Akhila Kosaraju
@akhilak.bsky.social
I help climate solutions accelerate adoption with design that wins pilots, partnerships & funding | Clients across startups and unicorns backed by U.S. Dep’t of Energy, YC, Accel | Brand, Websites and UX Design.
Whatifdesign.co
Whatifdesign.co
P.S. Want the exact frameworks we used? Comment/DM 'story' and I'll send you the link.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
P.S. Want the exact frameworks we used? Comment/DM 'story' and I'll send you the link.
The founders who break through aren't always the ones with the best tech.
They're the ones who make you feel something in the first 30 seconds.
If you can do that, everything else gets easier.
Big thanks to Troy and the LabStart team for bringing me in to work with such a sharp cohort.
They're the ones who make you feel something in the first 30 seconds.
If you can do that, everything else gets easier.
Big thanks to Troy and the LabStart team for bringing me in to work with such a sharp cohort.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
The founders who break through aren't always the ones with the best tech.
They're the ones who make you feel something in the first 30 seconds.
If you can do that, everything else gets easier.
Big thanks to Troy and the LabStart team for bringing me in to work with such a sharp cohort.
They're the ones who make you feel something in the first 30 seconds.
If you can do that, everything else gets easier.
Big thanks to Troy and the LabStart team for bringing me in to work with such a sharp cohort.
The truth is, we've never had more brilliant minds working on climate.
We've never had better science, better tools, or more urgent momentum.
But most of the world's best solutions are stuck in labs and pitch decks because the people building them were never taught to sell.
We've never had better science, better tools, or more urgent momentum.
But most of the world's best solutions are stuck in labs and pitch decks because the people building them were never taught to sell.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
The truth is, we've never had more brilliant minds working on climate.
We've never had better science, better tools, or more urgent momentum.
But most of the world's best solutions are stuck in labs and pitch decks because the people building them were never taught to sell.
We've never had better science, better tools, or more urgent momentum.
But most of the world's best solutions are stuck in labs and pitch decks because the people building them were never taught to sell.
That's fundable. The facts show you've done research. The conviction shows you'll stick with it when things get hard.
Investors need both, but conviction is what gets you in the room.
Investors need both, but conviction is what gets you in the room.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
That's fundable. The facts show you've done research. The conviction shows you'll stick with it when things get hard.
Investors need both, but conviction is what gets you in the room.
Investors need both, but conviction is what gets you in the room.
"I'm an environmentalist. I've seen biomimicry solve big problems before.
We're going to run out of potable water in 30 years if we don't act.
I wanted to apply my background in circularity to this specific bottleneck because I know it can work."
We're going to run out of potable water in 30 years if we don't act.
I wanted to apply my background in circularity to this specific bottleneck because I know it can work."
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
"I'm an environmentalist. I've seen biomimicry solve big problems before.
We're going to run out of potable water in 30 years if we don't act.
I wanted to apply my background in circularity to this specific bottleneck because I know it can work."
We're going to run out of potable water in 30 years if we don't act.
I wanted to apply my background in circularity to this specific bottleneck because I know it can work."
Impressive, but not fundable.
So I pushed her. Why do you care about this?
She gave me more facts.
I pushed again. Why you? Why this problem?
Then the real story came out.
So I pushed her. Why do you care about this?
She gave me more facts.
I pushed again. Why you? Why this problem?
Then the real story came out.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Impressive, but not fundable.
So I pushed her. Why do you care about this?
She gave me more facts.
I pushed again. Why you? Why this problem?
Then the real story came out.
So I pushed her. Why do you care about this?
She gave me more facts.
I pushed again. Why you? Why this problem?
Then the real story came out.
3) Personal conviction beats market awareness.
One founder in the workshop had done her homework.
Data centers use 18 billion gallons of fresh water annually.
Current alternatives cause corrosion, biofouling, and higher energy costs.
She had the kind of research that fills a research paper.
One founder in the workshop had done her homework.
Data centers use 18 billion gallons of fresh water annually.
Current alternatives cause corrosion, biofouling, and higher energy costs.
She had the kind of research that fills a research paper.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
3) Personal conviction beats market awareness.
One founder in the workshop had done her homework.
Data centers use 18 billion gallons of fresh water annually.
Current alternatives cause corrosion, biofouling, and higher energy costs.
She had the kind of research that fills a research paper.
One founder in the workshop had done her homework.
Data centers use 18 billion gallons of fresh water annually.
Current alternatives cause corrosion, biofouling, and higher energy costs.
She had the kind of research that fills a research paper.
That gets the deal. Because one sounds like marketing and the other sounds like someone who's actually listened.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
That gets the deal. Because one sounds like marketing and the other sounds like someone who's actually listened.
2) Specificity creates the deal.
"We help farmers reduce costs" gets a polite smile.
Compare that to: "When you lose a crop to failed germination and have to replant mid-season, that's $40K in labor and $60K in lost yield. Our seed mat gets you 40% better germination so that doesn't happen."
"We help farmers reduce costs" gets a polite smile.
Compare that to: "When you lose a crop to failed germination and have to replant mid-season, that's $40K in labor and $60K in lost yield. Our seed mat gets you 40% better germination so that doesn't happen."
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
2) Specificity creates the deal.
"We help farmers reduce costs" gets a polite smile.
Compare that to: "When you lose a crop to failed germination and have to replant mid-season, that's $40K in labor and $60K in lost yield. Our seed mat gets you 40% better germination so that doesn't happen."
"We help farmers reduce costs" gets a polite smile.
Compare that to: "When you lose a crop to failed germination and have to replant mid-season, that's $40K in labor and $60K in lost yield. Our seed mat gets you 40% better germination so that doesn't happen."
The sequence matters: Hook, then Story, then Data, then Ask.
If you don't capture interest in the first 30 seconds, you won't get a chance to explain the science.
If you don't capture interest in the first 30 seconds, you won't get a chance to explain the science.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
The sequence matters: Hook, then Story, then Data, then Ask.
If you don't capture interest in the first 30 seconds, you won't get a chance to explain the science.
If you don't capture interest in the first 30 seconds, you won't get a chance to explain the science.
1) Your customer is the hero. Not your product.
Most technical founders get this backwards.
They lead with data because that's what they trust.
But data doesn't earn attention. Stories do.
Data keeps attention once you have it.
Most technical founders get this backwards.
They lead with data because that's what they trust.
But data doesn't earn attention. Stories do.
Data keeps attention once you have it.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
1) Your customer is the hero. Not your product.
Most technical founders get this backwards.
They lead with data because that's what they trust.
But data doesn't earn attention. Stories do.
Data keeps attention once you have it.
Most technical founders get this backwards.
They lead with data because that's what they trust.
But data doesn't earn attention. Stories do.
Data keeps attention once you have it.
How they open conversations with investors, customers, and partners.
By the end, they knew exactly how to make someone care in under a minute.
Here are three shifts that made this possible:
By the end, they knew exactly how to make someone care in under a minute.
Here are three shifts that made this possible:
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
How they open conversations with investors, customers, and partners.
By the end, they knew exactly how to make someone care in under a minute.
Here are three shifts that made this possible:
By the end, they knew exactly how to make someone care in under a minute.
Here are three shifts that made this possible:
Last week, I ran a storytelling workshop for climate tech founders at LabStart.
All brilliant scientists, engineers and builders.
All struggling to tell their story in a way that lands.
So we spent an hour building their positioning.
All brilliant scientists, engineers and builders.
All struggling to tell their story in a way that lands.
So we spent an hour building their positioning.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Last week, I ran a storytelling workshop for climate tech founders at LabStart.
All brilliant scientists, engineers and builders.
All struggling to tell their story in a way that lands.
So we spent an hour building their positioning.
All brilliant scientists, engineers and builders.
All struggling to tell their story in a way that lands.
So we spent an hour building their positioning.
PS. Building something important that deserves a better digital presence? DM me "audit" and I'll send you a free digital presence audit (first 20 only).
November 24, 2025 at 6:14 PM
PS. Building something important that deserves a better digital presence? DM me "audit" and I'll send you a free digital presence audit (first 20 only).
Today, they're expanding beyond developers to build tools for ISOs, utilities, and data centers, tackling the grid bottleneck from every angle.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Today, they're expanding beyond developers to build tools for ISOs, utilities, and data centers, tackling the grid bottleneck from every angle.
Their marketing manager now had a foundation she could build on. Nira had a digital presence that matched the sophistication of their product.
And 100+ developers now have a clearer picture of what Nira could do for them.
And 100+ developers now have a clearer picture of what Nira could do for them.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Their marketing manager now had a foundation she could build on. Nira had a digital presence that matched the sophistication of their product.
And 100+ developers now have a clearer picture of what Nira could do for them.
And 100+ developers now have a clearer picture of what Nira could do for them.
Everything built in Framer so that the team could manage it themselves going forward (video tutorials, documentation, and walk-throughs included).
The homepage launched in just 2 weeks, on time for their announcements. The full site came together in 38 days.
The homepage launched in just 2 weeks, on time for their announcements. The full site came together in 38 days.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Everything built in Framer so that the team could manage it themselves going forward (video tutorials, documentation, and walk-throughs included).
The homepage launched in just 2 weeks, on time for their announcements. The full site came together in 38 days.
The homepage launched in just 2 weeks, on time for their announcements. The full site came together in 38 days.
Product pages that explained complex transmission planning concepts without overwhelming visitors.
A news section where they could publish case studies and updates.
A news section where they could publish case studies and updates.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Product pages that explained complex transmission planning concepts without overwhelming visitors.
A news section where they could publish case studies and updates.
A news section where they could publish case studies and updates.
We started by running detailed workshops to help them articulate their competitive positioning.
We then built a homepage that led with their core value proposition.
Clean, minimal design with their bright brand colors.
We then built a homepage that led with their core value proposition.
Clean, minimal design with their bright brand colors.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
We started by running detailed workshops to help them articulate their competitive positioning.
We then built a homepage that led with their core value proposition.
Clean, minimal design with their bright brand colors.
We then built a homepage that led with their core value proposition.
Clean, minimal design with their bright brand colors.
They needed a professional site that could showcase both of Nira's products: the Prospecting tool that helps developers find viable sites faster, and the In-Queue tool that models risks and forecasts upgrade costs for projects already in the interconnection queue.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
They needed a professional site that could showcase both of Nira's products: the Prospecting tool that helps developers find viable sites faster, and the In-Queue tool that models risks and forecasts upgrade costs for projects already in the interconnection queue.
6 months ago, as Nira scaled, they had a situation: major investment announcements were a few weeks out. Press releases. A conference. Media inquiries.
And all of it would drive traffic to a website that was still just one landing page.
So they reached out to us with a two week timeline.
And all of it would drive traffic to a website that was still just one landing page.
So they reached out to us with a two week timeline.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
6 months ago, as Nira scaled, they had a situation: major investment announcements were a few weeks out. Press releases. A conference. Media inquiries.
And all of it would drive traffic to a website that was still just one landing page.
So they reached out to us with a two week timeline.
And all of it would drive traffic to a website that was still just one landing page.
So they reached out to us with a two week timeline.
What used to take weeks of manual consultant work now happens in moments with the data they need.
Developers using Nira have found over $3 billion in cost discrepancies that would have otherwise slipped through.
Developers using Nira have found over $3 billion in cost discrepancies that would have otherwise slipped through.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
What used to take weeks of manual consultant work now happens in moments with the data they need.
Developers using Nira have found over $3 billion in cost discrepancies that would have otherwise slipped through.
Developers using Nira have found over $3 billion in cost discrepancies that would have otherwise slipped through.
False positives are everywhere. Millions of dollars get tied up in upgrade costs that could have been avoided with better data upfront.
Nira built software that lets developers screen 1,000+ substations instantly, with real-time visibility into grid capacity and upgrade costs.
Nira built software that lets developers screen 1,000+ substations instantly, with real-time visibility into grid capacity and upgrade costs.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
False positives are everywhere. Millions of dollars get tied up in upgrade costs that could have been avoided with better data upfront.
Nira built software that lets developers screen 1,000+ substations instantly, with real-time visibility into grid capacity and upgrade costs.
Nira built software that lets developers screen 1,000+ substations instantly, with real-time visibility into grid capacity and upgrade costs.
Getting a clean energy project onto the grid takes 2 to 4 years.
Developers spend months manually studying potential sites through consultants, only to discover later that they've been vetting locations with zero grid capacity.
Developers spend months manually studying potential sites through consultants, only to discover later that they've been vetting locations with zero grid capacity.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Getting a clean energy project onto the grid takes 2 to 4 years.
Developers spend months manually studying potential sites through consultants, only to discover later that they've been vetting locations with zero grid capacity.
Developers spend months manually studying potential sites through consultants, only to discover later that they've been vetting locations with zero grid capacity.