Where Are The Green Jobs? At Venture-Funded Start-Up Companies

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Startup companies have always been the engine of growth of the American economy, and it is even more the case in the green sector.

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Startup companies are more nimble and innovative and, according to a study by the Kauffman Foundation, they create many more jobs annually than established companies. The study show that “the fraction of employment accounted for by business startups in the U.S. private sector over the 1980-2005 period is about 3 percent per year. This exceeds the 1.8 percent average annual net employment growth. This pattern [...] highlights the importance of business startups for job creation in the U.S. economy.”

To be successful, start-up companies need capital, and in new, leading edge areas like green technology, capital needs are often much higher than in more established sectors. That’s where angel investors and venture capital (VC) firms come in. In the Green industry, there are few dedicated VC firms and most investments in green start-up companies are led by leading venture capitalist firms that have created a “green” or “clean tech” side to their business. The leading Green VC’s include the following companies:

• Khosla Ventures (42 green portfolio companies)
• VantagePoint (31 green portfolio companies)
• Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (28 green portfolio companies)
• New Enterprise Associates (NEA) (19 green portfolio companies)
• Rockport Capital (19 green portfolio companies)
• Braemar Energy Ventures (15 green portfolio companies)
• Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) (15 green portfolio companies)
• Sequoia Capital (10 green portfolio companies)

Of all the company profiles created on The Green Job Bank (almost 600), more than one in four is a venture-funded company. Some of the ones hiring the most are:

• A123 Systems, funded by Sequoia Capital and Braemar. (30 jobs)
• Amonix, funded by Kleiner-Perkins. (22 jobs)
• Comverge, funded by Rockport. (17 jobs)
• Ecofactor, funded by Rockport. (9 jobs)
• EnerNOC, funded by Foundation Capital, Braemar and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. (40 jobs)
• Enphase Energy, funded by Kleiner Perkins and Rockport. (20 jobs)
• Illumitex, funded by NEA. (9 jobs)
• Ioxus, funded by Braemar. (11 jobs)
• OPower, funded by Kleiner Perkins and NEA. (53 jobs)
• SolarCity, funded by Draper Fisher Jurvetson. (100 jobs)

As you can see in the list above, it’s quite common for startups to raise money from more than one VC, and there are several reasons for that. First, the initial round of investment (called “Series A”) is often smaller, and attracts different VC’s than the second round (or “Series B”), which is usually an “expansion” round, and is much larger. Second, some VC’s don’t like to invest alone, and want to spread the risk by asking others to participate in the round.

It is also interesting to note that while Khosla Ventures’ portfolio of green companies is the largest, the number of green jobs created by its portfolio companies is relatively small, especially compared to Kleiner Perkins. A reasonable explanation is that Khosla invests in the first round of early stage companies that are smaller, and create just a few jobs, while Kleiner Perkins invests in the 2nd or 3rd round of later stage companies that have already proven their products in the marketplace, and are in a rapid expansion phase.

Start-up companies are where the jobs are created, and they are the most exciting jobs, at the leading edge of innovation, creativity, and risk. Salaries at these venture-funded start-ups can be lower than industry average, but the compensation package often includes stock options, so if the company succeeds and is acquired or goes public, there’s a big pay-off for all employees.

So, if you have some appetite for a bit of risk, a relaxed but fast paced environment, hard work and some fun, don’t hesitate! Look for a job at a green start-up company!

By Bernard Ferret, Founder & CEO of The Green Job Bank

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