Maybe you’re interested in entrepreneurship. Maybe you’ve been hearing more about climate tech. Or maybe joining a small team working on batteries, carbon removal, climate AI, sustainable materials, grid technology, or another emerging solution just sounds exciting.
But what does working at a climate startup actually mean—and is it right for you?
First, what is a startup?
A startup is a young company trying to build and scale a new product, technology, service, or business model.
Some startups consist of a founder and a handful of employees. Others have raised millions of dollars and employ hundreds of people.
Climate startups can work in areas such as renewable energy, batteries, grid technology, carbon removal, climate AI, agriculture, water, sustainable materials, buildings, transportation, climate adaptation, and more.
In other words, climate tech isn’t one industry. It’s an ecosystem.
Would I like working at one?
Startup life may appeal to you if you enjoy:
- Taking ownership of projects
- Learning quickly
- Working through ambiguity
- Wearing multiple hats
- Working closely with leadership
- Building something new
The tradeoff? Smaller companies may offer less structure, fewer formal training resources, changing responsibilities, and less predictable career paths.
Neither environment is better. The question is which fits you.
Finding opportunities requires a different strategy
Many startups don’t have campus recruiters—or even formal internship programs.
Instead of only asking:
“What internships are posted?”
Start asking:
“What companies are doing work I find interesting?”
Build a target list and learn about those companies. Who founded them? What problem are they solving? Have they recently raised funding? Are they growing? Who works there?
Then start connecting.
Yes, you can message the founder.
At a 20-person company, the founder may actually be involved in hiring.
Don’t lead with “Do you have an internship?”
Introduce yourself, mention something specific that interests you about the company, and ask whether they’d be open to a short conversation about their work.
And think about what you can contribute.
Data analysis? Coding? GIS? Market research? Financial modeling? Policy research? Business development? Communications?
“I can help you with ___” is much stronger than “I’ll do anything.”
Look beyond the companies you already know
Explore climate job boards such as Climatebase. Follow climate investors and accelerators. Look through their portfolio companies. Attend demo days and climate-tech events. Follow founders.
The goal isn’t simply finding today’s job posting.
It’s learning the ecosystem well enough to recognize tomorrow’s opportunity.
Sometimes in the startup world, finding the company comes before finding the job.
