Juliana Garaizar

Juliana Garaizar is an internationally recognized venture capital leader, entrepreneur and innovation strategist dedicated to advancing technologies that drive economic growth, sustainability and global impact. Based in Houston, she has spent her career building innovation ecosystems throughout the world, connecting entrepreneurs with capital and accelerating the commercialization of transformative technologies across the energy, climate technology, life sciences and healthcare sectors.

Garaizar is a partner of Energy backers, a general partner at Portfolia and a member of the Impact Committee at Suma Capital’s Net Zero Ventures, where she focuses on supporting companies developing solutions for a more resilient and sustainable future. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of entrepreneurship, venture capital and economic development, helping founders scale innovative businesses while expanding access to investment opportunities.

A recognized leader in Houston’s innovation ecosystem, Garaizar previously served as chief development and investment officer at Greentown Labs, where she played a key role in establishing and launching Greentown Labs Houston, the Texas location of North America’s largest climate tech startup incubator. Her leadership helped bring together entrepreneurs, investors, corporations and community partners to strengthen Houston’s position as a global center for energy innovation and climate technology. Garaizar is also the co-founder of the Houston Energy and Climate Week.

Garaizar has also made significant contributions to venture capital by expanding opportunities for women, LatinX, minority and underserved entrepreneurs. As a lead investor with Portfolia’s Rising America Fund, Consumer Fund and Rising Tide Fund, she has championed investments that promote innovation while increasing access to capital for diverse founders. She has served in boards and advisory roles with organizations including the Angel Capital Association, Society for Low Carbon Technologies, Business Angel Minority Association, Houston Diversity Fund, LatinX Startup Alliance, Impulse4women, Kauel Technologies and Ally Energy.

Before joining Greentown Labs, Garaizar served as director of the Texas Medical Center Venture Fund and managing director of the Houston Angel Network, where she helped connect healthcare innovators with investors, strategic partners and commercialization opportunities. Earlier in her career, she led international technology and innovation initiatives in Europe and Asia, including managing the award winning Sophia Business Angels network in France and serving with the Trade Commission of Spain and Citigroup’s Asia Technology Office in Singapore.

Born in Bilbao, Spain, Garaizar has lived and worked across Europe, Asia and the United States, bringing a global perspective to entrepreneurship and venture investing. She earned a Master of Business Administration from London Business School and Berkeley Haas School of Business, specializing in entrepreneurship, and is both a Kauffman Fellow and VC Include Fellow.

Today, Garaizar continues to mentor entrepreneurs, teach innovation and champion a more inclusive venture capital ecosystem while helping position Houston as one of the world’s leading centers for energy transition and technology innovation.