# Tarun Batchu

> Tarun Batchu is the co-founder and CEO of Vela Energy, a startup building AI execution agents for large-load energy projects - software that reads a project's real records and drafts the procurement, permitting, and engineering work needed to move interconnection queues faster, always stopping for a human to approve. He started chasing energy problems at 12 with a carbon-capture project that reached ExxonMobil, spent his teens in climate policy and community organizing, and studied EECS and business through UC Berkeley's M.E.T. program before raising a $1.3M pre-seed led by a16z Speedrun and Z Fellows.

- **Role:** Co-Founder & CEO at Vela Energy
- **Organizations:** Vela Energy, UC Berkeley M.E.T. Program, Citizens' Climate Lobby, United Nations Global Goals (Ambassador), Z Fellows
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** EECS and Business, UC Berkeley - Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology (M.E.T.) Program
- **Known for:** Co-founded Vela Energy, building AI execution agents for large-load energy infrastructure, Raised a $1.3 million pre-seed round led by a16z Speedrun and Z Fellows, Selected as a Z Fellow

## Career timeline

- **age 12** — Built a carbon-capture project that earned an Arrow Electronics sponsorship and was pitched to ExxonMobil
- **teens** — Served as a UN Global Goals Ambassador and national co-lead with Citizens' Climate Lobby
- **teens** — Organized community energy-efficiency initiatives backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies
- **current** — Studying EECS and Business through UC Berkeley's M.E.T. program
- **current** — Co-founded and leads Vela Energy as CEO; raised a $1.3M pre-seed led by a16z Speedrun and Z Fellows

## Achievements

- Co-founded Vela Energy, building AI execution agents for large-load energy infrastructure
- Raised a $1.3 million pre-seed round led by a16z Speedrun and Z Fellows
- Selected as a Z Fellow
- Pitched a carbon-capture project to ExxonMobil at age 12, with Arrow Electronics sponsorship
- Served as a UN Global Goals Ambassador
- National co-lead with Citizens' Climate Lobby
- Organized Bloomberg Philanthropies-backed community energy-efficiency initiatives

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — Vela Energy closed a $1.3M pre-seed round led by a16z Speedrun and Z Fellows
- **2026-01** — Shipped its Agent Workspace and Procurement, Permitting, and Studies agents for large-load energy projects

## Links

- Website: https://www.velaenergy.ai/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarun-batchu-986017284/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/tarun-batchu
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-31