On November 12 Generation Investment Management (Generation) and the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) announced a collaboration to "find, fund and accelerate green business, technology and policy solutions with the greatest potential to help solve the current climate crisis." As part of this collaboration former Vice President Al Gore will now serve as a partner at KPCB and KPCB partner John Doerr will serve on Generation’s Advisory Board. Al Gore is the co-founder and chair of Generation.
The two organizations will work together in areas including renewable energy technologies, building efficiency, cleaner fossil energy, sustainable agriculture and carbon markets. KPCB, which has previously invested in companies including Amazon.com, Genentech, and Google, currently has a Greentech initiative (some of their current Greentech investments are listed here).
In commenting on this new collaboration, Mr. Gore said, "This alliance brings together world-class business talent to focus on solving the climate crisis. Together, we have a working understanding of this urgent, multi-dimensional challenge and are resolved to help business and government leaders accelerate the development of sustainable solutions."
For more information:
- Press Release from Generation Investment Management and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (November 12, 2007)
- Al Gore’s Next Act: Planet-saving VC (Fortune magazine, November 26, 2007; also available as a PDF from KPCB)
- Investment Firm Names Gore as a Partner (The New York Times, November 13, 2007)
- Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers: Greentech Initiative
- Generation Investment Management