Driven By Impact: Uncovering Climate Funding + Career Projections

Driven By Impact 🌱

Edition 44: February 22, 2024

Uncovering Climate Funding and Job Market Projections: ‘23 Recap & ‘24 Projections

​Join us for an enlightening discussion as we delve into the turbulence that rocked the climate job market in 2023 and anticipate what lies ahead in 2024.

​Our panelists, Emet Zeitz from Net Zero Insights, Steven Zhang of ClimateTechList, and Pilar Carvajo Lucena from Third Derivative, will provide a multifaceted approach to our discussion, offering invaluable insights from the vantage points of investment, start-up analysis, and career trajectories.

​In 2023, the climate industry faced significant challenges. Layoffs, funding freezes, and economic uncertainties created a tough landscape for both companies and job seekers. As a climate recruitment agency, we at Climate People witnessed these impacts firsthand. The year saw increased layoffs across various industries, leading to a surge in applications but limited opportunities. Funding freezes led to stunted company growth plans and headcount reductions. Economic uncertainties triggered a decline in VC funding and an overall fiscal slowdown, frustrating those eager to contribute to the fight against climate change.

​As we step into 2024, many are unsure about what to expect. By analyzing trends and funding allocation, we aim to demystify the events of 2023 and provide a forecast for the path ahead. We'll draw upon reports from Net Zero Insights, Alder and Co’s “State of Climate Tech 2023,” Third Derivative's accelerator companies' insights/recaps, and ClimateTechList's data analysis based on 80,000 job listings to provide a comprehensive outlook.

​What You Can Expect to Gain From This Event:

• ​A deeper understanding of the funding landscape in 2023 and the reasons behind the slowdown.

• ​Trend analysis to predict what to expect in 2024.

• ​Valuable insights to help you make informed decisions in your job search or hiring processes.

🌎 WHAT: ​Climate Transitions Workshop: Making the Most in Career Shifts
🗓️ WHEN: 2/23 @ 12 pm EST
📍WHERE: https://lu.ma/ClimateCareerTransition
👤 WHO: Job Seekers

🌎 WHAT: Climate Job Seeker LinkedIn Live Q&A
🗓️ WHEN: 2/29 @ 3 pm EST
📍WHERE: https://bit.ly/LILfeb29
👤 WHO: Job Seekers

🌎 WHAT: ​Using LinkedIn to Supercharge Your Job Search
🗓️ WHEN: 3/5 @ 12 pm EST
📍WHERE: https://lu.ma/LinkedInDeepDive
👤 WHO: Job Seekers

🌎 WHAT: Playing Through Your Career Change: Networking Advice: Session 2
WHEN: 2/27 @ 12 pm EST
🗓️ WHERE: https://lu.ma/climatenetworking101
👤 WHO: Job Seekers

→ On Tuesday, we hosted a revamped version of our monthly “Breaking into Climate” workshop. Check out the recording here. Register for March’s session!

→ Last week, Brendan and Natalie went live to answer all your climate job search questions. We talked about the ‘open to work’ feature on LinkedIn, the pros/cons of freelancing, climate cohorts, and much more. Check out the recording here.

→ Missed last week’s edition? It was a jam-packed one! Check it out here.

→ Are you in the process of hiring a new team member? Here are some good interview questions to ask!

→ Economist Impact recently released a global green skills report. Check it out.

→ Want to make sustainability more a part of your job? Check out Work on Climate’s upcoming workshop!

SOFTWARE AS A SOLUTION TO FOOD WASTE

Food waste is a worldwide problem, with one-third of all food meant for human consumption being lost or wasted annually, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In the US alone, 38% of all food is discarded each year. This not only wastes energy, resources, and money invested in food production but also exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 8% of global emissions are due to discarded food.

Several technologies and solutions have been developed to address this issue. These include food tracking and traceability technologies like barcoding and RFID, predictive analytics, mobile apps for surplus food purchase and donation, precision agriculture technologies, surplus food redistribution platforms, and educational tools. These technologies not only reduce food waste but also contribute significantly to sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production and waste. They also foster economic efficiency by maximizing resource utilization and reducing costs associated with overproduction and waste management. Companies leading these efforts include Too Good To Go, Spoiler Alert, Afresh, Flashfood, Misfits Market, Full Harvest, Shelf Engine, Phood, and Hazel Technologies.

🪴 HEAD OF MARKETING
➵ A leading global technology and climate impact organization specializing in quantifying greenhouse gas emissions related to land management is seeking a Head of Marketing. The candidate will oversee integrated marketing plans, perform market research, manage website content, create press releases, and coordinate events and partnerships. The ideal candidate should have over 5 years of experience in marketing content and social media, a passion for climate/sustainability or nature-based solutions, and a working knowledge of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Land Use sectors. They should also be a self-starter, able to work independently and collaboratively, possessing a strong sense of ownership, integrity, and respect, with a willingness to adapt, learn, and take calculated risks.

🪴 DATA ENGINEER
➵ A fully remote climate tech startup is seeking a Data Engineer with over 3 years of experience, proficiency in Python and Pandas, and familiarity with the utility industry or electric transmission and distribution data. The successful candidate will build new data pipelines for products, take ownership of greenfield projects, and collaborate closely with product managers, transmission engineers, and full-stack engineers. The role requires the ability to operate in ambiguity, take ownership, and apply best practices, infrastructure, and tooling to build an effective data organization.

🪴 BACK END ENGINEER
➵ Join a thriving, fully remote climate tech startup that is transforming the renewable energy sector with its innovative software platform. As a Backend Engineer, you'll have the opportunity to build backend services for new products and work closely with the CTO. Ideal candidates will have at least 3 years of experience, a product-focused mindset, and a strong track record of continuous learning and product development. Proficiency in Python and GraphQL, as well as familiarity with Heroku and Hasura, is strongly preferred. Experience in the utility industry or related projects would be a significant advantage. This role offers the chance to operate in an exciting, ambiguous environment where you can take ownership and make a real impact on our climate's future.

🪴 FULL STACK ENGINEER
➵ This job opportunity is with a fully remote and profitable climate tech startup that has developed a software platform to assist renewable energy developers. They are seeking a Full-Stack Engineer who will lead new product work, interact with users, ideate on features, give feedback on designs, and build out those features. This role will involve working directly with the CTO on scoping new features and engineering plans and launching new features and markets in the US. The ideal candidate is a product-minded Engineer with 2+ years of experience, proficient in React, TypeScript and Python, and has a history of continuous learning and operating in ambiguity. Experience in the utility industry or projects supporting electric transmission, distribution, and substation design is a plus.

🪴 SALES DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE
➵ Our client, a pioneering global technology and climate impact organization, is seeking a Sales Development Representative (SDR) to join their ambitious team. This role entails working with the Head of Business Development on strategic prospect identification and conversion, being the first point of contact for potential customers, and overseeing customer development using data-driven methods. The SDR will build pipelines across key customer segments, establish the brand in new markets, communicate expertly on climate and product matters, and constantly experiment with outbound strategies. Ideal candidates should have 1-3+ years of experience in sales or sales development, a passion for climate and sustainability issues, an ability to take extreme ownership of first impressions, operate with integrity, be diligent and focused, thrive in a team environment, adapt and learn, and bring a growth mindset every day.

That's all for this edition! Thanks for doing your part in mobilizing a workforce transition to work on climate!