Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) play a key role in driving climate tech innovation by overseeing the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies aimed at addressing environmental challenges.
Moreover, CTOs are instrumental in aligning technology development with regulatory frameworks and industry standards. With climate policies and global targets constantly evolving, CTOs must ensure that their company’s innovations not only meet regulatory compliance but also position them as leaders in a competitive, rapidly growing market. This requires a nuanced understanding of both emerging technologies and the global climate policy landscape, which they integrate to drive both profitability and environmental impact.
Additionally, CTOs foster cross-functional collaboration between engineers, product teams, and external stakeholders like investors and policymakers. By facilitating partnerships and integrating feedback from diverse sources, they help ensure that climate technologies are scalable, viable, and capable of meeting the complex demands of global sustainability goals. Their leadership is essential for bridging the gap between technical feasibility and market adoption, ultimately accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Here are 15 CTOs to Know in 2025:
1. Christine Gabardo – CTO at CERT Systems Inc
Dr. Christine Gabardo is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at CERT Systems Inc., where she leads the development of innovative electrochemical systems that transform CO2 into valuable chemicals. With a B.Eng. (2011) and PhD (2016) in engineering from McMaster University, Christine’s academic expertise laid the foundation for her career in CO2 electrocatalysis. She later completed a prestigious NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto, focusing on scalable electrochemical CO2 reduction technologies.
2. Suneet Shivaprasad – COO & CTO at Rare Earth Global
Suneet Shivaprasad is the Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Technology Officer at Rare Earth Global, where he leads efforts to decarbonize industrial supply chains through innovative uses of hemp-based materials. With a focus on localizing supply chains, Suneet’s leadership has helped secure demand for over 1 million tonnes of carbon-neutral products by 2030, contributing to the fight against deforestation and fossil fuel dependency.
3. Kevin Gentil-Cantin – CTO at Clearsum
Kevin Gentil-Cantin is the Chief Technology Officer at Clearsum, where he leads the development of innovative solutions to transform climate and geospatial data into actionable insights. With over 16 years of experience in data intelligence, AI, and tech leadership, Kevin has driven Clearsum’s Alter Climate platform, which provides comprehensive climate risk assessments for finance and other sectors. His efforts focus on leveraging advanced analytics, knowledge graphs, causal analysis, and AI to help organizations navigate climate risks and make data-driven strategic decisions.
4. Samuel King – Co-Founder & CTO at Briink
Samuel King is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Briink, where he leads the development of AI-driven solutions to enhance Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting and disclosures. Passionate about using artificial intelligence to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world, Samuel’s work at Briink focuses on leveraging AI to analyze and manage unstructured data, enabling companies to make better decisions at scale.
5. Will Sonnex – CTO at Othersphere
Will Sonnex is the Chief Technology Officer at Othersphere, where he focuses on developing innovative tools to identify the most profitable and sustainable locations for deploying zero and low greenhouse gas industrial technologies. With a strong emphasis on the intersection of climate and energy tech, Will leads the design and implementation of advanced models that optimize the production of low-carbon hydrogen, among other sustainable energy solutions.
6. Ganesh Moorthi – CTO at Luminous Power Technologies
Ganesh Moorthi is the Chief Technology Officer at Luminous Power Technologies, where he leads the development of cutting-edge energy and power solutions, focusing on solar technology and battery energy storage systems (BESS). With a strong background in lithium-ion battery technology and advanced electronics, Ganesh has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing renewable energy solutions in India.
7. Bahattin Çiniç – CTO at Covalent Climate Tech
Bahattin Çiniç serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Covalent Climate Tech, where he drives innovation in developing solutions to tackle climate challenges. With a solid foundation in full-stack software engineering, Bahattin’s expertise encompasses a wide range of technologies, including Python, Golang, JavaScript, Node.js, React, React Native, Vue.js, and Kubernetes.
8. Henry Franks – CTO at Climate Policy Radar
Henry Franks is the Chief Technology Officer at Climate Policy Radar, a nonprofit organization focused on leveraging AI to enhance accessibility to climate law and policy. Under his leadership since November 2022, Climate Policy Radar has become recognized among UNESCO IRCAI’s top 100 global AI projects aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
9. Joris Van Hecke – CTO at Bayou Energy
Joris Van Hecke is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Bayou Energy, a New York-based clean tech startup that specializes in providing instant utility data APIs to streamline access to clean energy solutions. Since June 2022, he has been instrumental in developing innovative technologies that enhance the customer experience in the energy sector.
10. Dilip Krishna – Global CTO at Deloitte
Dilip Krishna is the Managing Director at Deloitte, serving as the Global Chief Technology Officer for Sustainability & Climate. With over 25 years of experience in the financial services sector, he has a strong focus on leveraging technology to address complex challenges in sustainability, risk management, and compliance. Based in Winter Garden, Florida, he has been with Deloitte for over 12 years and plays a pivotal role in advancing the firm’s sustainability initiatives.
11. Panos Stravopodis – Co-founder & CTO at Elyos Energy
Panos Stravopodis is the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Elyos Energy, a Y Combinator-backed startup based in London that focuses on optimizing energy consumption for commercial buildings. With a robust background in engineering and a deep commitment to accelerating the transition to a net-zero world, Panos is at the forefront of climate tech innovation.
12. TJ Edward Mitchell – Co-founder & CTO at Arda Biomaterials
TJ Edward Mitchell is the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Arda Biomaterials, a company focused on developing sustainable and circular biomaterials. Based in London, TJ is committed to revolutionizing the materials industry through innovative solutions that prioritize environmental sustainability.
13. David Schurman – Co-founder & CTO at Perennial
David Schurman is a trailblazing computational scientist and entrepreneur, currently serving as the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Perennial. Based in San Francisco, David’s work focuses on harnessing advanced technologies, particularly satellite and AI-based solutions, to address critical issues related to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
14. Douglas Qian – Co-founder & CTO at Streamline Climate
Douglas Qian is an entrepreneur and technology leader, currently serving as the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Streamline Climate, a company dedicated to transforming the climate tech landscape. Based in San Francisco, Douglas’s work emphasizes the integration of advanced technology solutions to streamline the grant and permit application processes for climate tech startups.
15. Cristian Jimenez – Co-founder & CTO at Coolx
Cristian Jimenez is an entrepreneur and technology expert, currently serving as the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Coolx, a company focused on revolutionizing forestry technology within the climate tech sector. Based in Sabadell, Catalonia, Cristian’s work is centered around leveraging artificial intelligence to combat deforestation associated with agricultural commodities.
