Announcement Detail
FounderHER in Climate 2025 - Women Entrepreneurs Coaching Series
Dates: September 18th to October 23rd, 2025 (see details below)
Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PT
Location: Virtual
Ticket price:
- Free for WCS Members
- $15 for Non-Members (per each session)
- Interested in becoming a member? Please learn more and apply here
To select the sessions you’d like to attend, please proceed to the registration page. There, choose your desired dates and sessions. You can book as many sessions as you like at once, or book one now and return later for ticket to the next session.
As climate change accelerates and global energy transitions gain urgency, women remain underrepresented in founding roles across climate tech and sustainability. Despite a record $60 billion invested in climate tech in recent years, only a small fraction has gone to women-led ventures. To close this gap, targeted support systems are critical for equipping female founders with the tools and networks they need to succeed.
FounderHER in Climate 2025, an exclusive 6-week virtual coaching series designed to fast-track women entrepreneurs in climate and impact sectors into the top 50% of investable ventures. The program features expert-led workshops, webinars, office hours, and peer circles to build critical business skills in fundraising, leadership, marketing, and legal fundamentals. Curated for early-stage founders, the series fosters a vibrant peer community and delivers hands-on guidance from top industry leaders. Participation is free through corporate sponsorship, with applications accepted by invitation or referral only. Sponsorships fund expert honorariums, tools, and founder support. WCS seeks partners aligned with its mission to accelerate cleantech innovation through inclusive leadership and equitable access. The program runs from September 18 to October 23, 2025.
Program Overview
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EmpowerHER is a multi-week, virtual coaching experience focused on building the technical and soft skills essential for scaling a women-led venture. Participants gain access to:
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Hands-On Workshops: Interactive sessions covering storytelling, leadership, and critical startup fundamentals.
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Expert Webinars: Insights from seasoned investors, founders, and industry leaders.
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Weekly Office Hours: Live Q&A and collaborative problem-solving with mentors.
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Peer Circles: Intimate cohorts fostering accountability, networking, and shared learning.
Program Schedule
September 18th to October 23rd, 2025, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PT (Virtual)
Week 1:
September 16, Thursday – Program Kickoff. Fundraising & Cap Table 101
Week 2:
September 25, Thursday – Workshop: Storytelling & Personal Branding
Week 3:
October 2, Thursday – Workshop: Legal 101
Week 4:
October 9, Thursday – Marketing Digital Presence
Week 5:
October 16, Thursday – Building Confidence in Pitches + Leadership Presence & Negotiation
Week 6:
October 23, Thursday – Workshop + Happy Hour: Women VCs and Women Entrepreneurs
Featured Speakers
Co-Founder, The RAR Studio
Alena Solonina is Partner and Co-Founder of CurvePoint Capital, bringing 9 years of investment experience to the firm. She joined Brian and James on the Aegon Climate Capital team to facilitate deal execution and portfolio monitoring. Alena previously worked at Global Emerging Markets Group and TriLinc Global, focusing on closing the financing gap in emerging markets through direct private credit and equity investing.
Alena actively supports female entrepreneurs through her leadership of the LA Chapter of Women in Climate Investing and Finance. Additionally, she co-founded The RAR Studio, an initiative that provides educational resources and a community platform for female entrepreneurs to help them navigate the complexities of capital markets. Alena’s expertise spans multiple sectors, including sustainable investments and climate finance, aligning with the firm’s mission of responsible and impactful investing.
Founder and CEO, Grow Through Story
Kirin Kalia, founder and CEO of Grow Through Story, is a startup veteran and communications expert with 25+ years of experience across journalism and marketing. She helps founders master their messaging and public-speaking skills so they raise more money and grow their revenue faster. Kirin has coached 1000+ founders to pitch investors and innovation leaders at companies including Visa, P&G Ventures, and more. She is a Techstars 2023 All-Star Mentor and recently taught the Pitch Deck Masterclass for Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs.
Founder and CEO, RD Coaching and Consulting
Rasa DiSalvo is a transformational coach and speaker who helps high-achieving women unlock their wealth codes by mastering the energetics of abundance. With a background in leadership development and energy work, Rasa bridges the worlds of purpose-driven business and quantum consciousness to help her clients create aligned success. Her work supports founders, executives, and investors in reconnecting with their inner wisdom, amplifying their influence, and activating a deeper level of impact — prosperity rooted in clarity, energetic alignment, and purpose.
Founder Principal Strategist, House Collective
Sarah Yasukochi is the founder of House Collective, a certified California small business and marketing consultancy focused on digital strategy for sustainability and community-driven brands. With 25+ years of experience, including leadership in Fortune 500 companies, she helps purpose-driven teams optimize strategy, operations, and campaigns for measurable impact.
House Collective supports in-house marketing teams with audits, planning, content, and automation. Clients include clean energy companies, B Corps, and mission-led brands. Sarah is a certified CA Green Business, holds SBE, WBE, MBE, and WOSB certifications, and is an active member of WCS and WRISE.
Founding Partner, Venturous Counsel
Aravinda Seshadri is the Founding Partner of Venturous Counsel, a uniquely mission-driven firm dedicated to exclusively representing underestimated startups and investors committed to prioritizing diversity in their own organizations, as well as assisting such business to find the right legal partner, to help level the playing field for these startups and investors in terms of access to quality legal counsel. As a part of that work, she actively maintains and expands her network of diverse-led law firms and diverse attorneys to whom she can refer startups and investors needing the right legal partner.
Moderator
Founder, Gaia-Force
Nagashree Manwatkar is a seasoned leader in cleantech with a career dedicated to decarbonization and scaling sustainable solutions. As a Board Member and Co-Chair of the Women in Cleantech and Sustainability Entrepreneurship Committee, she fosters innovation and supports startups in the green economy. With extensive experience in operations, strategy, and business development—spanning Tesla Energy, large-scale infrastructure projects, and climate-focused nonprofits—Nagashree is passionate about empowering women entrepreneurs and accelerating the transition to a clean energy future. She is the founder of Gaia-Force, an upskilling initiative for climate professionals, demonstrating her commitment to workforce development in cleantech.
EVENT SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE! Please email us at info@womencleantechsustainability.org if you have any questions.