Looking Back, Moving Forward: Reflections on Climate Week 2024

It’s hard to believe that New York Climate Week was only two weeks ago! My time there was filled with meaningful dialogues, partner connections, and promising commitments.

At Builders Vision, we’re encouraged by emerging technologies and innovations that can address challenges facing our climate, and it is our belief that not one single entity can take on these challenges alone. All actors — investors, philanthropists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders — must work together to expedite the climate transition.

As I reflect on my time in New York, I see a few areas ripe for expanded collaboration:

Unlocking Capital for Climate Tech Solutions

Innovators are coming up with new climate technologies, designs, and processes every day to support the climate transition. Many of these solutions focus on decarbonizing sectors that are vital to our economy, such as cement, aviation, shipping, steel, and industrial heat. Entrepreneurs are developing technologies that reduce emissions in these industries while maintaining profitability, but the multi-year de-risking process for commercialization is often constrained by limited funding sources. This theme emerged throughout the week, sparking fruitful conversations about how investors and other stakeholders can support this commercialization.

• Rebecca Carland participated in a panel with Activate Capital, Spring Lane Capital, and CalSTRS that explored the “missing middle” of the capital stack. The discussion highlighted the importance of fit-for-purpose capital, the need for investor flexibility to foster innovation, and the development of new funding structures, all while highlighting the exciting opportunity for both impact and returns in this space.

• Builders Vision also hosted a workshop with Goldman Sachs and CREO, led by James Lindsay and Andrew Yi, to address funding hurdles for first-of-its-kind (FOAK) projects. Equity investors, debt providers, foundations, government agencies, and insurance providers met with entrepreneurs to explore bridging the gap between initial venture capital and commercial funding. The workshop not only outlined challenges but also actively brainstormed actionable solutions and facilitated conversations among critical stakeholders who don’t often find themselves in the same room.

Some other highlights on this topic include my time at the Clean Industrial Revolution Reception hosted by Breakthrough Energy and CBRE, where we tackled the cost and accessibility barriers that keep novel climate technologies from going mainstream (more to come from Builders Vision soon on this topic!). Plus, our partners at S2G held a climate finance event with Deloitte on the heels of the release of their new Climate Finance Relay Race report, which looked at how asset owners are currently approaching climate investing.

Exploring Collaborative Opportunities Across Our Key Sectors

While energy and climate tech were in the spotlight, the Builders Vision team was busy engaging across all our key sectors throughout the week, including oceans and food & agriculture. We spent time highlighting exciting opportunities and meeting with ecosystem partners about how to push sector transitions forward, faster.

• At the Oceans Innovators Platform, I joined Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud on stage to discuss the least-funded UN Sustainable Development Goal, #14: Life Below Water, and the importance of making a stronger case for the blue economy. Philanthropy, impact investors, and venture capital can contribute by providing flexible funding to incentivize ocean cleanup efforts. We should also think about empowering founders with 'beyond the check' support, hosting convenings for shared learning, advocating for them in decision-making spaces, and valuing their experiences and expertise—recognizing that we don’t always have all the answers.

• From a food and agriculture perspective, our team engaged in discussions around regenerative agriculture and its impact on food systems, focusing on how to enhance collaboration and funding across both investment and philanthropy. Sara Balawajder participated in a panel hosted by RSF Social Finance, where the excitement surrounding regenerative agriculture was palpable. The evening brought together philanthropists, investors, and practitioners for a discussion highlighting high-impact opportunities to promote soil health and carbon sequestration, as well as the potential for strong financial returns. Additionally, Haley Burns attended a convening hosted by the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, where philanthropic funders explored ways to accelerate and scale agroecology and regenerative approaches.

Driving Market Strategies for Climate Resilience

Markets play a pivotal role in the climate transition, and Climate Week reinforced that climate action is crucial not just for our society, but for our economy.

• Noelle Laing rang the Nasdaq special opening bell alongside several top climate tech funders, founders, policymakers, and industry groups. The bell ringing underscored the importance of catalyzing markets to tackle climate change and ignited conversations about the various ways we can invest capital.

• At the Shifting Trillions Forum, which gathered institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and academics, Laura Payne spoke on a panel that focused on the actions leading institutions are taking in the climate transition. The conversation around engaged asset ownership continues to gain momentum, which is why I’m thrilled that John Hoeppner recently joined our team as Builders Vision's Head of Investment Stewardship. John has championed sustainable investing strategies that are bold, inclusive, and far-reaching, and his experience will be a valuable asset as we shape our own approach going forward.

The throughline for all of this? Too many people and too much capital are still on the sidelines. We must engage in a meaningful dialogue on how to get more capital allocated to not only exciting technologies but to proven strategies that will move us toward a more climate-resilient world.

One thought I want to leave you with is that, while Climate Week provided many learnings, I couldn’t help but notice a lack of truly global voices in my discussions. The climate crisis is a global issue, yet too often this year and in years past, I found that North American and European investors dominated the conversation. The Global South and coastal communities, which are among the most affected by climate change, play an essential role in these efforts. That’s why I was especially aware of the limited representation from other regions like Asia and Africa. As we continue to convene, I hope we can bring more of these global experiences and perspectives to the table. We all need to be part of the solution.

A big thank you to the entire Builders Vision team for leading a successful Climate Week. Together, we will carry this momentum forward!