Annette Tonti
Listen to Michael and the story of Incentivize Green Now: Upward & Onward Podcast
Michael Kadish is a seasoned entrepreneur and the driving force behind Incentivize Green, Inc. With a rich background, Michael is a graduate of Columbia University and the Harvard Kennedy School and committed to improving policy outcomes through innovative technology. In 2022, he founded Incentivize Green, Inc., taking on the role of CEO to spearhead a mission that revolves around encouraging and rewarding sustainable practices.
Incentivize, the green fintech venture that Michael leads, is on a mission to democratize access to billions of dollars in government and utility rebates for electric vehicles (EVs), EV chargers, and other climate technologies. By revolutionizing the user experience for finding and securing rebates, Incentivize is not only making the process more accessible but is also contributing to a greener, more sustainable future.
Questions:
What inspired you to start Incentivize Green, Inc.?
Incentivize began two years ago when I got together with my old friend Matthias, during the pandemic. We talked about what we wanted to do with the rest of our careers and the kind of impact we wanted to have with their work. I had already spent years working on climate issues in the public and nonprofit sectors, most recently leading a solar non-profit that installed rooftop systems for families in disadvantaged communities and trained hundreds of people for careers in the solar industry. After his own success building a computer vision company, Matthias was interested in the challenge of building another successful business that could make an even bigger impact. Together, we honed in on the idea of helping people take action on climate in their own lives. I felt that while many people wanted to do more, they needed practical help to cut through the confusion and take pragmatic next steps. My own experience administering government funded solar programs, led me to believe that a more streamlined, digital, consumer centered approach would have the potential to help many more people take advantage of government funded rebate programs for clean technology, such as electric vehicles. That became the seed of the idea for Incentivize.
How does Incentivize differentiate itself in the green fintech space?
Everything we do is aimed at making EV ownership easier for consumers.As a fintech platform we are dedicated to making billions of dollars in government and utility incentives for electric vehicles (EVs), EV chargers, and other climate tech more accessible, so EV buyers can more easily obtain every rebate and tax credit they deserve. Our free, proprietary, Rebate Calculator cuts through the confusion, providing users with their personal eligibility for incentive programs and potential savings on the products they are interested in. As we grow, we will help our users fill out and submit the required documentation for rebates and give them an option to receive their rebates immediately through financing.
What challenges have you encountered while building Incentivize?
It has been a long road over the past two years, with many of the typical pivots, dead ends and challenges that most entrepreneurs face. As any startup founder knows, time and money are scarce commodities. I’m proud that we have persevered, built something useful and now stand on the precipice of finally launching our product to the public.
How do you see the future of sustainable finance?
Creating a more sustainable world requires a massive transformation of our economy and infrastructure. All of these changes need an upfront investment in order to deliver long term savings. That cannot be done quickly at scale on the macro level without financing. On the household level, financing is key to making improvements in how we heat and power our homes, and of course it also plays a huge part in helping us transform what we drive.