Bielenis Villanueva Triana, Venture Builder at WIN Ventures, on Hydrogen, Nordic Innovation & Investing with Intention | Season Nine, Episode Two

Welcome to Season Nine of Conversations in Cleantech!

 

This season, we’re going behind the scenes of transition infrastructure - speaking with the investors shaping how, where and why climate capital flows. From decarbonisation and energy security to technology maturity and policy gaps, we’re unpacking what it really takes to fund the systems that underpin a net-zero future.

 

In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Hetty Lowther are joined by Bielenis Villanueva Triana - venture builder, energy professional, and founding member of Norway’s Women’s Investment Network (WIN).

 

From petroleum engineer to cleantech founder to investor, Bielenis’s journey is anything but conventional. She shares what it takes to commercialise deep tech in the Nordics, how policy and incentives shape real-world outcomes, and why we need more long-term thinking, from founders and investors alike.

 

Together, they explore the realities of building and funding climate solutions in a risk-averse market, the urgent need for scalable infrastructure, and the importance of putting capital in the hands of more diverse decision-makers.

 

This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, ecosystem-building, and the power of intentionally rewriting the rules of who gets to lead in cleantech.

 

01:40 - Introduction to Bielenis
02:05 - Can you briefly share more about yourself and your background?
02:57 - Can you share how you got started and what led you to focus on infrastructure and the energy transition?

03:55 - What does a typical day at Kjeller look like for you?
05:00 - What was the spark that made you decide to join?
06:05 - What do you think is going particularly well for the Nordic region, and what do you think is still catching up with other regions?
09:38 - How can founders balance the short-term need to survive the “missing middle” with long-term thinking about their company’s global impact?
12:45 - How well are the Nordics bridging the gap with technologies beyond EVs in the energy transition?
14:35 - How does the mindset of regional investors around transition infrastructure differ from that of investors more broadly?
16:40 - What inspired you to go into an entrepreneurial startup?
19:40 - What were some of the key challenges in turning an idea into a revenue-generating business?
21:05 - Can you tell us more about the Women’s Investment Network - its history, challenges, and why it’s so important to the sector?
24:37 - What else needs to happen to get more women into the investor space and move toward better gender balance?
28:30 - What advice would you share based on the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
30:50 - What area of innovation excites you the most right now?
32:44 - If you had a magic wand to shift one thing to speed up the energy transition, what would it be?

 

📌 Note: Since the recording of this episode, the Women’s Investment Network (WIN Ventures) has grown to 50 members - a reflection of the growing momentum behind inclusive investment in cleantech.

Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Hetty Lowther, on LinkedIn.

Find your guest, Bielenis Villanueva Triana, on LinkedIn.

Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith.

This is a Loaded Hype production.