Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good.
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Executive strategist and systems thinker, Sandra Kwak is applying disruptive innovation to create a regenerative future. Before launching 10Power, she scaled AutoGrid from prototype to a global brand, creating automated intelligence out of big data from the smart grid. Prior, as Co-Founder / President / COO of energy efficiency company Powerzoa, she brought building management hardware and software tools to market. Sandra has also served as CEO of a software company producing the world’s first mathematically lossless video codec. She worked at Pacific Gas & Electric implementing the ClimateSmart program and has consulted with clients including Mitsubishi, the Transamerica Holding Company, and The San Francisco Foundation. Sandra has an MBA in Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School and a BA in Political Science and Visual Art from Emory University. 10 Power is an investee of LIFT Economy’s Force for Good Fund.
Some highlights from Andrew’s interview with Sandra include:
Sandra describes how part of her inspiration for creating 10Power grew from her observation that concerted efforts to elevate social equity was missing from CleanTech sector as thousands lack access to electricity and all that affordable electrical infrastructure affords
With Haiti importing most of its energy, Sandra enumerates emerging opportunities for solar in Haiti including building virgin, state of the art infrastructure and innovative financing to increase affordability
Sandra laments Trump’s imposition of tariffs on solar panels, counterproductively backsliding U.S. energy policy as Haitian President Jovenel Moïse boldly removes tariffs entirely from solar panel imports with promises of rapidly electrifying Haiti with renewable energy
Deriving much of her hope and inspiration from youth, Sandra offers advice to anyone wanting to make a difference in CleanTech or in general, advising us to treat every experience as a learning experience, to find or create the conditions that enable us to thrive, and to elevate positive solutions
As they continue recognizing, investing in, and scaling solutions, 10Power will be raising a fund later this year (subscribe to LIFT Economy’s monthly newsletter to stay tuned for opportunities to support!)
Resources:
The Tech Industry’s Missed Opportunity: Funding Black Women Founders
Going to Scale: The challenge of replicating social programs
As Pay-as-you-go Solar Proliferates, Here are 7 Lessons for Business Success
Pay-As-You-Go Transactions in Off-Grid Solar Top $41M in Late 2016
PayGo solar home systems to rural off-grid communities in Sub-Saharan Africa
Videos/Audio:
Next Economy Now: Sandra Kwak: Solar as the Backbone for a New Economy - in Haiti and Beyond
100x100 Project's Social Ventures with Social Entrepreneur and Powerzoa Founder -- Sandra Kwak
The Haitian Revolution and Why It Is Important to You in 5 Minutes
Episode 30 - Big Data and Renewable Energy in Haiti - Sandra Kwak
Anderson Cooper: People of Haiti have withstood more than our President ever has
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LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life.