Join us for our virtual learning series, ClimateCAP MBA Academy: Understanding the Business of Climate. Through this series we will talk with experts on topics across the climate x business continuum to prepare the business leaders of tomorrow—today’s MBA students— to anticipate and manage climate risks and opportunities in their careers.
How do you go from an MBA classroom to launching a mission-driven startup in the climate space? In this dynamic session, hear from recent Stanford GSB graduates Krish Mehta (CEO of PHNX Materials) and Meghan Wood (CEO & Co-Founder of Raya Power), who turned their passion for climate into thriving businesses. They’ll share how they developed and validated their business ideas, navigated the challenges of launching a company while balancing coursework, and tapped into MBA resources to build their ventures, and create impact.
The conversation will be facilitated by Adelaide Coman (Co-Curricular Ecopreneurship Programs at Stanford University), who will lead the conversation about the financial realities of funding a startup, the transition from MBA life to full-time entrepreneurship, and the biggest lessons they've learned since graduation. Whether you’re an aspiring ecopreneur or simply curious about the intersection of business and climate, this conversation will offer candid insights and actionable advice on launching a climate startup in business school and beyond.
Register here.
About Krish Mehta
Krish Mehta is the CEO of PHNX Materials, a startup decarbonizing concrete by refining landfilled coal ash into a clean cement substitute. Inspired to tackle the devastating impacts of climate change he witnessed in India, Krish has dedicated his career to lowering CO2 emissions. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with dual degrees in Business (Wharton) and Engineering, then worked as an Engagement Manager in McKinsey’s sustainability practice and later managed the Model 3 P&L at Tesla. As a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford, Krish earned an MBA from the Graduate School of Business and a Master’s from the Doerr School of Sustainability. An Activate Fellow and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Krish is committed to tackling hard-to-abate industrial emissions through PHNX.
About Meghan Wood
Meghan is passionate about solving problems at the intersection of climate, business, and technology. Before going to Stanford to earn a joint MBA/MS degree in environment and resources, Meghan worked as a management consultant at Bain & Company in Toronto. Her most fulfilling work came from the relationship she built between her home Bain office and The Nature Conservancy in Canada. Meghan spent her time at Stanford exploring ways to make a positive climate impact through entrepreneurship. Her ultimate conclusion came from being unable to participate in most climate solutions herself or convince her family and friends to do so. It became clear we need better ways to drive the adoption of incredible technologies we already have. This landed Meghan on solar - a physical asset that can produce electricity for people and save them money. She spent the second half of her MBA through various startup classes, researching and brainstorming ways to make residential solar more accessible and affordable so everyone could participate. This led to the founding of her current company, Raya Power, making solar adoption like any other appliance, instead of a major construction project.
About Adelaide Coman
Adelaide is an accomplished entrepreneur, innovator, and community leader who currently serves as the Associate Director of Co-curricular Ecopreneurship Programs at Stanford Graduate School of Business. With a rich background in higher education, startup incubation, and community-building, she has supported over 300 early-stage ventures and helped countless entrepreneurs explore and launch innovative, sustainable business ideas. Previously an Associate Lecturer in entrepreneurship at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Adelaide also co-founded a health and well-being solution designed for remote workforces. Her career is grounded in a deep commitment to sustainability, beginning with her early work as a Wildlife Warrior in Australia. Adelaide brings strategic agility, critical thinking, and a people-centered approach to every endeavor—believing that while “leader” is a noun, “leadership” is an action verb.