Massachusetts Mutual Life's strategic investment arm has hired Timothy Krysiek, formerly a managing director at Equinor Ventures, to co-lead its $100m Climate Tech Fund.
MassMutual Ventures (MMV), the corporate venture capital arm of insurer Massachusetts Mutual Life, appointed Timothy Krysiek to managing partner of its Climate Tech Fund yesterday.
The unit launched the $100m fund in November 2022 with the brief to invest in up to 20 startups aiming to tackle or mitigate the effects of climate change. Krysiek will head it alongside fellow managing partner Karl Beinkampen.
“With a proven track record of scaling climate tech startups, extensive investment expertise, and passion for environmental sustainability, Tim is uniquely positioned to co-lead MMV’s Climate Tech Fund,” Beinkampen said in a statement yesterday.
Krysiek comes to US-based MassMutual from petroleum refiner Equinor’s corporate VC subsidiary, Equinor Ventures, where he was managing director for the Americas region. He represented the fund on the boards of Volta Energy Technologies and Sunverge and had taken board observer roles at four other portfolio companies.
The appointment came just a few weeks after MassMutual Ventures promoted Charles Svirk (right) from principal to partner at its US and Israel fund, one of three vehicles the venture unit runs along with the Climate Tech Fund and its $300m Europe & APAC fund.
Svirk originally joined MassMutual Ventures in 2015, the year after it was formed, and holds nine board observer positions in addition to being a full board member at portfolio company Checkbook.
Mark Goodman, managing partner for MassMutual Ventures’ US and Israel fund, said last month: “Chuck has long been a valued colleague within MMV and a trusted partner for his portfolio company CEOs.
“He has an impressive track record of identifying the next high-growth fintech and enterprise [software-as-a-service] startups, and we are excited to work with him in this new role as we continue to expand the MMV fund platform.”
Photos courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
