Mindset shift: Reverse mentoring as a climate action strategy

Why young people can't wait any longer

March 15, 2023

✌️ G’DAY

Welcome to Startups Will Save Us, a newsletter for founders building solutions to the climate crisis and the investors who back them, powered by Raaise.

Each week, we’ll share insights from a climate startup on the ups and downs of capital raising in the climate era, including the inside scoop on the one thing they found most helpful on their fundraising journey.

Know anyone who’d find this useful? You know what to do. 👇

🚀 ONLY THE YOUNG:

As a young girl growing up in Bali, “just enjoying Mother Nature and having the best time”, Melati Wisjen had no clue that she’d one day be at the helm of a global movement of young changemakers. Even at the age of 12, Melati understood the fierce urgency of our twin climate and biodiversity crises and refused to wait for the adults in the room to wake up. Together with her younger sister Isabel, she spearheaded a successful campaign to ban single-use plastic in Bali and now wants to share her skills and experience with other young activists.

I wish YOUTHTOPIA existed when I was first starting out. At just 12 years old, I had no idea how long the road would be or how lonely it could get. If only I’d had the chance to jump on a call with other changemakers who were my age—I’m sure it would have made life a little less serious!

YOUTHTOPIA’s network now consists of 200+ changemakers from 50+ countries, aged between 12 and 25, all of whom have their own projects and targets:

Reyhan is turning rain into energy, Aishwarya is a wildlife photographer, and Mohamed is running a school in a refugee camp in Lebanon.

Although Melati’s core mission remains equipping young people with the skills and confidence they need to make a difference, regardless of their age or background, she’s also keen to engage with the people who hold the power (hint: they’re of a different vintage 🍷).

YOUTHOPIA SHIFT is a transformative and invigorating reverse-mentoring program that connects progressive companies and brands with Gen-Z climate activists. Under this framework, it is the young who get to define our climate priorities, shape our narratives, and influence our roadmap for change. This makes perfect sense to us; after all, it’s their future on the line. 🤷🏽‍♀️

When it comes to fundraising, Melati’s largely self-taught. Thankfully, she’s a very quick learner. Her advice to other founders raising capital?

Investors are attracted to you and your vision. Your most important attribute is authenticity—if you stay true to your mission and your intention, it will attract the right people.

It took Melati a few years to raise her seed round and today, YOUTHTOPIA is completely self-sustaining. What’s the lesson one big she’s taking away from her first foray into fundraising?

Aligning with the right investors is everything! Take your time and protect your energy. Your mission and vision of change won’t be immediately clear to everyone, so it might take time to find the right people. 

So much wisdom in so few years. Thank goodness for Gen-Z! 🙌🏾

🛠 GET YA DUCKS IN A ROW:

Investors keep telling us that incomplete data rooms are a nightmare, causing bottlenecks and killing deals. Enter our game-changing Smart Data Room! It's not just a safe haven for docs; it's a powerhouse of guidance, templates and legal bots. Say goodbye to deal-killing delays and hello to effortless fundraising! 🦆🦆🦆

If that sounds like something you need… 👇

🚨 WHAT’S CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION:

Gaia Vince’s new book Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval is a frightening and visceral, but ultimately uplifting, analysis of the climate upheaval we’re all facing, but which few of us are facing up to:

Over the next 50 years, hotter temperatures combined with humidity will make large parts of the globe lethal for 3.5 billion people. The mass migration has already begun. But migration can also save us, because migration has made us who we are. 🕊️

🤩 ICYMI:

Applications for two exciting Australian Accelerators are closing soon!

EnergyLab: The premier Climate Solutions Accelerator in Australia & New Zealand, helping the best climate tech startups reach their potential. As alumni of the program, we’d be happy to answer any questions about our fantastic experience, just holler. 😊 Closes March 31.

Techstars: Sydney is the latest addition to Techstars' worldwide network helping entrepreneurs succeed, and with Kirstin Hunter at the helm, there’s a big emphasis on impact. Closes April 5.

🌱 JOIN US

If you're a founder building a startup for the climate era and you want to try out our fundraising tools before anyone else, sign up for our beta now. 👇

Investors, want early 👀 on quality dealflow and some snazzy tools to help streamline your dealmaking? Hit the button. 👇