We have been involved with alternative energy for a combined seventy years and bring diverse backgrounds and significant investing, management, operations and policy experience to our work.
Mr. Stidolph is the founder of AltEnergy, LLC a private equity firm focused on alternative energy investing. He also serves as chair and CEO of AltEnergy Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ:AEAE) and as chair of Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:EOSE). Mr. Stidolph has over two decades of experience investing in and building businesses in the alternative energy sector. In 2000, he started the alternative energy practice at JH Whitney, a pioneer in private equity, founded in 1946. He founded AltEnergy in 2006 and has remained focused on the sector since, serving as Managing Director and Principal. Mr. Stidolph has led investments in nine alternative energy businesses and infrastructure projects, co-founding and serving as chairman of four, and serving as Chief Financial Officer of two. These investments span private companies in biofuels (Hawkeye Renewables), renewable power generation (Iowa Winds, American Heartland Wind, Broadview Energy), demand response software (Viridity), transmission infrastructure (Anbaric Power, Tres Amigas, Western Interconnect), and energy storage technology, Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. Mr. Stidolph received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College.
Mr. Gupta is a Managing Director of AltEnergy, LLC and has significant project development, capital raising and international investment experience. Mr. Gupta is actively involved in all aspects of the investment process from sourcing, structuring, executing, monitoring and developing and exiting transactions. Mr. Gupta plays an active role in supporting portfolio company management. He also has significant board experience with AltEnergy portfolio companies: Eos Energy Storage, board observer, Viridity Energy, board member, and Tres Amigas, board member. Previously, Mr. Gupta was a banker with Imperial Capital where he advised middle-market clients on restructuring, special situations, liability management, capital raising and mergers and acquisitions across a wide range of industries. Select transactions include raising $250 million in founding equity from a leading middle market private equity firm for a large aftermarket aircraft parts supplier; and advising clients on over $1.5 billion of restructurings in the technology, materials and consumer sectors. Mr. Gupta graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering.
Mr. Darnell is a Managing Director of AltEnergy, LLC and has over 30 years of experience with the U.S. alternative energy sector spanning the public policy and commercial arenas. Prior to joining AltEnergy, Mr. Darnell founded and ran Patolan Partners, an alternative energy-oriented placement agent that has sourced capital commitments exceeding $450MM, including utility scale solar and wind developments and institutional equity for Eos Energy Storage. Mr. Darnell serves as a Member of the Investment and Audit Committees of Green Century Funds, the nation’s first pure environmentally screened and fossil-free family of mutual funds. He is also a Managing Director at Pickwick Capital Partners, LLC where he holds his Series 7/Series 63 securities licenses. Previously, Mr. Darnell was Vice President at Morgan Stanley & Co., where he advised clients with total capital exceeding $5 billion. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Mr. Darnell served in senior management with The Public Interest Network and as chief executive of Telefund, Inc., serving the nation’s major environmental organizations while achieving a 45% CAGR in profit for 10 years. Mr. Darnell’s current and past board experience includes Green Century Funds, Paradigm Partners, board member, The Public Interest Network, advisory board member, and Citizens for Safe Energy, founding chair. Mr. Darnell graduated magna cum laude with an AB in philosophy from Princeton University and earned his MBA in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a competitive, former nationally ranked squash player (#12 U.S. Men’s 35-39) and accomplished musician, having trained for eight years in the Pre-College Division of The Juilliard School.