Don't let the White House's "Paris pullout" discourage you, says Danny Kennedy, managing director of the California Clean Energy Fund. "The energy transition is proceeding afoot, electricity is like it's never been for over 100 years and mobility is being changed as we speak."

The entrepreneur, a former Greenpeace activist and co-founder of Sungevity, led a lively talk at VERGE 17 in October. Joining him were Facebook sustainability lead Bill Weihl, California Public Utilities Commissioner Carla Peterman and ConEdison Energy Policy VP Stuart Nachmias.

With CalCEF, Kennedy found dozens of startups in 2017 to invest in with funds through the California Energy Commission, aiming to change the way power is made and distributed in California. "We hope as we do that we'll change not just the power system and supply but the power relations that go with it. We think that as this technology boom rises and we shift to clean energy, we can lift all boats with that. We believe that this technology phenomenon that California is driving can be more equitable and inclusive as well."

Watch the entire conversation from VERGE 17 here, and a one-on-one interview between Kennedy and GreenBiz President Pete May here.

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