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A Career Defined by Sustainability

’s journey has taken him from Boulder to MIT and back, with stops in consulting, venture capital, and entrepreneurship along the way. Growing up in Boulder, he pursued aerospace engineering at CU before heading to MIT for graduate school. It was there that he first immersed himself in climate and sustainability, pivoting into work that blended technology, economics, and environmental impact. Since then, his career has been shaped by building and scaling ventures that address climate challenges.

For nearly two decades, Trent has focused on entrepreneurship and investment in climate tech and sustainability. From founding his first company, Clean Membranes, to raising hundreds of millions at Galway Sustainable Capital, he’s consistently been a big face of climate solutions. His professional track record reflects his entrepreneurial drive and ability to mobilize capital and partnerships to bring ideas to life.

What makes his story especially compelling is that it circles back to Boulder. After years in high-stakes roles on the East Coast and beyond, he chose to return to Colorado and contribute to CU and the local ecosystem. It’s fitting for someone who's rooted in the community and whose career has been defined by turning vision into action.

Now, Trent is joining Boulder Climate Ventures (BCV), a new program led by the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR)��and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship,��and made possible through a gift from , Bill Gates’ global initiative on climate change. BCV is part of Breakthrough Energy’s University Climate Ventures program, which also supports programs at Stanford, MIT, Technical University of Munich and Nanyang University in Singapore. This opportunity combines all of Trent's past experiences and allows him to blend his entrepreneurial background with his passion for mentoring the next generation of climate innovators.

An Early Blueprint for BCV

Entrepreneurship has been the common thread through much of Trent’s career. After cutting his teeth in consulting and clean tech venture investing, he caught the entrepreneurial bug and began building companies of his own. In 2008, he spun out technology from MIT to launch Clean Membranes, a company that tackled water and filtration challenges. That step set him firmly on the path of founder and innovator, and led him into the world of climate.

His entrepreneurial mindset carried with him when he returned to Boulder in 2009. He built a public-private partnership that pulled in funding from the Department of Energy and the Department of Labor, along with 17 other companies. This program focused on clean tech commercialization and was, in many ways, an early version of what BCV is today.��

Over the years, Trent expanded his impact by leading sustainability investment platforms at AMG National Trust before launching Galway Sustainable Capital. At Galway, he and his team raised just under $700 million in four years to support climate tech deployment. This massive achievement reinforced his reputation as someone who not only understands entrepreneurship but also the capital structures needed to support it. He has consistently seen the university as a hub of entrepreneurial energy, and his relationship with Deming helped cement his belief in Boulder’s potential as a leader in climate innovation.

Coming Home to Build the Future

With Boulder Climate Ventures, Trent is officially returning to CU. BCV is modeled after successful programs at MIT and Stanford, both of which have spun out dozens of companies and attracted billions in funding. Considering CU was chosen as the first public university to receive Breakthrough Energy’s support speaks volumes about the strength of the Boulder ecosystem and its alignment with global climate priorities.

For Trent, the role is personal. He views BCV as a chance to give back to his alma mater while helping to put CU on par with the top innovation ecosystems in the country. His excitement lies not only in creating new companies but also in preparing students to thrive in the climate space. He sees BCV as an opportunity to build an extensive program, helping CU students understand what it takes to succeed in entrepreneurship while tackling society’s most pressing challenges.��

“For me, it’s really coming back to my alma mater and helping to build an ecosystem and build a program that can have a lasting impact.”

His perspective is shaped by his earlier experience in 2009. At the time, it served as an unofficial version of BCV, pulling together people from many places to bring technologies out of the lab and into the market. Now, with formal support and funding, BCV has the chance to scale that idea in ways not possible before.

Beyond CU, Trent is energized by Boulder’s broader entrepreneurial community. With research powerhouses like NREL and NCAR nearby, and with a culture that values sustainability, he believes the city has all the right ingredients. Through BCV, he hopes to engage investors and companies early to create an ecosystem that fuels innovation.

Striving to Create Change

Looking ahead, Trent is poised to play a central role in an important addition to CU’s entrepreneurial landscape. The program builds on the community’s history of collaboration and positions CU to be a national leader in climate innovation. For Trent, this moment represents both a continuation and a new chapter. BCV serves as another chance to identify gaps in the entrepreneurial world and find creative ways to fill them.

“Boulder Climate Ventures will hopefully be another stake in the ground in terms of what we’re able to do and create going forward.”

Trent brings a thoughtful perspective on entrepreneurship to his new role. To him, it’s about agency—the vision and tenacity to create change, even in the face of uncertainty. That perspective, coming from decades of experience, is what he hopes to pass along to CU students.

As BCV launches, the excitement is clear. The program not only strengthens CU’s reputation but also reflects the growing momentum in Boulder’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. With leaders like Trent guiding the way, the future of climate entrepreneurship at CU looks brighter than ever.