Our mission is to foster science & technology innovation for a sustainable planet.
Driving Innovation for a Sustainable Planet.
This past year has reminded us, in no uncertain terms, that we are living in an era of converging crises—and that the need for bold, actionable solutions has never been greater. In California and across the country, communities are facing the compounded effects of climate disasters, economic instability, and strained healthcare systems. The wildfires that tore through Los Angeles are just one example of how urgent, intersecting challenges are threatening lives, uprooting families, and testing the limits of our infrastructure.
These moments call for more than short-term fixes. They demand collaborative, long-term responses—and at Larta Institute, we believe that innovation, rooted in purpose, is one of our most powerful tools.
For over three decades, we’ve worked to ensure that science and technology serve the public good. Since our founding, we’ve supported more than 6,500 startups working to solve some of the world’s toughest problems from food and energy insecurity to public health and climate resilience. This report reflects the momentum of our mission and the measurable progress of the entrepreneurs we support.
Our impact since 1993.
Unique startups
assisted by Larta:
Acquisitions of Larta
portfolio companies:
200
Scientific applications & technologies commercialized:
7,093
Private investment raised by Larta portfolio companies:
$2.4B
Non-dilutive funding raised by Larta portfolio companies:
$23.7B
Our Impact in 2024.
9 groundbreaking startups—spanning clean energy, sustainable agriculture, food waste reduction, and environmental tech—joined our 2024 Venture Fellows program, with 55% led by women and 100% by diverse founders.
28 innovative startups—advancing early disease detection, accessible therapeutics, and community-based health solutions—joined our 2024 Heal.LA program, with 64% led by women and 50% by diverse founders.
518 unique startups engaged with Larta through our government-funded programs—197 of them participating in our Technical & Business Assistance (TABA) offerings, supporting 702 distinct science and technology innovations.
Case Studies: Impact in Action.
Larta’s Role in Driving Innovation and Impact:
Thank You & Special Acknowledgments.
Brad Ack, Ocean Visions
David Berokoff, Berokoff Energy Solutions
Ana-Alicia Carr, Los Angeles Food Policy Council
Nick Caton, SoLA Impact
Derek Chernow, Coalition for Community Solar Access
Rupak Doshi, OmniSync Incorporated
Catherine Dolezal, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Stephan Erkelens, RevHub
Miki Esposito, Los Angeles County Public Works Department
Efrain Escobedo, Center for Nonprofit Management
Alison Evans, U.S. Small Administration
Maria Garcia, California Community Foundation
Steve Gilison, Alliance for SoCal Innovation
Luis Gonzalez, Wells Fargo
Dr. Tara Lynn Gray, California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA)
Kimelyn Harris, Wells Fargo Foundation
Tim Hughes, AccountingX
Stephanie Hsieh, BioscienceLA
Christopher Johnson, Wells Fargo & Company
Rita Kampalath, LA County Chief Sustainability Officer
David Lynn, Mission Driven Finance
Dave McCarthy, U.S. Department of Energy (Formerly)
Supervisor Holly Mitchell, LA County, District 2
David Moore, Zero Nine Design & Development
Dr. Sophia Ononye, The Sophia Consulting Firm
Chris Orr, Pacific Premiere Trust
Arnab Pal, U.S. Department of Energy (Formerly)
Jonathan Parfrey, Climate Resolve
Derek Parks, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (Formerly)
Matthew Portnoy, NIH (NHLBI)
Sheldon Schuster
Jane Stafford, Gilead Sciences
Jessie Tang, Gratitude Railroad
Jo Tavares, California Center for Climate Change Education at West LA College
Karen Warner, BEAM Circular
Our Larta Distinguished Fellows
Our Venture Fellows Steering Committee
Our Heal.LA Steering Committee
The Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation
Friends at GO-Biz and CalOSBA
We are well past the point where incremental change is enough. The wildfires, extreme weather, and structural challenges facing our communities require coordinated, visionary action grounded in innovation and driven by purpose.
At Larta, we believe the solutions are already being built. But they need support—funding, expertise, and the right connections—to scale their impact.
We’re calling on partners, investors, and changemakers who share our commitment to advancing science and technology for the public good. Together, we can back the entrepreneurs who are redefining what’s possible and ensure their innovations reach the people and places that need them most.
As you read this report, we encourage you to see what’s possible when ingenuity meets intention and to imagine what we can create together: a more resilient and sustainable future.
