This year at Climate Week NYC 2025, Builders Vision brought together hundreds of smart investors, innovators, philanthropists and corporate leaders who are seizing the moment and building the markets of the future. The day was designed to help attendees explore opportunities and new models that are driving the transition forward, fueling economic growth and delivering change at scale.
The energy in the room was palpable from the start, as our CIO, Noelle Laing, kicked off the day by urging attendees to embrace the themes of Opportunity and Resilience. She set the tone early, explaining that even in this complex moment, the evolving industrial landscape is driven by strong fundamentals that offer significant growth potential for investors.
“The exciting thing about right now is that the opportunity set has grown substantially over the last few years. We're seeing so much that's ripe for strong risk-adjusted returns and high impact. It’s a really important moment in the growth of this market for investors of all different stripes,” said Noelle Laing, Chief Investment Officer, Builders Vision.
Here are some of our key takeaways from the day.
Seizing Opportunity in Food & Agriculture, Energy and Oceans
Our opening keynote with Damien Ma, founder of Macro Polo and adjunct faculty at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, examined how shifting U.S.-China dynamics, especially in technology and the energy transition, are transforming global markets and shaping innovation and investment in food & agriculture, energy and oceans.
His fascinating overview laid the groundwork for our sector deep dives throughout the day, which provided in-depth looks at each industry and showcased tangible opportunities investors can pursue right now. The sessions featured visionary innovators developing scalable solutions and investors from across the capital stack. Together, they painted a clear picture of the sector’s current landscape, explained why these areas are poised for growth and made the case for why they belong in a smart, forward-looking portfolio strategy.
From the urgent need to deploy capital into farmland and support farmers, to how our clean energy future and energy security depend on sustainably sourced critical minerals, to building a viable market for blue bonds, each panel illustrated how different types of capital can work together to de-risk solutions, close investment gaps and attract additional investors. Across all sessions, the message was clear: these sectors are full of opportunity and the time to invest is now.
“Rather than waiting on the sidelines and seeing when there might be more certainty in the market, we are actively deploying into the space, finding great opportunities, both financially and from a climate perspective, and really leaning in heavily,” said Sara Balawajder, Director, Investments, Builders Vision.
Driving Corporate and Institutional Action Through Strategic, Market-Driven Solutions
Despite perceptions, many corporate and institutional players are sharpening their focus on priorities that deliver both environmental impact and clear business results, and their engagement is a critical market validation for sustainable solutions.
Leaders from United Airlines, ExxonMobil and Mars, Inc. shared what it takes to scale projects like sustainable aviation fuel and climate-resilient crop breeding, emphasizing that demonstrating economic value is crucial to winning support at the board and executive level. They also highlighted the need for investors to take a patient, long-term view to help these efforts truly scale.
“You have to come up with solutions that generate some kind of return or outcome that's material to your business. You have to create returns. And if you can do that, capital will come in and help you drive real change,” said Liz Henderson, Head of Global Climate Risk Advisory, Aon.
On the institutional side, experts from Standard Chartered and Aon discussed navigating risk and building resilience. They pointed to innovative financing models, like debt-for-nature swaps, as key tools, and made the case that institutional investors are in a unique position to lead the way in creating more flexible and forward-looking financial systems.
Investing in Resilience to Build a Future-Ready Economy
If there was one thread running through every session, it was that building a resilient future demands collaboration, creativity and a long-term vision. This year there was a clear shift from conversation to action and a shared urgency to get down to business and use every tool in the toolbox to drive these transitions forward.
“Our job is to build systems that accelerate—not just one-off wins. That means capital structures that bring others off the sidelines and into the market,” said Matt Knott, President & COO, Builders Vision
We’re leaving Climate Week with renewed clarity, deeper connections and real momentum. In the weeks ahead, we’ll be sharing more insights and takeaways from these conversations. In the meantime, we’ll leave you with a final reflection from one of our panelists that captured the spirit of the day:
“When I think of resilience today, I think of resilience of spirit in the work that we're doing...The core of what we're doing and the commitment to what we're doing needs to be steadfast and that gives me hope because I've seen a lot of people show up this week and show their commitment, their personal resilience and their willingness to continue to stay the course,” said Nat Simons, co-founder, Prelude Ventures.