Case Studies

BOTTOM LINE

Our team was critical in shaping Breakthrough Energy Ventures and today, our placements lead the investment firm. We continue to support them by recruiting exceptional executive leaders for key companies in their portfolio.

CLIENT: BREAKTHROUGH ENERGY VENTURES

CLIENT OVERVIEW

BEV is an investment firm seeking to finance, launch, and scale companies that will eliminate greenhouse gas emissions throughout the global economy. Spearheaded by Bill Gates, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, BEV was formed in December 2016 by a group of investors who joined forces to create a $1 billion fund focused on fighting climate change by investing in clean energy innovation. BEV’s board includes some of the biggest names in the investment world:

Bill Gates Breakthrough Energy Ventures Chair of the Board
John Arnold Breakthrough Energy Ventures Board Member headshot
Mukesh Ambani  Breakthrough Energy Ventures Board Member headshot
Abigail P. Johnson Breakthrough Energy Ventures Board Member headshot
John Doerr  Breakthrough Energy Ventures Board Member headshot
Vinod Khosla  Breakthrough Energy Ventures Board Member headshot

Part of Breakthrough Energy’s network of investment vehicles, BEV has raised more than $2 billion in committed capital to support more than 110 cutting-edge companies.

Today, they are tackling the “Five Grand Challenges” most responsible for today’s global toxic emissions:

Breakthrough Energy Ventures 5 grand challenges most responsible for today's global toxic emissions: agriculture, buildings, electricity, transportation, and manufacturing

CALDWELL SOLUTION

John Strackhouse and his team were critical in shaping Breakthrough Energy Ventures. As trusted advisors to the Search committee, which included Bill Gates, John Doerr, Vinod Khosla, and John Arnold, we placed Eric Toone, now the Technical Lead, and Carmichael Roberts, the Business Lead for the Investment Committee. BEV aims to accelerate an energy transition across every sector of the economy by investing in visionary entrepreneurs whose mission is to significantly impact climate change at scale.

RELATED CONTENT

VIDEO: Bloomberg Wealth: Carmichael Roberts
Breakthrough Energy Ventures’ Carmichael Roberts shares his vision for investing in clean energy to fight climate change and mitigate demand for oil and gas. Roberts explains how the new Inflation Reduction Act has been a boon for the climate tech industry. (Source: Bloomberg)

VIDEO: Breakthrough Energy 2023 State of the Transition Report
Breakthrough Energy’s founder, Bill Gates, discusses the state of the energy transition and why he’s optimistic about the road ahead in this clip. Learn more about the companies and technologies at the cutting edge of the clean energy future in Breakthrough Energy Ventures’ annual report.

Rodi Guidero – Executive director of Breakthrough Energy and managing partner of Breakthrough Energy Ventures. (Image: Breakthrough Energy)

ARTICLE: Breakthrough Energy Ventures raises $555M for first ‘select’ fund
Breakthrough Energy Ventures raises $555M for the brand new ‘select’ fund. The billionaire-backed firm has quietly invested in several Massachusetts cleantech startups over the past years, from Boston Metal to Commonwealth Fusion Systems. For the full article, click here. (Source: Boston Business Journal)

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