We all want to protect the planet and our future, but sometimes we don't even know where to start or how to make a real difference. Whether it’s cutting down on meat consumption or opting for public transportation, many of us are aware of some simple measures we can implement to combat climate change – but how do we invoke expansive change beyond that? That’s where Wren comes in. 

Wren, a public benefit corporation founded by Iovine and Young Academy alumni Landon Brand, Ben Stanfield, and Mimi Tran Zambetti, is a website that calculates your carbon footprint so you can easily fund climate solutions that offset your lifestyle’s output. Drive to work and have a pet? They’ve got a plan for that. Frequent jet-setter? Learn the ins and outs of your emissions. Wren wants to make sure you put your money where your heart is. The company has grown significantly since its inception at IYA and is now a fully-fledged online community of budding climate activists who are taking matters into their own hands under the site’s guidance.

“What can you do if you’re not a policy maker or you’re not a scientist? That’s the idea of where Wren came up,” Tran Zambetti explains. “What can you really do after you cast that ballot or you make a couple small changes and figure out how to recycle and sort your trash? What can you do beyond that, which feels really high-leverage and has an impact today?” 

When advising subscribers on donating to climate change initiatives, Wren chooses projects that are guaranteed to make a lasting influence, measuring results based on peer-reviewed science while ensuring financial transparency through “impact updates” that track progress. Users can see where and how their money is being used in the long run, given recommendations based on their lifestyle and what they’re passionate about, as well as their personal emission rate. For example, if your footprint is 21.5 CO₂ a year, you can fund a portfolio of solutions – from conservation like tech-enabled rainforest protection to policies like the Clean Air TaskForce – that fit your budget. 

Wren has members in over 100 countries and doubled in team size and revenue in the past year. Their next step, beyond the funding vertical, is building out their content and advocacy tools. Donating money is one avenue towards action, but so is community involvement and incorporating productive habits into your daily life. Wren aims to be a one-stop advisor on your climate change journey, even working on a petitions and campaigns site where people can partner with various NGOs.

“On the action side we’re exploring a whole host of things, thinking about community challenges or ways to show content and personalize it to you so it’s easy to recommend things. The biggest things you can do are not have children or not have a car, but that’s not going to resonate with many people,” Tran Zambetti expounds on climate change-fighting realities. 

“Figuring out what is going to be easiest based on what they want to do, like go half plant-based –  if that’s way easier than skipping a flight. We’re figuring out how to frame actions in a way that really is about you can save money, you can be healthier, you can still live well. It’s not about sacrifice,” she adds. 

Tran Zambetti initially became interested in the environment as a high school student who found herself constantly creating in the art room and makerspaces. Robotics were – and still are –  a passion, and she realized that hardware production isn’t exactly a sustainable practice. From there, she fixated on engineering solutions that have the ability to improve the earth and peoples’ lives. 

Debating between a focus in mechanical engineering or industrial product design, Tran Zambetti happened upon Iovine and Young Academy, an integrated program offering a comprehensive blend of her interests in design, technology, and business. Plus, it had a makerspace – a collegiate must. The school didn’t limit her exploration, but helped her pave her own way and jump into real-world projects like Wren with confidence. While other major tracks felt set in stone from the get-go, IYA opened professional doors, as well as her eyes. 

“I was exposed to so many valid career options that I hadn’t considered before,” she shares. “Getting to chart your own path and being forced to chart your own path is really beneficial because you can think about what your own values are and what you really want to spend your time on.”

Tran Zambetti not only developed collaborative team skills that support managing interpersonal dynamics in her current founder role, she became well-versed in the art of presenting. She values being able “to present ideas succinctly in ways that will motivate other people and get people aligned on your vision.” That vision became Wren, which was backed by the technology startup accelerator Y Combinator while she was still at IYA. 

Four years later, Wren continues to uncover new approaches to moving the ecological needle. As the crisis becomes more urgent, Tran Zambetti hopes the company will be wholly synonymous with uncomplicated action. Think of it as the Google of climate change movements.

“No one has cracked the individual climate change space yet. Behavior change is super hard and localization is super hard, and we are all really passionate about the consumer space and helping individuals,” Tran Zambetti says. “I think staying in this space and trying to build a trusted brand for individuals when it comes to climate action is one of the goals. It would be nice if we became a full household name so that when someone is like, ‘I’m anxious about climate change’ or ‘I don’t know what to do’ … then having someone say, ‘Oh, you should just check out Wren.’ I think that would be really cool.” 

Whether it’s cutting down on meat consumption or opting for public transportation, many of us are aware of some simple measures we can implement to combat climate change – but how do we invoke expansive change beyond that? That’s where Wren comes in. 

How Can You Combat Climate Change Today? IYA Alums Make Action Easier

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