Event Detail




FoundHER 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.

FoundHER 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

FoundHER 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:

  • Hands-On Workshops: Interactive sessions covering storytelling, leadership, and critical startup fundamentals.

  • Expert Webinars: Insights from seasoned investors, founders, and industry leaders.

  • Weekly Office Hours: Live Q&A and collaborative problem-solving with mentors. For registrants only.

  • 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 18, Thursday – Program Kickoff. Fundraising & Cap Table 101 | Alena Solonina, and Nagashree Manwatkar, Founder, Gaia-Force

Week 2:
September 25, Thursday – Workshop: Storytelling & Personal Branding | Kirin Kalia, Founder and CEO, Grow Through Story

Week 3:
October 2, Thursday – Workshop: Legal 101 | Aravinda Seshadri, Founding Partner, Venturous Counsel

Week 4:
October 9, Thursday – Marketing Digital Presence | Sarah Yasokochi, Founder Principal Strategist, House Collective

Week 5:
October 15, Wednesday – Building Confidence in Pitches + Leadership Presence & Negotiation | Rasa DiSalvo, Founder and CEO, RD Coaching and Consulting

Week 6:
October 23, Thursday – Women VCs and Women Entrepreneurs Happy Hour (In-Person in San Francisco)


Featured Speakers

Alena Solonina

Alena Solonina

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.

 

Kirin Kalia

Kirin Kalia

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.

 

 

Rasa DiSalvo

Rasa DiSalvo

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.

 

 

Sarah Yasokochi

Sarah Yasokochi

Founder Principal Strategist, House Collective

Sarah Yasukochi is the founder of House Collective, a digital marketing firm specializing in growth strategies for good brands. House Collective partners with sustainable businesses, innovative teams, and community-focused organizations to design marketing strategies and lifecycle campaigns that engage audiences, amplify impact, and support long-term growth.
With more than 25 years of marketing leadership experience, Sarah brings a collaborative, big-picture approach to every engagement. Her work blends strategic insight with a deep commitment to values-driven growth. House Collective is a certified California Green Business and is pursuing B Corp certification. Sarah is an active member of Women in Cleantech & Sustainability (WCS) and Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE).

 

Aravinda Seshadri

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

Nagashree Manwatkar

Nagashree Manwatkar

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.