Episode 77: A Career Investing and Making an Impact with Mike Winterfield of Active Impact Investments

Synopsis

Episode 77. We’re all driven to have an impact of some sort or another at work. Likewise, when we invest, having an impact is a very nice bonus as well. In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Mike Winterfield, founder of Active Impact Investments, Canada’s largest climate tech seed fund.

They discuss Mike's journey from recruitment to founding a clean technology venture capital fund, the types of companies he invests in, and how these companies are addressing climate change while generating financial returns. Mike shares his strategies for evaluating potential investments and the importance of having a high-functioning board.

He also offers career advice for those looking to make an impact and resources for learning more about climate tech.

  • 00:00 Introduction to Lifetime at Work Podcast

  • 00:23 Meet Mike Winterfield: Founder of Active Impact Investments

  • 01:18 Mike's Career Journey and Investment Philosophy

  • 03:43 Building and Supporting Climate Tech Startups

  • 17:34 The Importance of Board Roles and Governance

  • 30:56 Recruiting Top Talent for Startups

  • 35:44 Balancing Social Impact with Financial Returns

  • 37:35 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Final Thoughts

  • 42:21 Closing Remarks and How to Stay Connected

Background and Key Links

  • Mike started his career in the world of recruiting, moving up at the firm Randstad until becoming President

  • Later moved closer to the technology world including at Traction on Demand, a recreation management system using Salesforce

  • In 2017 Mike founded Active Impact Investments, a climate tech seed fund based in BC

  • Find Mike on Linked-In

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Episode 78: How to Win When AI is Coming for Your Job with Greg Shove

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Episode 76: Starting a Venture Capital Career with a Founder and CTO Mindset with Mistral’s Raif Barbaros