Designer Fund + Climate Tech
We invest up to $1 million in Pre-seed to Series A companies committed to improving sustainability for all people. We help them create a world-class product and brand, hire exceptional design talent, and close more investors.
Designing for Climate
We believe that design plays a critical role in building a more sustainable future. We're investing in companies that transfer the best of traditional tech and apply those lessons to our climate challenges. They’re using design to:
- Create superior products and experiences
- Simplify complex systems
- Paint a vision of the future
We co-invest with the top funds that are focused on climate solutions.
Design creates superior products and experiences
The shift from established, carbon-intensive systems to sustainable alternatives is inherently challenging, often met with resistance due to familiarity, convenience, or cost. Design can help create products that are easier to use and more delightful than existing solutions, aiding our transition to a more sustainable world.
This is precisely the thesis behind Kopperfield’s mission to eliminate home emissions. By streamlining customer interactions, facilitating virtual site visits, and automating repetitive tasks, their product empowers contractors to sell and complete more home electrification projects. The thoughtful design not only enhances the workflow experience for contractors but also enables them to deliver superior experience to end customers.
Design is a core part of our theory of change. Contractors and the homeowners they serve have rarely been treated to well-designed software products. We’ve seen first-hand that design can meaningfully influence consumer and business decisions.Jesse Vaughan, President and Co-Founder at Kopperfield
Design simplifies complex systems
As with so many sectors bogged down by complex system dynamics and legacy technologies, the climate ecosystem is often difficult to navigate and can significantly hinder progress towards our sustainability goals. Design serves as a tool that helps you cut through complexity and focus your efforts on solving the right problems and solving them effectively and quickly. This user-centric approach not only helps clarify the path forward but brings simplicity and elegance to your solutions.
Euclid Power uses design to solve the toughest operational challenges facing solar and energy storage projects. Having lived in the chaos of managing operations across spreadsheets, datarooms, and emails, it was clear to Euclid’s founders that this broken process needs to be fixed. They took a users-first approach to design a solution that streamlines collaboration and pushes over $2 billion of renewable energy projects forward.
Design is central to our mission at Euclid Power. We believe that you can’t build the energy system of the future with the tools of the past. We’re designing paradigm-shifting tools that transform a highly manual and spreadsheet-oriented industry. Through good design, Euclid helps accelerate the world’s transition to clean energy.Jacob Sandry, CEO and Co-Founder at Euclid Power
Design paints a vision of the future
Design plays a critical role in storytelling and getting people on board with your vision of the future. Not only does a well thought-out story clearly communicate a message, it turns the pursuit of change from a daunting task into a tangible and compelling journey. It will also help you fundraise from top funds, hire the best people, and improve sales.
When Copper set out to re-introduce the world to induction stoves, it tells a story of an upgraded, more climate-friendly stove, without sacrificing craftsmanship. Through best-in-class product design and a strong brand story, Copper shows how new technologies, like its integrated battery storage and superior cooking experience, can both enrich and simplify our lives.
To broadly scale the adoption of induction and home electrification, we need to design products that are approachable and intuitive. They need to pay homage to history, while pointing to a hopeful electric futureSam Calisch, CEO and Founder at Channing Copper
Applications are now open for Designer Fund Partnership, the best design support and investment offer of up to $1 million for Pre-seed to Series A startups. Apply here by October 4, 2024.
Know a world class founder building an amazing startup? Refer them here!
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