When Tom Steyer and Katie Hall came together in 2021 to bring Galvanize Climate Solutions to the world, it promised to be something rather unique. They both bring decades of experience managing many billions of dollars, incredible networks, and insights to find the best, most impactful investment opportunities for climate. Recently, Secretary John Kerry joined Galvanize as a Co-Chair, adding perhaps unparalleled international expertise to their team. 

The firm prioritizes not just financial returns for their investors, but also real climate impact. I was thrilled to sit down with Galvanize Chief Impact Officer Nicole Systrom to learn about how such an all-star team thinks about the impact they create. We spoke about Nicole’s background, the three different asset classes Galvanize invests in, three different levels of impact they consider before and after their investments are made, the impact of the election on their work, and much more. I learned a lot and am certainly glad Galvanize is doing the work it’s doing. Enjoy.

In today’s episode, we cover:

• [02:35] Nicole’s background & career focus on climate
• [06:59] Galvanize & what makes it unique
• [11:21] Feelings & optimism in climate work
• [14:36] Galvanize's investment strategy across asset classes
• [15:59] Impact approaches for public equities, real estate & venture
• [17:59] Galvanize’s thesis & embedding impact across the firm
• [22:36] Three levels of impact
• [24:02] Diving deeper into impact approaches for different asset classes
• [26:11] Galvanize's real estate investment strategy
• [29:24] Nicole's goals & priorities for the next year
• [32:42] The impact of the recent election
• [34:28] What else needs to change in climate finance
• [36:28] Closing reflections & call to action

Resources Mentioned

• Galvanize Climate Solutions

Connect with Nicole Systrom

• Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn

Connect with Jason Rissman

• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter

Keep up with Invested In Climate

• Sign up for our Newsletter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter