WomenVCFund
Sector spotlight

Climate Tech & Clean Energy

A sector where the funding gap is the opportunity: closing it could unlock $12B in additional annual returns.

$12B

additional annual returns available by closing the gender gap

RMI research — the investment case, not just the equity case.

0.4%

of US climate-tech VC reached all-women founding teams in 2024

Out of $33.5B invested — one of the widest gaps of any sector here.

Peer-learning networks forming

gender-lens climate investing

We Fund Climate and She Wins Climate now run dedicated gender-action programs for fund managers.

Where the money is moving

Inside the category

Gender-lens climate vehicles

Peer-learning platforms (not startups) helping fund managers build concrete gender-inclusion plans.

  • We Fund Climate
  • She Wins Climate
  • She Wins Climate Southeast Asia

Notable funded climate-tech startups

Recent rounds across the broader climate-tech wave this thesis rides alongside.

  • Brimstone ($55M Series A + up to $189M DOE award)
  • BeZero ($109M across 5 rounds)
  • ChargerHelp! ($30.6M across multiple rounds)
  • Voltic (YC-backed, $100M+ in sales)

Why this fits women investors specifically

Climate tech is the clearest "the gap is mispriced, not the opportunity" case on this list — a $12B return case exists specifically in correcting how capital reaches under-funded teams, and it’s one of the few sectors where dedicated gender-lens investor networks, not just individual funds, are actively forming right now.

How to get exposure

Because mainstream climate-tech VC still under-allocates to women-led teams, some of the most direct entry points are through the dedicated accelerators and gender-lens programs themselves rather than generalist climate funds.

What to weigh before writing a cheque

  • This is the widest documented funding gap on this list — treat the $12B opportunity estimate as directional, not a guaranteed return.
  • Climate tech spans hugely different risk profiles, from hardware-heavy energy infrastructure to software-only adaptation tools — it is not one risk category.

Sources

Figures reflect the most recent public reporting as of 2026. Named companies are illustrative of funding activity, not investment recommendations.

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