Each semester at CEV hosts graduate and undergrad interns on our team to support due diligence efforts, build sector roadmaps, and help with other special projects as true CEV team members.
Clean Energy Ventures and our sister organization Clean Energy Venture Group (CEVG) have been fortunate to have the opportunity to leverage the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) internship program to source candidates for our climate tech VC internship program. This program brings us highly qualified graduate and undergraduate students who have a passion for clean energy and fixing climate change. Hiring interns from all backgrounds, walks of life and geographies is also something that’s important to our organization as we try to diversify the talent and perspectives in this industry; the MassCEC program has helped us discover interns that can add to our dynamic work environment each semester.
Hear directly from our interns about their experience this fall at Clean Energy Venture
Ariel Hyre
Brandeis University & Boston University
When CEV first contacted me about an internship via Mass CEC, I had never considered venture capital as an option. I’m a chemist by training and intended to work on environmental legislation after school, so I accepted the position mostly out of curiosity. A month later, I decided that this was going to be my career. Not only did CEV’s goal of tackling climate change align with mine, and not only was the cutting-edge world of climatetech intensely fascinating, but I felt truly valued by the team. I was never “just an intern.” I worked on real problems and was encouraged to provide my input during discussions. There was an endless supply of things to learn, and everyone in the group was happy to offer guidance and support. I’d especially like to raise up Lou Schick, Jeff Weiss, Peter Sopher, Shanbor Gupta, and Yi Jean Chow for their mentorship. They are all brilliant individuals and I am honored to have worked with them.
One of the best aspects of the internship was that there was always something new to do. Over the course of the fall semester I performed greenhouse gas reduction impact analysis; evaluated intellectual property claims; researched fundamental scientific questions; and assisted in scouting and diligence activities for several startups, including one that CEV chose to invest in. I also had a great deal of fun participating in weekly pipeline meetings – the members of CEV and CEVG are experienced and keenly insightful, so it was a privilege to see both brand-new technology and the way such a stellar group of people thought about bringing it out of the lab and into the world where it could make a difference.
This internship has been exciting, meaningful, and challenging in all the best ways. I highly recommend the experience, even for students like me who never thought they’d end up anywhere near VC. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I decided to stay! I will be joining the team as a full-time Analyst in June. I believe that CEV is making a real impact in the fight against climate change, and I’m thrilled to be part of the mission!
Matt Hartsog
Harvard Business School; Harvard Kennedy School; US Navy Seal
Every day and around every corner of my internship with Clean Energy Ventures, I found something new and intriguing to take in. Exposure to innovative ideas, endless opportunities to speak with experts, and thought-provoking conversation with the diverse investment and leadership teams made for new experiences every day and challenged me to expand my ways of thinking and interacting with this ecosystem. I am also grateful for the exposure to a wonderful example of a dynamic team that expertly works together to achieve success.
During this timeframe, I was able to support due diligences of different technology and companies, provide recommendations on investment decisions, work with portfolio company leadership teams, and design products to provide transparency to investors. I also was able to gain a much greater appreciation on portfolio construction and proven investment processes.
I am looking forward to continue watching Clean Energy Ventures not only provide superior financial returns for their investors, but also watch them accelerate clean technology by helping young companies grow with both capital and tailored support. Cannot say enough positive things about my experience!
Agustin Gonzalez de Abiega
MIT Sloan
When I first began my internship at CEV, I thought that as a part-time intern I would be assigned specific and isolated tasks, working independently. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that from my very first week, I was fully integrated into the team and involved in all aspects of the due diligence process.
Over the course of five months, I had the opportunity to work on four different due diligence projects spanning a diverse range of industries, from sustainable aviation fuels to wildfire control. Additionally, I played an active role in the scouting and screening process, where I evaluated more than 50 pitch decks across the entire climate tech spectrum. Through this experience, I had the chance to meet some truly amazing founders and gain insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of multiple industries.
I’m particularly grateful for the supportive and collaborative team environment at CEV and CEVG. They provided me with the guidance and resources needed to succeed and helped me gain a deeper understanding of the perspectives of investors in the growing climate tech space.
Overall, this internship has solidified my desire to pursue a career in climate tech investing and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering a similar opportunity. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
