Q&A With Franklin Parker, Summer Associate at The Builders Fund
Q&A With Franklin Parker: Summer Associate at The Builders Fund
We sat down with Franklin Parker to discuss his thoughts on impact investing and emerging growth stage business models.
What drew you to the Mosaic Fellowship and Builders Fund?
My decision to go to business school was driven by a desire to merge my professional life with my personal interest in environmental sustainability. Mitigating and adapting to climate change is one of the most important and interesting challenges of our time, and I’m committed to playing a part in addressing the issue.
The Mosaic Fellowship provided a unique opportunity to get involved with a community of firms and individuals with a genuine commitment to purpose-driven investing. I was particularly attracted to the investment thesis of Builders, which provides growth capital to established businesses making a tangible environmental and social impact . My summer internship will provide the chance to gain valuable experience as an investor in an industry that I feel passionate about.
In what areas of climate and resource efficiency do you see the most promising emerging growth stage business models?
The carbon footprint of the built environment is a serious challenge but also a significant opportunity. Around 40% of global emissions today are generated from the built environment, and two-thirds of the projected 2040 building stock already exists today. This is driving the need to retrofit existing buildings which you see reflected in recent local and federal policy developments in the US.
There are many technologies — from heat pumps, to distributed energy resources, to smart home technologies — that exist and work well today. When deployed, they have the dual benefit of increasing energy efficiency as well as saving customers money. The challenge is figuring out how to scale the adoption of these technologies rapidly and efficiently. There are many companies actively working to solve this challenge through innovative business models and go-to-market strategies, which should be rewarding to investors and customers alike.
Fun fact about yourself?
I’m the fifth consecutive “Franklin Parker” in my family, dating back to my great-great-grandfather. If I have a son someday, I guess it will make figuring out a name for him that much easier!
Franklin Parker is a first-year MBA student at The Wharton School where he is majoring in Business, Energy, Environment, and Sustainability. At Wharton, Franklin is an Investment Associate with Wharton Impact Investing Partners and a fellow of Climate Leaders @ Penn. Prior to attending Wharton, Franklin was on the Value Creation team at Siris Capital Group, a Technology-focused private equity firm, where he supported diligence on new transactions and strategic initiatives at portfolio companies. Prior to Siris, Franklin started his career in management consulting supporting companies across business strategy and deal advisory. Franklin is passionate about the intersection of business, technology, and climate change, and plans to pursue a career in climate technology investing after Wharton. He received his BA in economics magna cum laude from Colgate University.
