Take a look at our eligibility and selection criteria.
Target areas

CLIMATE MITIGATION FINANCE
Projects to reduce, limit or sequestrate GHG emissions.

REDD+
Projects to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and foster sustainable forestry and agriculture.

CLIMATE ADAPTATION FINANCE
Projects to adapt to current and expected effects of Climate Change.
Eligibility criteria
The ICFA is a 2 year acceleration program for start-up climate finance fund managers.
Are you a fund manager?
- First- or second-time fund manager
- Intention to set up a climate investment fund
- Investment vehicles and fund managers must be separate legal entities
Investing in climate finance?
- > 75% of target portfolio in either Climate Mitigation, Adaptation or REDD + projects
- Inclusion of ESG criteria in the investment process
- Exclusion policy applicable to 100% of the investment portfolio
With intention to generate positive impact?
- Double / triple bottom-line investment strategy
- Impact management and measurement methodology and reporting
- Respect of good governance principles
And ready to be accelerated?
- Sound concept supported by an advanced financial model
- Pipeline developed and proven experience in transaction closing
- Credible fundraising strategy
Selection criteria
Eligible applicants will have the opportunity to enter the selection process.
During the selection process your project and your team will be assessed on various features, including the following, as well as your readiness to be accelerated.
Team track record
- Fund managers raising their first- or second-time climate finance fund
- Track record and investment experience of team and individual members
- Entrepreneurial commitment and agile and innovative
- Skilled and knowledgeable in climate finance
- Capacity to make it happen
- Track records in deal structuring and transaction management
- Local presence and/or support of investees
- Demonstrate ability to make full-time commitment towards launching the fund
- Contribution to the Luxembourg climate finance ecosystem
Credible climate finance investment strategy
- > 75% of target portfolio in either Climate Mitigation, Adaptation or REDD + projects
- Fund concept supported by an advanced financial model
- Credible pipeline targeting positive environment and/or social impact
- Scalable and replicable investment strategy
- Double / triple bottom-line investment strategy
- Application of risk diversification criteria
Means to generate positive impact
- Inclusion of ESG criteria in the investment process
- Exclusion policy applicable to 100% of the investment portfolio
- Credible impact management and measurement methodology
- Advanced reporting framework, including definitions of KPIs
- Respect of good governance principle
- Commitment to creating long-lasting impacts
- Extra-financial support to investees
Fundraising capacity
- Credible fundraising strategy and access to target investors
- Global and domestic networking channels and capabilities
- Ability to communicate and convince investors
- Commitment, persistence and resources to complete the fundraising process
Selection Committee
The ICFA has appointed an independent Selection Committee, which uses its in-depth expertise in environmental, climate change and impact finance in order to propose a balanced selection of innovative and promising fund managers.

From September 2005 to March 2014, Dr. André Weidenhaupt has been Director of Luxembourg’s Water Management Agency (Administration de la gestion de l’eau). In this position he chaired the International Commissions for the Protection of the Moselle and the Sarre (2010‐2011) and from 2011 to 2013 he has been the Chair of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR).
Prior to joining Luxembourg’s civil service, Dr. André Weidenhaupt lectured Environmental Technology at the Luxembourg University of applied sciences and was the Director of the Environmental Technology Research Centre (CRTE) at the Public Research Centre CRP Henri Tudor in Luxembourg.

Before joining LuxDev, he worked for PwC, EY, the Delegation of the European Union to Lao PDR, and the UN World Food Programme in the Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction unit. He is an alumnus of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg and holds a MSc in earth system science and multilingual in English, French, German, and Luxembourgish.

He is a member of the advisory councils for the OECD Centre for Green Finance and Investment and also the Climate Bond Initiative. He has served on the Supervisory Boards and Advisory Committees of numerous clean energy, environmental, infrastructure and carbon funds, and continues in this capacity as an Independent Director of fund vehicles.

Previously Gregory worked in Private Equity at Societe Generale Asset Management and in Mergers & Acquisitions at Andersen Corporate Finance. He has a 15 years background of deals in France, Benelux, Switzerland, England and in the United States.
Moreover, Gregory has been responsible for 2 years of the Environment sector at the French Ministry of Economy in Thailand.