Without a doubt, Tristan Pollock has left an indelible mark on the startup ecosystem. As a seasoned tech entrepreneur, he’s channeled his expertise into directing an impressive $30 million in venture capital toward 200 companies as a Silicon Valley VC.
But what really differentiates Tristan is his commitment to driving positive change and preserving the natural world. He does this through his role as co-founder of Cool Climate Collective, where he and Mehrad Yaghmai have invested $2 million into climate startups. Talk about being a force for good.
Tristan’s passion for the environment and dedication to meaningful change is inspiring. Let’s learn a bit more about how it drives his journey.
Allow me to introduce co-founder, Tristan Pollock…
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Howdy friends, I’m Tristan Pollock, a tech entrepreneur, movement builder, crypto EIR, and startup investor who’s directed $30M in venture capital into 200 companies as a Silicon Valley VC and accelerator director for 500 Startups.
I currently run Cool Climate Collective with Mehrad Yaghmai, where we’ve invested $2 million into climate startups.
I’ve founded and sold two startups at the center of impact and technology — helping the likes of Kanye West, Google, and Nike — and am now focused on building and investing in platforms centered around the climate and crypto ecosystems.
I’m also a Terra Climate Tech VC Fellow, running the Cool Climate Collective syndicate, and have invested over $2 million into over a dozen climate startups.
We leverage a collective approach to lead our climate investing, utilizing a deep startup network, including time spent as an EIR at Google for Startups and as a mentor at dozens of accelerator programs, including Techstars, Katapult Climate, and Norrsken Impact.
End of the day, I care about preserving our natural world.
Let’s be honest, most VCs aren’t value-add. That’s why we created a collective approach to the climate investing business. We believe a rising tide raises all ships (so to speak). That’s why we leverage our personal networks, our LPs, and our founders, to raise the chances of success and speed up GTM.
We started Cool Climate Collective through a common passion for the environment while attending the Terra Climate Fellowship.
We first started building a community and that turned into an AngelList syndicate to ramp up our investment focus on climate-impacting startups.
Connection. Building relationships through altruistic means.
Mehrad is truly my inspiration. I love working with him as a partner, and his hustle is unmatchable.
For content, solution-oriented reads like Ministry for the Future is great to expand thinking. I also am a big fan of Albert Wenger and his forward thinking of a world post-capitalism.
I’m an optimist, so I’m usually excited about the future. I think we are getting closer and closer to utopia as a human race. Now, that will still take decades and centuries, but we will make it with the support of empathy, holistic thinking, and innovation.
The more time technology gives humans back to spend with their families and communities and contemplate the future, the better place we will be. It’s okay to not be productive like the factories of the past. It’s time to think long-term.
Follow your interests. They will change but keep going after what you are passionate about. Simple as that. Mission first.
Website: https://www.tristanpollock.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pollock
Climate Investing:
https://www.coolclimatecollective.com/
https://twitter.com/CoolClimateFund
What’s the difference between inspiration and motivation?
Motivation lights a fire under your ass. Inspiration sparks thoughts in your mind
"Startups don't usually fail because they grow too late.
They usually fail because they grow too early."
- Matt Mochary
Sales get a bad rap.
But it's the most important skill you can develop.
Unlike being a star basketball player, sales can be learned by anyone.
Some people are born with more sales talent. But anyone can become world-class through learning and practice.
So, what is sales?
Whenever I get to a low point where I think “Why do I even bother?”
I just try to remind myself “This is where most people stop, and this is why they don’t win.”
