In this World Product Day, I want to shine a light on one of the biggest opportunities for the PM profession: applying technology to fight the Climate crisis.
I know the PM profession has an echo chamber that aims to be like FAANG companies. Don’t get me wrong, those are great companies, but I believe we could apply our expertise to build products that provide critical solutions the world needs instead of more products that revolve around convenience.
Climate Tech is an umbrella term for all the technologies necessary to fight Climate Change. Many “hard tech” solutions exist, such as wires, solar panels, methane sensors, batteries, etc. But the reality is that Climate Tech is fueled by digital technology. To fight climate change, we need a radical transformation of many systems that power our economy, including energy, transportation, buildings, agriculture, and more. Yes, all of these systems have a physical component.
But it is the digitization of these industries that allows us to create innovative solutions to transition away from fossil fuels, detect methane leaks, improve the yields of crops, orchestrate how we use energy across regions, etc.
Now, why am I telling you all this? Because Climate Tech companies are working on some of the most exciting problems out there and are applying the latest technology, like IoT, AI, Cloud, 5G, and more, to bring about these changes. The growth opportunity is enormous, and the impact on our world is even more significant. All these companies are building digital products, so they need Product Managers.
Recommended podcast episode: B2B Innovation in Energy and Climate
The need for PMs in Climate Tech is not only attached to “building any product” or “mindless growth.” In the fight against Climate Change, time is of the essence. Therefore, PMs can help these companies build the right solution for the right problem the first time. In this field, there is less opportunity for trial and error. The sooner we deliver those solutions and can bring them to market at scale while being profitable, the sooner we will be on our way to addressing the Climate crisis.
On this World Product Day, consider applying your PM skills to the Climate problem. This is the biggest challenge of our generation, but it can be an exciting and rewarding career path.
Recommended keynote: How IoT can help fight Climate Change.
Many people ask me what it takes to find a role in Climate. So below, I’m sharing some of my favorite resources to get you started. Let me know if this helps, and feel free to add additional resources in the comments!
Work in Climate
A fantastic community of professionals looking to transition into Climate roles. Once you join the community, you will find a channel dedicated to product management. Visit their site.
Energy Terminal
A great podcast, resources, and community run by Hope Pratt and Michael Wood. Their website includes invaluable resources on how to wrap your head around the Climate space and how to start your search. Visit their site.
I was fortunate to be a guest on their podcast and share my perspective about getting a PM job in Climate. Listen to it here: Clean Tech Jobs, Finding your first role with Daniel Elizalde.
Terra.do
It is a fantastic site with training, recruiting events, and a very supportive community to start your climate journey. Visit their site.
My Climate Journey
Another great podcast + community for people interested in Climate. Visit their site.
CTVC by Sightline Climate
A fantastic set of reports and resources on the Climate Tech VC ecosystem. This can help you understand which VCs invest in which sectors and which companies to target. Visit their site.
I have a lot more resources to share, but I’ll stop there for today. I’ll share my favorite Climate Tech books and podcasts in upcoming posts. Stay tuned!
Happy World Product Day!
Daniel