Mentor - Climate & Sustainability at C10 Labs

About C10 Labs and AI Nexus NYC

C10 Labs is an AI-native venture fund and platform dedicated to partnering with exceptional founders to create and grow groundbreaking AI-driven companies. Through its initiative AI Nexus NYC, C10 Labs connects founders, investors, operators, researchers, corporate leaders, and sector specialists to foster the growth and commercialization of promising AI startups.

Role Overview

We are looking to expand our network of experienced mentors in climate, sustainability, and environmental innovation to guide early-stage founders. This role is suited for experienced founders, executives, investors, operators, researchers, and domain experts who aim to assist startups in solving critical industry challenges and developing lasting ventures.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic mentorship in areas such as product strategy, business models, market positioning, and paths to commercialization.
• Advise on defining key customer segments and effective use cases.
• Offer actionable feedback on go-to-market plans, pricing frameworks, partnerships, and customer acquisition strategies.
• Encourage critical assessment of assumptions and help prioritize opportunities that maximize commercial and environmental value.
• Share insights and lessons drawn from experiences in building, investing in, or scaling climate and sustainability focused companies.
• Support founders in understanding purchasing behaviors related to sustainability within large organizations, and navigate complex sales cycles.
• Facilitate introductions to potential customers, partners, corporate sustainability teams, investors, and industry experts when appropriate.
• Guide in designing credible pilot programs and converting pilots into long-term commercial arrangements.
• Provide expertise on navigating regulated or operationally complex sectors, including procurement and adoption processes.
• Keep founders current on industry trends, policies, regulations, reporting standards, and market dynamics related to climate and sustainability.
• Advise on environmental impact claims, sustainability metrics, and refinement of value propositions.
• Assist in addressing regulatory, technical, financial, or commercialization hurdles.
• Help differentiate impactful climate solutions from scalable and venture-viable business models.
• Offer guidance on leveraging AI and data for creating strong technical, operational, or commercial advantages.
• Support fundraising efforts by refining strategies, reviewing pitch materials, and facilitating introductions to relevant investors and funding sources.
• Prepare founders for investor discussions, strategic partnership negotiations, and due diligence.
• Engage actively in community events such as mentor office hours, workshops, panels, and demos, collaborating with diverse stakeholders.

Expertise Areas

• Climate Technology
• Corporate Sustainability
• Decarbonization
• Carbon Accounting and Management
• Carbon Markets
• Climate Finance
• Circular Economy
• Waste Reduction and Resource Recovery
• Sustainable Supply Chains
• Environmental Data and Analytics
• Climate Risk and Resilience
• Water and Natural Resource Management
• Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
• Green Buildings and Infrastructure
• Environmental Services
• ESG and Sustainability Reporting
• Clean Technology
• Nature-Based Solutions
• Climate Policy and Regulation

Candidate Profile

• A passion for assisting founders through complex, uncertain challenges.
• Possess hands-on operating, investment, technical, or market expertise.
• Deliver frank, thoughtful, and constructive guidance.
• Value mentorship that involves challenging founders to improve, beyond mere encouragement.
• Curiosity about AI’s role in advancing climate and sustainability innovations.
• Desire to help startups achieve measurable environmental impact and build sustainable, scalable businesses.

Engagement Details

This opportunity offers a flexible, part-time commitment with mentoring activities that may include one-on-one sessions, office hours, workshops, panel discussions, introductions to customers and investors, fundraising preparation, participation in Demo Day, and ongoing support to portfolio companies. Scheduling will be adapted based on your availability and expertise in alignment with startup needs.

Why Join Us

As a mentor with C10 Labs, you will collaborate closely with driven founders using AI to address pressing environmental and economic challenges. You’ll integrate into a vibrant ecosystem of investors, operators, researchers, corporate leaders, and innovators advancing AI and sustainability in New York.

Application Process

To express your interest, please submit your résumé or professional profile along with a brief description highlighting the climate and sustainability competencies you bring to assist founders. We welcome applicants from a variety of professional, academic, and industry disciplines.