From the White House to Climate Frontlines with Brandon Hurlbut

My Climate Journey

Brandon Hurlbut, our guest on this episode, wears multiple hats. He's co-founder at Boundary Stone Partners, a climate change focused government affairs firm created in 2013 that operates at the intersection of technology, finance, and policy.

He's also co-founder of Overture, an early stage climate tech venture capital firm that recently announced a $60 million debut fund, and he is an operating partner at NGP, a private equity fund focused on energy with billions of dollars under management. Among other activities, Brandon also serves on the board of directors of the Sunrise Movement, The Solutions Project, co-founded by Mark Ruffalo, and Clean Energy for America.

Before this, Brandon served in the Obama administration as US Department of Energy Chief of Staff, and in the White House as the president's liaison to the energy and environment cabinet agencies. At the DOE, Brandon oversaw day-to-day operations of a federal agency with a $29 billion budget and a 115,000 person workforce. He also served on the investment committee for its $38 billion Clean Energy Fund.

Cody and Brandon discuss the intersection of policy and innovation, including what his work at Boundary Stone entails and the types of problems they help companies navigate. They also delve into the 2024 US election, including what's at stake from a climate change perspective in the presidential, House, and Senate elections.

In this episode, we cover:

• [03:10]: Brandon's unified approach to merging technology, finance, and policy to combat climate change
• [05:22]: Involvement with the Sunrise Movement and The Solutions Project
• [09:52]: Transition from the Obama campaign to significant roles in energy and environment
• [14:08]: The genesis and evolution of Boundary Stone
• [21:14]: The varied advocacy work Boundary Stone undertakes to connect startups with government opportunities
• [30:31]: The high stakes of the 2024 US election for climate policy and innovation
• [34:42]: Potential climate policy directions and challenges in a post-2024 election landscape
• [40:27]: Ramifications of a potential 2024 Trump win on climate initiatives
• [43:53]: The role of Senate and House elections in shaping climate policy and legislation
• [46:13]: The bipartisan appeal of hydrogen, geothermal, and permitting reform in energy policy
• [50:38]: Brandon’s advice for getting involved ahead of the 2024 elections and beyond, including Climate Cabinet and Climate Power

Episode recorded on Mar 1, 2024 (Published on Mar 18, 2024)

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