ladder construction is a diverse picture book and online curriculum publishing platform with a mission to empower over 1 million children to become social entrepreneurs. The current series features interplanetary journalist Spiffy's interviews with inspiring social entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship ecosystem builders and changemakers driving the United Nations SDGs forward.
Here's the scoop on the planet's entrepreneurial leaders. As the only interplanetary journalist stationed on this blue planet, I'm excited to present this galactic exclusive with Daniel Uusitalo, his VCV and M&A analyst at Helen Ventures. Learn what's going on there and how Daniel is positively impacting the world.
Spiffy: Hello, Daniel, thank you so much for speaking with us today. please tell me. What challenges are you tackling through Helen Ventures?
Daniel: Thank you for having me, Suppy! As the CVC fund of Finnish energy company Helen Oy, Helen Ventures invests in Europe's innovative We are working to strengthen our energy technology. We accelerate the growth of early and growth-stage companies through our energy market insights and by collaborating with customers and industry experts.
Spicy: What is your motivation for doing that?
Daniel: Energy technology startups are working to solve many of the bottlenecks our society will face in the broader energy transition, and our role is to help fund growth and expansion. This is my role as a person. I was drawn to the energy sector because of its transformative role in the sustainability transition and because I wanted to work with the most ambitious founders and support their transformative businesses. The world has set clear targets for renewable energy production as a proportion of total energy production, but the process of implementing them is fraught with challenges. This is where innovative startups come in. Founders in this space will play a pivotal role in the transition by bringing new solutions to market that solve existing and emerging bottlenecks.
Spicy: How do you think your organization is working towards a more just world?
Daniel: Helen is driving vital changes in its energy generation portfolio, thereby contributing to the availability and affordability of renewable energy in the long term. Our goal is to achieve a completely carbon-neutral energy system by 2030. We are working to build increasingly cleaner, smarter, and more flexible energy systems so that others in our region have access to affordable, renewable energy to achieve their goals. .
Spicy: Please tell us about some recent organizational milestones and initiatives. How does it impact your community?
Daniel: We reported that we will build over 2,000 megawatts of total capacity to replace fossil energy production in the coming years. Investments in diverse production structures, both in terms of electricity and heating, guarantee security of supply and maintenance and ensure the continuation of the green transition towards carbon-neutral energy production. One of his largest construction projects in Helen, the Vuosaari bioenergy heating plant, began heat production in 2022 as an example of an important initiative.
Spicy: Tell us about an exciting startup that helped your organization grow its impact.
Daniel: Because we are focused on technology that supports the world in the energy transition, many of our portfolio companies work directly to solve the world's most pressing problems. One example of a success story in our portfolio is Gradyent, a company working to optimize district heating, decarbonize and transform heating systems. They achieve this through the provision of a real-time digital twin platform that enables grid operators to optimize and simulate future delivery scenarios. Gradyent's solutions will enable operators to reduce their CO2 emissions and detect problems in the power grid more quickly, helping to ensure the security of Europe's heat supply.
Spicy: Is there anything else you would like to tell our viewers?
Daniel: I think the most rewarding part of this job is getting to know great founders who are working on globally important solutions. We are fortunate to be in a position to support the aspirations of these innovators. While they are an important part of the growth story of the startups we work with, it's important to remember that at the end of the day, founders are solving the world's most pressing problems. Our job is to promote and nurture it to the fullest.
Spicy: Daniel, thank you for speaking with us today, it was an honor!
Daniel Uusitalo was born in Finland but grew up in New York City, Vienna, and London. With experience in management consulting, corporate banking risk management, startup acceleration, and most recently in energy technology venture capital, Daniel is passionate about supporting founders who create and deliver innovative technologies to the world at large. I'm here. (First published on his Ladderworks website on March 29, 2024.)
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Ladderworks LLC.
© 2024 Ladderworks LLC. Edited by Anushree Nande. Spiffy's illustration Shreyas Navarre. For more information about Ladderworks' digital curriculum that helps K-12 kids advance the United Nations' SDGs, check out Spiffy's Launchpad: Creative Entrepreneurs for K-12 Kids and Their Parents Check out our spiritual workshops. here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
