Lisa DeMarco

Executive summary:

I graduated from UCLA with honors and cum laude recognition.
A lifelong learner, I received my NABCEP PV Associate Certification in 2019.
I then went on to found my first limited liability company (LLC) during the pandemic in 2021, just hired two more employees in early 2022, and am looking to continue to expand my business given the growing need for marketing communications support in the cleantech industry.

What is your field of expertise?

Writing, market research, content creation, social media, public relations (PR) strategy, digital advertising, and cleantech storytelling. Climate Tech Marketing is extremely data driven, ensuring that all marketing communication strategies align directly with cleantech companies’ business goals & can produce measurable progress on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.

Describe your journey to where you are today.

From driving sustainability practices at all UCLA laboratories, to enabling more local residents in Tanzania and Vietnam to access renewable energy systems, to supporting utility-scale independent power producers with effective storytelling, I have always been motivated to protect the environment & mitigate climate change. I was very involved with on-campus sustainability initiatives during my undergraduate years at UCLA. After working in the legal field for about five years in the U.S. and focusing heavily on diversity, equity, inclusion & justice (DEIJ) initiatives, I eventually decided to work in Africa and Asia to help more people across the globe realize the benefits of biogas and solar and energy storage systems, including through microfinance programs. I worked for a Tesla-backed off grid solar startup based in Tanzania running solar-plus-storage pilot programs in three African countries before I returned to the U.S. to work for a global energy storage manufacturer. Two years into my clean energy work in the U.S., and after thoroughly surveying the immense need for marketing support in this industry, I decided to found my own cleantech marketing communications agency to provide my services and expertise to a wider range of clients.

What does your company do, for whom, and how does it fit into the bigger picture of solving global issues with clean tech?

Climate Tech Marketing LLC enables effective storytelling for utility-scale solar developers; independent power producers (IPPs); engineering, procurement & construction companies (EPCs); design & engineering firms; solar tracker manufacturers; energy storage companies; renewable energy finance companies; software as a service (SaaS) platforms; & residential, commercial & industrial (C&I) renewable energy companies. We help a wide range of cleantech companies achieve their business goals through strategic marketing communications to allow these companies to continue to grow & make an impact in more parts of the world – mitigating climate change in the process.

What do you wish you could tell the younger you? What would’ve been incredibly helpful to you ten years ago?

I wish I would have known the extent to which clean energy transforms lives, particularly for those in developing countries, but also for our planet as a whole; I think the pandemic has driven home the fact that our lives are intrinsically linked. I think it also would have been great to know that the clean energy industry needs literally all types of skill sets – from marketing to engineering to software development to finance. If you have any kind of skill, you likely can find a role within cleantech, especially now, as the industry is witnessing tremendous growth. I also think that this industry used to be viewed as not very stable, but at this point, I think it goes without saying that this industry is growing with no end in sight.

Also, pay attention to where most of the recent large investments are going. If you don’t know where to start in cleantech, this is a great way to narrow down your options. When I was first entering the industry in the U.S., energy storage was what everyone was focusing on, and still is, to a large extent. For example, and although it overlaps with energy storage to a certain extent, the electric vehicle market has really taken off since I first entered the cleantech industry in the U.S.

Lastly, when it comes to breaking into the industry, and if you don’t know anyone in cleantech yet, contact people on LinkedIn whose careers you admire in order to pick their brains on how they enjoy their current roles. Just spend time networking and learning by speaking with others. You will be pleasantly surprised by how many people in our industry are willing to chat and provide their insights. Most people in this industry are truly passionate about what they do and are likely to want to engage with others considering entering the cleantech industry.

LinkedIn: Lisa DeMarco