Donnel Baird (born 1981) is an African American entrepreneur and community organizer. He is the CEO and founder BlocPower.

Early life and education 
In the 1980s, Baird's family immigrated to the United States from Guyana, a Caribbean nation, following an economic decline. He is the oldest child of Guyanese immigrants and he has a younger sister. Baird's family of four started their life in a one-bedroom apartment with a shared bathroom with a neighbor in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. His father worked cleaning boilers while his mother was in a teacher program in York college and while in elementary, he witnessed a fight turned shooting. Living in a decrepit building, his family experienced leaving stoves and oven during winter to provide heat that ran on natural gas while opening windows to release harmful gas.

Baird's parents divorced, and his mother and both of the children moved to Atlanta. He attended a prep school and later moved on to Duke University. During his time at Duke, the police shooting of Amadou Diallo had a profound effect on Baird and sank him to depression. His relationship with historian Larry Goodwyn and classmate Mariana Arcaya urged Baird to pursue environmental issues and racial equity.

Baird earned his bachelor's degree at Duke University, after-which he moved back to New York and spent four years as a community organizer, working to bridge the gap between the privileged students he encountered at Duke and the underprivileged kids he grew up with in his neighborhood. He wanted to create a business that could address the intersection of climate change, energy waste in buildings, public health, and poverty by providing employment opportunities for low-income families. Additionally, he become a political organizer with the Department of Energy to help create green energy jobs under the Obama Administration, giving him the experience to eventually launch BlocPower in 2013, a company that aims to make buildings more energy-efficient and create green jobs in underserved communities. He continued his graduate study at Columbia Business School earning a Master of Business and Administration (MBA) in 2013.

BlocPower 
During his last semester at Columbia Business School, Baird launched BlocPower, a Brooklyn-based technology company whose goal is to upgrade residential homes and buildings in underserved communities while combating the environmental crisis. This is done through installing solar panels and retrofit of efficient electric heating and cooling systems which lower utility costs and providing financial help during installations. The company is under the support of significant investing groups such as Goldman Sachs and Kapor Capital.

BlocPower has gained significant recognition for its innovative approach to bringing clean energy solutions to disadvantaged communities. Leveraging data analytics and software technologies, the company identifies buildings that can benefit from energy-efficient upgrades and facilitates the financing and implementation of these improvements. The company utilizes data-driven approaches to identify and retrofit buildings with energy-efficient technologies, reducing carbon emissions and lowering energy costs for building owners. BlocPower has successfully transformed numerous buildings into energy-efficient and sustainable spaces, positively impacting both the environment and the local communities.

Social impact and recognition 
Baird's work with BlocPower has garnered widespread recognition and accolades. In 2014, he was named a "Champion of Change" by the White House for his efforts in advancing clean energy and economic opportunity. He has also been recognized as a Forbes "30 Under 30" honoree in the Energy category and was featured in Fortune's "40 Under 40" list of influential young leaders. Baird's achievements have been featured in numerous media outlets, including The New Yorker, Forbes, and Fast Company, amongst others. Baird was featured on Time magazine's 100 next in 2022. He has also been invited to speak at events such as TEDx and the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship.

Beyond his role at BlocPower, Baird remains actively involved in various social and environmental initiatives. He serves on the board of several organizations, including the Brooklyn SolarWorks and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.

Personal life 
Donnel Baird's personal life has been greatly influenced by his wife and family. His wife played a crucial role in shaping his career path, encouraging him to pursue entrepreneurship instead of law school. This decision proved to be a turning point for Baird, as he went on to establish a successful Silicon Valley startup. His wife's support and belief in his abilities helped him navigate the challenges of starting a company, while she worked hard to support their family during the early stages of the business.

He currently resides in New Jersey alongside his spouse and children.

References 

Living people
1981 births
American businesspeople
Sustainability advocates
Duke University alumni
Columbia Business School alumni