Andrew Winter Democratizes Climate Investing For All

Equity crowdfunding platform focused on climate change

Hi, climate friends 👋 

Welcome to the 63 new people joining the community this week!

In today’s digest:

  • Introducing WeClimate

  • Detailing their business model, tech, traction and team

  • Why do we need this now?

  • How you can help them!

👉 I need your help!

To keep our newsletter free for all, always, we’re starting to open up ad slots in our newsletter. But, before we do, I wanted to hear from you all:

- Angelica 💜

Featured Startup: WeClimate

Climate focused crowdfunding platform

WeClimate is the first equity crowdfunding platform 100% focused on solving climate change and closing the climate funding gap. By solely focusing on climate initiatives, WeClimate's platform works in tandem with founders, venture capitalists, and retail investors to expand the total sum of dollars working to solve the climate crisis.

🔗 Check them out: weclimate.co

📍 Headquarters

San Francisco, CA & Dublin, Ireland

⚙️ Technology

WeClimate is a FINRA approved equity crowdfunding platform, allowing founders to raise up to $5M through WeClimate as part of a larger venture round.

WeClimate's goal is to work alongside VC’s to carve out a 'WeClimate allocation' in the best climate deals, primarily as a path to power retail and consumer participation in the companies and initiatives that are most important to those individuals.

Per SEC regulations, WeClimate is only available to US companies at this time.

💲 Business Model

WeClimate’s customers are the founders and startups who raise funding via WeClimate.

Success is based on their ability to help companies successfully raise funding on WeClimate, as well as the future success of those companies.

For most offerings under Reg CF (the basic regulation for raising money in the US), WeClimate will collect 6% of the amount raised.

WeClimate also takes equity in the startup on the same terms to ensure long-term alignment and “skin in the game”. WeClimate takes 2% equity on the same terms as investors on the platform.

🚀 Traction

  • Total funding: $100,000

  • Secured FINRA approval in June 2023

  • Advisors

    • Maria Rabinovich: Legal Advisor and previous head of Legal at Fintech Unicorn Raisin

    • Marcel Bock: Operations Advisor and CEO of Fintech Unicorn Raisin

    • Jeff Lazar: Financial Advisor, extensive broker dealer and funding portal experience

🤝 Founding Team

  • Arthur Pierse: CEO

    • Co-founded and was CEO of BorrowFox, a peer-to-peer rental platform for “stuff” (acquired by ShareGrid)

    • Joined Europe’s largest impact fund Astanor Ventures a €400m Fund as a principal

    • Currently a Venture Partner at Energy Impact Partners, one of the largest late-stage climate funds with over $2.5B under management.

  • Andrew Winter: COO

    • Began career as a Financial Institutions analyst at S&P Global before diving into startups and joining ClassPass in 2016, where he primarily focused on marketplace strategy and program management

    • Spent 18 months as an early stage investor at LA-based family office Immeasurable

    • Joined GatewayX venture studio to run GTM Sales & Strategy at Kahani

    • Co-founded the social golf platform Bantee

🤳 Socials

💁🏻‍♀️ Why Now?

It's estimated that $2.5 trillion must be invested every year between now and 2035 if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

We need a quantum leap in the speed and scale of investing, and households in the US are sitting on $150 trillion of cash.

Of this $150 trillion, 50% belongs to non accredited investors. There is more than enough private capital to help fill the gap, and this capital is ready, willing and capable of being mobilized.

 How Can the Community Help? 

💰 Funding

They kicked off a round of pre-seed/seed fundraising to accelerate their ability to launch successful fundraising campaigns on WeClimate

Founder Connections

They’re looking to connect with founders and other key players in the climate space who believe in WeClimate's mission

 👩‍💼👨‍💼 Investors & Founders

Sign up at WeClimate if want fractional ownership in climate deals or are fundraising!

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Made with 💜 by Angelica @ The Climate Scout

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