Varun Sivaram
FounderCo-founder at Emerald AI
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
FoundedEmerald AI
About
Varun Sivaram is Founder and CEO of Emerald AI, an NVIDIA-backed company focused on enabling AI data centers to flexibly consume electricity and support the power grid, and serves as senior fellow for energy at the Council on Foreign Relations. He previously held roles including chief strategy and innovation officer at Ørsted, chief technology officer at ReNew Power, consultant at McKinsey & Co., and managing director for clean energy and senior advisor to Secretary John Kerry at the State Department, where he created the First Movers Coalition. Sivaram has taught at Columbia and Georgetown Universities, authored books including "Taming the Sun" and "Energizing America," and holds a PhD in condensed matter physics from Oxford University and undergraduate degrees from Stanford University.
Co-founder at Emerald AI
Intro paths
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In turn, Varun can intro founders to Emerald AI's investors below.
Emerald AI's investors · 10
CarbonAmsterdam · $100K checksCongruent VenturesSan Francisco · $100K – $5M checksEarthshot VenturesSydney · $100K – $5M checksEnergy Impact PartnersNew York · $5M – $20M checks · since 2026Lowercarbon CapitalNew York · $100K – $5M checks · since 2025Neotribe VenturesMenlo Park · $250K – $2M checksNVenturesSanta ClaraNVIDIASanta Clara · since 2026Radical VenturesToronto · $1M – $25M checks · since 2026Trust VenturesAustin · since 2025
Co-founders at Emerald AI
DV
Dr. Varun SivaramCEO and Founder
Experience
- Emerald AIFounder and CEOcurrent2024 — present
- Council on Foreign RelationsSenior Fellow for Energycurrent2024 — present
- ØrstedChief Strategy and Innovation Officer2023 — 2024
- U.S. Department of StateManaging Director, Energy & Innovation2021 — 2023Washington DC-Baltimore Area
- Columbia University in the City of New YorkSenior Research Scholar, SIPA Center for Global Energy Policy2020 — 2021New York City Metropolitan Area
- ReNew PowerChief Technology Officer2018 — 2020
- Georgetown UniversityAdjunct Professor2016 — 2018Washington DC-Baltimore Area
- Council on Foreign RelationsPhillip D. Reed Fellow for Science and Technology; Director of the Program on Energy and Climate2015 — 2018Washington DC-Baltimore Area
- Office of Governor Andrew M. CuomoStrategic Advisor to the Chairman of Energy and Finance on Reforming the Energy Vision (REV)2015 — 2016New York City Metropolitan Area
- McKinsey & CompanyConsultant2013 — 2015San Francisco
- City of Los AngelesSenior Advisor to the Mayor, Energy and Water Policy2012 — 2013Los Angeles, CA
- Twin Creeks TechnologiesProcess Engineer2011San Jose, CA
Skills & more
Research34Public Speaking26Data Analysis13English3Statistics16Matlab6SPSS3Public Policy16Fashion Shows7Politics5Physics33Materials Science3
+12 more
WritingSolar CellsLaTeXPolicy AnalysisPhotovoltaicsSpectroscopyCVDEnvironmental AwarenessMicrosoft OfficeStrategySolar EnergyNanotechnologyLanguages Hindi · Spanish
From Varun's professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Varun Sivaram?
- Varun Sivaram is Founder and CEO of Emerald AI, an NVIDIA-backed company focused on enabling AI data centers to flexibly consume electricity and support the power grid, and serves as senior fellow for energy at the Council on Foreign Relations. He previously held roles including chief strategy and innovation officer at Ørsted, chief technology officer at ReNew Power, consultant at McKinsey & Co., and managing director for clean energy and senior advisor to Secretary John Kerry at the State Department, where he created the First Movers Coalition. Sivaram has taught at Columbia and Georgetown Universities, authored books including "Taming the Sun" and "Energizing America," and holds a PhD in condensed matter physics from Oxford University and undergraduate degrees from Stanford University.
- Where does Varun Sivaram work?
- Varun Sivaram is Co-founder of Emerald AI.
- What companies did Varun Sivaram found?
- Varun Sivaram founded Emerald AI.
- Where did Varun Sivaram go to school?
- Varun Sivaram studied at University of Oxford (Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Condensed Matter Physics); Stanford University (B.S; B.A, Engineering Physics; International Relations).
Same school
Also attended University of Oxford1,334
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Also attended Stanford University2,000
Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundReid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockKeith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorAlfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalAnn Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at Floodgate
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Shared employers
Also worked at Emerald AI4
Also worked at Council on Foreign Relations82
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