That gave me some exposure to working with entrepreneurs and working with people who really want to take something and shape it and build it. And I basically didn’t get a job offer! So I went into consulting out of college. Laura Witt: I was a political science major, so I thought I was going to do something in government or policy. Kate Henningsen: What was your path to venture capital? Our conversation has been edited for clarity and length. So I couldn’t think of a better person to talk to about a topic near and dear to both of us: how we close the gender gaps in climate tech, especially in climate tech funding. After connecting with Paul Hawken, Laura started to dive into the work of Project Drawdown and climate VC investing. Working with Rosetta Stone turned her onto the unique culture of mission-driven companies, and she decided to make her own next chapter more purpose-driven. Laura came to the Drawdown Fund following 20 years investing in high-growth technology companies. In an industry where gender representation isn’t exactly equal - according to a report from PwC, just 15% of climate tech venture capital funding goes to companies with at least one female founder, and women made up less than 25% of the energy industry workforce as of 2019 - our paths are a little unusual.Īre we getting the best solutions that we could possibly get? Are we moving as fast as we could possibly move? If we can engage everyone on this climate journey as fully as possible, I think we’ll get there faster. I helped found a major climate tech company, and Laura helps companies (including Arcadia!) build innovative, impactful climate solutions. Laura planned to work in policy and I started my career as a corporate lawyer. Neither of us expected to land in climate work. That’s just one of the reasons I was so excited to talk more to Laura, who is also an investor and Board Observer in Arcadia. It’s a balancing act that I know well as a fellow working mom of two young children.
But sometimes, her other roles have to come first - on the morning we scheduled this conversation, a last-minute snag in the school drop-off rodeo for Laura’s kids altered our plans slightly.
#Fellows drawdown fund series
Power Dynamics is an interview series highlighting the work, ideas, and voices of advocates working to build a clean energy future that is accessible, workable, and just for all.Īs a General Partner at the Drawdown Fund, Laura Witt spends her days investing in companies making a difference in the climate fight.
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