Supercool

Ken LaRoe has done what no one else in U.S. history has: founded three banks. His first two were financial successes. His third—Climate First Bank—is his answer to unfinished business. Built to align money with mission, it’s now America’s fastest-growing new bank, surpassing $1.4 billion in assets while financing the clean energy economy.

In this episode, Ken shares what he learned across 25 years of banking—why financial performance and climate action can’t be opposites, and how being, in his words, a “rabid environmentalist and rabid capitalist” became his edge. He explains how Climate First’s fintech arm, OneEthos, built proprietary software that powers $30 million in solar loans each month across 700+ installers—without relying on tax credits or Wall Street intermediaries.

Now, as the bank prepares for an IPO, Ken is proving that mission-driven finance can outperform the market—and that the clean energy transition runs on something deeper than capital: conviction.


Show Notes

Guest: Ken LaRoe, CEO of Climate First Bancorp and Executive Chairman of Climate First Bank

Comnpany: Climate First Bank

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What is Supercool?

The world is changing. Climate companies are scaling. Trillions in capital are shifting to products and technologies that cut carbon, drive profits, and redefine modern life. At the center are CEOs, founders, and operators capturing market share through climate innovation.

Hosted by climate-tech founder and author Josh Dorfman, Supercool explores the business models, strategies, and real-time playbooks accelerating this civilizational-scale transformation—to build the low-carbon future.