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Brynne Kennedy

Managing Partner | Smart Society Ventures

Geneva, Switzerland

Brynne Kennedy

Fantail Ventures

Creator, Executive Producer & Entrepreneur

Brynne Kennedy’s Biography

Brynne Kennedy is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Smart Society Ventures. SSV is a decarbonization venture capital scale-up fund that aims to create European technology champions and help the world achieve net zero emissions by 2050. SSV invests in European-headquartered decarbonization technology companies with capital-efficient, software-enabled technologies that reduce carbon or methane emissions. SSV invests when a company has proven their technology, achieved strong revenue traction and is at an inflection point of global scaling, often from Europe to the US. SSV builds on Kennedy's pilot fund (BCP Ventures), which has invested in eight decarbonization technology investments across Europe and the US.

Kennedy has garnered a wide range of experience as an investor, Founder, CEO and politician. Prior to Founding SSV, Kennedy was an investment banker and private equity investor. In 2010, she founded London-based enterprise software company, Topia, where she served as CEO and led the company to global scale. During her tenure, Topia raised $100M in venture capital funding,... Brynne Kennedy is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Smart Society Ventures. SSV is a decarbonization venture capital scale-up fund that aims to create European technology champions and help the world achieve net zero emissions by 2050. SSV invests in European-headquartered decarbonization technology companies with capital-efficient, software-enabled technologies that reduce carbon or methane emissions. SSV invests when a company has proven their technology, achieved strong revenue traction and is at an inflection point of global scaling, often from Europe to the US. SSV builds on Kennedy's pilot fund (BCP Ventures), which has invested in eight decarbonization technology investments across Europe and the US.

Kennedy has garnered a wide range of experience as an investor, Founder, CEO and politician. Prior to Founding SSV, Kennedy was an investment banker and private equity investor. In 2010, she founded London-based enterprise software company, Topia, where she served as CEO and led the company to global scale. During her tenure, Topia raised $100M in venture capital funding, acquired companies in Estonia and the US, and served enterprise customers in 12 countries across Europe, Asia and the US. Kennedy stepped down from Topia in late 2018 in order to run for US Congress on a decarbonization and innovation platform.

Kennedy has been honored with numerous awards including Management Today's 35 Under 35, London Business School's Distinguished Alumna Award and Entrepreneur of the Year, Women in IT Awards. In 2019, she published "Flat, Fluid and Fast: Harnessing the Talent Mobility Revolution", which provides a look into the shift to remote and distributed global work.

Kennedy earned an MBA from London Business School and a B.A. from Yale University. READ MORE VIEW LESS

Brynne Kennedy’s Newsfeed

The Smart Society Show launches hosted by Chris Skidmore and Brynne Kennedy

Climate and energy tech venture capital business, Smart Society Ventures, have announced the launch of The Smart Society Show, a new climate technology podcast to be hosted by former Energy Minister, Rt. Hon Chris Skidmore and SSV Managing Partner, Brynne Kennedy.

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Former UK scale-up founders Brynne Kennedy and Steve Black announce Smart Society Ventures

Brynne Kennedy and Steve Black, former UK scale-up founders, have launched Smart Society Ventures (SSV), a decarbonization tech investment firm. The company aims to create tech champions in Europe and accelerate net zero.

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Brynne Kennedy’s Background

Smart Society Ventures

Managing Partner & Co-Founder

Dec 2023 - Present

Geneva, CH

SSV invests in growth-stage decarbonization technology companies with software-enabled business models, either stand alone or vertically-integrated with hardware. Its thematic focus is decarbonization and the global energy transition.

BCP Ventures

Managing Partner & Co-Founder

Sep 2021 - Present

New York, NY, USA

BCP Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in transformational technologies reinventing foundational industries. Its investments focus on food systems, sustainable energy and smart infrastructure.

Brynne Kennedy for Congress

Candidate for U.S. Congress

May 2019 - Jun 2021

Kennedy was the 2020 nominee in California's 4th Congressional District, challenging a six-term incumbent on a bipartisan platform of private-sector innovation, investment and entrepreneurship.

Topia

Founder, CEO & Board Director

Mar 2010 - Feb 2021

San Francisco, CA, USA

In today’s interconnected global economy, Topia provides the Global Talent Mobility platform that empowers HR teams to effectively deploy, manage and engage employees across the world.

Standard Chartered

Investment Associate

2008 - 2010

Hong Kong, HK

Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group, with a presence in more than 60 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Brynne was was a member of the Founding Team of a private equity fund started as a joint venture between Standard Chartered Bank and Dubai World.

Lehman Brothers

Investment Banker

2006 - 2008

Hong Kong, HK

Lehman Brothers was an American global financial services firm founded in 1847. The firm Primarily did business in investment banking, equity, fixed-income research, investment management, private equity and private banking.

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Brynne Kennedy’s Gallery

brynne kennedy of BCP ventures at Davos World Economic Forum

brynne kennedy of BCP ventures techdisrupt

brynne kennedy at the World Economic Forum

brynne kennedy of BCP ventures Interview at Davos World Economic Forum

brynne kennedy 3 company CEOs at Davos World Economic Forum

Board Positions

Caban Systems

Board Observer

Jul 2022 - Present

Burlingame, CA, USA

Caban delivers modern infrastructure solutions to its customers, while substantially reducing operational expenses and increasing uptime.

Pratexo

Board Director & Investor

Apr 2022 - Present

Austin, TX, USA

Pratexo’s technology platform supports IoT and artificial intelligence strategies and initiatives which demand compute power at the edge, such as near sensors or cameras placed in remote locations.

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Media

The race for California's 4th congressional district | Need to know

Oct 2020

Sacramento, CA, USA

Brynne Kennedy and incumbent Rep. Tom McClintock speak with ABC10 about the race for California's 4th Congressional District.

Congressional Hopeful Brynne Kennedy on Rebuilding an Economy where ‘Everyone Can Thrive’

Jul 2020

New York, NY, USA

Brynne Kennedy shares some of the key points of her congressional campaign, including her desire to build a strong economy that benefits everyone. Notably, she believes that a post-pandemic workplace requires due attention to programs that support women, childcare, early education and other important programs.

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Interviews

Energy Impact Center | Brynne Kennedy

Jun 2023

Washington, DC, USA

Brynne Kennedy discusses her path to BCP Ventures, which includes Topia, the global talent platform company she founded in 2010, the innovative companies BCP Ventures is currently working with and its vision that is leading them into the future.

Investing in the Future | Brynne S. Kennedy, BCP Ventures | Hub Culture Davos 2023

Jan 2023

Davos, CH

Hub Culture Executive Editor Edie Lush interviews Brynne S. Kennedy, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, BCP Ventures about the importance of investing in changing how we eat, produce and power our world.

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Features

From Tech Founder to Politician—Meet Brynne Kennedy

Oct 2020

New York, NY, USA

During her congressional campaign, Brynne Kennedy was profiled, with notable attention given to her success as a tech executive founder of a software company, Topia.

Brynne Kennedy could be the first female tech founder to serve in Congress

Aug 2020

New York, NY, USA

This Fortune feature delves into Brynne's background and what she hopes to accomplish as a member of the House of Representatives.

Publications

Debrief from Davos – The Energy Transition

Author

Jan 2023

Brynne Kennedy discusses the conversations around global energy transition at the World Economic Forum, including the role of venture capital in developing solutions and showcasing three BCP Ventures portfolio companies that will play a critical part in this transition.

Flat, Fluid, and Fast: Harness the Talent Mobility Revolution to Drive Employee Engagement, Accelerate Innovation, and Unleash Growth

Author

Oct 2019

New York, NY, USA

Flat, Fluid, and Fast discusses strategies that leaders need to navigate the continued growth of talent mobility. It provides a roadmap to use throughout the entire process, and gives advice on how leaders can bring top talent to their company, implement new training programs, guide innovation and much more.

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Awards & Recognition

London Business School

Distinguished Alumna Award

London, UK

London Business School's Distinguished Alumna Award recognizes outstanding alumni who have demonstrated continual success in their personal and professional lives, are seen as leaders in their field and have made a significant impact on society.

Management Today

35 Under 35

London, UK

Management Today's 35 under 35 lists recognizes the contribution of Britain’s young businesswomen. These women play an integral role in a wide range of sectors, all contributing to the innovation and growth of the economy.

Women in IT Awards

Entrepreneur of the Year

The Women in IT Summit & Awards supports the tech industry in its mission to move the dial on diversity and inclusion. By providing a global platform to showcase advocates, role models, and allies this series works alongside industry champions to share knowledge, break digital boundaries and promote the importance of an inclusive tech sector.

The Stevie Awards

The Stevie Award for Women in Business

The Stevie® Awards are the world's premier business awards. Created in 2002, the awards honor the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide.

CloudNOW Top Woman in Cloud Innovation

Honoree

2018

New York, NY, USA

The Top Women Entrepreneurs in Cloud Innovation awards recognize the outstanding achievements of women founders who are breaking new ground in cloud and emerging technologies.

35 Women Under 35

Honoree

2016

London, UK

Brynne Kennedy was recognized for her as founder & CEO of MOVE Guides (now Topia), a cloud-based one-stop-shop for managing global talent mobility.

Women of the Future Awards

Honoree | Entrepreneur of the Year

2016

London, UK

The Women of the Future Awards are the platform for successful young women in Britain. The awards recognize the inspirational stars of tomorrow across diverse sectors.

Thomas W. Ford Award

Honoree

2006

New Haven, CT, USA

The Thomas W. Ford Award is awarded annually to male and a female student-athletes who have demonstrated their commitment to strengthening the relationship between Yale Athletics and the youth in the New Haven community.

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Speaking Engagements

Family Office & Private Wealth Management Forum West

Featured Speaker

Oct 2022

Napa, CA, USA

Brynne Kennedy joined other venture capital executives in a panel titled 'Driving Returns with Private Equity & Venture Capital'.

Disrupt Berlin

Featured Speaker

Nov 2018

Berlin, DE

Presented by TechCrunch, Disrupt Berlin showcases some of the most innovative startups, founders, and investors in tech. Brynne Kennedy gave a talk on building the tools that enable companies to manage the 21st century mobile workforce.

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Community Engagement

Tanglewood

Supporter

Lenox, MA, USA

Tanglewood is the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and its training academy, the Tanglewood Music Center, as well as the Boston Pops.

Press Releases

Caban Systems Raises $51M Series B to Accelerate Growth

Jan 2023

New York, NY, USA

Caban Systems, a leader in next-generation renewable energy solutions for critical infrastructure, has raised $51M to accelerate its global expansion strategy. The Series B round was led by investor BCP Ventures.

BCP Leads Seed Round in Elite Measurements

Nov 2022

New York, NY, USA

Elite Measurements sells patented hardware and software to oil and gas majors that helps them significantly reduce carbon emissions and reduce the time from “well to sale” improving their margins.

BCP Joins Ryp Labs Series A

Oct 2022

Ryp Labs sells biomimicry solutions that protect fruit and vegetables from pathological infections in an all-natural way. These solutions significantly reduce premature rotting from pathological infections and reduce food waste, one of BCP's focuses in its food systems investment vertical.

BCP Blitz Leads Seed Round in Pratexo

May 2022

BCP's investment in Pratexo correlates strongly with its focus on new sustainability and ROI-generating initiatives across smart cities, energy grids, agriculture, manufacturing and more.

BCP Blitz Leads Series A in Greyscale AI

May 2022

Greyscale AI is a startup that sells cutting-edge inspection systems for packaged consumer products. Its proprietary integrated hardware and software solutions scan at the speed of production lines using advanced AI and analytics to automatically identify packaging defects.

10th Annual Compass Intelligence Awards in IoT, Mobile, and Emerging Tech Award Winners Announced

Apr 2022

New York, NY, USA

Pratexo was honored as the Emerging Edge Computing Company of the Year award. The 10th Annual 2022 CompassIntel Mobile, IoT, and Emerging Tech Awards Innovator Awards honors companies, vendors, and organizations demonstrating innovation, leadership, disruption, and excellence in the technology industry.

Topia CEO Brynne Kennedy Joins Tech Industry Leaders at TechNet Day 2018

Apr 2018

New York, NY, USA

As Founder & CEO of Topia, Brynne Kennedy joined other tech leaders at TechNet Day 2018 in Washington, D.C.

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Investments

Caban Systems

Investor

Burlingame, CA, USA

Caban Systems is a leading provider of next-gen renewable energy solutions for critical infrastructure.

Casper Labs

Investor

Aug 2023 - Present

Zug, CH

Casper is the first blockchain built specifically for business adoption. It delivers applications and services that drive revenue and radical efficiency for companies and governments.

Elite Measurement

Investor

Nov 2022 - Present

Taft, CA, USA

BCP led the Seed Round investments in Elite Measurement. Elite Measurement offers products that deliver superior asset returns and reduce environmental impact across the most carbon-intensive and critical areas in the production of petroleum and natural gas.

Ryp Labs

Investor

Oct 2022 - Present

Kirkland, WA, USA

Ryp Labs is an award-winning food protection company developing and commercializing transformative technologies to combat global food waste, naturally and safely.

Pratexo

Investor

Apr 2022 - Present

Austin, TX, USA

BCP Blitz made a $4M Seed Round investment in Pratexo. Pratexo's mission is to provide the edge-to-cloud acceleration platform required to help enterprises and governments meet their decarbonization goals.

Greyscale AI

Investor

Apr 2022 - Present

San Francisco, CA, USA

BCP Blitz made a $8M Series A investment in Greyscale AI. Greyscale AI is cutting-edge developer of AI driven X-ray/computer vision SaaS solutions

Outlines

Investor

New York, NY, USA

Outlines develops clean, sustainable home goods. Its mission is to provide people with the comfort of knowing that living in a clean home no longer means creating more waste in the world.

see | me

Investor

New York, NY, USA

see| me is building the best platform for talented artists to gain recognition, feedback and get discovered by art lovers and collectors.

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Brynne Kennedy’s Education

London Business School

MBA | Concentration in Entrepreneurial Management

2010 - 2012

Yale University

B.A. | History

2002 - 2006