16-05-2025
A new $150M DC fund is betting on energy and agriculture, with a ‘conscious capitalism' twist
Most venture capital funds operate in silos — especially when deploying capital to companies at specific stages. A DC investment firm, whose leaders participate in a mix of ecosystem-building and politically controversial organizations, is bucking that norm.
Synergos Holdings, with offices in Dupont Circle, launched its first fund at the beginning of May. The Synergos Fund is a 'continuum fund,' per Michelle Urben, a general partner at the firm and the leader of the fund. She'll spearhead deploying capital to US companies at the incubation, scaling and commercialization stages in manufacturing, energy and agriculture. The aim is to deploy $150 million to companies by 2026, she said, but the fund will be 'forever fundraising.'
Being capital structure agnostic, but including later-stage firms, allows investors the returns they want, explained Urben, who also serves on the board of the DC Tech and Venture Coalition.
'That gives us a cadence of distributions to our investors,' Urben told 'We love the late stage, but we want to be able to start with the incubating piece — and then our investors can continue upping.'
Synergos Holdings has invested $15 million in six ventures outside of this fund, including the nuclear fuel recycling company Curio. That firm was founded by brothers Rabbi Yechezkel Moskowitz and Yehudah Moskowitz. The two of them are also the founding partners of Synergos, which led Curio's $14 million seed round.
Synergos Holdings, founded in 2019, moved to DC from New York shortly after its inception. Yechezkel Moskowitz attributed the change in part to wanting proximity to federal agencies and policymakers.
The move benefited his nuclear company, too: Curio earned nearly $19 million in government contracts within two years.
'It's the right place to build deep-tech infrastructure that serves the American public. D.C. should reflect the spirit of American ingenuity,' Moskowitz said in a statement to 'and we want to help shape it into a center for science, energy, and industrial renewal.'
What's a continuum fund?
The minimum requirement to participate in this trademarked fund is $1 million, per Urben.
Here's how it works: If a limited partner invests that $1 million minimum into the fund, it's divided into thirds (companies in the incubating, scaling and commercializing stages). There's also a 2% management fee, but no additional cost to investors, Urben explained.
'If fund expenses go beyond the 2%, that's on us,' she said.
As investors get returns from exits, they can choose whether they want to keep that money in the fund or take some of it out. This model aims to give limited partners more autonomy. Investors can also set a portion of their overall allocation aside to interest- and income-bearing securities, like bonds, for added comfort.
Plus, once the $1 million minimum is set, investors can put additional money into specific portfolio companies.
'We allow for that flexibility for investors that have a stronger confidence in specific areas to dial up their investments,' Urben said.
Synergos is starting to evaluate companies to invest in, including a zero-carbon negative emissions manufacturing firm whose name was not disclosed. If that company receives an investment, the funds would go toward building a plant to pilot the technology.
The focus on energy, manufacturing and agriculture stems from a want to prioritize 'national strength and future resilience,' per Moskowitz.
'Too much capital today chases software models from people who've never stepped inside a factory or field,' he said. 'We've built companies, and we've worked alongside those who build for a living. We understand the risk profiles and the patience required to turn real assets into enduring value.'
Navigating ever-changing federal policies and messaging
Though President Donald Trump proposes to axe clean energy programs in his 2026 budget plan, Urben remains confident in Synergos Holdings' work in the sector, which she labelled nonpartisan.
'At the end of the day, we are solving real problems, and whether we get government support and/or private funding support, we will do the right thing,' she said.
Urben's priority is to invest in US companies that solve global problems, like clean energy and food access, through innovation. There's a lot of this problem-solving in the US, and she sees opportunities to commercialize inventions and expand abroad. She also hopes firms will set up offices in DC — to be close to not only federal happenings, but also founders doing similar work.
Synergos also touts 'conscious capitalism,' meaning to focus on solving these global problems, Urben said. Plus, they are 'aligning profit with purpose,' Moskowitz explained.
The fund managers' professed dedication to socially mindful and ethical investment sits alongside the Moskowitz family's own affiliations with politically controversial positions. The brothers' grandfather, multimillionaire Irving Moskowitz, had funded settlements in East Jerusalem and other parts of the West Bank where the Israeli military drove Palestinians out of their homes.
His grandson denied current involvement in the foundations bearing his family name, and the Synergos Fund is not connected to those entities. He also asserted that his own political views are not of concern when it comes to the fund. He was quoted in an article supporting far-right lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, and serves as a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy, a think tank which has been critiqued for associations with the far-right and Islamophobic rhetoric.
'Let me be clear: My family's history is their own. They pursued causes they believed in, and while I respect their convictions, it's not the direction we've chosen,' Yechezkel Moskowitz said. 'Our work is forward-looking, focused on solving urgent global challenges — not engaging in geopolitical conflicts.'
He also said he aims to invest in companies with diverse personnel across race and religion, he said.
'I think our own political views are not what matters here. We believe America needs to move beyond rigid partisanship. We need to come together—regardless of political ideology—to rebuild what truly matters: energy abundance, lower costs of living, clean air and water, and resilient infrastructure,' he said. 'We bring together people from all walks of life, united by the shared goal of building a stronger, more sustainable future.
'Our work is about creating solutions, not division,' he continued, 'and we welcome anyone who shares that vision.'
