Q&A: Climate leaders with answers

Hetal Patel is Director of Investments for Mercy Corps Ventures, an impact fund that invested in 47 early-stage companies and raised more than $440 million in follow-on capital. Among the portfolio companies are Pula, Tolbi and Complete Farmer. 

Q: Why invest in climate ventures? A: With the adaptation market potentially reaching $2 trillion annually by 2026, there's a significant opportunity for the Global Majority/South to benefit, not only ethically but also economically.

Q: What’s your approach? A: We’re in adaptive agriculture and food systems, inclusive fintech, and climate-smart technologies. Many times we are the first institutional investor, and we utilise a variety of tools: capital, post-investment platform, labs, and board level advisory.

Q: ⁠What role does data have to play in climate investing? A: Despite not being silver bullets for confronting the climate crisis, data, connectivity, and technology are crucial for advancing sectors like insurance and agritech, especially in Africa.

Q: ⁠What will the climate investment space look like in five or ten years? A: Advancements in technologies will expand the scope of climate solutions that founders can develop. Demonstrating successful pipelines will be crucial for investors and builders to highlight the potential of climate adaptation investing.