University of Michigan students and faculty have just launched a student-run investment fund focused on supporting early-stage climate tech companies.

The fund is main offering of the Michigan Climate Venture, a multi-faceted program that deals with climate technology and venture capital at the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan Ross School of Business, School for Environment and Sustainability and Erb Institute co-created the program. The Michigan Climate Venture is designed to give students practical experience making a difference with climate change. 

"MCV is based on the success of the Social Venture and the International Investment funds, which I also oversee at Michigan Ross, and is in partnership with the Erb Institute and SEAS, and focused on the most pressing and challenging global societal issue we face: climate change," said said Gautam Kaul, the fund's faculty director and professor of finance and the Robert G. Rodkey Collegiate Professor of Business Administration Ross.   

For this first year, around 20 students have been accepted into the fund, including Ross's full-time MBA students as well as those from SEAS and the College of Engineering. Throughout the academic year, the members will collaborate to source, screen, vet and ultimately invest in and support deals aligned with the fund's mission.  

The vision for the future is that MCV might become an incubator for climate startups.