Jennifer Wagner
Business Fellow
Jennifer Wagner joins Breakthrough Energy’s BusinessFellows program from Prince Edward Island, Canada. Jennifer is a dedicated climate advocate and has a passion for leveraging science and innovation to solve the world’s most complex problems. As a Business Fellow, Jennifer will apply the lessons she learned leading a high-growth carbon removal climate tech company to help Innovator Fellows build out and scale their climate technologies.
Jennifer is an experienced startup advisor, investor, thought leader, speaker, and team builder. She joined Breakthrough Energy Ventures portfolio company CarbonCure Technologies as employee number two in 2010, and eventually assumed the role of president. She was responsible for overseeing the company’s operations amidst a period of rapid growth, launching the carbon removal credit business, shaping and nurturing the company’s team culture, helping to recruit and retain top talent while attracting the world’s most sought-after climate tech investors. She also led her team to win two major global innovation competitions: theNRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE and Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Grand Carbon Challenge. Jennifer’s mission is to help launch, nurture, and scale innovative startups with massive climate change mitigation potential and to foster a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive climate tech sector.
In her free time, Jennifer enjoys exploring nature with her three young children and cooking with the food she grows in her backyard garden. Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from McGill University. Jennifer earned a Master of Science in Chemistry and a Master of Business Administration from Dalhousie University. She has been named a Clean Energy Rising Star by Business Insider, one of Canada’s Clean50 Emerging Leaders, one of Climate Action Summit’s ClimateTrailblazers, and one of 20 Women Driving the Future of Climate Tech.
Q&A
What is the most impactful book that you have read?
“Crossing the Chasm” by Geoffrey A. Moore. There are a lot of incredible climate technologies out there, but we need to scale them today for them to make a difference.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
There is no time like the present. The only thing that is sure in life is that time is passing. Make your time count.
Who has had the greatest impact on your career path?
My kids. They are the reason I do the work that I do.