Jigar Shah, Former Director, Loan Programs Office (LPO)
Jigar Shah is the Co-Managing Partner of Multiplier LLC, an advisory services firm; a part-time venture partner at Powerhouse Ventures; and a co-host of the Open Circuit podcast from Latitude Media. In this special episode, Emily spoke with Jigar about his LPO journey — from the invitation to join the government, to stepping away from a thriving business, to leading an agency he had once called irredeemable.During his tenure, Jigar led the LPO in committing over $108 billion to 53 companies, supporting clean energy and advanced technology infrastructure across more than a thousand sites nationwide. They talked about what it took to rebuild trust in LPO, what it was like trying to shift how Silicon Valley and venture capital saw the role of Washington, and where we go from here.
Watt It Takes · Jigar Shah, Emily Kirsch, Julia Ranney, Chris McGovern
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Show Notes
You don’t meet many people like Jigar Shah.
He’s one of the rare leaders who has shaped the clean energy transition from every angle — as a founder, as an investor, and most recently, as a government leader.
If you know Jigar, you already know the headlines: He founded SunEdison, led Richard Branson’s Carbon War Room, co-hosted the Energy Gang podcast, co-founded Generate Capital, and most recently, ran the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, better known as LPO.
If you don’t know Jigar, but you’re listening to this, chances are you’ve felt his impact. In 2024, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
And fun fact, he’s also the very first guest to return to Watt It Takes for a second episode.
For more than two decades, Jigar has been behind the scenes — and sometimes out front — helping scale the technologies and financing models that define today’s energy economy.
But this episode isn’t about Jigar’s résumé; it’s about what it was like for him to join and lead LPO, what he learned in his four years in government, and what he’s carrying forward in this next chapter of his career.
Sponsors
This season of Watt It Takes is brought to you by our lead sponsor, HSBC Innovation Banking who is proud to bank some of the most exciting companies pioneering the technologies of tomorrow.
With specialist financing support, deep understanding of the challenges, and a global network across more than 50 markets, they help clients scale breakthrough innovations, and take them to the world.
So, if you’re looking for early-stage funding, or well on your way to FOAK, follow the link below to learn how HSBC Innovation Banking can help on the next stage of your journey.
https://www.business.us.hsbc.com/en/innovation-banking-powerhouse-innovation
About Powerhouse Innovation and Powerhouse Ventures
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