Startup for 10: Leafr

For today’s Startup for 10 we have the fantastic team from Leafr, the market-leading platform connecting businesses with vetted sustainability specialists and tools.

To tell us more about the work they do, is Co-Founder Nick Valenzia.

2 – What’s the most exciting thing about what you’re doing? 

Using our data to build the first rated marketplace for climate and sustainability tools. Companies who want to find software solutions (like carbon accounting tools) have no way to compare over a thousand options – it’s impossible to find the right tool for your use case.

Our consultants use these tools all the time, and they rate and review them. We’re taking that data and giving companies an easy way to pick the right tool for their specific use case.

This has never been done before in the sustainability space, so we’re pretty stoked about it.

3 – What are you most proud of so far? 

Doubling an oversubscribed funding round in 2024, a year where climate tech funding dropped 40%. Interest rates were above 5% for most of the year so investors really didn’t want to part with their money. In the context of a really uncertain economic environment, it was a testament to our mission and potential.

4 – What have you found most difficult about being a startup? 

Hard to say – I love my job. Probably fundraising: you’re essentially getting rejection after rejection which can take an emotional toll, but you just need to keep cracking through until you get the yesses.

5 – What would you do differently if you started now? 

Start with a narrower customer profile. We tried to be all things to all people early on, and it slowed us down.

6 – Where do you think you’ll be in 12 months? 

We’ll have fully rebuilt the platform and tripled our current client base at least. The vision is for Leafr to be the home of sustainability expertise for companies who want to make sustainability simple.