Benjamin Gaddy
About Benjamin Gaddy
Benjamin Gaddy is the Director at Breakthrough Energy, leading the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program to commercialize climate technologies for Net-Zero emissions by 2050.
Current Position at Breakthrough Energy
Benjamin Gaddy is currently serving as the Director at Breakthrough Energy, a position he has held since 2020. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, United States, Breakthrough Energy focuses on advancing climate technologies aimed at achieving Net-Zero emissions by 2050. In this role, he leads the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, which is dedicated to the commercialization of innovative climate technologies.
Previous Role at Gates Ventures
Before his current role at Breakthrough Energy, Benjamin Gaddy was the Director at Gates Ventures. He held this position from 2020 to 2021, working in the Washington D.C. Metro Area. Gates Ventures is the private office of Bill Gates, responsible for his business and philanthropic efforts.
Director of Investments & Chief Technology Officer at Clean Energy Trust
Benjamin Gaddy served as the Director of Investments & Chief Technology Officer at Clean Energy Trust from 2018 to 2020 in Chicago, IL. He was instrumental in guiding the technology development and investment strategies of the organization, which focuses on supporting early-stage cleantech startups.
Education and Research
Benjamin Gaddy holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University (2009-2013) and an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Entrepreneurship from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2016-2019). His research on venture capital and climate technology has been published in Energy Policy and the MIT Energy Initiative and covered by major publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and the Economist.
Early Career and Academic Positions
Earlier in his career, Benjamin Gaddy held several positions including a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at North Carolina State University from 2013 to 2014 and an Intellectual Property and Patent Consultant at Raleigh Patent Searches from 2008 to 2014. He also served as a Patent Examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office from 2007 to 2008. His academic endeavors included a PhD Research Fellow role at North Carolina State University from 2009 to 2013.