What are the career opportunities in business and environment? In Summer 2023, over 100 MBA students found internships at the intersection of business and the environment. This post provides a sample of some of the types of companies that students worked at this summer as well as their roles before joining HBS.
Audrey Atencio (MBA 2024, Section G), Summer Internship: Summer Associate, Piva Capital
Piva is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm ($500mm AUM) investing in visionary entrepreneurs who are solving the world's critical problems in the industrial and energy spaces via breakthrough technology and innovative business models. Audrey's role prior to HBS was a Senior Manager and Acting Zambia Country Director at One Acre Fund.
Aman Baboolal (MBA 2024, Section F), Summer Internship: MBA Intern, NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources primarily develops, constructs and operates power projects and is the world’s largest producer of wind and solar energy. Aman's role prior to HBS was the Head of Partnerships at Plentify.
Dennis Cha (MBA 2024, Section F), Summer Internship: Product Partnership Intern, Voltus
Voltus is an energy software startup that provides demand response services by connecting customers’ distributed energy resource assets (DERs) to every wholesale electricity market in North America. The Product Partnerships team is responsible for conducting market research for partnership opportunities, coordinating with potential platform partners, and modeling financial returns of customer DERs, such as behind-the-meter batteries and smart thermostats. Dennis' role prior to HBS was a Strategy Manger, Global Operations at Google.
Nabig Chaudhry (MBA 2024, Section J), Summer Internship: Data Science Intern in Climate Adaptation, ClimateX
Climate X is a climate risk data provider that gives businesses and governments the analytics to build climate resilience. By leveraging state-of-the-art climate risk modeling, Climate X quantifies the impact of physical and transition risks associated with climate change through their climate risk intelligence software, Spectra. Nabig's role prior to HBS was a Graduate Developer at Cal-Adapt Analytics Engine, a data platform for analyzing climate change impacts in California.
Rhea Choudhury (MBA 2024, Section F), Summer Internship: Business Management Consultant, National Park Service
The National Park Service is a branch of the U.S Department of the Interior, responsible for preserving natural and cultural resources for the American people. Rhea supported the Submerged Resources Center, the NPS’ national dive program. This team helps care for the 5.5 million acres of national submerged acreage (oceans, lakes, rivers) via archeological documentation, research, maintenance, and survey. The SRC works closely with other ocean agencies within the government to help document and mitigate climate change related damages to underwater resources, from coral reefs to shipwrecks. Rhea's role prior to HBS was a R&D Engineer at Edwards Lifesciences.
Karishma Gajaria (MBA 2024, Section J), Summer Internship: Associate, Corporate Development, Electric Hydrogen
Electric Hydrogen (‘EH2’) is creating a new generation of electrolyzer technologies to enable clean, abundant, and low-cost hydrogen to end the age of fossil fuels. Heavy industry accounts for more than 30% of global emissions that cannot be mitigated by today’s technology. A complete energy transition will require sustainable hydrogen to power heavy industry and beyond. Founded by experienced renewable energy technologists and backed by committed mission-driven investors, EH2 is building solutions to help cost-effectively decarbonize the massive industrial sectors that we all rely on. Karishma's role prior to HBS was a Consultant at BCG.
Sadok Kechaou (MBA 2024, Section G), Summer Internship: Venture Capital Summer Fellow, Planeteer Capital
Planeteer Capital is a new Climate Tech venture capital firm that invests in Pre-Seed and Seed stage startups. Planeteer invests globally, across hardware and software, and preferences B2B businesses in emerging climate-impacted sectors such as carbon management, industrial decarbonization, built environment, climate intelligence and insurance, and sustainable agriculture. Sadok's role prior to HBS was an Associate at Kearney and Strategy and Product Management at Siemens.
Grace Lam (MBA 2024, Section F), Summer Internship: Co-Founder, NetaCarbon (funded by the Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship)
NetaCarbon is the TurboTax for carbon credit – a carbon credit issuance platform that digitizes and streamlines the process of how carbon projects are created and managed. By reducing the time and cost for project developers to go through the carbon credit registration and verification process, NetaCarbon helps pro-climate businesses to unlock their full potential by expanding revenue sources and customer reach, ultimately accelerating climate impact globally through the carbon market. Grace's role prior to HBS was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company.
Doug Marsan (MS/MBA 2024, Section K), Summer Internship: Summer Associate, Clean Energy Ventures
Clean Energy Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage climate tech start-ups that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 2.5 Gt by 2050. CEV focuses on early-stage companies commercializing novel technologies and innovating business models that can reshape how we produce and consume energy. Doug's role prior to HBS was a Project Engineer at ExxonMobil.
Jessie Pease (MBA 2024, Section K), Summer Internship: Digital Agriculture MBA Intern, BrightFarms
BrightFarms is a greenhouse farming company growing crops hydroponically in the US. Their method of growing uses 80% less water, 90% less land, and 95% less shipping fuel than long-distance field grown produce. Utilizing greenhouses allows BrightFarms to grow and deliver healthy food locally year round. Jessie's role prior to HBS was an Engineering Manager at Apple.
Antoine Pidoux (MBA 2024, Section H), Summer Internship: MBA Intern – Commercial Development, Nth Cycle (Series B ClimateTech startup based in Boston)
Nth Cycle is a metals processing tech company focused on enabling clean, domestic, and streamlined supply of critical battery materials for the energy transition. They have developed an electro-extraction technology that saves up to 90% carbon emissions relative to traditional refining technologies. The technology has a small footprint that can be easily scaled with modular design, enabling the recovery of de-centralized, currently untapped resources such as electronic waste domestically in the US, providing a step change to create a circular supply chain for EV batteries. Nth Cycle will be the first domestic producer of a critical battery-grade material named Nickel-Cobalt MHP in 2024. Antoine’s summer focused on preparing the commissioning of Nth Cycle’s first commercial-scale plant in Ohio as well as the commercialization of the company’s first product. Antoine's role prior to HBS was a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group (Toronto office).
Max Sabbe (MBA 2024, Section J), Summer Internship: Investment Associate, Breakthrough Energy Ventures
Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) invests in companies that leverage innovative technologies to help address climate change. Backed by many of the world’s top business leaders, BEV has more than $2 billion in committed capital to support bold entrepreneurs building companies that can significantly reduce emissions from agriculture, buildings, electricity, manufacturing, and transportation. The fund was created in 2016 by the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, founded by Bill Gates. Max's role prior to HBS was a Consultant at Bain & Company.
Laura Schiever (MBA 2024, Section E), Summer Internship: Carbon Strategy MBA Intern, Lithos Carbon
Lithos Carbon specializes in Enhanced Rock Weathering projects, a carbon removal method that involves applying upcycled volcanic rock fines to actively managed land. When applied to managed land, the basalt reacts with CO2, trapping it for 10,000+ years while improving soil health and increasing crop yields for partner farmers. Lithos uses novel soil models and machine learning to maximize CO2 removal and only delivers empirically quantified carbon removal tons. Laura's role prior to HBS was a Consultant at McKinsey & Company and Program Associate at the Education Outcomes Fund.
Jake Sweed (MBA 2024, Section G), Summer Internship: Chief of Staff to the CEO, TS Conductor
While the electricity system is the backbone of the energy transition, transmission infrastructure hasn’t significantly changed in roughly one hundred years. TS Conductor believes a 21st century power grid deserves more than 20th century wires. TS’s breakthrough wire technology allows transmission & distribution grid operators to be active participants to the energy transition — by reducing line losses and accelerating the integration of wind, solar, and battery storage — while leveraging existing infrastructure assets. TS’s products can be used to substitute legacy conductors using the same tools and installation procedures. TS is a Minority Business Enterprise and a Public Benefit Corporation focused on sustainable development and GHG reduction. TS Conductor is backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, National Grid, and NextEra. Jake's role prior to HBS was an Army Special Operations Officer.
Hazel Tan (MBA 2024, Section D), Summer Internship: Summer Intern, Clean Energy Ventures
Clean Energy Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage climate tech start-ups. The firm’s portfolio companies focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 2.5Gt by 2050, and range from revolutionizing the extraction of critical battery minerals to pioneering grid management technologies in emerging markets. Hazel's role prior to HBS was Principal Sales at BHP.
Tatiana Theoto (MBA 2024, Section I), Summer Internship: Advisor to the CEO, Infineat and Dengo
Infineat is a fast-growing NGO based focused on tackling food waste and alleviating hunger in Brazil. Infineat's pioneering "philantech" approach combines philanthropy and technology to efficiently manage food surplus in supermarkets, providing nutritious meals to those in need. During her internship, Tatiana had the privilege of working closely with the CEO/founder, focusing on scaling their financial processes, communicating their impressive impact metrics, exploring additional income sources (such as carbon credits), and engaging potential donors to support their ambitious growth plans over the next five years. Dengo is a socially responsible chocolate manufacturer and retailer committed to ensuring a fair cocoa supply chain in Brazil, through living income to all producers and full traceability of the cocoa beans. In this role, Tatiana played an active part in developing a comprehensive net zero plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and gain insights into the company's environmental impact, aligning with their overarching sustainability strategy. Tatiana's role prior to HBS was a Business Consultant at BCG.
David Wintermeyer (MS/MBA 2024, Section D), Summer Internship: Corporate Development Strategy, NextEra Energy
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. NextEra Energy owns Florida Power & Light Company, which is America’s largest electric utility that sells more power than any other utility, providing clean, affordable, reliable electricity to approximately 5.8 million customer accounts, or more than 12 million people across Florida. NextEra Energy also owns a competitive clean energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. David's role prior to HBS was a Software Development Manager at Amazon Web Services.
Vanessa Wu (MBA 2024, Section D), Summer Internship: Business Development Intern, Ebb Carbon
Ebb Carbon is an carbon dioxide removal startup that uses an electrochemical ocean alkalinity enhancement method to enhance the ocean’s natural ability to store CO2 while reducing ocean acidity. Vanessa's role prior to HBS was a Consultant at BCG and Project Manager at NextEra Energy.
Margot Zuckerman (MBA 2024, Section H), Summer Internship: Sales & Marketing, Source.ag
Source.ag believes greenhouse agriculture is a proven answer to the climate resilient production of fresh fruits and vegetables. That’s why Source.ag is developing pioneering AI technology, to give growers the superpowers to produce more fruit and vegetables, without breaking planetary boundaries. By enabling more growers to operate more facilities more efficiently through their pioneering tech, Source.ag is making greenhouse agriculture accessible, profitable, and globally scalable. Margot's role prior to HBS was a Senior Buyer, Ingredients Procurement at Kraft Heinz.