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Catherine talks to Kim Baker, Senior Director of Innovation at Elemental, which funds circular economy and climate tech solutions through a non-profit model. Elemental is on a mission to redesign the systems at the root of the climate problems , and it’s built a platform for scaling equitable, market-driven solutions, and to uplift people and communities around the world. Since 2009, Elemental has invested in over 130 growth-stage companies.
Kim Baker has over 15 years of experience in launching and growing engineered systems into industrial and municipal markets. Currently, she works at the intersection of the built environment and carbon-related investments together with the design of technology demonstration projects.
We find out what sets Elemental apart as a funder and hear about just a few of the many different types of businesses in the Elemental portfolio, including Trove, Thrilling, Goodr and Reath. Kim explains how Elemental finds and selects the companies it invests in, and tells us more about her background, and her ‘why’.
Links we mention in the episode:
- Elemental website: https://elementalexcelerator.com/
- Elemental LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elementalexcelerator/
- Elemental Twitter: https://twitter.com/elementalexcel
- Kim’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-baker-15446ba/
- Elemental’s article about Commercial Inflexion Points https://www.ctvc.co/minding-the-climate-tech-gap/
- Recommended guests: Bonnie Mbithi CEO at WEEE Centre, Nairobi, Kenya and Shilla Kim-Parker of Thrilling
About Kim Baker
Kim Baker has over 15 years of experience in launching and growing engineered systems into industrial and municipal markets. Currently, as a Senior Director of Innovation at Elemental, she works at the intersection of the built environment and carbon-related investments together with the design of technology demonstration projects. Prior to joining Elemental, Kim co-founded an early stage venture and led the market launch of a product line as a Sr. Product Manager for a company through its acquisition. She holds a BS in Environmental Engineering and an MBA in Sustainable Management.
Elemental says “We are on a mission to redesign the systems at the root of climate change. In 2009, we launched a new non-profit model for funding climate tech deployment. Breaking down barriers to innovation alongside entrepreneurs provides us unique insight into the policy, market, and technology innovation needed to build systems to uplift people and communities around the world. Elemental has invested in over 130 growth-stage companies and celebrated more than 20 exits, funded more than 100 technology projects, and built a platform for scaling equitable, market-driven solutions to climate change.”
If you’re new to the circular economy, you might like the ‘getting started’ playlist. There’s also an interactive podcast index, making it easy to find episodes on each of the key circular economy strategies or for a specific market sector. And to dig deeper, please check out Catherine’s award-winning A Circular Economy Handbook, published by Kogan Page.
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