Micah

Sustainable Investing: Innovative Plans From a New Generation

Paul Irving, Dave Chen, Chad Reed, Leigh Madeira, Zach Knight, Nick Wobrock, Jim Tolosano, Mark Timski, Micah

At the Milken Institute's London awards, the UC Berkeley Haas School team won the 10th Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge by presenting a finance vehicle that monetizes proactive forest management to mitigate California's drought and wildfire risks. Their "Blue Forest Conservation" model proposes a $67 million pilot project utilizing a 50/50 debt-equity structure to generate returns for water and electric utilities through a pay-for-success framework that increases snowpack retention. Selected from 127 global teams, the four-person group outlined a strategy to scale the initiative into a $1.6 billion green bond while securing critical utility contracts and navigating public land complexities with a $1.8 million bridge raise.