Finance support for climate investors, accelerators and venture studios
Yes, Cool Change Consulting works with investors as well as companies: climate and impact funds, accelerators and venture studios. We support the fund's own financial strategy, and act as a hands-on fractional CFO for portfolio companies that don't have one yet.
Internal strategy work for the investment team, when the numbers need more time than the team has:
- Fund financial model. Rebuild or refactor the fund's internal model to better track TVPI, DPI, and fund and LP IRRs, in support of valuation, audit and the next fund's fundraising.
- Valuation tools. Debt and equity valuation models, including waterfall modeling of various investor preference levels for complicated cap tables.
- Exit and realization planning. Position-by-position exit scenarios (scheduled repayment, refinancing, secondary sale, strategic acquisition, etc.) with proceeds, timing and contingencies, rolled up into a plan for LP and advisory committee discussions, including what an extra year of fund life could mean for recoveries and upside.
- LP materials. Modeling and analysis supporting proposals to prospective LPs.
As a fractional CFO working directly with the founder and team, typically on companies that are growing fast, short on cash or heading into their next round:
- A 13-week cash-flow tool and regular cash meetings to decide what gets paid when.
- A rebuilt long-term financial model, aligned with short-term liquidity planning.
- Preparation for bridge rounds and the next round: use of proceeds, milestones, and debt vs. SAFE vs. convertible options.
- Working-capital and receivables financing, and collections on overdue balances.
- Monthly closes across linked entities, working with the external accountant, so investor reporting can be trusted.
- Budgets and repayment plans built on realistic scenarios.
At the end of the engagement, the tools and processes are handed over to the company's own team, so the improvement lasts.
“We appreciate all of Kyle’s hard work and quality output. For a major potential LP, he took on a huge task which enabled us to deliver a proposal in a timely fashion. The financial modeling for us, and CFO-work for the portfolio companies helped us manage the multiple outputs we are managing. Certainly, the companies really valued his direct support.”
- Workshops for accelerator cohorts, on a single topic or several: financial models, getting investor-ready, choosing how to raise.
- Financial-modeling training for founders and program teams.
- CFO support for venture studios: financial models for each venture, consolidated projections across the studio, and budgeting and planning processes across business units.
- Direct support for cohort companies that need a fractional CFO or a one-off project. See services for companies →
Who does the work?
Kyle Grabowski, founder of Cool Change Consulting. At Kaya Impacto, Kyle advised impact investors on investment strategy and due diligence, and led the design of custom financial instruments. Through Cool Change Consulting, Kyle has worked with an impact fund on its fund model and exit plan, and as CFO for its portfolio companies.
Common questions from investors
Does Cool Change Consulting work with investors and accelerators?
Yes. Besides companies, Cool Change Consulting works with climate and impact investors, accelerators and venture studios: on the fund's own financial strategy, as a fractional CFO for portfolio companies, and through workshops and financial-modeling training. See services for investors.
How can an impact fund support portfolio companies that don't have a CFO?
Give them hands-on finance support for a defined period instead of more reporting requests: a fractional CFO who builds a short-term cash forecast, rebuilds the financial model, gets monthly closes on track and prepares the company for its next round or refinancing. The tools should then be handed over to the company's own team, so the improvement outlasts the engagement.
Can you run a financial-modeling workshop for an accelerator cohort?
Yes. Workshops can cover a single topic or several, such as building a financial model, getting investor-ready or choosing between debt, SAFEs and equity. Companies that need more can also get fractional CFO or project support directly.
How much does Cool Change Consulting charge?
It depends on scope: how much of your finance work we take on, and whether you're preparing for a raise. You'll know the scope and the price after a free 30-minute call, before any work starts.
Talk about your fund or portfolio
Book a free 30-minute call: what the fund needs, and which companies need help most.