Matteo Renoldi
IMPACT AND ENERGY SPECIALIST AT DEALROOM.CO
Tell us about yourself and how you foster positive impact through your career?
I am Matteo Renoldi, Innovation Analyst at Dealroom.co, the foremost data provider on startups and venture capital in Europe. Having previously worked at The Next Web (TNW), I joined Dealroom in February 2020, where I work on analysing and reporting on the dynamics of innovation in the impact and energy sectors, as well as diversity reporting in venture capital flows. At Dealroom, we aim to accelerate purpose-driven entrepreneurship with better data, having recently launched an Impact & Innovation platform which brings together startups, investors, governments, and corporates in one open-access data-driven environment.
What does a day in the shoes of an impact and energy specialist in the VC and startup data community where you work look like?
I always start my day by reading news to keep up with what is happening, but also to be inspired by ongoing trends. A lot of my work is dedicated to making custom reports, therefore keeping track of trends and developments in relevant sectors is crucial. I also use our platform daily to spot relevant insights, such as which VC-backed companies are witnessing a rapid growth. Then brainstorm with other team members on how to convey those effectively through reports, social media content and insightful visualizations.
How did you build into this role, it wasn’t focused on impact from the start, right?
Since I started working for Dealroom, I showed an interest in and a passion for impact and diversity, but my first job was to build up my skills as a ‘generalist’, to deeply understand the venture capital space as a whole. I have now worked on a number of projects, such as The State of Climate Tech 2020 report and the Nordic startup funding report, where I had a chance to deep-dive into impact and diversity data. Of course I still follow global trends in the startup ecosystem, but I am happy to act as the lead analyst for impact and diversity, where we are increasing our activity, expertise and understanding, with the input of leaders in the space.
As a purpose-led professional, what do you think are the most important skills and leadership qualities in today’s world?
Strong analytical skills are crucial: being able to differentiate insights from noise and use data to your advantage in backing up your findings. I would say emotional intelligence is also really key as it’s more and more common to work in hybrid environments (online and offline) as well as within a very diverse workforce.
How has the Net Impact Amsterdam community supported or inspired you to live your personal mission?
I reached out to Net Impact more than one year ago now because I wanted to understand more about what it means to be a sustainability professional and the role of data in this space. I then became more involved in the community, and have enjoyed meeting other members at the wine and cheese evening at Willicroft (pre-Covid of course).
What elements about your work get you excited and hopeful about the future?
I am excited to see a lot of interest and passion from younger generations about pivotal issues such as climate change, gender equality, and racial discrimination. I’m particularly impressed that many of these people have brilliant ideas on how to tackle the many challenges that we are facing. I see a lot of purpose-driven startups being created by Millennials and Gen Z, which give me great hope for the future!
Watch Matteo’s ‘Impact From Home’ session
Exploring the Impact Start-up Landscape
Moderated by: Michael Hogenboom of Celonis and Board Member of Net Impact Amsterdam
