of 127.5, far above the 80-point threshold. This milestone affirms our belief that venture capital can — and must — be a force for good.
A First for Impact VC
What makes this milestone even more significant? None of our core competitors currently hold B Corp Certification. As an impact-driven VC, we see this not just as a credential, but as a validation of our belief that mission alignment and financial performance go hand in hand.
What made the difference in our audit?
- A robust, audited impact framework (Systemic Impact Framework by AENU)
- Employee surveys driving internal accountability
- A leadership team that includes female representation
- Our Impact-as-a-Service offering to portfolio companies after our initial investment
- High standards of transparency and inclusion for employees
“These aren’t just checkboxes — they’re core to how we operate every day. The B Corp Certification underscores AENU’s commitment to the mission interlock of impact and commercial success. It validates our mission-driven approach, ensuring our portfolio companies meet top social and environmental standards while delivering sustainable returns for investors.”
— Fabian Heilemann, CEO & Co-Founder of AENU
A Milestone for Our Portfolio
What sets us apart as a VC is our hands-on role in building impact at scale:
“Achieving B Corp certification with such a strong score, for me, first and foremost validates the impact of our portfolio companies. Through the audit of our systemic impact framework, it has been confirmed that the startups we back have undergone a rigorous evaluation and proven their contribution to high social and environmental standards.”
— Elena Stark, Head of Impact at AENU
Thinking About B Corp? Tips From Our Certification Journey
If you’re a founder considering B Corp Certification, here’s what Elena Stark, who led our audit process, recommends:
1. B2C Startups: You’re in a Sweet Spot
The framework is especially well-suited to startups with direct customer relationships and measurable product impact.
2. Start Small, But Start Early
The audit is thorough and time-intensive. Begin with the free B Impact Assessment™ and block internal time and capacity well in advance.
3. Be Authentic
There’s no need to over-engineer processes. Work with the tools and systems you already use — reports from Notion or similar are fully acceptable. B Lab values realism over perfection.
Certification Is Just the Beginning
Joining the B Corp community means joining a movement — one committed to transforming business into a vehicle for systemic change. As a Certified B Corporation™, we’ll recertify every three years and continue to raise our standards.
At AENU, we’ve always believed that impact and returns aren’t trade-offs — they’re interdependent. Now, that belief is certified.