Dana Smirin

Dana-Lee Smirin Biography: Bachelors of Art, in Environmental Policy, Technology and Science (Clark USA) 1992
Dana Smirin cut her teeth in the Sustainable Business sector in 1989 working in the Projects Unit of London’s Friends of the Earth spinning out regional recycling businesses while she attended the London School of Diplomacy. A year later she landed in Washington D.C. working on Capital Hill organizing the Capital’s Waste management program. Once her hero, Nelson Mandela was released she became involved at a high political level with the US-SA Bi-National Commission facilitating technology transfer from the US Department of Energy (US Doe), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Commerce ( DOC). She spent 6 years living between South Africa and Washington D.C. representing multiple stakeholders in both countries, brokering opportunities across sectors. Smirin began to implement at this early stage responsible investing incorporating a holistic approach to re-entering business in South Africa.
In 1996 Smirin moved to California to participate in the deregulation of the first US electricity market. She co-founded Foresight Energy, a wholesale renewable energy provider and helped shape Californian Renewable Energy Policy. Smirin began to represent multiple companies and organizations in a consulting capacity such as Green Mountain Energy, The Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology and Innovation Norway. She was at the first discussion in 2000 that launched the Clean Tech Venture Forum later know as the Clean Tech Group, a long term client where she co-produced global conferences and scouted technology deals for member investors.
Her expertise won her in 2004 the prestigious McCloy Fellowship from the American Council on Germany to Accelerate bringing Clean Technologies to market. She spent the early 2000’s between South Africa and Europe working with Research Centers, policy makers, Labs, Business and thought leaders and Investment firms always with an eye on innovative business models. In 2007 she returned to San Francisco to take a post at UC Berkeley where tasks included getting disruptive technologies out of the University and Department of Energy Labs, developing an African Initiative and implementing sustainability programs on the continent. Smirin brought tours of academics and politicians such as the National Academy of Science to meet with South African Stakeholders.
Smirin has been active in multiple global Impact Investment communities, leveraging her life long work motivated by her values of growing economies that serve people, the environment and make economic sense. This has been done in close association with BID Network (NL) (Business in Development Network) and various other related clients. Smirin has been at the forefront of multiple new market initiatives, shaping of policy and assisted launching multiple technologies. Smirin resides between Cape Town and San Francisco and spend a few months a year in the EU and UK.