Let's Talk Carolina Climate Tech Community

About this episode

In this episode of Peer Ripples, Noa and Ofir are joined by Carolina Climate co-founders Ben Provan and Majela Fonseca to explore what it takes to turn a group of people into a community. One year after launching Carolina Climate, Ben and Majela reflect on the journey of building a grassroots movement for climate and clean tech founders across North Carolina. They share why they started the community, what they've learned about leadership, partnerships, and co-creation, and why the strongest communities are built with people, not for people. The conversation explores community building, shared purpose, founder engagement, partnership, and the challenge of knowing when to lead and when to let go. Takeaways Communities are built with people, not for people. Shared purpose creates stronger connections than shared interests alone. Partnership accelerates community growth without reinventing the wheel. Leadership means creating space for others to contribute and take ownership. Sometimes the most important step is to stop planning and start. Chapters 00:00 Why Start a Community? 12:00 From Silos to Community 24:00 Principles of Community Building 35:00 Leading and Letting Go More About Our Guests Ben Provan Entrepreneur, startup operator, and co-founder of Carolina Climate. Ben works with startups, innovation programs, and climate-focused ventures across North Carolina. Connect with Ben Provan https://www.linkedin.com/in/benprovan/ Majela Fonseca Marketing and business development leader, ecosystem builder, and co-founder of Carolina Climate. Majela works closely with founders, startups, and entrepreneurial communities across the Triangle. Connect with Majela Fonseca https://www.linkedin.com/in/majelafonseca/ More About Us Connect with Ofir & Noa https://www.linkedin.com/in/noarcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ofirronen/ Our Website https://advago.co/ Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@PeerRipplePodcast Noa Ronen YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@NoaRCoach