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Donnel baird

Donnel Baird is the founder of BlocPower, a climate tech company based in Brooklyn, NY, that
analyzes, finances, and installs clean energy and decarbonization upgrades in buildings in
underserved communities. BlocPower creates jobs for qualified local low income workers, energy
savings for building owners, reduces carbon emissions and asthma rates, and provides financial
returns to investors. In 2021, the company announced a historic partnership with Ithaca, New
York to decarbonize 100% of the city s buildings the first such project in the United States.

BlocPower is backed by Kapor Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and
Volo Earth Ventures. Baird is a graduate of Duke University and Columbia Business School. He
spent four years as a political and community organizer, and two years managing a national
initiative to leverage American Reinvestment and Recovery Act energy efficiency investments in
underserved communities.

He is a member of the board of directors of several organizations including the New York Federal
Reserve Bank Second District Board, the Climate Reality Project, and the Coalition For Green
Capital. Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Committee of the US SEC Small Business Capital
Formation. An award recipient of the Columbia Business School Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021,
the National Venture Capital Associations Startup Innovator of the Year in 2022, and TIME
Magazine’s inaugural 'Dreamer of the Yea r' in 2022. In 2022, Fast Company named BlocPower
the #4 Most Innovative Company in the World, TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential Companies,
and the 42nd Most Disruptive Startup in the world by CNBC
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  • Home
  • AGENDA 2024
    • AGENDA 2024
    • Agenda + All Sessions in Detail
  • REGISTRATION
    • REGISTER
    • LIVESTREAM
  • Forum 2024
    • SPEAKERS
    • VENUE
    • WHERE TO STAY
    • Download the Event App
  • PREVIOUS FORUMS
    • WREF 2023
    • WREF 2021 >
      • SPEAKERS
    • WREF 2020 >
      • Day 2
      • Day 3
      • Speakers
    • WREF 2019 >
      • AGENDA
      • Speakers
    • WREF 2018 >
      • Agenda
      • Panels
      • The Edge Sessions
    • WREF 2017 >
      • Agenda
      • Panels
      • The Edge Sessions
    • WREF 2016 >
      • Agenda
      • Panels
      • Panelist Bios
      • The Edge Sessions
  • Contact