ClimateTech & AI Infrastructure: A Gateway for International Founders & VCs

​Our event brings together startup founders from around the world and leading VCs to explore how climate-safe AI infrastructure can scale into one of the decade’s most impactful opportunities.

​We’ll unpack this from multiple angles:

​When AI Meets the Grid: Who Wins and Who Pays the Price?
How the explosive energy demand of AI will reshape power markets—creating new winners while exposing hidden operational and financial risks.

​Resilient by Design: Integrating Pricing Volatility into Your Strategy
Lessons from Europe’s 2022 energy crisis and how to prepare for AI-era power price spikes.

​Blackouts and Bottlenecks: The Infrastructure Gaps Holding AI Back
Transmission constraints, permitting delays, and fuel supply challenges that could choke growth—and where cross-border partnerships can unlock solutions.

​Positioning Your ClimateTech Startup as Essential AI Infrastructure
How to frame your product as mission-critical to both energy resilience and AI adoption—and what VCs are really looking for in ClimateTech–AI deals.

​CASE STUDIES: Building for Both AI and Climate
Real-world insights from teams navigating the intersection of climate innovation and AI infrastructure.

​Speakers:

​Hui Wen Chan, Senior Director of Sustainability, Crusoe

​Hui Wen Chan leads sustainability at Crusoe, the startup building $500B Project Stargate, the world’s largest AI datacenter for OpenAI and Oracle. Previously Head of ESG at Spin (acquired by Bird), she built sustainability, safety, and equity programs. At Citi, she drove ESG strategy, climate risk management, and global finance frameworks, also serving on UNEP FI’s Banking Committee. Earlier roles include Sagent Advisors, Oliver Wyman, and global health work with the Clinton Foundation and IAVI.

​Saman Armal, VP, Climate, Energy and Infrastructure, Black Rock

​In September, BlackRock unveiled a $30 billion AI investment fund — in partnership with Microsoft and Abu Dhabi–backed MGX — focused on data centers and supporting energy infrastructure, with the aim of mobilizing up to $100 billion. Saman Armal, a climate and data scientist specializing in extreme weather and infrastructure resilience, brings expertise in ensuring that large-scale investments incorporate environmental risk assessments and long-term sustainability.

​Diana Virgovicova, founder & CEO, XAtoms

​Toronto-based Xatoms uses AI and quantum chemistry to advance water purification. CEO Diana Virgovicova discovered a molecule capable of cleansing water at just 17 and now holds 8 patents for a reusable powder that can be applied to filters. Raised in a small Slovak village, she found her mission at 14 while backpacking through India with her mother, where polluted rivers inspired her to dedicate her life to clean water. In June, Xatoms raised $3 million in pre-seed funding to commercialize its technology.

​Abhishek Sastri, founder & CEO, FLUIX AI

​At 21, Abhishek Sastri invented a novel liquid cooling system used in DoE data centers, and has since spent his career inside DOD & DOE mission critical environments, working with utilities, MEP engineers, and developers to understand the operational bottlenecks slowing down AI infrastructure. Under his leadership, FLUIX is helping data reduce energy waste, accelerate deployments, and enable the next frontier of physical AI.

​Moderated by:

​​Pooja Khosla, CEO & co-founder, Entelligent

​Pooja Khosla, Ph.D., is an economist, econometrician, and mathematician specializing in predictive modeling, microfinance, and impact investing. Since 2003, she has developed national and international solutions for sustainable finance. At Entelligent since 2016, she has led the data science team, co-invented the patented Smart Climate technology, and created climate risk products and indices.

​This event offers direct access to potential deals, strategic partnerships, and a capital-intensive yet mission-aligned market.

​SPONSORED BY:

​Entelligent is a climate-risk analytics firm that helps institutional investors assess long-term financial exposure to climate change. Its patented Smart Climate® system leverages AI, big data, and scenario modeling to evaluate systemic risks and support risk-adjusted returns. The board combines deep expertise across climate science, finance, and technology, featuring leaders such as Nobel Peace Prize–winning scientist Dr. David Schimel, CEO Pooja Khosla, Ph.D., and global investment executives.

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​Resident Company Club is a shared workspace built for companies that value relationships. Coworking promised community but delivered random strangers sharing WiFi. We're a Company Club where every member is carefully vetted for cultural fit.

​About the organizers:

​The Vertical is the pioneering online publication that informs and educates the diverse community of international tech founders who are driving innovation in the U.S. Our mission is to empower international entrepreneurs by providing expert insights that address their unique challenges.