Lab to Climate Venture: Solving Problems That Matter with Christina Chang
By Anthony Wallace, Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation Intern
Media Inquiries- Digital Communications Manager
On Thursday, October 5th, The Student Energy @ Scott Institute Event Series will continue with Lab to Climate Venture: Solving Problems That Matter in the Bosch Spark Conference Room in Scott Hall from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. The Scott Institute is excited to continue this fall’s Entrepreneurial Student Lunch Seminars with insights into creating successful climate tech ventures from Dr. Christina Chang, a chemist, climate tech founder and CEO, and current partner at Lowercarbon Capital.
Lowercarbon Capital is a multi-billion dollar venture capital firm that backs a collection of amazing startup companies working to fix the planet profitably. In their mission to manage the carbon pollution in the atmosphere, slash new CO2 emissions, and find solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change, Lowercarbon Capital invests in and supports ambitious teams across various industries. As a Partner at the firm, Dr. Chang identifies and invests in new technology startups with kickass potential, supporting Lowercarbon’s mission by drawing on her invaluable scholarly and professional experiences. Chang recently served as a Fellow at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) with the U.S. Department of Energy, where her work leading federal funding for sustainable manufacturing research was detailed in Forbes and Physics Today.
Beyond her experience with climate technology business ventures as a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital and as a Fellow at ARPA-E, Chang’s rigorous academic training and research combined with her personal startup story will excite any student with entrepreneurial ambitions. Dr. Chang holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Harvard, earned an MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures at Imperial College London, completed her MPhil in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, and has an A.B. in Chemistry from Princeton University in addition to many outstanding honors and complex laboratory work. Chang brought this expertise out of the lab and into the business world as the solo founder and CEO of Abraze Engineering, an incredibly successful sustainable steel startup.
With a sprawling list of accomplishments and lived knowledge of both sides of the entrepreneurial aisle, Dr. Chang’s discussion of what makes climate tech ventures investible and her advice on how to build a successful venture present an incredible opportunity for CMU entrepreneurs to gain insights from someone they may find themselves pitching to a few years down the line.