Scaling Climate Tech: Ops Case Study
Growth-stage climate tech companies rarely struggle because of a lack of vision or ambition. More often, growth stalls because operations haven’t evolved at the same pace as the business.
This case study shows how The Ops Engine™ worked as an operating partner to help a climate tech company move from fragmented execution to a clear, scalable growth model, unlocking alignment, momentum, and measurable revenue uplift.
The challenge: operational fragmentation at a critical growth stage
The company had reached an inflection point. Demand was growing, the product was strong, and the mission resonated with customers. Internally, however, the operating model was under strain.
Key challenges included:
No unified growth strategy or prioritised roadmap
Teams working towards different objectives with limited coordination
Skill gaps creating delivery bottlenecks
Limited visibility on pipeline, conversion, data and ownership
Leadership time absorbed by firefighting rather than strategic steering
The result was a familiar pattern in growth-stage climate tech: high effort, low leverage.
Our role: operating partner for climate tech growth
The Ops Engine™ was engaged as an external operating partner, working alongside leadership to bring structure, focus, and execution discipline, without adding unnecessary complexity.
Our approach focused on building the operational backbone required to scale.
Step 1: Translate ambition into a clear growth plan
We started by defining what mattered most.
Working closely with the leadership team, we:
Defined a single, prioritised growth plan aligned to business objectives
Made trade-offs explicit to avoid spreading resources too thin
Clarified what success looked like for each function
This alignment created a shared direction across teams and removed ambiguity from decision-making.
Step 2: Identify skill gaps and connect the organisation
Rather than defaulting to hiring more people, we identified the specific skills and capabilities required at this stage of growth.
We:
Clarified ownership across teams
Connected departments that were previously operating in silos
Ensured the right skills were applied to the right priorities
This reduced friction, improved cross-functional collaboration, and increased execution speed.
Step 3: Build the right operational systems to support scale
With strategy and ownership defined, we implemented fit-for-purpose systems to support execution and visibility.
This included:
Setting up a CRM aligned with how the business actually sells
Creating clearer reporting and pipeline visibility
Reducing manual work and reliance on ad-hoc tools
The focus was not on more tooling, but on simpler, more effective systems that leadership could rely on.
The results: a scalable operating model with revenue impact
The outcome was a step-change in how the business operated.
Results included:
A strong operational backbone ready to support scale
Teams aligned around shared priorities and outcomes
Improved morale and confidence across the organisation
Leadership able to focus on strategy rather than day-to-day firefighting
A clear uplift in revenue performance and growth momentum
Most importantly, the business moved from reactive execution to intentional, sustainable growth.
Why operational foundations matter in climate tech?
For climate tech companies, scaling is about both revenue and impact. Without strong operations, even the most mission-driven businesses struggle to deliver at pace.
A clear operating model provides leverage:
Faster decision-making
Better use of talent and resources
Stronger foundations for long-term growth
At The Ops Engine™, we help mission-led startups build the operational foundations that turn growth ambition into smooth, scalable execution.