Acute Investor Services
Responsible stewardship for European sovereignty
Mission statement : Independent. Science-based. European.
Empowering investors to direct capital toward critical transitions.
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Acute Investor Services
Responsible stewardship for European sovereignty
We help investors and listed companies navigate urgent transitions — environmental, technological and social — under time pressure, by reducing risks and seizing opportunities, strengthening not only long-term value, but also European sovereignty.
Our vision
Responsible shareholders must show their affectio societatis — their will to act as true partners in the corporate venture. Let’s start with two understandings.
First
Yes, there is a power dynamic between shareholders and companies. The real question is: How do we make the most it to support the transitions ? The difference lies in attitude. We believe responsible investors channel influence into a dialogue that is demanding yet constructive, valuing credible initiatives, highlighting areas for progress, and encouraging acceleration.
Second
‘Transition’ is the current dominant narrative. But what investors and companies face is closer to transformation — profound, systemic shifts that will not be linear. We use the term ‘transition’ to engage, while making clear that the real challenge is deep? transformation.
Our offer
We are developing an innovative thematic shareholder engagement service, covering several dozen of large European listed companies representative of benchmark indices. This offer will enable investors to act responsibly and consistently on the most material issues across markets and sectors.
What makes us different is our technical background: we are seasoned engineers and specialists in social relations, with insight that spans Europe’s financial and non financial sectors. We combine acute expertise intransition finance, just transition and corporate transition plans. This unique perspective allows us to serve as interpreters between our investor clients and the listed companies in which they invest — two worlds that often struggle to understand each other on highly technical and sensitive issues, at a time when challenges are exceptionally acute.
In due course, we will expand our services along the natural continuum of responsible stewardship. Engagement is only the first step: it must ultimately be backed by votes at shareholder meetings. That is why our trajectory leads toward European proxy advisory services and a voting execution platform — tools that will come only when the time is right, built with the quality, independence and rigor our clients deserve.
Our compass: Planetary Boundaries, our edge: ACT Initiative®
We anchor our perspective in the reality of planetary boundaries: climate, biodiversity, resources and social cohesion are interconnected, and the window for credible action is closing fast. Acute IS helps investors and companies measure their transition plans against these limits, not just against short-term benchmarks. Through in house set of methodologies and our thematic engagements, we provide a framework to align financial capital with the transformations required to stay within a safe operating space for humanity. By linking stewardship with planetary boundaries, we give purpose and direction to shareholder influence — turning capital into an ally of change.
At the heart of our work lies the ACT initiative ® — Accelerating Climate Transition — designed and developed by Acute IS founders a decade ago during their tenure at ADEME.
Today, this approach has been used by 600+ companies to support the design of their transition plans as well as by leading responsible investors’ providers such as Ethos and the World Benchmarking Alliance to assess the credibility of 2000+ plans.
Recognized as one of the top global frameworks for deep dive analysis (#REF Romain), the approach is based on 15+ sectoral methodologies – including finance – and has recently been extended beyond climate change to cover biodiversity challenges. Analysis can be performed indifferently using ESRS or ISSB standards.
By adapting ACT methodologies to stewardship activities, Acute IS combines rigorous analysis with constructive dialogue, providing a common language for investors and companies facing urgent sustainability transitions.
We anchor our approach in proven expertise, European leadership, and a pragmatic commitment to accelerate the transitions that matter most.
Our Leadership
The firm was founded by a team of seasoned European engineers and specialists in sustainability, whose expertise spans industrial transitions, corporate dialogue, and investor responsibility. While some of our co-founders will join publicly once their current contractual commitments conclude, they are already contributing to Acute IS’s vision and method.
Acute IS is led by Philippe Tastevin, Co-founder and CEO. Philippe brings over two decades of experience at the intersection of engineering, financial market infrastructures and sustainability.
In addition, Acute IS benefits from the guidance of a European Advisory Board, bringing together experienced professionals and thought leaders to support our independence, strengthen our expertise, and anchor our mission in a truly European perspective.
This founding leadership ensures that Acute IS combines independence, science-based rigor, and European sovereignty from day one.
