Michigan Climate Venture

The first student-run climate impact group backed by the University of Michigan

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A woman and a man maintaining the planet Earth as if it was a garden.
Sustainability, ensuring the future of life on Earth, is an infinite game: the endless expression of generosity on behalf of all.
Paul Hawken

A first-of-its-kind, multidisciplinary university program at the intersection of ClimateTech and VC

Michigan Climate Venture (MCV) is a program housed in the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability which centers around a student-run investment fund targeting early-stage ClimateTech companies that have massive potential for rapid decarbonization.

The Venture is designed to provide a hands-on, transformational experience that prepares students for impactful careers addressing climate change — the defining challenge of our generation.

Over the course of the academic year, graduate students from schools across campus collaborate to source, screen, vet, and ultimately invest in and support deals aligned with MCV's mission.

Join the Interest List


A hallmark of MCV is its multidisciplinary nature. We welcome graduate students from across the University of Michigan to apply. Examples include SEAS, Ross, Ford, Engineering, Information, and Law. Each discipline holds a different piece of the puzzle that will inform our investment research and decision making.

General Recruiting
General fund recruitment for the 2024-2025 cohort will be kicking off in Fall 2024.
Join our interest list for future updates.

Join the List

Questions for the leadership team can be sent to michiganclimateventure@umich.edu

Investment Thesis

MCV invests in early-stage ClimateTech startups, primarily pre-seed and seed, with moonshot potential to decarbonize the economy. Due to our location in the Midwest, our primary focus is on companies addressing challenges in agriculture, mobility, and materials with impact in the Great Lakes Region. We provide patient capital and seek to fill the investment gap between grant makers and venture capitalists that seek market rate returns. We believe in the value of deep partnerships and provide portfolio companies with pro bono consulting services to help them solve challenges.

Food & Agriculture

Given MCV's location in the breadbasket of the US and the Great Lakes’ unique climate system, MCV aims to work with innovators improving input efficiency and scaling carbon sequestration related to food production and consumption

Materials & Circular Economy

The Midwest is home to some of the biggest names in materials and production. MCV seeks to partner with startups with technologies and solutions that decrease material and energy waste by reimagining the processes of design, production, consumption, and disposal

Mobility

Down the street from the Motor City, MCV supports startups with solutions that reduce emissions associated with the movement of people and goods, ranging from micro-mobility solutions to battery technologies and beyond

Portfolio

MCV launched in Fall 2021 and was thrilled to add ReJoule as the first startup in our portfolio. We are now excited to announce our second investment SusMax.

Meet the Team

Dr. Gautam Kaul

Advisor

Faculty Advisor, Finance

Angelo Gagliardi

Co-Director of External Relations

MS Environmental Science + Machine Learning, 2024

Drashti Thakrar

Director of Recruiting & Culture

MBA, 2024

Ian Corey

Co-Director of Education

MBA, 2024

Josh Phan-Gruber

Director of Operations

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Koichiro Tachibana

Co-Director of Education

MBA, 2024

Praveen Mahendran

Director of Investment Management

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Valerie Crum

Co-Director of External Relations

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Gerardo Ampudia

Senior Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2024

Jacob Kennedy

Senior Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Mackenzie Mock

Senior Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2024

Nikunj Bhimsaria

Senior Associate

MBA, 2024

Rob Squiers

Senior Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Bobby Brewer

Senior Associate

JD, 2024

Alex Ricketts

Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Andrew Haeger

Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Coe Mochizuki Rutledge

Associate

MBA, 2025

Elise Hocking

Associate

JD, 2025

Hillary McKenzie

Associate

MBA, 2025

Holden DeGrave

Associate

JD, 2025

Jaclyn Belleville

Associate

MEng Energy Systems + MBA, 2025

Jaya Uppal

Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2026

Katie Militello

Associate

MS Environmental Science, 2025

Mackensey King

Associate

MS Environmental Science, 2025

Marcus Missirlian

Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2026

Marielisa Hecht

Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2025

Nikhil Sharma

Associate

MBA, 2025

Noah Hellum

Associate

JD, 2025

Radhika Handa

Associate

MBA + MS Environmental Science, 2026

Rebecca Macies

Associate

MBA, 2025

Shawn Lu

Associate

PhD Chemical Engineering, 2025

Shivali Rao

Associate

MBA, 2025

Shrishti Puri

Associate

MBA, 2025

Sunain Azeem

Associate

MBA, 2025

Travis McHugh

Associate

MBA, 2025

Tucker White

Associate

MBA, 2025

Ziyi Liu

Associate

MBA, 2025

Advisory Board

The MCV Advisory Board guides our investment thesis, diligence processes, and industry network. We're grateful for their time and commitment to building the next generation of climate tech leaders.

Allison Myers

General Partner & Co-Founder

Bouyant Ventures

Matt Logan

Principal

Earthshot Ventures

Partnerships

Contact

Email

michiganclimateventure@umich.edu

Location

University of Michigan, School for Environment and Sustainability
Dana Samuel Trask Building, 440 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109

Climate Tech Founder?

If you’re a climate tech founder aligned with our investment thesis and would like to apply for funding and partnership with MCV, fill out the form below.

Apply for Funding