# Milo Werner

> Milo Werner is a General Partner at DCVC leading the firm's climate investments, bringing a rare combination of deep operational experience - nearly a decade at Tesla launching the Model S, Model X, and dual-motor powertrain - and a track record of venture investing at Khosla Ventures, Ajax Strategies, and MIT's The Engine. She founded The NextGen Industry Group, a nonprofit helping ~140 companies navigate the treacherous 'missing middle' between pilot production and commercial scale. At DCVC, she focuses on breakthrough deep tech ventures that decarbonize high-emitting industries and transform value chains.

- **Role:** General Partner at DCVC
- **Organizations:** DCVC, NextGen Industry Group, The Engine (MIT), Ajax Strategies, Khosla Ventures, Tesla, Fitbit, Zola
- **From:** Brookline, Massachusetts, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S. in Geology and Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, M.S. in Civil Engineering and MBA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- **Known for:** Won the 2013 C3E Innovation and Technology Award from the Clean Energy Education & Empowerment Initiative, Led New Product Introduction at Tesla through launch of Model S powertrain, dual-motor drivetrain, driver assist, and Model X, Helped scale Tesla from 200 employees to 12,000 during 8-year tenure

## Career timeline

- **2007** — Joined Tesla as early employee (#200-era) to lead New Product Introduction
- **2007-2015** — At Tesla, launched Model S powertrain, dual-motor drivetrain, driver assist systems, and Model X; witnessed company grow from 200 to 12,000 employees
- **2015** — Moved to Fitbit as head of New Product Introduction, launching four factories in China and transitioning to fully automated production
- **~2017** — Joined Zola (solar-battery startup) as VP Engineering & Product, serving over 1 million families in Sub-Saharan Africa
- **~2019** — Joined Ajax Strategies as Partner, leading mid-stage investments in energy, transportation, agriculture, and industrial sectors
- **~2020** — Joined Khosla Ventures as Operating Partner, supporting deep tech founders with commercialization, supplier development, and strategic sourcing
- **2018** — First introduced to The Engine at inaugural Tough Tech Summit; began mentoring founders and advising on deals
- **2022** — Joined MIT's The Engine as General Partner, investing across climate, human health, and advanced systems
- **2024** — Founded The NextGen Industry Group, a nonprofit supporting ~140 companies navigating first-of-a-kind (FOAK) production scale-up
- **2024-07** — Joined DCVC as General Partner to lead DCVC Climate, the firm's first dedicated climate fund targeting $300-400M

## Achievements

- Won the 2013 C3E Innovation and Technology Award from the Clean Energy Education & Empowerment Initiative
- Led New Product Introduction at Tesla through launch of Model S powertrain, dual-motor drivetrain, driver assist, and Model X
- Helped scale Tesla from 200 employees to 12,000 during 8-year tenure
- Ran New Product Introduction at Fitbit, launching four factories in China and enabling fully automated production
- Served as General Partner at MIT's The Engine, investing in breakthrough Tough Tech startups
- Founded The NextGen Industry Group to bridge the 'missing middle' for FOAK advanced manufacturing companies
- Board member at Atlantic Quantum, Foundation Alloy, Mori, Resonant Link, and TeraDar
- Led investment in DCVC's first dedicated climate fund ($300-400M target)

## Latest updates

- **2024-07** — Joined DCVC as General Partner to lead DCVC Climate fund targeting $300-400M
- **2024-03** — Founded The NextGen Industry Group, a nonprofit focused on bridging the 'missing middle' for ~140 FOAK manufacturing companies
- **2024-10** — Spoke at Trellis event on 'Financing Emerging Climate Infrastructure'
- **2025-01** — NextGen Industry Group released new capital stack model for advanced manufacturing commercialization

## Links

- Website: https://dcvc.com/team/milo-werner/
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/milowerner
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/milo_werner

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/milo-werner
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-18