MPW 2022: How Anjali Bansal is pushing for a sustainable future through her firm Avaana Capital

She may be a space buff who is hooked to science fiction but her expertise is helping push more earthy causes. As climate-linked supply chain disruptions push climate change into the core of organisations’ business strategy, Anjali Bansal, Founding Partner at climate- and sustainability-focussed VC firm Avaana Capital, is on a dual mission: to amplify the fund’s focus, and to further build the climate-friendly ecosystem.

In 2022, Avaana launched its second climate and sustainability fund with a target corpus of $150 million. The fund is focussed on mitigation, adaptation and resilience in three key areas: energy transition, mobility and supply chain, and climate-resilient agriculture.

Bansal, part of the BT Most Powerful Women in Business 2022 list, has been spearheading initiatives to establish thought leadership and intellectual capital through programmes such as Avaana Climate Corner and Climate Mixer, which bring together founders, funders and policymakers. She also co-chairs Startup20, an engagement group under India’s G20 presidency, and leads the Climate Special Interest Group within Indian Venture Capital Association.

She leads with purpose at Avaana. The fund’s portfolio, 40 per cent of which has female founders, directly impacts over 300,000 women. As the world faces a new economic reality, Bansal wants to bring more green finance to the forefront.

“There is a tremendous intersection of gender and climate. Women in rural India are the most affected due to climate change, and also the most active climate workers... about 65 per cent of our portfolio footprint is in rural India. We would like to see more green finance come in so that there is support for these companies to grow,” she says.