“We align with our capital partners to co-invest, ensuring that we’re always on the same side of the table. By focusing on ESG, we’re ensuring that our investments are future-proof. ”
— Vojkan Brankovic
My guest today is Vojkan Brankovic, founder of Apeiron, a principal investment firm that is shaping the future of sustainable real estate investment. Founded in 2013, Apeiron has established itself as a leader in high-impact real asset opportunities, specializing in logistics real estate across Europe.
With over 30 years of investment management experience, Vojkan has positioned Apeiron at the forefront of logistics real estate investment, currently managing a portfolio of 500,000 square meters across strategic German locations spanning the full value chain from opportunistic and value-add to core+ strategies.
Vojkan’s journey into real estate began far from the world of buildings and investments, with his early years spent between Sweden and Belgrade, Serbia, followed by time in the UK. This upbringing shaped much of his entrepreneurial mindset and leadership style.
Growing up in these diverse cultures gave him an early understanding of adaptability and collaboration, two key factors that would later influence how he built Apeiron. It was this exposure to different ways of thinking, working, and leading that laid the foundation for his approach to business.
While his background had always been in business and finance, he found his true passion in real estate. He saw it not just as a way to generate financial returns, but as an opportunity to make a positive environmental impact.
This vision was rooted in the recognition that the real estate sector, particularly logistics, was one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions. But it was also where he saw the greatest potential for change.
What sets Vojkan apart is how he’s using real estate as a way to do good while making money. For him, it’s about transforming inefficient buildings into assets that serve a greater purpose.
Apeiron’s investment focus is on logistics real estate, which is responsible for a large chunk of the global carbon emissions. Vojkan saw an opportunity not just to invest in logistics but to use the sector’s inherent potential to make a difference.
“Real estate accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, but it also represents the greatest opportunity for positive impact,” Vojkan says, and that statement sums up his vision for Apeiron perfectly. The firm has focused on transforming “brown” buildings into “green” ones—taking older, less energy-efficient properties and turning them into high-performing, sustainable spaces.
This transformation aligns these assets to meet the latest green standards, making them appealing to both tenants and investors who are looking to meet their own ESG goals.
Apeiron manages a real estate portfolio of 500,000 square meters across strategic locations in Germany, spanning the full value chain from opportunistic and value-add to core+ strategies.
Apeiron’s focus on logistics real estate is a deliberate choice to tackle one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions in the built environment. Apeiron is addressing a key area of real estate that hasn’t always been at the forefront of the sustainability conversation.
“When you focus on logistics, you’re dealing with an industry that has a real opportunity for impact,” says Vojkan. “Logistics accounts for 7% of global carbon emissions, and we can be part of the solution by improving the energy efficiency of warehouses and distribution centers.”
His vision for sustainable, technology-enabled logistics infrastructure has attracted partnerships with leading institutional investors from Korea and the Middle East, demonstrating the global appeal of Apeiron’s differentiated investment approach.
One of the interesting features of Apeiron is its lean approach to business. While many firms in the real estate investment space operate with large teams and complex structures, Apeiron keeps things simple and efficient. With just 5 people in its team, the firm can make quick strategy decisions and stay nimble in an industry that’s often slow to change.
Vojkan’s focus on a smaller, more agile team allows the company to maintain a laser focus on its core mission: sustainable logistics real estate investment. “We are very lean,” he says. “But that’s been our strength. We can execute quickly and effectively without the overhead costs that come with larger organizations.”
This streamlined approach also enables Apeiron to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with institutional investors, partners, and tenants, creating a collaborative environment where sustainability is prioritized at every level.
As Apeiron looks to the future, Vojkan’s ambition to create a net-positive platform by 2030 remains at the heart of the firm’s strategy. But achieving this goal will require constant innovation and adaptation. Vojkan is not just aiming for carbon neutrality—he wants to create real, positive environmental impact, something that goes beyond reducing emissions to actually contributing to the planet’s well-being.
Through Apeiron, Vojkan is demonstrating that real estate doesn’t just have to be about buildings and profits—it can be about purpose, too.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube here.
What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
SCROLL BELOW FOR LINKS AND SHOW NOTES…
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Connect with Vojkan: LinkedIn
- Apeiron Capital website
- Book “The Culture Map”, by Erin Meyer
- Book “The Edge: How competition for resources is pushing the world, and its climate, to the brink – and what we can do about it”, by Jonathan Maxwell
SHOW NOTES:
[00:00] Introduction
[03:48] Growing up and early influences
[04:42] Education and early career
[09:54] First job and early career challenges
[12:19] Transition to capital markets and private equity
[21:31] Overview of Apeiron Capital Limited
[26:21] Sustainability and ESG focus
[30:31] Investment strategy and market opportunities
[40:48] Impact of ESG on financial returns
[47:25] Returns from logistics real estate transformation
[49:19] Institutional investors increasingly require ESG measures in their investments
[50:43] ESG-aware investment structures like Green Lease Clauses
[59:01] ESG backlash and communication challenges
[01:04:23] Power and energy consumption trends
[01:11:39] SMRs and data center energy needs
[01:18:53] Challenges in sustainable real estate investing
[01:19:42] Lessons learned from investments
[01:23:27] Advice for entering sustainable real estate investing
[01:24:54] Final thoughts and contact information
MORE VOJKAN BRANKOVIC QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW:
“Real estate accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, but it also represents the greatest opportunity for positive impact. ”
— Vojkan Brankovic
“It’s 50 to 70% more sustainable to convert an existing building into a green one than to build a new one. ”
— Vojkan Brankovic
