Donnel Baird is the founder of BlocPower, a climate-tech company that analyzes, finances and installs clean-energy and decarbonization appliance upgrades in buildings in underserved communities. To this end, in 2021 the firm partnered with Ithaca, New York, to decarbonize 100% of its buildings. Prior to this, Baird was a political and community organizer and managed a national initiative to leverage American Recovery and Reinvestment Act energy-efficiency investments in marginalized areas. He is a board member of the New York Federal Reserve Bank Second District, Climate Reality Project and Coalition for Green Capital. Baird’s recognition includes being named the 2021 Columbia Business School Entrepreneur of the Year, 2022 National Venture Capital Association’s Startup Innovator of the Year and Time’s 2022 Dreamer of the Year.
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