A 2019 McKinsey report details a direct correlation between better financial performance, and gender, ethnic and cultural diversity. Creating an authentic diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practice is just the start. Hear from experts on how they integrated diversity recruiting and culture into every part of their company. They will dive into how every organization can use these strategies from even the earliest stages of development.

Are you an entrepreneur wondering how to scale your product with a commercial company? This interactive session gives you the opportunity to speak directly with corporate venture capitalists about what they look for when deciding to work with a startup. Learn about companies’ top climate priorities and how you can strategically create inroads with relevant business units. Join this session to build new relationships and gain insights about how to approach, navigate and successfully land your next corporate partner.

Does policy have a role in accelerating climate tech? We’ll dive into this hotly debated question, and lay out how policy can enable private markets to deploy climate technologies at an impactful scale. You will learn how to take advantage of active government programs and federal policy to achieve commercial scale deployment. Come with your questions and ideas for how policy can accelerate technology. There will be ample time to discuss specific issues the public sector may help you unlock.

VERGE Accelerate is a series of fast-pitch competitions featuring leading climate tech startups. Today’s session highlights five entrepreneurs building cutting-edge solutions for regenerative food systems, followed by industry expert reactions to each pitch. Help determine the winner by casting your vote live at the event! The winner will pitch in the main stage finals on Thursday, October 27.

As funding floods into climate tech, how do investors prioritize startups with the greatest potential environmental impact, and how do entrepreneurs tell their story successfully to earn funding? ​​These are two key challenges facing climate solutions, and time is limited to make an actual dent in emissions. Hear from leaders on new methodologies and frameworks for measuring and assessing impact, and learn how they use that data to prioritize investment and scaling decisions. New tools and technologies are now emerging to tell this story, including Project FRAME, SERC, CRANE and others. We will review the merits of clearer storytelling and deliberate use of data in a narrative, and its impact on investor decision-making.

Though corporate innovation groups have been around for decades, the last few years demonstrate a boom in the number of deals made, with an all-time quarterly high of 1,317 deals in Q1 2022, according to CB Insights. Why the increase? Hear from the experts themselves on their innovation strategy and why they are supporting and investing in climate tech startups. They’ll peel back the curtain on how to engage with corporate firms and provide insights on building relationships with the relevant stakeholders in large companies. Panelists will also cover how to tackle the various funding and go-to-market challenges startups face that can eventually help land these highly coveted commercial partnerships.

Does your startup have its sights set on an exit through an acquisition or IPO? After all, corporate venture capital investments rise, with Axios reporting M&A volume up 25% in the first half of 2022 for renewables and storage. Or, perhaps your team is planning for an IPO in the future. There are so many options for an exit, it can be difficult to decide the right path for your company. Regardless of the stage of your venture, planning for the future will help guide your strategy today. Hear from financial experts and companies who have lived through a startup exit to ensure your business is set up for success.