Tech talk | Scaling climate tech: why hard problems require more than just great technology - 15 Apr 2026

Climate tech is often framed as a purely technical race to invent better batteries, smarter software, or new energy systems. In reality, the toughest challenges often lie beyond the technology itself. Please register below to learn how climate tech ventures scale breakthrough technologies into viable businesses within complex industries and regulatory environments.

Start time: 2026-04-15 at 12:15

End time: 2026-04-15 at 13:00

Location: Stockholm School of Economics. Registration required.

Drawing on firsthand experience investing in and scaling climate companies, this talk explores why building in this space requires multidimensional problem-solving. Operators must not only develop breakthrough technologies, but also design viable business models, build organisations capable of operating in complex industries, and navigate regulatory environments.

This session will introduce a simple framework for understanding these core startup challenges and discuss what makes climate ventures succeed or fail in practice.

Thomas Atherton leads strategy and corporate development at Einride, a startup providing technology solutions for electric and autonomous road freight. Prior to Einride, he was a consultant at McKinsey & Company in Stockholm. His diverse background spans private equity, political consulting, and financial markets across London and Washington, D.C. Thomas is an alumnus of the Stockholm School of Economics (Handelshögskolan), Georgetown University, and Durham University.