Climate CEOs (by EFI): Scaling Climate Tech Startups #149: From Uber Exec and Taylor Swift Support to Solar CEO with a State Governor as Cofounder — Laura Zapata, CEO of Clearloop
⭐ My guest today is Laura Zapata, Cofounder and CEO of Clearloop.
Clearloop creates carbon solutions for organizations of all sizes, from global corporations to small businesses and educational institutions, to decarbonize the economy, expand access to clean energy, and accelerate the development of new solar projects in American communities where the greatest economic and environmental benefits can be achieved.
Clearloops works in partnership with utility-scale solar developer Silicon Ranch, which acquired Clearloop in 2021.
In addition, Laura is the former Head of Global Communications for Uber Eats, Press Secretary for Hillary Clinton’s Presidential race in Ohio, and communications lead for other Congressional offices.
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🎙️ In this episode, we talked about:
How to get Taylor Swift to partner with Clearloop (half serious). What she learned by working at Uber in a “move fast and break things” mentality. Having the former Governor of Tennessee as a cofounder (a first for our podcast). How to move from being an intrapreneur with Uber Eats to an entrepreneur. The importance of being optimistic.
What we all need to do to improve climate tech’s communication strategy to broaden the tent (btw, pop quiz: how many degrees Fahrenheit is 1.5 degrees Celsius?). Why working with renewables in the South can have more impact given the carbon intensity of the power grid. How Clearloop’s model of carbon offsets for corporates changes how renewable energy power plants are financed. The need to build a life, not just a career (and the joy of farmer’s markets).
And lots more!
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