Ready to build your own Founder-Led Growth engine? Book a Strategy Call
Frontlines.io | Where B2B Founders Talk GTM.
Strategic Communications Advisory For Visionary Founders
Conversation
Highlights
A seasoned Silicon Valley executive decides to tackle wildfire risk through technology. The catch? Her primary customers would be government agencies – notorious for long sales cycles and procurement complexity. Yet in just 18 months, her company’s platform went from covering 300,000 acres to 18 million acres across the western United States.
In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, Allison Wolff, CEO of Vibrant Planet, revealed how she built a successful government-focused tech company by throwing out the traditional Silicon Valley GTM playbook and embracing a relationship-first approach.
The Genesis: From Consulting to Tech Platform
The story begins with Allison mapping the climate change space for potential opportunities. While researching, she discovered a critical gap: “I started to see that we really are facing catastrophic failure in about half of land on earth… Started with small cabins in the forties and then giant $20 million homes today in places like Lake Tahoe, it’s places that we love to live.”
This insight led to a deeper investigation of land management practices. As Allison explains, “As I dove into this problem, I discovered how broken the land management, planning and monitoring capabilities are, so they really hadn’t been modernized yet… I started to see a really big tech opportunity.”
Building Trust in Government Sales
Unlike typical B2B sales, selling to government agencies requires a fundamentally different approach. “This is a very relationship, trust driven space,” Allison notes. “All of our early customers were deep relationships that might either some of my team who are foresters, or long time people in government from like EPA and bureau, land management and US forest Service.”
Even with her impressive Silicon Valley background, Allison had to earn credibility: “I earned that respect coming in as the newbie from Silicon Valley. You know, took several years of many conversations to also build that kind of rapport with folks.”
The Co-Creation Strategy
Instead of building in isolation, Vibrant Planet took an innovative approach to product development. “We built an incredibly robust, minimum viable product that was actually functioning in a very high profile area of California that was one of the highest risk areas,” Allison shares. “We really co-designed the system with them as they were going through a risk management workflow. We built it side by side with them, and then they became our earliest and biggest paying customers once they saw the potential of the system.”
Navigating Complex Technical Sales
One of the biggest challenges was explaining their sophisticated platform to both customers and investors. As Allison explains, “What we do is really complicated. We’re basically doing our best to mimic the complexity of nature… We invested heavily in the science and data engineering.”
Rather than simplifying their offering, they embraced its complexity: “We’ve got a very sophisticated engineering team and science team to build out a fine scale vegetation structure… The forest service, for example, has to manage for carbon, water, biodiversity, recreation values and protecting communities that are in and around their forests.”
Fundraising Against the Odds
Raising capital for a government-focused tech company presented unique challenges. “Government contracts scare a lot of investors,” Allison notes. However, they found success by emphasizing the strategic advantages: “The investors that get it also understand once you land them, they are very big, sticky customers.”
The key was finding investors who understood their vision: “Early stage vision sells, and so I think being able to articulate a big vision with, hopefully, a big business behind it is absolutely critical.”
The Path to Scale
Their strategy paid off dramatically. In just 18 months, they expanded from 300,000 acres to 18 million acres across multiple states. This rapid scaling demonstrated that government tech can grow quickly once initial credibility is established.
Looking ahead, Allison sees even bigger opportunities: “Ultimately, we are a nature based climate solutions company… we’re in a way, leveraging the hyper focus on the wildfire crisis to get people focused on resilience building.”
Key Lessons for Founders
Vibrant Planet’s journey offers crucial insights for founders targeting government customers:
- Invest in relationships before trying to sell
- Co-create solutions with early customers
- Don’t shy away from necessary complexity
- Find investors who understand your vision
- Build for scale from the beginning
Their success shows that while selling to government requires a different playbook, it can lead to substantial growth when executed properly. The key is building genuine relationships, demonstrating deep domain expertise, and having the patience to navigate longer sales cycles while maintaining a clear vision for scale.
Actionable
Takeaways
Leveraging Past Experiences:
Allison's journey from Netflix to Vibrant Planet underscores the importance of utilizing experiences from diverse sectors to drive innovation and tackle complex environmental challenges.
Vision-Driven Leadership:
Establishing a clear, forward-looking vision is crucial for mobilizing teams and stakeholders around complex, long-term goals, especially in fields as challenging as climate resilience and land management.
Collaborative Ecosystem Approach:
Addressing systemic issues like wildfire risk and ecosystem restoration requires a collaborative approach, integrating input from various stakeholders to create comprehensive and effective solutions.
Data-Driven Decision Making:
The use of sophisticated data analytics and modeling to understand and mimic ecosystem complexities highlights the power of technology in transforming traditional land management practices for better outcomes.
Navigating Government Partnerships:
Building relationships and earning trust are pivotal in sectors where government agencies are key customers, emphasizing the need for patience, persistence, and adaptability in business strategies.
Recommended Founder
Interviews
Troy Helming
Founder & CEO of EarthGrid
Troy Helming, Founder & CEO of EarthGrid: $63 Million Raised to Build Underground Super Grids with Plasma Torch Technology
Jan Willem Rombouts
CEO & Founder of Beebop AI
Jan Willem Rombouts, CEO & Founder of Beebop AI: $5.5 Million Raised to Power Grid Orchestration for the Clean Energy Transition
Daniel Betts
CEO & Co-Founder of Blue Frontier
Daniel Betts, CEO of Blue Frontier: $47.8M Raised to Revolutionize Air Conditioning with Energy-Storing Smart Climate Technology
Gary Ong
CEO & Founder of Celadyne
Gary Ong, CEO & Founder of Celadyne: $5 Million Raised to Power the Future of Green Hydrogen Production
Joshua Riedy
CEO and Founder of Thread
Joshua Riedy, CEO and Founder of Thread: $20 Million Raised to Power the Future of Energy Grid Maintenance
Marc Borrett
CEO & Co-Founder of Reactive Technologies
Marc Borrett, CEO & Co-Founder of Reactive Technologies: $80 Million Raised to Build the Future of Grid Measurement
Martin Kosak
Head of Marketing of Sensoneo
Event Marketing Mastery: Martin Kosak on Sensoneo’s Success at Trade Shows
Quentin Scrimshire
CEO and Co-Founder of Modo Energy
Quentin Scrimshire, CEO & Co-Founder of Modo Energy: $20 Million Raised to Build the Energy Asset Benchmarking Category
Gary Lewis
CEO & Co-Founder of Resourcify
Gary Lewis, CEO & Co-Founder of Resourcify: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of Recycling Management
Mukund Karanjikar
CEO of CleanJoule
Mukund Karanjikar, CEO of CleanJoule: $55 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Iain Cooper
CEO of SeekOps Inc.
Iain Cooper, CEO of SeekOps, $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Emissions Monitoring
Sid Jha
Founder & CEO of Arbol
Sid Jha, Founder & CEO of Arbol: Over $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Climate Risk Management
Arvin Ganesan
CEO of Fourth Power
Arvin Ganesan, CEO of Fourth Power: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Storage
Astrid Atkinson
CEO & Co-Founder of Camus Energy
Astrid Atkinson, CEO of Camus Energy: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Grid Management
Michael Witte
CEO & Co-founder of Workrise
Michael Witte, CEO & Co-founder of Workrise: $750 Million Raised to Power the Future of the Energy Industry
Alisa Valderrama
Co-founder and CEO of FutureProof Technologies
Alisa Valderrama, Co-Founder and CEO of FutureProof Technologies: $10 Million Raised to Translate Climate and Weather and Financial Risk with Unprecedented Accuracy
Tim Weiss
CEO and Co-Founder of Optera
Tim Weiss, CEO & Co-Founder of Optera: $17.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Management and Accounting
Adam Silver
CEO & Co-Founder of Plural Energy
Adam Silver, CEO & Co-Founder of Plural Energy: $2.8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Clean Energy Investing
Michael Belenkie
CEO and President of Entropy
Michael Belenkie, CEO and President of Entropy: $300 Million Raised to Spearhead Efficiency and Innovation in the Carbon Capture Economy
Javier Marti
CEO and Founder of Divirod
Javier Marti, CEO & Founder of Divirod: $7.6 Million Raised to Build the Google Maps For Water
Kentaro Kawamori
CEO & Co-Founder of Persefoni
Kentaro Kawamori, CEO & Co-Founder of Persefoni: $114 Million Raised to Build the Climate Disclosure & Carbon Management Category
Thomas Sisto
CEO & Co-Founder of XL Batteries
Thomas Sisto, CEO & Co-Founder of XL Batteries: $20 Million Raised to Transform Grid-Scale Energy Storage
Francesco Volpe
Founder of Renaissance Fusion
Francesco Volpe, Founder of Renaissance Fusion: $30M Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Fusion Technology
Sandeep Ahuja
CEO of Covetool
Sandeep Ahuja, CEO of Covetool: $36 Million Raised to Power the Future of Building Design with AI
Alex Siminoff
Director of Marketing of Parity
Alex Siminoff, Director of Marketing at Parity: Mastering HVAC Optimization with Effective B2B Storytelling
Khaled Hassounah
CEO & Founder of Ample
Khaled Hassounah, CEO and Founder of Ample: $290M Raised to Build the Future of EV Batteries
Marina Azcarate
Head of Marketing of Mitiga Solutions
Marina Azcarate, Head of Marketing at Mitiga Solutions: Driving the Future of Climate Risk with Cutting-Edge Tech
Preston Bryant
Co-Founder, Executive Chair, & Chief Commercial Officer of Momentum
Preston Bryant, Co-Founder of Momentum: $20 Million Raised to Transform Battery Recycling Through Materials Science Innovation
Dan Forman
CEO and Co-Founder of Copper Labs
Dan Forman, CEO and Co-Founder of Copper Labs: $13 Million Raised to Enable the Data-Driven Utility of the Future
Tara Bartley
Vice President of Marketing of REsurety
How to Squeeze as Much Value as Possible out of Each Piece of Content
Alexis Normand
CEO & Co-founder of Greenly
Alexis Normand, CEO & Co-Founder of Greenly: $78 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Management
Doron Myersdorf
CEO & Co-Founder of StoreDot
Doron Myersdorf, CEO & Co-Founder of StoreDot : $200 Million Raised to Power the Future of Electric Vehicles
Kenneth Herschel
CEO and Co-Founder of Viggo
Kenneth Herschel, CEO and Co-Founder of Viggo: Nearly $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of EV Charging Infrastructure
Joselyn Lai
CEO & Co-Founder of Bedrock Energy
Joselyn Lai, CEO & Co-Founder of Bedrock Energy: $9 Million Raised to Power the Future of Geothermal Energy
Curtis VanWalleghem
Co-Founder & CEO, Board Member of Hydrostor
Curtis VanWalleghem, CEO of Hydrostor: $322 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Storage
Matt LeDucq
CEO and Co-Founder of Forum Mobility
Matt LeDucq, CEO & Co-Founder of Forum Mobility: $423 Million Raised to Power the Future of Zero-Emission Trucking
Troy Carter
CEO and Co-Founder of Earthshot Labs
Troy Carter, CEO and Co-Founder of Earthshot Labs: $11 Million Raised to Power the Future of Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration
Ben Christensen
CEO of Cambium Carbon
Ben Christensen, CEO of Cambium Carbon: $5.5 Million Raised to Build a new Category of Sustainable Wood
Kameale Terry
Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!
Kameale Terry, Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!: Over $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Antoine Welter
CEO and Co-Founder of Circu Li-ion
Antoine Welter, CEO & Co-Founder of Circu Li-ion: $8.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Battery Upcycling
Greg Fallon
CEO of Geminus
Greg Fallon, CEO of Geminus: $12 Million Raised to Help the Industrial Sector Prepare for the Energy Transition
Allen Kramer
Co-Founder & COO of Crux
Allen Kramer, Co-Founder and COO of Crux: $27 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Finance
Elizabeth Muller
Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Deep Isolation
Elizabeth Muller, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of the Board of Deep Isolation: Over $22 Million Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Waste Disposal
Matt Loszak
CEO & Co-Founder of Aalo Atomics
Matt Loszak, CEO & Co-Founder of Aalo Atomics: $33 Million Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Energy
Thibault Castagne
CEO and Founder of Vianova
Thibault Castagne, CEO and Founder of Vianova: $8.8 Million Raised to Build the Go-To Operating System for the Mobility World
Scott Graybeal
CEO of Caelux
Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux: $70 Million Raised to Transform Solar Energy with Perovskite Technology
Steff Gerhart
Co-Founder & Co-CEO of ecoLocked
Steff Gerhart, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of ecoLocked: $6 Million Raised to Transform Buildings into Carbon Sinks
Kaitlyn Albertoli
CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions
Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions: Nearly $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of Infrastructure Inspection
Omar Abou-Sayed
Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Vaulted Deep
Omar Abou-Sayed, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Vaulted Deep: $8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Removal
Kathy Hannun
Founder & CTO of Dandelion Energy
Kathy Hannun, Founder & CTO of Dandelion Energy: $175 Million Raised to Democratize Geothermal Energy for Home Heating and Cooling
Zak Lefevre
CEO of ChargeLab
Zak Lefevre, CEO of ChargeLab: $20 Million Raised to Build the Operating System for EV Chargers
Manik Suri
Manik Suri, CEO and Founder of Therma: $30 Million Raised to Build the Cooling Intelligence Category
Josh Knauer
Co-Founder of Reseed
Josh Knauer, Co-Founder of Reseed: $5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Credits for Farmers
Virginia Klausmeier
CEO and Founder of Sylvatex
Virginia Klausmeier, CEO and Founder of Sylvatex: More Than $15 Million Raised to Build a Better Class of Sustainable Materials and Drive the Green Revolution
John Belizaire
CEO of Soluna
John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna: $180 Million Raised to Power the Future of Renewable Computing for AI
Greg Newbloom
CEO and Founder of Membrion
Greg Newbloom, CEO & Founder of Membrion: $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Industrial Wastewater Treatment Solutions
Andre Fernandez
CEO & Co-Founder of Invert
Andre Fernandez, CEO of Invert: $26 Million Raised to Build the Future of Nature-Base Carbon Credits
Ali Javidan
Co-Founder of Range Energy
Ali Javidan, Co-Founder of Range Energy: $9 Million Raised to Build the Future of Electric Semi-Trucks
Liz Gilligan
CEO & Founder of Material Evolution
Liz Gilligan, CEO & Founder of Material Evolution: $19 Million Raised to Build the Future of Sustainable Cement
Chris Hare
CEO of PRTI
Chris Hare, CEO of PRTI: Over $25 Million Raised to Transform America’s Billions of Waste Tires into Valuable Commodities
Matei Stratan
CEO of Ogre
Matei Stratan, CEO of Ogre: $2 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Management
Saurabh Kapoor
CEO & Co-Founder of Metafuels
Saurabh Kapoor, CEO & Co-Founder of Metafuels: $22 Million Raised to Pioneer Synthetic Aviation Fuel Technology
Adam Tank
Co-Founder of Transcend
Adam Tank, Co-Founder of Transcend: $35 Million Raised to Revolutionize Critical Infrastructure Design
Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies
CEO and Co-Founder of Accure
Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies, CEO & Co-Founder of Accure: $18.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Battery Intelligence