“The politics change, but policy does not change.”

In this episode of Startup and Nation, I chat with Serena Allen, founder & CEO of AirVitalize, who’s building a clean air tech company across two very different worlds: Fairbanks, Alaska’s public sector and Los Angeles’s athletic space.

Serena studied public policy at USC, and instead of going the nonprofit route, she found her path in climate tech - building a startup that tackles air pollution in some of the most affected areas in the U.S.

I was so impressed by how thoughtfully she navigates today’s political and funding landscape.

Serena shares:

- Why founders need to stop focusing on politics and start understanding policy

- How she’s raised over $200K in non-dilutive funding from grants and competitions

- What it takes to build trust with government stakeholders and local communities

- Why reframing your climate narrative for different audiences is important

- Tips for hardware founders breaking into climate resilience and B2G spaces

We also talk about what it means to build in a sector where exits are slow and the urgency is high - and why grit, clarity, and curiosity matter.

#ClimateTech #StartupFunding #NonDilutiveGrants #HardwareStartup #CleanAir #ClimateResilience #PublicPolicy #FounderStories #AirVitalize #StartupAndNation #B2G #SBIR #PolicyNotPolitics(Filmed on 3/14 so we also did a fun little pi day extravaganza! 🥧)

00:00 Serena's Background and Climate Tech Journey

02:08 Building Trust in Fairbanks, Alaska

04:22 Public Policy and Climate Innovation

05:57 Pi Day Break06:35 Funding and Grants for Startups

18:49 Navigating the Climate Tech Landscape

25:22 Understanding Policy and Law

28:37 Seeking the Right Partners

30:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts