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Climate change is a generation-defining challenge. The magnitude of need for disruptive, first-of-a-kind solutions makes the venture capital (VC) model an obvious choice for funding climate technologies and services. However, is the traditional venture capital model actually suited to find success in climate tech? If not, are we relying too much on the traditional venture model to solve climate change?
Join Chicago’s Climate Action Museum (CAM) and Lost The Plot (LTP) during Chicago Venture Week to explore these questions. First, Kara Rodby - founder of Lost the Plot and a Principal at an energy hardware-themed VC fund - will share her perspective on why our overreliance on an ill-fitting funding model will fail the climate movement. Pulling from her five years of experience working in climate tech VC, she challenges us to think critically about the free market approach the US and Europe have taken to fighting this time-sensitive issue. Then Kara will lead a fireside chat with Michelle Carr and Matt Orsagh. Michelle is the CEO of Evergreen Climate Innovations, pioneers of the 501vc® model for philanthropically-funded venture investing. Matt Orsagh is a co-founder of the Arketa Institute, a think tank on post-growth finance. This conversation will explore the opportunities and challenges of alternative financing models for climate solutions.