This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series will explore a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we'll take a deep dive into the world of capital and the critical role it plays in driving innovation and progress.
Today’s guest is Jacqueline van den Ende, founder and CEO of Carbon Equity.
Carbon Equity pools capital to provide individuals with access to world-class private equity funds, while their team of experts handle the research, management, and investment work. Their approach allows investors to build a diversified portfolio of climate startups and scaleups.
In this episode, Jacqueline and Jason delve into Carbon Equity's origin story, their unique approach, and what sets them apart in the industry. They discuss the firm's journey so far, the challenges they've encountered, and the exciting trends that they believe will drive progress in the field. They also examine how Carbon Equity fits into the broader climate capital stack, as more funds and limited partners enter the space.
In this episode, we cover:
- [2:20] An overview of Carbon Equity
- [4:41] How Jacqueline's original idea for climate investing came about
- [9:19] Carbon Equity's focus on the mass affluent market today
- [13:55] How they raised early funds and who they targeted
- [17:50] Differences between US vs Europe investor limitations
- [21:27] Carbon Equity's diligence process
- [28:12] The firm as a diversification provider
- [30:57] Jacqueline's thoughts on sector expertise and mission alignment
- [35:25] Carbon Equity's milestones since January 2021
- [39:59] The firm's plans for thematic funds
- [46:02] Some of Jacqueline's key learnings from her journey and the difficult questions she's asking
- [50:31] An overview of MCJ's journey and funding progress to date
- [53:22] Who Jacqueline wants to work with and her parting words, including job opportunities with Carbon Equity
Recommended Resources:
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
Get connected:
Jason Jacobs
Jacqueline van den Ende
MCJ Podcast / Collective
*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.
Episode recorded on March 23, 2023.
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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant
