Why Generate Capital: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

Generate Capital Overview

Established in 2014, Generate Capital, known as Generate, is an investment firm specializing in sustainable infrastructure.

The company constructs, finances, and manages sustainable infrastructure projects aimed at providing cost-effective and dependable resource solutions for businesses, governments, and communities.

Generate Capital engages in the development, ownership, operation, and financing of assets within three main sectors:

• Sustainable Energy
• Sustainable Mobility
• Sustainable Water, Waste & Agriculture

The firm collaborates with more than 40 technology and project developers globally and currently owns and operates a portfolio exceeding 2,000 assets across clean energy, transportation, waste, and water sectors.

Operating on an Infrastructure-as-a-Service model, Generate serves a diverse clientele comprising over 2,000 customers, including businesses, communities, school districts, and universities, contributing to global infrastructure redevelopment.

Jigar Shah, Matan Friedman, Scott Jacobs are the founders of Generate Capital. Based in San Francisco, California, the firm also maintains additional offices in New York, Washington, and London.

Generate Capital AUM

As of writing, there is no publicly available information on the total assets managed by Generate Capital.

Generate Capital Interview Process & Questions

Firms have the flexibility to modify their interview procedures for each candidate. However, if you are interviewing at Generate Capital (or a similar firm), here is a general outline of what you can expect:

• Typically, expect around 4-6 interview rounds.
• Initial interviews are usually led by junior investment professionals or the HR team, with later rounds conducted by more senior personnel.
• During interviews at Generate Capital, candidates can expect a blend of fit, behavioral, and technical/investing questions.

The entire interview process commonly spans multiple weeks, unless it is part of “on-cycle” or “on-campus” recruiting.

In case you need help preparing for interviews, check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide. You can also check our HireVue interview guide for video interviews.

Why Generate Capital

“Why this firm” ranks among the most frequent and crucial interview questions.

If you’ve engaged in networking, this is an excellent opportunity to highlight individuals you’ve connected with at the firm and how they’ve left a strong impression on you.

Listening to interviews featuring founders or investors is one of the most effective ways to gain insights into a firm so you can come up with a personalized answer.

For example, here’s an interview with Jigar Shah, Co-Founder & President of Generate Capital:

More Interviews

• Scott Jacobs, Co-Founder, shares some of the challenges when it comes to raising more efficient capital
• RockCreek Climate Summit Spotlight Discussion with Scott Jacobs

Generate Capital Case Study

During interviews, candidates typically encounter a case study, which serves to evaluate their technical proficiency and communication skills.

At firms such as Generate Capital, case studies typically revolve around financial modeling and investment recommendations. Additionally, junior positions may involve a case study focused on cold calling.

Check out our Growth Equity Interview Guide if you want help preparing for case studies.

Generate Capital Salary & Compensation

According to Glassdoor, Generate Capital offers (median) salaries of $141K and $196K per year to their analysts and associates, respectively. Figures may vary depending on the individual’s experience, education, and other factors that Generate considers.

Analyst

Associate

Generate Capital Careers, Jobs, & Internships

To find available positions at Generate Capital, please visit our job board, which lists openings not only for Generate Capital but also for similar firms.

Generate Capital Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase, Generate Capital has made 21 investments and three acquisitions. Some of their notable deals include Ambient Fuels, Tucows, and Ting.

Notable Transaction: Cultivate Power

Cultivate Power specializes in developing distributed solar and storage projects aimed at improving communities, strengthening the grid, and promoting climate stability.

The company focuses uniquely on developing solar and storage projects ranging from 10 to 50 acres on farmland and infill areas.

On October 2, 2023, Cultivate Power announced it had secured a $10 million corporate equity investment from Generate Capital. The funds will support the expansion of solar and storage project development, recruitment of skilled personnel, and the establishment of local partnerships.

These initiatives include programs for scholarships and workforce development, aimed at benefiting the environment and local communities.

This investment represents both companies’ dedication to deploying distributed clean energy projects that provide affordable power to communities nationwide and stimulate local economies.

Next Steps

If you’re planning to send an application to Generate Capital, or any firm like it, I’d suggest checking out my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

This online course will help you get a better understanding of the concepts that typically show up during interviews like financial modeling, case studies, and more. Start learning today and increase your interview success rate!