Pippa

Gawley

Founder & Managing Partner

Pippa is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Zero Carbon. Her obsession with deep decarbonisation technologies began in California eight years ago as an angel investor, where she was an active member of the impact investing ecosystem. On returning to the UK, she set up Zero Carbon in 2019, seeing the opportunity presented by early-stage investments in frontier hard tech companies for removing barriers to decarbonisation. Prior to investing, Pippa held a variety of roles in technology companies. She holds a Masters degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

What got me here

“I’m good at seeing the bigger picture and making connections between disparate things.”

Engineering trained me to be logical and practical. Financial Services gave me a commercial grounding, and made me very analytical and numbers driven. My years in Internet product design taught me to focus on the human experience and what customers need, as well as how to manage a team. I’m very good at bringing all these skills together - stepping back, making connections, prioritising and thinking strategically.

WHAT MOTIVATES ME

“We’ve brought together a special group of people.”

For the last two years, we've hosted a Portfolio Day for the CEOs of all our companies. I've found this an incredibly satisfying experience, seeing our founders talking to each other, making connections, learning from each other, and thinking about ways they can collaborate.

MY BIGGEST LESSON

“Don't wait for permission to do something.”

I was slow to take up investing as I thought for some reason I needed to prove to people I was qualified. So I went on lots of courses and read lots of books. I wish now I hadn’t taken so long. Have the confidence to move forward. Take yourself seriously, respect what you're doing and back your own talent.

Pippa recommends

The Climate Atlas

If you want to understand climate challenges and climate technologies, this is where to go.

The Catalyst Podcast

Every week it takes a different area of technology and gets inside the head of a really smart VC who understands the regulatory and financial challenges.

Our team

Risk to capital

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Zero Carbon Capital Limited is an appointed representative of Sapphire Capital Partners LLP which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Sapphire Capital Partners LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 565716). Registered office: 28 Deramore Park, Belfast, BT9 5JU, United Kingdom.

Zero Carbon Capital Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company Number 12028532). Registered office: Lake House, 2 Port Way, Port Solent, Portsmouth, PO6 4TY, United Kingdom. Firm Reference Number 916588. Sapphire Capital Partners LLP is responsible for the regulated activities carried on by Zero Carbon Capital Limited.

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On this website, "we" refers to the combined activities of Zero Carbon Capital Ltd, Sapphire Capital Partners LLP and the funds they advise and manage.

Investments in early-stage and growth companies involve a high degree of risk. Capital is at risk and investors may lose the entirety of their investment. The value of investments and any income derived from them can go down as well as up. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change in future.

Where investments are made through arrangements operated by Sapphire Capital Partners LLP under its FCA permissions, eligible claimants may have access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) subject to the FSCS rules and limits. Not all investment activities or losses are covered by the FSCS.

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