During my summer at Arbon, a climate‑technology start‑up developing low‑energy carbon capture, I worked across strategy and communications to prepare the company for commercial scale‑up. I created an investor pitch deck, developed newsletters for industry stakeholders, and conducted market research across cement, steel, and waste‑to‑energy verticals. I analyzed competitors’ technologies and business models, mapped out prospective funding sources—including government grants and advance carbon‑removal purchasing programs—and built a valuation model to estimate Arbon’s enterprise value under different scenarios. These deliverables helped the company refine its go‑to‑market strategy and communicate its mission to accelerate decarbonization in hard‑to‑abate sectors.

My MBA coursework at Columbia Business School was invaluable. The Foundations of Entrepreneurship class provided a blueprint for constructing a clear investor narrative, while Porter’s Five Forces and the Business Model Canvas guided my analysis of market opportunities and threats. Leadership classes helped me navigate ambiguity, communicate with technical and business stakeholders, and take initiative in a resource‑constrained start‑up. I also relied on data from the Climate Knowledge Initiative to segment markets and quantify emissions.

The biggest challenges were prioritizing industrial verticals and distilling technical concepts for non‑technical audiences. Data on emissions, market structure, and technology readiness were fragmented, and identifying the most promising sectors required judgment. Simplifying complex chemistry and engineering into a story investors could understand required multiple iterations.

Despite these hurdles, the internship was profoundly rewarding. I gained hands‑on experience building a company from the ground up, saw how even early‑stage technologies can influence customer behaviour when framed correctly, and deepened my conviction to pursue climate entrepreneurship. I leave Arbon confident in my ability to bridge science and commercialization to drive sustainable innovation.