About CurvePoint
Founded in 2024, CurvePoint Capital is a private investment firm specializing in structured capital solutions for growth-stage energy and industrial businesses that power the real economy. We combine institutional discipline with deep sector expertise to finance the overlooked middle of the market.
Our Guiding Principles
Collaboration
Collaboration is at the core of our operation, guiding us to forge deep connections with our investors, portfolio companies, and industry partners that lead to innovative solutions and amplify our collective ability to address business challenges effectively.
Resilience
Our ability to navigate economic and business cycles is central to how we invest. We focus on strategies and portfolio companies built to perform through changing markets, supported by durable demand, essential services, and thoughtful capital structures. Their success strengthens the energy and industrial systems that underpin the real economy and supports long‑term stability for businesses and investors.
Commitment
We bring rigor and intention to every investment through deep research, continuous learning, and close partnership with management teams and sponsors. Our commitment extends beyond providing capital; we work alongside our portfolio companies to support their evolution, execution, and long‑term success.
Progress
We seek to advance energy and industrial innovation not only through the companies we back, but also through the way we invest. Our approach is tailored to each portfolio company, delivering financing solutions aligned with their operational realities, growth objectives, and long‑term durability. Each investment reflects our commitment to generating attractive returns while supporting the modernization and productivity of the real economy.
Our Leadership
Our team brings decades of experience investing across energy, industry, and structured capital markets.
James Rich
Managing Partner and Co-Founder
James Rich is Managing Partner and Co-Founder of CurvePoint Capital. James brings more than 22 years of experience in private and public investments across a wide variety of alternative and traditional asset classes. Prior to co-founding CurvePoint, James spent over 15 years at Aegon Asset Management, most recently focused on energy transition and industrial resilience investing in the private markets, where he co-founded the Aegon Climate Capital strategy with Brian Wayne, investing across energy and industrial businesses at commercial inflection points. For nearly three years, James was a member of the board of directors of the Aegon Transamerica Foundation, which donated over $7 million each year to advance financial and social empowerment across the United States.
Prior to Aegon, James worked at Madison Dearborn Partners in Chicago, IL and Morgan Stanley in New York, NY. James is a frequent speaker at investment industry conferences and guest lecturer at business schools and universities and has been featured in the Financial Times, Barron’s, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Pensions & Investments, and numerous other publications. James is a mentor and advisor to climate startups in the Third Derivative accelerator ecosystem. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and an ScB from Brown University. James resides in Boulder, CO with his wife and three children.
Brian Wayne
Managing Partner and Co-Founder
Brian Wayne is Managing Partner and Co-Founder of CurvePoint Capital. His experience spans structured capital, private markets, and energy and industrial systems operating in the real economy. He leverages 18 years of diverse experience across alternative investments and corporate strategy. Prior to co-founding CurvePoint, Brian spent seven years at Aegon Asset Management where he most recently co-founded the Aegon Climate Capital strategy with James Rich, investing across energy and industrial businesses at commercial inflection points. During his tenure at Aegon, he focused on aligning and developing many of the firm’s investment capabilities on impact and sustainability.
Before Aegon, Brian spent a decade at Congress Asset Management as a member of the private capital investment committee, which deployed in excess of $1 billion in capital and was also head of product strategy. In addition to founding CurvePoint, Brian also is the co-founder of The Water Genome, a 501(c)3 non-profit impact studio that focuses on identifying and catalyzing water technologies to solve health and climate resilience issues. Brian is a member of The Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle, an expert advisor at AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, and a startup mentor and advisor to several sustainability programs. He holds a BSBA from Thomas Edison State University and an MBA from The University of Massachusetts. He resides in Los Angeles, CA with his wife and son.
Alena Solonina
Partner and Co-Founder
Alena Solonina is Partner and Co-Founder of CurvePoint Capital, bringing 10 years of investment experience to the firm. She joined Brian and James on the Aegon Climate Capital team to facilitate deal execution and portfolio monitoring. Alena previously worked at Global Emerging Markets Group and TriLinc Global, focusing on closing the financing gap in emerging markets through direct private credit and equity investing.
Alena actively supports female entrepreneurs through her leadership of the LA Chapter of Women in Climate Investing and Finance. Additionally, she co-founded The RAR Studio, an initiative that provides educational resources and a community platform for female entrepreneurs to help them navigate the complexities of capital markets. Alena’s expertise spans multiple sectors, including energy, industrial, and structured credit, aligning with the firm’s focus on disciplined capital solutions in the real economy. She holds a Master’s degree from Finance University under the Government of Russian Federation and Certificate of Finance from University of California Los Angeles. She resides in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and son.