Boston and New YorkBoston and NY

Climatetech Investor Summit

Swissnex, Droplet VC, and Helvetas USA present a an investor-focused discussion on scaling deeptech solutions for planetary challenges.

Innovation is reshaping how we respond to planetary crises, from climate change to chemical pollution to biodiversity loss. Drawing on insights from the natural world, deeptech innovators are developing solutions that strengthen climate resilience and advance planetary wellbeing. These transformative technologies not only address critical challenges but also unlock new opportunities for markets, communities, and a more sustainable future.

At the Planetary Embassy at Climate Week NYC, Swissnex, Droplet VC, and Helvetas USA are bringing together a unique mix of voices to spotlight climatetech and deeptech innovation emerging from Switzerland and Europe. The conversation will feature inputs from CellX Biosolutions, a Swiss startup harnessing the power of bacteria to break down even the most persistent chemical pollutants, and REOR20, a Swiss firm pioneering AI-driven flood hazard intelligence to enhance resilience in a changing climate.

This Investor Summit convenes venture capital, international development, and innovation diplomacy leaders alongside startup founders whose technologies are poised to transform global markets and strengthen the foundations of planetary well-being.

Program

  • 3:00pm – Doors open
  • 3:30pm – Welcome & Opening Remarks
  • 3:40pm – Panel Discussion
  • 4:25pm – Closing Takeaways
  • 4:30pm – Networking Reception
  • 5:30pm – End of event
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Event start time

  • New York

    3:00PM

  • Switzerland

    9:00PM

Speakers

  •

    Bio

    Chris Steiner

    CEO
    Helvetas USA

    Chris Steiner is the CEO of Helvetas USA and Executive VP / Head of Philanthropy at the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce Southern California (SACC SoCal). With over 20 years of executive experience across Latin America, East Africa, and Central Asia, he leads initiatives in sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and philanthropy. Chris holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Bern University of Applied Sciences and an Executive MBA from the University of Barcelona. Passionate about global impact, he bridges partnerships to drive innovation and change.

  •

    Bio

    Alex Frey

    Founding General Partner
    Droplet VC

    Alex Frey is the Founding General Partner of Droplet VC, a U.S.-based VC, and a Mentor in accelerators and incubators at UC San Diego and others. He also serves on the Board of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce Southern California, where he builds cross-border partnerships to connect Swiss innovation with U.S. commercialization. With over a decade of experience across venture capital, biotech acceleration, and Swiss financial institutions, Alex is a multilingual venture builder and community leader passionate about advancing early-stage DeepTech innovation.

  •

    Bio

    Danny Chatziprodromou

    Founder and CEO
    REOR20

    Dr. Danny Chatziprodromou holds a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich. He founded REOR20 in 2017 after working at Swiss Re and SAM Sustainable Asset Management. Through REOR20, he leads the development of next-generation flood-hazard models that are 100,000× faster and far more cost-effective than traditional approaches, leveraging AI and cutting-edge modeling to transform flood risk assessment.

  •

    Bio

    Estelle Clerc

    Founder & CEO
    CellX Biosolutions

    Dr. Estelle Clerc is the founder and CEO of CellX Biosolutions, a Swiss cleantech startup developing bacterial solutions to break down persistent industrial pollutants such as PFAS, pesticides, and microplastics. Spinning out of her PhD at ETH Zurich, she has led the company to secure major funding, launch industry partnerships, and win the 2025 W.A. de Vigier Prize for entrepreneurial innovation.

  •

    Bio

    Oriane Rütsche

    Innovation Lead
    Swissnex in Boston and New York

    As part of the Innovation Team, Oriane implements and expands entrepreneurship programs. Prior to joining Swissnex, Oriane worked in hotel and events management, as well as in the financial sector. She holds a BSc in International Hospitality Management from the EHL Hospitality Business School as well as an MSc in International Strategic Management from the University of Lund.

Planetary Embassy

This event is part of the Planetary Embassy at Climate Week NYC, a pop-up venue hosted by Swissnex from September 23 to 25 in the East Village dedicated to international, interdisciplinary, and interspecies collaboration. The Planetary Embassy explores how we can work with the more-than-human world to address urgent and interconnected planetary crises through conversations, installations, film screenings, and more, with contributions from Switzerland, New York, and beyond.

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Partners

The Investor Summit at NY Climate Week is an initiative of Droplet VC, organized in partnership with Swissnex in Boston and New York, Helvetas USA, and leading climatetech startups from Switzerland.