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Founder / Operator·Grid Infrastructure·Clean Energy

Amit Narayan

Founder & CEO at Climate-AI Ventures

Palo Alto, CA

AN
LinkedIn
Why they matter

Authored the modern VPP / DERMS playbook; now a thesis-driven early-stage investor with deep operating credibility.

Background

Founded AutoGrid in 2012 and served as CEO through its 2022 acquisition by Schneider Electric. AutoGrid's AI-powered VPP/DERMS platform has been adopted in 20+ countries managing 8+ GW of VPP capacity, and was ranked #1 globally by Guidehouse. Currently Founding Partner at Augment Ventures, focused on early-stage climate / energy technology investments. Founded Climate-AI Ventures after AutoGrid's 2022 acquisition by Schneider Electric; also affiliated with Augment Ventures.

Notable deals

  • 2022
    Sold AutoGrid to Schneider Electric in May 2022. One of the largest grid-software exits of the decade.
  • 2023
    Founded Augment Ventures as a climate / energy early-stage investor following the AutoGrid exit.

Call-prep brief

Background

Amit's AutoGrid exit (Schneider Electric, 2022) was the defining successful DERMS / VPP outcome. Schneider's DERMS solution remains #1 globally per Guidehouse. Now he runs Augment Ventures at the seed / Series A stage.

What he cares about

  • AI applied to grid-edge. Load forecasting, distributed asset optimization.
  • Founders solving real utility problems, not vendor problems.
  • Software defensibility in an industry where pilots rarely become enterprise deployments.

Sensitivities

  • Knows the difference between selling to utilities and selling to people who say they sell to utilities, so be specific.

Questions to ask

  1. Which DERMS / VPP gaps remain unsolved post-AutoGrid + Schneider consolidation?
  2. Which utility-software categories are most likely to produce $1B+ exits in 2026-2028?
  3. How does he evaluate AI-in-grid-software founders. What signals separate real from theater?

Outreach draft

Subject
Grid-edge software: Augment Ventures dialogue
Hi Amit, I lead infrastructure investing at [Firm]. We track grid-edge software closely as a thesis-adjacent space, and your view from both the AutoGrid exit and the Augment Ventures seat is the most informed combination available. Would 25 minutes work for a thesis-sharing conversation? Best regards, [Your name] [Your firm]

Linked companies

Sources