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Founded in 2007, Dakota Ridge Capital provides clean energy investment advisory services and helps bring deals to fruition for investors - banks, family offices, not-for-profits - and developers who want to make strategic energy investments incentivized by government tax incentives. By facilitating investments in clean energy, Dakota Ridge Capital helps investors achieve tax savings while providing developers with the capital necessary to complete their projects, thereby contributing to the goal of energy abundance.
Dakota Ridge Capital is based out of New York state with a satellite office in Colorado.
We service clients worldwide, as long as there are U.S. taxes to be paid.
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OUR MISSION
The firm's mission centers on leveraging investment incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act, which has created substantial investment opportunities aligned with the government's objective to drive the energy transition. The IRA has introduced new investment asset classes—such as biofuels, carbon capture, hydrogen, and nuclear energy—and has enabled a broader set of investors, including tax-exempt entities, to participate and monetize incentives previously available only to taxpayers.
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OUR INVESTMENT PHILOSOPHY
At Dakota Ridge Capital, we are committed to clean energy abundance while delivering real financial benefits to our clients. Our investment philosophy is centered on creating value through structured finance solutions and maximizing the opportunities provided by government incentives, such as those outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). By combining our expertise with a passion for energy as the master resource, we ensure every project contributes to both economic and energy abundance. There is no economic power without energy power.
1. Maximizing Value for Our Clients
We specialize in helping our clients unlock significant tax savings by fully optimizing clean energy incentives. Our deep understanding of legislation like the IRA ensures you gain the most from your investments.
2. Supporting Projects Every Step of the Way
From initial planning and design to partner selection and ongoing management, we stay involved throughout the lifecycle of your clean energy projects. Our goal is to ensure that every project achieves its financial and operational targets.
3. Fostering Strong Partnerships
We value collaboration. By building long-term relationships with developers, banks, family offices, and non-profits, we create partnerships that drive mutual success and deliver lasting impact.
4. Diversifying for a Sustainable Future
We believe in supporting a wide range of clean energy solutions, from wind and solar to biofuels, carbon capture, nuclear and hydrogen. Diversifying across these technologies allows us to contribute to a more resilient and sustainable energy future.
5. Balancing Innovation and Stability
While we embrace innovative financing strategies, we prioritize careful risk management to ensure your projects remain viable and aligned with your goals.
6. Driving the Energy Transition Together
Our mission is to connect capital with clean energy initiatives, empowering developers to bring their projects to life and helping our clients contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future.
We take pride in the work we do and the impact we make—not only by helping our clients achieve financial success but also by playing an active role in shaping a better, greener world. Together, we can turn today’s clean energy opportunities into tomorrow’s achievements.
LEADERSHIP
Neil Winward is a distinguished financial executive with a deep well of experience spanning over 25 years in senior roles at global corporations and more than a decade of entrepreneurial leadership in client advisory businesses. Currently, Neil serves as the CEO of Dakota Ridge Capital, a financial advisory firm that specializes in clean energy transactions.
At Dakota Ridge Capital, Neil focuses on structuring and sourcing deals that align with the fast-evolving landscape of energy transition, particularly in the wake of the Inflation Reduction Act. His work helps both buyers and sellers of tax credits maximize their investments while also assisting tax-exempt investors in navigating new opportunities for direct refunds and matching grants in clean energy projects.
EXPERTISE
Before founding Dakota Ridge Capital, Neil was the Managing Director and Head of Structured Solutions at ORIX Corporation USA, the U.S. arm of a major Japanese financial conglomerate. In this role, Neil successfully built and led a team that utilized ORIX’s tax capacity to invest over $200 million in renewable energy sectors, including solar, wind, and waste-to-value projects. Under his leadership, the group not only generated substantial tax credits but also grew from zero to over $50 million in annual profit within five years. His strategic approach and keen insight into the energy market allowed ORIX to rotate capital efficiently by selling a seasoned portfolio of solar assets, thereby driving sustainable growth for the firm.
BACKGROUND
Neil’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in his earlier ventures as well. He founded Sevara Capital Advisors, where he served as CEO, advising banks, insurance companies, and hedge funds on the regulatory and tax inefficiencies that lead to high effective tax rates. He also co-founded Sevara Partners, an investment bank where he wore multiple hats, including Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. His firm provided M&A advice, raised capital, and offered expert witness services, building a reputation for solving complex financial challenges across a diverse client base.
Neil began his career in London, having qualified as a Barrister, and decided to pursue a career in finance. He spent over 20 years at one institution that, having begun life as a British Merchant Bank (Kleinwort Benson), evolved through M&A into ownership by Allianz, one of the world's premier insurance conglomerates. Neil ran their Structured Finance business globally and co-headed their US capital markets businesses.
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