Expert voices: Tani Brown talks seats at the table
- Alan Neuhauser, author of Axios Pro: Climate Deals
Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo courtesy of Muus Climate Partners
Investors may be pouring billions into climate tech, but the sector is still at the early stages of talent-development and goal-setting — especially when it comes to who's getting that money, Muus Climate Partners principal Tani Brown tells Axios.
Why she matters: Even the most seasoned climate veterans are scratching their heads over how to tap the rivers of capital flowing from state and federal coffers.
- Brown, a former Fulbright scholar with a background in DEI, works with founders to not only run their shops but grab those non-dilutive dollars.
This interview was lightly edited.
What was the big news in climate tech this week?
- Commercial-scale breakthroughs in geothermal energy.
What would you add to the narrative?
- Even when we hear about major breakthroughs, there’s white space for innovation to scale faster. Acceleration is everything.
One tip for climate tech investors or founders?
- Make your economic value prop undeniable.
Four fun things:
💼 First job: Youth basketball coach in LA.
👑 Proudest deal: Nth Cycle and its manufacturing plant for nickel and cobalt production.
🤦 Facepalm deal: NFTs for carbon offsets. Carbon offsets aren’t doing much, and NFTs aren’t making them better.
💡 In three-ish words, one change you would make to climate tech investing: More seats at the table.