2040 Ventures
VC Fund Manager based in Auckland
About 2040 Ventures
Evergreen venture capital fund and climate tech specialist with proven track record
Location
Auckland
FSP Registration
FSP288485
Established
2013
12 years track record
AIP Approved
Eligible for Active Investor Plus visa
Funds Managed (2)
Investment Opportunities(2)
2040 Ventures Climate Fund
OpenAward-winning climate investor targeting 25% IRR by backing companies mitigating 50M tonnes CO2-e before 2035
2040 Ventures Punakaiki Fund
OpenEvergreen venture capital fund with proven track record of successful exits including Vend, Timely, and Linewize
Key People (6)
Lance Wiggs
Founding Partner
Leadership
MBA from Yale University (Strategy, Finance) and Bachelor of Technology (Hons) from Massey University. Investment-banking advisor for Trade Me on its sale to Fairfax Media. Helped hundreds of high growth companies through 2040 Ventures and NZTE programmes.
Chris Humphreys
Founding Partner
Leadership
Brings significant corporate finance experience and rigour to the team. Based in Te Anau, travelling regularly to Auckland.
Nadine Hill
Principal
Investment Team
Joined 2040 Ventures in October 2020, made Principal in March 2022. Previously investment manager at NZTE and Director of Project and Acquisition Finance at Westpac.
Jez Weston
Investment Team Member
Investment Team
Ph.D. in Engineering from Cambridge University, BEng in Materials Science, GradDipComm in Economics. 15 years experience in policy and climate advice with Royal Society, MPI, and MBIE.
Rohan MacMahon
Investment Team Member
Investment Team
BEcon and LLB from Sydney University. 25 years experience as management consultant, strategic planner, and corporate executive.
Cormac O'Brien
Investment Team Member
Investment Team
Joined 2040 Ventures after spending three years working with Snowball Effect to raise growth capital for Kiwi companies.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify a provider is legitimate and trustworthy?
Conduct thorough due diligence before investing with any provider: (1) Check FMA Register - Verify the provider is licensed or registered with the Financial Markets Authority (www.fma.govt.nz/compliance/entities), (2) Review track record - Research past fund performance, years in operation, total funds under management, (3) Check key personnel - Research investment team backgrounds, LinkedIn profiles, previous roles and experience, (4) Request references - Ask to speak with existing investors or portfolio companies, (5) Review documentation - Read Information Memoranda, trust deeds, audited financial statements thoroughly, (6) Understand fee structures - Ensure fees are clear, reasonable, and aligned with industry norms, (7) Check for red flags - Promises of guaranteed returns, pressure to invest quickly, unlicensed operators, lack of transparency. All providers on Wholesale Investor NZ are pre-screened for legitimacy, but always conduct your own due diligence.
What questions should I ask a fund manager before investing?
Ask fund managers these critical questions: Investment Strategy - What is your investment thesis? How do you source deals? What's your competitive advantage? Track Record - What returns have you achieved historically (gross and net)? What percentage of investments succeeded vs failed? Can I speak with investors in prior funds? Team - Who makes investment decisions? What's their background? Have there been recent departures? How is the team compensated? Risk Management - What was your worst investment and what did you learn? How do you handle conflicts of interest? What's your downside protection? Fees - Explain management fees, performance fees, and all other costs? What's the hurdle rate? Process - What's the investment committee process? How often do you report? What voting rights do I have? Exit - What's the expected timeline to liquidity? Have you returned capital to investors before? Get answers in writing and verify claims independently.
What is the difference between a fund manager and a platform?
Fund Managers directly manage pooled investment capital, making investment decisions, conducting due diligence, managing portfolio companies/assets, charging management and performance fees, and carrying fiduciary duty to investors. Examples include private equity firms, credit fund managers, property developers. Platforms provide infrastructure for accessing multiple investment opportunities, do not make direct investment decisions (investors choose from offerings), may conduct initial due diligence on providers, charge platform fees or take commissions from providers, and offer comparison and research tools. Examples include investment platforms, crowdfunding sites, syndication platforms. Some hybrid models exist - platforms with house funds. When investing via platforms, you still need to evaluate the underlying fund manager's capabilities, track record, and terms as if investing directly.