San Francisco, CA, USA
Kelly Erhart is a climate tech entrepreneur and sustainability leader with over a decade of experience in environmental innovation.
As co-founder and President of Vesta, PBC, she led a team of expert operators and research in developing and implementing their ocean-based climate solution, which uses olivine sand in coastal areas to remove carbon dioxide, reduce ocean acidity, and enhance coastal resilience. Under her leadership, Vesta advanced an academic concept, from laboratory experiments into three U.S.-based deployments, demonstrating the real-world potential of this approach. Kelly led the effort in securing over $40 million in blended finance from both charitable and for-profit sources to advance groundbreaking work on mineral-based ocean alkalinity enhancement.
Her expertise spans various sustainability approaches, including regenerative agriculture and eco-friendly sanitation solutions. She has co-founded multiple startups, including Ecozoic Resources, a waterless biofiltration toilet company and a direct air capture company. Prior to being a founder, her work included consulting on corporate carbon offset sourcing, disaster relief project management, and community resilience initiatives.
Kelly excels in navigating complex regulatory environments, forging strategic partnerships, and aligning innovative technologies with market realities and policy landscapes. With a unique blend of technical knowledge and business acumen, Kelly approaches climate challenges holistically.
Offer
- Concept-to-Implementation: I have a proven track record of taking academic or theoretical concepts and turning them into practical, deployable solutions, bridging the gap between research and real-world application. - Multidisciplinary Climate Background: My experience spans various fields including ocean-climate solutions, regenerative agriculture, sanitation, and carbon capture. This diverse background allows me to approach problems from multiple angles and connect dots between climate solutions - Fundraising and Financial Acumen: I've successfully raised over $60 million in blended finance between my projects, and can help folks think through how to navigate both charitable and for-profit funding landscapes. - Strategic Partnership Building: I’ve forged partnerships across academia, funder networks, industry, government, and NGOs, which can help projects gain traction and support. - Systems Lens: Helping folks explore their approach to climate challenges with a systems-lens: considering all factors from environmental impact, economic feasibility, market and policy realities, and social / community implications.
NEED
After years of hands-on experience in operating and scaling innovative climate solutions, I'm now looking to broaden my impact across the climate spectrum. I'm drawn to move into climate-focused venture capital or philanthropy, where I can leverage my expertise and network to support a diverse range of climate initiatives. My goal is to move beyond the niche of day-to-day operations and into a position where I can evaluate, nurture, and accelerate multiple promising solutions simultaneously. I'm seeking advice on how to best navigate this transition, and the most effective ways to apply my operational experience in these new contexts. I'm open to insights on how to position myself for such roles, potential challenges I might face in this transition, and any blind spots I should be aware of as I explore this next move in my career.
Call-to-Action
Fund impactful projects and climate solutions! The time is now.
