Powering through Uncertainty: an Al and Innovation Gold Mine
Date and Time:
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location:
29 Little W 12th St, Manhattan, NYC
Agenda:
3:00pm - 3:30pm - Networking / Check in
3:30pm - 4:00pm - Fuel for the Climb
4:05pm - 4:35pm - Financing the Big Gap
4:40pm - 5:10pm - Leading When the Playbook Breaks
5:15pm - 6:15pm - CEO Coaching Panel & Peer CIrcle
6:30pm - 7:00pm - Happy Hour
This isn't your usual climate tech event. It's not about press releases, polished pitch decks, or panels you've already heard. This is about the emotional resilience, and tangible shifts necessary it takes to face headwinds and navigate what's next-sometimes in the trenches —with grit, smarts, and a drive to build better solutions.
Because let's be honest: the climate world is ffing hard. And we need to have each others' backs.
This gathering is for the founders, funders, and operators in the thick of it —navigating enterprise customers, thorny leadership challenges, and the mental load of building through uncertainty.
How do you lock in big customers, scale a team without breaking the culture, and stay grounded when the going gets hard?
Through candid insights from a seasoned CEO who has led through shaky times without a playbook, actionable advice from coaches who've guided leaders through similar storms, and peer-to-peer feedback sessions, gearing you up to navigate your toughest business challenges head-on.
What's Happening
3:30pm - 4:00pm
Fuel for the Climb with Van Jones
CNN Host and Founder of Dream.Org and Magic Labs Media, Van Jones, opens the afternoon with hard-earned lessons from the political trenches - sparking courage, connection, and conviction for the road ahead.
4:05pm - 4:35pm
Financing the Big Gap
The debut of a new financing model designed to close the price parity gap and fast-track sustainable materials to commercial scale. Matt Schmitt, Co-Founder, CEO of Structure Climate, Jason Berns, Head of Sustainability & Product Innovation at Ralph Lauren, and Josh Felser, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Climactic, will unpack the opportunities, challenges, and realities of aligning innovators, funders and corporates that could redefine how these solutions can scale.
4:40pm - 5:10pm
Leading When the Playbook Breaks
Alexi Robichaux, Co-Founder, CEO of BetterUp shares raw lessons from the trenches of scaling - navigating the leap to enterprise, steering through market headwinds, and layering in Al without breaking what worked. Expect unfiltered insights on what bends, what breaks, and what endures.
5:15pm - 6:15pm
CEO Coaching Panel & Peer Circle
Veteran coaches, Adena Phillips, and Ray Foote; share raw, in-the-trenches stories from working with startup CEOs - from burnout and co-founder conflict to culture strain-the patterns, pivots, and personal moments that have shaped real leadership, and the frameworks that actually work under pressure. Attendees then carry those insights into small, high-trust groups to share their own challenges and trade rapid-fire feedback. Leave with practical tools, fresh clarity, and the reminder you're not navigating headwinds alone.
6:30pm - 7:00pm
Happy Hour
Unwind, keep the conversations going.
Date and Time:
September 25, 2024 | 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location:
Betaworks | 29 Little West 12th St, New York, New York
Join Climactic for our unconventional exploration of the frontiers of AI and climate technology. This unconference-style event brings together experts, founders, and innovators at the forefront of this intersection. Attendees will have the opportunity to actively shape discussions, participate in hands-on sessions, and engage in dynamic roundtables.
Event Link: https://lu.ma/burtww2y
What to expect
Keynote Address: Fireside Chat: With expert speaker (TBA) on the present and future of AI and Climate at enterprise scale.
Climactic AI x Climate Market Map Unveiling: Exclusive debut of our interactive Market Map V2, showcasing the latest trends, companies and opportunities in the AI-driven climate tech landscape.
Interactive Workshops: Participate in solution-based discussions, exploring how AI can unlock efficiency in major business sectors.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with AI leaders and influencers over local NYC bites and libations.
Immersive Experience: Begin the conference with Oda, providing an experiential live Hi-Fi connection to Costa Rica's protected forests, reminding us of the natural world we're working to preserve.
