Oliver Gottfried

Oliver Gottfried is a postdoctoral researcher at MIT Sloan’s Sustainability Initiative, specializing in groundbreaking research aimed at optimizing fundraising, go-to-market strategies, internationalization, and exit strategies for climate and deep tech startups and venture capital firms in the US and Europe. Holding a PhD in environmental engineering from Tsinghua University and having served as a visiting scholar at Stanford University with a focus on climate tech investments, Oliver brings a unique blend of academic rigor and real-world insights to his work. 

His research spans critical climate tech sectors such as electricity, transportation, manufacturing, buildings, and agriculture, encompassing both software- and hardware-oriented climate tech startups and VCs across the seed to Series D stages. By addressing the pressing issue of climate change, Oliver's work not only contributes to the academic discourse but also offers tangible value to the operational aspects of climate tech VCs and startups. 

Importantly, the outcomes of his research are set to be integrated into an AI-powered custom ChatGPT, providing valuable and tailored insights to VCs and startups seeking guidance on critical aspects of their business. Furthermore, in-detailed strategic workshops will be developed out of his research for climate tech VCs / startups.  

With over a decade of hands-on experience in deep and climate tech VC investing, Oliver serves as an investment director for AI.FUND, a leading German early-stage applied AI fund. He worked at HongDao Capital, where he concentrated on climate tech investments within the transportation sector, leveraging AI technologies. Overseeing 25+ early-stage investments at the convergence of climate tech (both hardware and software) and AI, Oliver has played a pivotal role in the success of several unicorns.  

Oliver's global perspective is further enhanced by his vast network cultivated through VC engagements in Europe, the US, and the US. This network extends to potential follow-on investors such as private equity firms, corporates, and government adopters. With a strong operational background, Oliver is well-equipped to guide startups through the intricacies of fundraising, go-to-market strategies, and exit planning, ensuring their success in the dynamic landscape of deep and climate tech investing.