New York City, September 25, 2025: ALTÉRRA, the world’s largest climate investment fund, and the Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi (Stern at NYUAD) hosted the inaugural session of the ALTÉRRA Futures Speaker Series at Stern at NYUAD during New York Climate Week. The event marked the first in a series of global discussions designed to inspire sustainable innovation and climate-conscious leadership.
The session featured an exclusive fireside chat with Seth Goldman, co-founder of Just Ice Tea and PLNT Burger and Chairman of Beyond Meat. Moderated by Justin Worland, Senior Correspondent for TIME, the conversation explored the intersection of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and global impact, providing insights into building and scaling mission-driven companies that prioritize both profit and purpose.
Opening the event, HE Majid Al Suwaidi, CEO of ALTÉRRA, and Rob Salomon, Dean of the Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi, welcomed an audience of business executives, students, senior government officials, and diplomats. The gathering also celebrated the formal partnership between ALTÉRRA and Stern at NYUAD, a collaboration that will bring a series of sustainability-focused discussions and initiatives to students, academics, and business leaders worldwide. A Memorandum of Understanding between the institutions was signed during the event, signaling a long-term commitment to fostering climate-conscious innovation and global dialogue.
“The ALTÉRRA Futures Speaker Series is meant to enable this type of dialogue, and has two very important objectives to showcase changemakers: from Abu Dhabi to New York, across the future of food, fashion, technology and finance. And the second is to empower future leaders to engage, to learn and lead the global climate conversation,” said HE Majid Al Suwaidi.
Goldman’s discussion covered a wide range of topics, from the ethos and growth of Just Ice Tea to the role of the private sector in sustainable development, particularly in emerging markets like Mozambique where the brand sources its ingredients. Attendees explored how consumer behavior is increasingly aligning with sustainability, and how businesses can remain profitable while staying true to their mission. The conversation also addressed broader shifts in policy, finance, and global markets, and offered guidance for aspiring mission-driven entrepreneurs.
“Through our partnership with Alterra, one of the most exciting aspects of this series is the opportunity to connect students and industry leaders with pioneering entrepreneurs like Seth, whose work demonstrates that sustainability and business success can go hand in hand,” said Rob Salomon.
The event concluded with a networking reception, allowing participants to engage directly with speakers, industry peers, and sustainability leaders. Recorded for digital distribution and social media promotion, the session is the first of several planned discussions, including future events at NYU Stern’s Abu Dhabi campus during ADSW 2026 and a May 2026 session aimed at continuing the dialogue around climate-conscious business practices.
Through the ALTÉRRA Futures Speaker Series, ALTÉRRA and Stern at NYUAD aim to inspire actionable change across sectors, from energy and infrastructure to food, fashion, and finance, demonstrating that collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing are key to building a more sustainable global economy.