On January 21, 2026, the primary achievement of Jodok Betschart, Peder Broms, and Valentin Gönczy was the announcement that their Berlin-based startup, Cloover, had secured a massive $1.2 billion (€1.04 billion) financing package.
This milestone effectively positioned their company as a potential unicorn and a major player in Europe's renewable energy infrastructure.
Here are the specific details of their collective and individual achievements on this date:
Collective Achievement: The $1.2 Billion Deal
As the co-founders of Cloover, the trio successfully closed a complex financing round that combines venture capital with massive debt facilities, a rare feat for a company founded only in 2023.
The Numbers: They raised $22 million in Series A equity and secured a $1.2 billion debt facility.
The Backers: The equity round was led by MMC Ventures and QED Investors, with participation from high-profile names like Lowercarbon Capital and Bosch Ventures.
The "Shopify of Energy": On this date, they cemented their vision of building an operating system for energy installers, allowing small businesses to offer financing for solar panels, heat pumps, and batteries directly to consumers.
Financial Health: They revealed that under their leadership, Cloover grew revenues 8x in 2025, remaining profitable while approaching $100 million in sales.
Individual Roles & Contributions
News coverage from January 21 highlighted their specific roles in executing this deal:
Jodok Betschart (Co-CEO):
Public Face: Betschart served as the primary spokesperson for the funding news, articulating the company's mission to remove upfront costs for households.
Vision: He was quoted extensively on the day of the announcement, stating, "We're enabling households to become energy independent without the friction of upfront costs or complex loan applications."
Valentin Gönczy (CPO & Co-Founder):
Product Strategy: As Chief Product Officer, Gönczy was credited with designing the platform's architecture.On Jan 21, he framed the company's new direction by stating, "We are creating the Shopify of Energy," a phrase picked up by multiple media outlets to explain the company's business model.
Technical Execution: He is responsible for the AI-driven "operating system" that integrates workflow management, financing, and energy optimization into a single tool for installers.
Peder Broms (Co-CEO & CFO):
The Debt Architect: Broms, described as the "credit guru" of the team with background in credit funds, was instrumental in structuring the massive $1.2 billion debt facility.
Capital Efficiency: His background allowed the team to secure a credit facility that enables them to pre-finance public subsidies and offer instant credit to consumers, a key differentiator that drove the successful fundraising.
Summary of the News Day
On January 21, 2026, these three founders effectively moved Cloover from a promising startup to a capital-heavy infrastructure player, aiming to solve Europe's "distributed energy crunch" by fixing the financial plumbing of the industry.
These articles detail the achievement of founders Jodok Betschart, Peder Broms, and Valentin Gönczy, including the "Shopify of Energy" strategy and the breakdown of the $1.2B debt/equity split.
