Michele Klein

Michele Klein is co-founder of Gridtential Energy, developing proprietary energy storage solutions. She pioneered energy storage research at Santa Clara University, launching cross-disciplinary battery research in 2010. From 2006-2010, Michele Klein was Senior Director of Applied Ventures LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, responsible for renewable energy and energy storage. She identified and invested in 9 new companies and served on the boards of 7 companies, including Enphase Energy and Infinite Power Solutions. Before joining Applied, she co-founded, led and sold two VC-backed technology companies making manufacturing process control equipment, and served on the boards of both companies. Michele Klein was CEO of Boxer Cross, Inc. from 1997 to 2003, when it was acquired by Applied Materials. She led a previous start-up, High Yield Technology, from 1986-1996, when it was acquired by Pacific Scientific. In these leadership roles she raised funding from venture capitalists, investment banks and strategic partners. Prior to that, Michele Klein held management positions at Knoll International and Hewlett-Packard. Michele Klein serves on the advisory boards of two venture funds, the Silicon Valley Association for Startup Entrepreneurs (SVASE), SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium and Stanford’s “Women on Boards”. Michele Klein has been an invited speaker or judge for NREL’s Emerging Growth Forum, SVASE Launch Silicon Valley, cleantech events and SCU’s “Energy Storage: Essential Component in Renewable Energy Solutions”. Michele Klein earned a BS from the University of Illinois, and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.