Amy Duffuor is a co-founder and General Partner at Azolla Ventures and Managing Director at Prime Impact Fund, Azolla's predecessor vehicle. She has a diverse background that spans immigration research, management consulting, impact investing, and renewables investment banking. Amy began her career studying marginalized West African migrants and later pursued an MPhil in Migration Studies at Oxford University. Transitioning into management consulting, she worked on supply chain and procurement projects in London and Southeast Asia, where she developed a passion for climate change solutions. Her experience running venture accelerator programs in Southeast Asia for impact-driven startups inspired her to focus on early-stage climate tech investing. Prior to Azolla, Amy worked at Bank of America as a renewables investment banker, contributing to projects like the IPO of Sunnova, a leading residential solar company.Azolla Ventures is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage investments in climate technology startups. Their investment strategy emphasizes three key criteria: Impact, Additionality and Commercial Potential. In July 2023, Azolla Ventures announced the final close of their fund at $239 million. This fund blends catalytic, charitable capital with impact-aligned, market-rate capital to drive investment into solutions with deep potential for climate impact that are systemically overlooked by conventional financiers. Amy has even constructed a microcosm of LP signals that they use to understand where investing gaps in the ClimateTech funding ecosystem lie. In this episode, Amy shares insights on:Using blended finance to de-risk early-stage climate tech investmentsThe unique challenges and misconceptions in hardware-focused climate startupsEmbedding equity and justice in climate tech venturesEnjoy!📝 Show Notes:Topics 05:50 The Role of Blended Finance11:51 The Unique Landscape of Hardware Companies15:04 Building Trust with Entrepreneurs17:49 The Importance of Environmental Justice21:01 The Future of Climate Tech Investing28:54 The Art of Simplifying Complex Technologies31:52 Investing Ahead of the Curve39:59 Integrating Equity and Justice44:08 Future AspirationsLinksAmy Duffuor | Azolla VenturesConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Listen Time: Full Show 38:51 (no ads) | Free Preview 31:19Today, we are speaking with Shaun Abrahamson from Third Sphere. Third Sphere is a leading ClimateTech investor that also has a debt strategy for high-volume production startups in the hardware space. They have backed companies like ChargeLab, ClimateBase, Gradient, OneWheel, Therma, Revivn, & Wasted (check out the episode we did with Revivn). This is Shaun’s third time on the pod — if this is your first time hearing him, you’ll understand why because he is very thoughtful. During NY Climate Week, the Third Sphere team put on a great event titled “Climate Tech Exits.” It was really well beloved by many NY CW attendees. They covered:**Why exits are so crucial to the success of Climate investing **The state of climate tech exits**How it looks compared to tech broadly**What to learn from the original tech winners like Google & Apple **What the paths forward might be**The patterns of successful founders In today’s episode, we recap the key points of their event and then dig into Shaun’s advice to founders on how to ensure they are doing things right, in order to see an exit.We are sure you’ll find it educational. 📝 Show Notes:Topics: **0:00 The Importance of Climate Tech Exits**2:48 Current State of Climate Tech Investments**6:06 Challenges in the IPO Market**8:50 Corporate Venture Capital's Role**12:08 Future Opportunities in Climate Tech**14:56 The Shift from Mitigation to Adaptation**18:11 Building Sustainable Business Models**21:01 Navigating M&A Opportunities**23:55 Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinks:**Shaun Abrahamson | Third Sphere**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

There’s no sugarcoating it…Trump is bad news for ClimateTech — but thankfully, we have interviewed 200+ ClimateTech Entrepreneurs on how to build politically resilient companies — ensuring the future is greener no matter who the president is. Today, we’re distilling those key lessons for you. Key risks across / what’s on the chopping block Possible silver linings & some wins Recognizing the reality of the situation Examples of likely downside Choose a new narrative Key advice to startups Better / Faster / Cheaper Bring on Non-Climate Investors Choose the Right Customers Involve CVCsBuild in Climate-Friendly StatesHelp the US Compete with China Recognize Climate is not Everyone’s #1 Issue We recognize the severity of the situation we are in. But since we are here, we might as well learn from it and continue to do the good work moving forward.🚨 Also — a huge thank you to our paid subscribers for the questions and inspiration for this episode! Want to be a part of future ones? Upgrade to paid now!---🌎 Want the full Pod? Become a paid sub today (cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe)--- 📺 Watch on YouTube Topics 00:00 Brief Reactions02:53 Key Implications (What’s at Risk & Upsides?)06:11 Rural vs Urban Perspectives on Climate Issues09:00 Navigating Climate Conversations in a Conservative Context11:51 Opportunities and Risks for Climate Tech Under Trump15:13 Changing how you Market Your Climate Tech Startup 21:52 Strategies for Climate Tech Founders Moving ForwardLinksCipher: With Donald Trump victory, here are his energy and climate positionsNature: Big State and Local Wins for Climate and Conservation in the United StatesThe Hill: 18 House Republicans ask Johnson not to target IRA clean energy tax creditsConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today we are joined by Duncan Logan, CEO & Co-Founder of 9Zero. A community platform to bring climate professionals together in person and online so we can work together to solve the climate crisis. Duncan previously founded RocketSpace where he saw many tech startups that would go on to become unicorns. Companies like Uber, FlexPort, and Spotify. Having this experience made him realize the importance of creating a hub for people to collaborate and bump into each other. They are extending this even further by building these hubs in all major climate cities because unlike the 2000’s tech boom, there is no one silicon valley for climate. We need to connect NY, DC, Boston, Houston, London, Berlin, SF, Seattle, and beyond. Duncan brings a lot of experience and some great stories (like the time he met Elon). Enjoy! ---🌎 Want the full Pod? Become a paid sub today (cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe)---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your InboxTopics **00:00 The Climate Ecosystem: A Call to Action**02:01 Duncan Logan: Building Climate Tech Communities**11:09 9Zero: The Silicon Valley of Climate**20:14 Connecting Climate Hubs: A Collaborative Approach**29:45 Navigating Complexity in Climate Tech**38:50 Leadership in Climate Startups: The Right Team MattersLinks**Duncan Logan | 9Zero**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Jean-Simon Venne is the co-founder and CTO of BrainBox AI, a pioneering company using artificial intelligence to optimize energy use in buildings. With a background in telecom and deep expertise in building mechanics and computer engineering, Jean-Simon has led BrainBox’s efforts to bring scalable, autonomous HVAC systems to the market. In this episode, Jean-Simon discusses his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of scaling AI in the built environment, and how BrainBox AI leverages deep learning to decarbonize buildings and support grid efficiency.BrainBox AI is a Montreal-based company that uses artificial intelligence to optimize HVAC systems in commercial buildings, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. Having raised $30 million in Series A funding, backed by investors like ABB Technology Ventures and Desjardins Capital, BrainBox is expanding globally with over 700 installations across 20 countries. Its AI-driven solutions address the growing demand for sustainable building management in the real estate sector.In this episode, Jean-Simon shares insights on:Using deep learning to optimize building energy consumptionPredicting room temperatures hours ahead to save energyDrawing inspiration from autonomous vehicles for scalable building efficiencyEnjoy!Topics 00:00 Harnessing AI for Building Efficiency03:13 The Journey of an Entrepreneur06:03 Innovating in Climate Tech08:54 The Vision Behind Brainbox AI12:10 Building a Scalable Solution'15:00 Navigating Team Dynamics as a CTO17:50 Balancing Innovation and Core Development21:10 Creating an Ecosystem of Innovation25:27 The Acceleration of AI Innovation29:17 Navigating the Unknown in Technology Development31:59 Understanding AI and Its Value37:31 Challenges in Selling to Property Owners41:49 The Future of Buildings and AI Integration46:03 The Challenges and Excitement of AI EvolutionLinksBrainBox AI | Jean-Simon VenneConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Brian Berzin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Thea Energy, a nuclear fusion company aiming to commercialize clean, dispatchable energy. With over 70 years of scientific research from Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, Thea Energy focuses on utilizing a stellarator design for efficient and scalable fusion power. Previously an electrical engineer and venture capitalist, Brian combines his technical and entrepreneurial expertise to lead Thea in developing the next generation of energy solutions, targeting commercial deployment by the 2030s.Thea Energy is an American fusion power company established in 2022 as a spin-off from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The company focuses on advancing fusion energy technology through a novel stellarator approach that utilizes all-planar electromagnetic coils. This method simplifies the design and enhances the precision of magnetic field control, aiming to make fusion energy a viable and sustainable energy source for the futureIn this episode, Brian shares insights on:Advancing fusion energy with simplified, scalable technology.The 70-year journey of fusion research at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab.The future timeline for commercial fusion power plants.Enjoy!---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics:02:10 The Journey of Thea Energy12:47 Brian's Path to Fusion20:53 The Right Time for Fusion24:42 Understanding Nuclear Fusion25:10 Understanding Fusion vs. Fission30:58 The Future of Fusion Energy41:29 Government's Role in Nuclear Energy48:01 Reflections on Climate WeekLinks:Brian Berzin | Thea EnergyConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today, we are speaking with Liz Dennett, the CEO and Founder of Endolith. Endolith recently spun out of Cemvita to form its own independent company. (Ep #200 with Moji from Cemvita)By 2050, we will need more copper than in the history of mankind due to the electrification of industry and developing countries. If we don’t solve this, it could lead to geopolitical conflicts. Their tech uses microbes to eat crushed rocks and poop out copper (I did say explain it to me like I’m 5). They add this to existing mining operations to increase output by ~10%. This helps us get closer to solving copper demand.In today’s conversation, we cover**Copper in electrification**Her journey to CEO of Endolith**Why copper could be the thing wars are fought over**The innovation behind microbial mining**The balance between generating hype and focusing on scientific advancementsEnjoy! ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics: **0:00 The Importance of Coppe**2:49 Liz's Journey to Endolith**6:06 Microbes and Metal Recovery**8:49 Deep Tech Startup Challenges**12:11 Spinning-Out of Endolith from Cemvita**14:53 The Impact of Copper on Society**18:04 Geopolitics and Copper**20:57 Electrification and Global Outcomes**25:40 Speaking Truth to Power**28:26 The Complexities of Clean Energy Access**30:44 Areas to Decarbonize Mining**32:36 Partnering with Mining Incumbents**35:55 Balancing Hype and ‘Doing Science’**40:39 The Role of Politics in Green Mining**45:11 Recycling & the Future of MineralsLinks:**Liz Dennett | Endolith**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X **This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

A while ago, we released a survey to collect people's feedback on NY Climate Week 2024. Well… the results are in! And we are here to recap them. If you want to know…What people thought the best events were (and why) As well as the worst… (namedropped… 😬) and why Favorite topics Topics people want to see more next yearWhat everyone’s goal was, and did they achieve it? What people will do differently next yearAnd takeaways from your favorite CleanTechies hostsWe enjoyed making this, and we think you’ll enjoy listening. Let us know how we did! Topics 0:00 Introduction to the NY Climate Week Survey Results1:03 Highlights of Favorite Events2:31 Factors Contributing to Event Success3:53 Least Favorite Events8:08 Key Topics Discussed11:51 Goals of Attendees20:30 Broader Feedback and Suggestions for Improvement23:19 Takeaways LinksConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Arjun Jairaj is an investor at noa, a London-based VC firm focused on early-stage ventures in the built environment across North America and Europe. With experience spanning private equity, startup founding, and advisory roles, Arjun has worked in India, the UK, and beyond, including founding a shared economy startup called Plonk. At noa, he focuses on real estate, construction, energy, and mobility, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and climate technology. In this episode, Arjun shares insights on:Navigating regional investment differencesThe impact of political landscapes on climate techEmerging opportunities in robotics and decentralized energy systems.📝 Show Notes:Topics 00:21 Saul Griffith as Inspiration03:19 Climate Consciousness Growing Up07:33 noa’s Investment Process12:26 Political Shifts in Climate Policy22:45 Regional Differences in Built EnvironmentPaid version starts32:37 – Contrarian Investing and VCM43:58 – Business Models vs. Deep Tech47:22 – Future OpportunitiesLinksArjun Jairaj | noaConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

We're joined by Panama Bartholomy, Founder and Executive Director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC). We talk about Panama’s background, the journey of creating the BDC, and why heat pumps and electrification are at the heart of decarbonizing buildings. He shares insights on the challenges of transforming America’s building sector, the importance of state-level action, and the opportunities for public-private partnerships in pushing climate tech forward. We also talk about China, and Panama offers a unique perspective on the role of international collaboration in the race to decarbonize.Tune in for an in-depth discussion on:The rise of building decarbonization policies in the U.S.Why state-level action is crucial, regardless of federal shiftsThe future of heat pumps and electrification in both the U.S. and ChinaHow the BDC is driving neighborhood-scale building decarbonizationEnjoy!---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics 00:27 Panama’s Background and Early Career09:09 Early Challenges in Building Decarbonization12:50 BDC’s Vision and Impact16:17 BDC's Three Vertical Approach: Policy, Market, and Consumer Education21:07 U.S. States Leading the Decarbonization Effort24:41 The Mid-Transition of Building DecarbonizationPaid version starts30:35 The Incentive Structure and Challenges of Heat Pump Adoption34:20 Panama's Trip to China49:24 Quick Hits: Business Ideas, Resources, and BDC's VisionLinksPanama Bartholomy | Building Decarbonization CoalitionConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Bucket List: - Do a live podcast recording ✅ Thanks to Extantia, one of THE leading ClimateTech funds in Europe, we recorded our first live podcast with Co-Founder, Partner, & LinkedIn Top Voice Yair Reem. It was FOAKing awesome. And no, it wasn’t awesome just because we got to do a live podcast, but because so many of you showed up to listen!! Shoutout to all of the CleanTechies that came through; we’re sufficiently motivated to do another 🚀.No frills this time, the pizazz was in the recording, here’s the info you need:In today’s recording of our live discussion, you can hear us break-down everything regarding FOAK financing for hardware climate tech startups:Intro to Yair What the F**K is FOAK How to “Do FOAK” How offtake agreements are game-changers & the largest open-source offtake directoryFinding commercialization talent The danger of spinning out deeptech too soonHow founders and investors can break through the noiseWhile you listen, here’s some links for ya:Connect with YairFollow ExtantiaCheck out the last episode we did with ExtantiaConnect with Somil & SilasFollow us on LinkedInSubscribe on YouTubeUpgrade to PaidSee y’all at the next CleanTechies Live Podcast Recording ☕️Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

And... don't forget to fill out the post climate week survey! 📝NYCW 2024 was a DOOZY…filled with plenty of good and crazy times that we equally don’t really remember. It went by in a blur, but so much happened in the week that we need to break it down with all you CleanTechies out there.Listen to the ep to hear about:What events we liked — Third Sphere, Political Risk Event, Climate Capital Summit, New Climate Futures The events we didn’t like — VC hangouts & loud bar meetups Our biggest takeaways — There needs to be better collaboration across events; and the UNGA & NYCW are competing for the best climate talentOur biggest gripes — Too much posturing and getting stuck in echo chambers; too much noise — not enough signal What we are going to do differently next year — hosting more of our own events / attending fewer ones & finding places where the real debates are happening Our hot takes 🔥:FOAK financing isn’t realDealflow isn’t an alpha for VCs anymoreStartups need to pursue generating PE-quality returns to succeed 👉 AND…last but not least, stay tuned to hear the recording of our first live podcast (coming later this week)…👀👉 If you’ve made it this far, you must really be interested in a better NYCW experience…fill out the post-Climate Week surveyPost Climate Week SurveySupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Hey Everyone!We're excited to share two big announcements. 🚨🚨First, CleanTechies is doing its first-ever live podcast! 🎙️🎊We are partnering with Extantia, one of THE leading ClimateTech VCs in Europe, to do our first ever live podcast recording. 🎉When: Wednesday, Sep. 25th @ 4 pm Sharp (be early)Where: Register for addressRegister for 1 of 15 CleanTechies tickets here: https://lu.ma/n8gteqtmSecond, we are hosting a soccer game for CleanTechies ⚽When: Friday, Sep. 27th @ 5:30 pmWhere: Near Sunset Park in Brooklyn (final location shared if approved)Register here: https://lu.ma/duovm34kWe’re very excited to see you all there 😎!Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

NY Climate Week is ####ing insane — event after event after event. If you’re not careful, you’ll waste an entire week of work and sleep — and get nothing out of it. We are here to give you our two cents… or rather, 35 min of advice on how to get the most out of your climate week experience. This is for you regardless if this is your first or fifth climate week. We broke it down into:Before - How to prepDuring - What to keep in mind during the chaosAfter - Mastering the follow-up Have a listen and comment with your advice for all the other CleanTechies. 🚨🚨🚨 ALSO… here is the list of events we’re attending during NYCW. Don’t be a stranger — we’ll be more excited to say hi than you can handle. Events We're AttendingGood luck out there! Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

We’re back with another episode featuring Jonathan, a founder shaking up the battery tech industry!Jonathan, a UC Berkeley Chemical Engineering grad, spent years in wastewater treatment before realizing the key driver of adoption was economics. In 2017, he and his co-founders, frustrated with their jobs, started their own company after working in thin film membrane industries. (Psst! This is a free version of the episode. To get the whole enchilada, become a paid subscriber on our substack) Today they are building Coreshell, a company helping replace the use of Graphite in batteries while also making us less reliant on China, the main global supplier of Graphite. In this episode, we cover:The lack of true innovation in battery tech over the last 20 years.How luxury EVs focus on range, while China slashes prices.How Coreshell’s tech could reduce reliance on China’s graphite monopoly.The EU’s take on battery recycling vs. US policy.Join us for more insights!🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityJonathan Tan | CoreshellConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

In this episode, we are joined by Till Stenzel, Partner at SET Ventures, a European venture capital firm that has been in operation in 2007 which makes them one of the first climate VCs out there. They invest $2-$5M in rounds that range from $3-10M at the Series A/A+ stage. SET Ventures focuses on innovative business models and typically like to lead or co-lead rounds. Their investments range over 6 focus areas: distributed energy systems, digital utilities, AI & enabling technologies, built environment, industrial energy management, and mobility & transport.On a personal note, Till takes us on a fascinating ride through his career, from his early inspiration drawn from Amory Lovins and the Rocky Mountain Institute, to his venture into renewable energy projects across Northern Africa during the early solar boom, and his pivotal role at E.ON, where he navigated their corporate energy strategy towards renewables. In the age old debate of investing in the “now” of tech — tech we already have commercializable vs. investing in the future (i.e. more expensive breakthroughs), Till believes in the now, saying I quote “we don’t really need major science and energy breakthroughs to turn our energy system carbon free.” Mind blowing — listen to the ep to find out why.He talks about:How Europe's regulatory environment is shaping the energy transitionThe challenges of scaling EV and grid technologiesWhy the future of freight electrification might be closer than we thinkEnjoy!---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics 00:00 Introduction01:28 Innovative Business Models 24:45 The Impact of Europe's Regulatory Environment26:39 Challenges Faced by Utilities32:15 The Power of Storytelling and EducationPaid Version Starts35:27 Exit Modeling and Fund Strategy48:57 Looking Forward for SET Ventures50:21 Helpful Resources in Climate TechLinksTill Stenzel | SET VenturesConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on thisSupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

This is a masterclass on investing in the future 🌍💰.Today, we're sitting down with Peter Sofer, Investment Partner at Clean Energy Ventures (CEV). Based in Austin, Texas, Peter tackles investing in the toughest-to-decarbonize sectors. CEV is known for backing companies that could be the only game in town for the long haul, with potential to achieve multi-gigaton greenhouse gas reductions.Peter’s journey is packed with insights, from his time at the Environmental Defense Fund to leading Clean Energy Ventures' second fund, targeting $305 million in Seed and Series A investments.This episode dives into an issue not often discussed in detail — the future of climate tech amid political and economic uncertainty. Peter breaks down how the evolving political landscape and macroeconomic factors will influence the availability of non-dilutive funding, and why a company's storytelling is critical for fundraising success. In this conversation, we explore:How Clean Energy Ventures chooses companies that are addressing the most challenging sectorsThe potential impact of a new administration on climate tech, especially around the IRA His thoughts on geopolitical tensions, China’s dominance in renewables, and the future of onshoring production ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics Clean Energy Ventures' Investment Philosophy Challenges of Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors Navigating Political and Economic Uncertainty Paid Version Starts HereOnshoring vs. Global Competition Evaluating Startup SuccessExit Landscape for Climate Tech Startups Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Entrepreneurs LinksPeter Sopher | Clean Energy VenturesConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on thisSupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today’s episode is special to me! When I first learned about ClimateTech, I dreamed of building a Venture Studio in the space. Although I didn’t even know what a Venture Studio was back then, I quickly realized that founder-market fit is crucial for success. While I’m not there yet, I started my own recruitment firm to gain the freedom and impact I wanted in a field with a huge need for affordable services.Maybe one day, I’ll follow in Ben’s footsteps. But for now, this conversation with Benjamin, who co-founded Ouishare in France and has been building companies ever since, was incredibly fulfilling. We dive deep into his latest venture, Marble, discussing what they do, how their business model works, and how they’re funded. We also explore how to find the right co-founder and the role of policy in advancing ClimateTech.There’s so much more to uncover, and I’m excited to have him back on one day. Enjoy the show!---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics Intro Ben's BackgroundWhat They DoFundraising for MarbleChallenges of Building in ClimateFinding a Co-Founder—(end of free preview)—Policy and Regulation in Climate TechKey Opportunity Areas in Climate TechLinksBenjamin Tincq | MarbleConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

We don’t always have climate philanthropic-learning orgs on, but when we do, it’s always a banger 💥We're sitting down with Karl Burkart, the Co-Founder and Deputy Director of One Earth. One Earth funds advanced scientific research and technology applications to address the climate crisis at scale across three pillars: Renewable energy transitionNature conservationRegenerative agricultureKarl's journey is nothing short of fascinating, starting from his early days as an architect focused on sustainable design in the Bay Area and is now leading One Earth.This episode explores an issue that doesn’t get enough love in climate tech — biodiversity and nature. Right now, the issues are in how biodiversity is measured, valued, and integrated into markets. Karl breaks down how and why biodiversity is becoming an investable space, particularly through monitoring and verifying the health of ecosystems. It’s so promising that Fortune 500s get into this space 💰.---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics 01:03 Background04:22 From Architecture to Sustainability to Climate Change08:16 Transition to LA10:34 The Role of Media and Content Creation in Climate Change16:09 One Earth and its Three Pillars21:55 The Need for More Funding and Support in Climate Solutions24:22 The Potential Impact of a Change in Administration on Climate Philanthropy27:33 The Role of Philanthropy and Impact Investing in Climate Solutions—(end of free preview)—29:29 Nature Tech x AI37:15 Biodiversity in Climate Solutions(get the full episode by becoming a paid subscriber on our Substack today! https://cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe LinksKarl Burkart | One EarthConnect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

This is a special breakdown of Ample’s strategic playbook and how you can apply it to your hardware climate startup. The full version of this episode is only available to our paid subscribers — soo… if you’re looking for a reason to become a paid sub… here is your chance 😉Become a paid subscriber today by clicking here: 👇 https://cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe LinksJohn de Souza | Ample Inc.Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today, our guest is John de Souza. Co-founder of Ample Inc. A startup betting that battery swapping is the future. If you're at all like me, you're thinking that sounds bat shit crazy. Well, listen to today's episode, and you'll realize it's the opposite. It's the only logical conclusion to EVs. We can't gloss over this -- John is special. This is his 4th major startup endeavor, and it's clear that it is because he brings a level of maturity and wisdom that very few founders do. He could have ridden off into the sunset, but he decided to stay in the arena because it's what he does. I guarantee you will learn a lot from John today. I'm not even going to thank you for tuning in today because you're doing yourself a favor by listening to this episode.   ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack CommunityTopics (free preview time stamps are slightly different) 03:26 John's Career & Entrepreneurial Origins05:20 The Inspiration for Ample09:06 Battery Swapping13:51 OEM Partnerships16:15 A Universal Battery Module18:38 Integration w/ OEMs & Production Lines22:54 Deployment & Scale23:22 Business Model & Global Expansion24:47 Ample's GTM Strategy: (Partnering with Uber and Commercial Fleets)28:07 Efficiency & Cost Control: In-House Battery & Swapping Station Production—(end of free preview)—(get the full episode by becoming a paid subscriber on our Substack today! https://cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe LinksJohn de Souza | Ample Inc.Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedInFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Drew D’Alelio is an Investor at Connecticut Innovations, the government investing arm of the state of Connecticut, who helps manage and co-founded the state’s $100M climate tech fund. He plays a pivotal role in managing their $100M Climate Tech fund with a triple bottom line of returns, climate mitigation and adaptation, and CT jobs.His passion for sustainability was sparked by witnessing the impacts of climate change firsthand in Florida, where his family is from. Over the years, he has developed a deep expertise in mobilizing capital for climate solutions, including structuring investments for solar projects at the U.S. Development Finance Corporation.At Connecticut Innovations, they focus on leveraging the state’s strengths in manufacturing, materials science, and engineering to support early-stage companies that align with Connecticut’s decarbonization goals. Drew’s unique approach to venture capital combines financial acumen with a deep commitment to public service, ensuring that each investment not only generates returns but also fosters innovation and job creation within the state.We talk about:**How they manage their triple bottom line: creating jobs, making money, and having a positive impact on the planet**The complexities in evaluating climate tech investments in infrastructure and second-order effects**Connecticut's strengths in manufacturing and a tight-knit ecosystem that facilitates quick connections**Their close collaboration with Yale and UConn to support early-stage climate tech innovation and commercializationTOPICS:**03:01 Connecticut's Climate Tech Fund**07:46 The Triple Bottom Line**14:35 Facilitating Partnerships**23:24 University Collaborations--In the full episode--**Connecticut's Strengths and Industries**Engaging with Universities and Startups**Exciting Sectors: Sustainable Fuels and Carbon Sequestration**Aviation and Synthetic Hydrocarbons**Skepticism and Second Order Effects**42:21 Why Move to ConnecticutLINKS:**Drew D’Alelio | Connecticut Innovations**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Woo Hoo! Episode #200 🎉🎉🎉We are thrilled to release our 200th episode with the one and only Moji Karimi. Moji is a co-founder of Cemvita, the biotech powerhouse that has also birthed GoldH2 and Endolith (now individual companies). This is the free version of the episode. To get the full thing, go to our Substack and become a paid subscriber. Any paid tier gets full access to the episode. Today, Moji shares with us,His journey into entrepreneurship and Cemvita What in the world they do and what they've done so far The basics of the biotech space Then we talk a lot about the future of biotech -- specifically, how we will start taking nature's lead in engineering industrial production We even discussed what a Trump administration could look like for the climate sector It's a wonderful conversation full of value. Enjoy! TOPICS:**02:22 Dinner with George Mitchell**05:39 Personal Journey & Origin of Cemvita**08:05 Sustainable Oil Production**13:01 Understanding Biotech & Synthetic Biology**15:46 Success in Biotech & Tips for Fundraising**19:44 End of Free Episode--In the full episode--**Considerations if Trump gets in**Disruption in Fundraising | Focus on Cost**What is a Durable Biotech Biz Model**Using Waste as a Feedstock**Redesigning Biotech Processes**Approaching Different Investors**Future Applications of Biotech**Finding the Right Cos and InvestorsLINKS:**Connect with Moji | Follow Cemvita**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Vivin Hegde is a visionary in the built environment space — from leading innovation efforts at Hilti to co-founding Zacua Ventures, Vivin is on a mission to redefine how we think about construction and infrastructure. In this episode, he dives deep into the challenges and opportunities of investing in the built environment, sharing his journey from managing corporate venture capital at Hilti to launching Zacua Ventures, where he backs early-stage startups focused on decarbonization, productivity, and infrastructure resiliency.Vivin unpacks:**The importance of "gentle disruption" in the construction industry 🛠️**The strategic shift from corporate innovation to independent VC investing 💼**How global perspectives inform better investment decisions 🌍**The key traits he looks for in founders, especially in the construction tech space 👥Topics:**02:04 Intro**03:08 Defining the Built Environment**04:56 Automation and Robotics in Construction**08:40 Sales and Building Relationships**24:59 Supporting Startups at the Earliest Stages**26:35 Investing Globally to Fund the Best Entrepreneurs**31:55 The Importance of Sector Specialization**42:53 The Role of Data Centers in the Digital Age**44:27 The Potential of Mass Timber in Construction**45:48 Addressing Challenges in the Design Space**47:22 Impressing Investors: Deep Understanding, Knowledge, and Learning AgilityLinks:**Vivin Hedge | Zacua Ventures**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today, we are speaking with Kieran White. Co-Founder of Curo.At Curo they help EV Fleet owners secure reliable charging without the need to build their own infrastructure. This has the double benefit of allowing existing infrastructure owners to maximize their assets. Today’s call is super fun. We discuss:How he hustled his way into a job with Tesla at 18, even tho they claimed to only hire 21 and older The effect this exp had on him and how it led to him launching Curo How they help fleet owners find reliable charging without building infrastructure And how they help existing charging owners maximize their infrastructure Enjoy the show! Topics:**01:56 Intro**04:23 Journey to Entrepreneurship**06:20 The Problem Kero is Solving**08:22 Challenges and Ops in EV Charging**17:05 Policy, Incentives, and the Future of the Industry**19:33 Navigating Ideas / Staying Focused**23:52 Growth Hacks **27:07 Tracking Progress / Systematizing**30:17 Dealing with New Ideas**32:57 Climate Startup Ideas**34:26 Future of EV Charging**38:38 Fundraising Advice & Closing ThoughtsLinks:**Kieran White | Curo**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Hey everyone! Today’s episode is a special issue. We are unpacking Susan Su’s recent article “What a second Trump presidency would mean for climate investing”. She originally posted this on her Substack, Climate Money but we wanted to unpack it for those who prefer to learn by audio. The first ~20 minutes of today’s episode are public, but you’ll need to be a paid subscriber to access the remaining 17 minutes. Get the full episode and support our work while doing so by going to CleanTechies.Substack/Subscribe Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Edo is a rockstar individual — from tackling the lack of green employer incentive problem to building climate tech communities across the USA, Edo joins us to share his journey from working in sustainability at Apple to founding Elements World, making it possible for employers to hit their sustainability targets through their employees. He discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in addressing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by leveraging the often-overlooked potential of employee-related activities, such as business travel, commuting, and work-from-home practices.He breaks down:Their shift from a B2C to a B2B model 📈Shares insights on fundraising challenges 💰The importance of gaining traction before approaching investors 💵The role of AI in optimizing their offerings 🤖--Topics:**02:31 Introduction and Background**05:23 Understanding the Employer Problem**09:16 Transition from B2C to B2B**13:13 Working at Apple and Decision to Found Elements World**16:43 Fundraising Journey**22:26 Using AI in Climate Tech**27:26 Building and Scaling the Team**33:06 Creating ClimateTech Communities**35:44 Future Goals and Closing Thoughts--Links:**Edo Perry | Elements World**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X **This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today we speak with Ravi Kurani, CEO and Founder of Sutro (water IoT device company -- exited to Sani Marc). Aaand the creator and host of Liquid Assets, a Podcast interviewing the leading voices in WaterTech. Between Ravi's background as a founder in the water, his familiarity with the water ecosystem, and now his opportunity to interview the leaders in the water space, he's a great person to have on regarding all things water. We feel that we got a hell of a deal here. We get to have one conversation that is worth thousands.Enjoy today's conversation about all things water, tech, policy, circularity, financing, and more. Oh, and if you are not already, go check out Liquid Assets wherever you get your podcasts (or just go to LiquidAssets.cc) Topics:**2:28 Intro**4:10 Learnings from Liquid Assets Podcast**8:09 The Categories of Water**11:20 Where Innovation Is**13:27 Energy x Water (Policy)**16:26 Upgrade to Paid Ad**18:01 GTM in Water**21:55 Power Dynamics and Wastewater**24:04 Telecom Parallel**24:52 Circularity x Water x Infrastructure**26:33 Owning Wastewater**28:45 Geo-Specific Challenges**31:04 Water Isn't Priced Right**32:20 KPIs for Success in Water**34:13 Global Water Hubs**35:35 Why Water is Close Knit**36:49 Startup Ideas**37:59 Water Needs New Financing ArmLinks:**Connect with Ravi Kurani | https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuraniravi/ **Follow Liquid Assets | https://www.liquidassets.cc/ **Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today, we are talking to Matthias Muehlbauer of OnePointFive.We have the pleasure of covering one of our good friends, Matthias Muehlbauer at the powerhouse firm OnePointFive. Matthias is a Founding Partner at the firm, where their activities range across two operations:**They provide diligence and climate advisory services**They train sustainability professionals They’re bringing a level of success and professionalism that is beating MBB (top 3 consulting firms) at the sustainability game.From operating such a dynamic business from day 1, Matthias has picked up a lot of great knowledge about the space:**The Future of Work in climate**Where sustainability is headed**The power of bootstrapping**What you need to know to be successful in getting a job in climateConvinced that you should know more about this? Well, you’re in luck. Tune in to todays episode to learn more…🎧💡---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel -----Topics:**03:12 About OPF**12:22 Differentiating Ed in the Market**13:49 From Expert Network to Education**15:45 Workforce Transition**18:43 Mid-Career Pivoters**27:16 Bootstrapping & Being Nimble**31:02 Embedded Sustainability in the Workforce**40:14 Clean Energy and the Future of Fossil Fuels-----Links:**Matthias Muehlbauer | OnePointFive**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Dimitry Gershenson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Enduring Planet. A fractional CFO and Non-Dilutive Funding service for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs. As for funding, they provide working capital for founders who have landed grants or who have government contracts. It's great to see more Climate-Specific service providers to help continue supporting the ecosystem. Today, Dimitry shares his story, and we discuss:**The importance of and when to hire a fractional CFO**Funding underrepresented founders **The importance of Catalytic Capital**The Grant Funding Gap and Solving itAnd much more. Enjoy the episode!Resources Mentioned: **Climate Curious**Streamline Climate**Pacific Northwest Climate WeekEmail Dimitry: [email protected]🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **2:3 Introduction and Overview of Enduring Planet's Services**4:10 The Importance of Supporting Climate Entrepreneurs**8:47 The Gap in the Ecosystem for Finance Expertise in Climate Tech**10:23 The Need for Early Financial Planning and Analysis**12:31 The Importance of Getting Finance in Order Early**14:51 Timeline for Bringing in Fractional CFO and Hiring Full-Time Finance Talent**17:22 Navigating Finance Challenges in Hardware Climate Tech**18:18 Introduction and Pricing**19:18 Lending and Transparency**46:17 Building Local Climate Communities**50:47 Addressing Capital Gaps in the Climate Ecosystem----- Links: **Dimitry Gershenson | https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgershenson/ **Enduring Planet | https://enduringplanet.com/**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

In our third installment of sustainable building materials, we’re taking another look at lumber.We’ve already called reclaimed lumber “the superpower building material you’ve never heard of”.As a refresher, lumber, processed wood from trees, is a versatile and widely used building material known for its strength, durability, and workability.So why isn’t there more of it in our buildings? Well, as great as lumber is, usable lumber from our buildings only comes from a few places — in the USA, it comes mainly from the Northwest and Southeast. For this reason, lumber is an expensive building material.But all hope is not lost. Last week, we covered Urban Machine, a company turning waste wood reusable by removing objects from it.This week, we’re covering Cambium - a hot 🔥 startup pioneering regenerative, local supply chains for wood by converting waste wood into reusable assets for the lumber industry. Not only do they have their own white-labeled wood called Carbon Smart Wood, but they have an innovative SaaS platform that can function as the source of truth for the entire supply chain.Convinced that you should know more about this? Well, you’re in luck. Tune in to todays episode to learn more…🎧💡---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our Substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel-----Topics:**02:10 Introduction**06:24 Challenges in the Lumber Supply Chain**14:04 Deciding on the Founder Venture-Fact Operating Model**16:26 Guaranteeing Offtake and Ensuring Supply**19:03 The Value of Waste Wood**29:03 Competing with Incumbents**34:09 Scaling the Local Approach**45:32 Advice for Founders-----Links:**Ben Christensen | Cambium**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X**This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcastSupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Reclaimed lumber is the superpower building material you’ve never heard of (because we’re all up to date on our Rolodex of sustainable building materials, right?). Lumber, processed wood from trees, is a versatile and widely used building material known for its strength, durability, and workability. So why isn’t there more of it in our buildings? Well, as great as lumber is, usable lumber from our buildings only comes from a few places — in the USA, it comes mainly from the Northwest and Southeast. That makes lumber an expensive building material.But all hope is not lost. In comes Urban Machine. By creating reusable lumber from waste sites, they are increasing the supply of usable lumber, making it not only more available but more local.Convinced that you should know more about this? Well, you’re in luck. Tune in to todays episode to learn more…🎧💡---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our Substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel-----Topics:**03:14 Building Robots for Lumber**08:22 Removing Metal**18:30 Predicting Inventory**26:27 Challenges of Building a Hardware Company**28:47 The Economics of Construction**36:26 The Future of Urban Machine**40:35 Keys to Success in the Construction Tech Industry-----Links:**Eric Law | Urban Machine**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X **This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcastSupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Mycelium is an emerging decarbonized building material due to its sustainability, biodegradability, and strength. It is cultivated by growing fungal networks, also known as mushrooms. Mycelium-based products can be used for insulation, bricks, and packaging. Today, we have a ClimateTech Entrepreneur making waves with Mycelium. Ilya is CEO & Co-Founder of COMU Labs, bridging the gap between sustainability and affordability in furniture materials. They utilize fungi to transform agricultural waste into robust, machinable and fire-retardant material that looks and behaves like plywood.Some of what we chatted about:**How Mycelium can be pressed into high-density boards **Why their material is substrate agnostic (and what the heck that means 🤔)**Challenges that still exist with market acceptance**Building a sustainable and healthy company culture & more. 🍄---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel----- Topics:**01:31 Intro**02:49 Discovering Mycelium**09:09 Advantages of Mycelium as a Building Material**11:43 Common Misconceptions about Mycelium**20:31 Scouting New Talent**24:58 Challenges Ahead for Comu Labs-----Links:**Ilya Gindin | COMU Labs**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X **This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Ashwin Salvi is the Co-Founder and COO of AtmosZero. They create electrified boilers to replace traditional fossil-fuel-burning boilers in industrial settings.Steam touches a huge amount of products that we, as consumers, use every day, and AtmosZero is helping decarbonize that. Today, Ashwin shares his story, and we discuss:How they solved the cost issue by making a drop-in replacement How they built their pilot at the same scale as their commercial unit The tradeoffs of building in stealthHow they are building to win even without subsidies And much more. Enjoy the episode!Resources MentionedBook Recommendation: Empires of Light by Jill JonnePodcast Recommendations: Founders Podcast by David Senra AND How to Take Over the World by Ben WilsonConnect with Ashwin Salvi: Email: [email protected]🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel----- Topics: **01:58 Introduction and Background**10:03 Creating a Standardized Solution for Decarbonization**24:03 Return on Investment and Future Plans**25:42 De-risking and Mass Manufacturing**29:23 Challenges and Objections**39:32 First Commercial Deployment**48:48 Opportunities in Electrical Availability and Funding**51: 38 Takeaways----- Links: **Ashwin Salvi | AtmosZero**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn:**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today, we are talking to Toby Ferenczi from Granular Energy.In this electrifying (ha!) episode, we finally tracked down the elusive Toby Ferenczi, a man who juggles startups like they're hot potatoes. ⚡️Toby educates us about the world of electricity transparency and trading. Did you know you can trade electricity like stocks? Neither did we! And it doesn’t exactly work like that…but it got your interest, didn’t it?? 🤔From his days at Cambridge to co-founding Granular Energy, Toby has journeyed in solar starting with solar panel materials with this PhDs, working at GE, and later through startup exits. He even founded a nonprofit for timestamped energy certificates—because, why not? If you've ever wondered where your electricity comes from or how to make a clean energy choice, this episode is a shocker in the best way possible. 💥---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel-----Topics:**02:42 Introduction**05:00 Enabling Customers to Choose Clean Energy**08:20 The Role of Electricity Markets**10:43 Journey as an Entrepreneur **14:46 Transparency in the Energy Industry**20:50 Understanding the Utility Business Model **25:28 Opportunities to Bypass Utilities**30:49 Fundraising**33:50 The Future of the Solar Industry**43:24 Opportunities in the Market-----Links:**Toby Ferenczi | Granular Energy**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Kevin Noertker is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ampaire, a developer of Hybrid Aviation Propulsion Systems to Decarbonize Air Travel Today.Currently they are scaling up their tech. Their tech is proven to reduce fuel usage by about 50% for small aircrafts (anything with a propeller).Today, Kevin shares his story and we discuss:Aerospace Engineer to Ampaire: His story of co-founding Ampaire. Addressing Existing Stock: Electric aircraft is the future, but their solution helps address the existing stock of aircraft. Bridging the Infrastructure Gap: How fully electric air travel will require massive infrastructure upgrades, so they are building a solution that will work in between.Enjoy today's conversation! ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **1:53 Intro and Background**7:01 The Impact of NASA Experience**14:20 The Third Revolution in Aviation**17:09 Economic and Environmental Benefits**28:19 Commercialization Process and Milestones**38:39 Design Considerations for Hybrid Systems**42:21 Infrastructure and Charging**42:58 Recharging Electric Aircraft in the Air**43:18 Adapting Infrastructure for Electric Aviation**44:54 Takeaways----- Links: **Kevin Noertker | Ampaire**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Chad Mason is the CEO and Founder of Advanced Ionics, a company that has designed a revolutionary electrolyzer. They did this by designing their technology from scratch.They are currently scaling up this innovative technology and plan to sell these units, known as stacks, either directly or through licensing agreements.Today, Chad shares his  journey:Early Inspiration: How he first learned about electrolysis at age 5 on a farm in North Dakota.Career Path: The various steps in his career that led him to start Advanced Ionics.Strategic Location: Why he chose Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the base for his company.Corporate Partnerships: How they partner with corporates for capital, pilots, and demand.Chad also offers his insights on the future of the electrolyzer space, discussing both the tailwinds that are driving growth and the headwinds that present challenges.Enjoy today's conversation! ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **2:00 Intro and Background**5:13 Utilizing Exothermic Heat for Efficiency**6:20 Chad's Entrepreneurial Journey**12:44 Early Inspirations and Career Path**15:25 Understanding Electrolysis Technology**18:18 Components and Operation of the Stack**26:30 Landing Customers**27:47 The Power of Partnerships and Investments**31:26 Lessons Learned: Opportunistic with Capital Raising**40:58 Headwinds and Tailwinds of Hydrogen Industry**45;36 The Importance of Reliability and Maintainability**49:10 Talent Acquisition in Wisconsin**53:16 Takeaways----- Links: **Chad Mason | Advanced Ionics**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Jesse Henry is the CEO and Founder of Heartland Industries, a company that produces drop-in pellets made of hemp fiber. These pellets are used as an additive to plastics. They reduce the weight and cost of the products, improve strength, and lower scope 3 emissions. It's a quadruple-benefit product. Today, Jesse tells us his story - how he started Heartland - how he's the 3rd generation to work in the fibers industry - how they landed BASF as a partner and investor - and he gives a lot of other insights. Including our favorite, how they produce huge volumes of pellets without owning a milling facility. Enjoy today's conversation! ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **2:15 Intro**2:55 Jesse's Background & Heartland's Mission**10:06 The Challenge of Developing Reliable Supply Chains**13:33 From Powder to Pellets**16:47 What it Means to be a ClimateTech Entrepreneur Today**22:03 Partnering with Wood Pellet Mills for Scale and Cost Reduction**28:34 Run Jesse's Playbook**31:16 The Finance of Materials Companies**34:00 The Power of CVCs**41:10 Opportunities in B2B Marketplaces**43:27 How to Pick the Right CVCs**47:02 Next Steps for Heartland  **54:58 Process Technologies and Software Solutions**56:11 Focusing Beyond Carbon**57:46 Takeaway**54:51 Using Infrastructure to Skip Building**56:16 Reducing Risk with Each Fundraising Round----- Links: **Jesse Henry  **Heartland Industries **Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Rahul broke down the nitty-gritty of how 2150 built (no pun intended) a leading ClimateTech VC fund focused on decarbonizing the built environment. We talked investing, fund modeling, learning from general VC, FinTech in ClimateTech, & more. This was a VC-fundamental extraordinaire, and super informative for anyone looking to learn more about venture capital. AND let’s not forget, Rahul spent his holiday with us to do this. Cheers to him. Enjoy 🥳👏.---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox-----Topics:**03:025 Introduction**05:01 Home Decarbonization**08:19 Government Incentives and Policies**24:37 The Breakdown of Investments in 2150**33:29 Intentional Modeling and Entry Prices**42:05 Finance x Climate**45:20 The Urban Stack and City Resilience**47:29 Adding Value Beyond Capital-----Links:**Marian Krueger | remove**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Marian Krueger comes to us with his experience investing in 120+ early stage CDR startups, and broke down what we should look for and what’s worth watching in the years ahead.He’s a leading expert in CDR having invested in Europe, which is the leading CDR ecosystem in the world.Sitting down with him as a blast, and for our US listeners, this episode is VERY timely with the Biden Administration’s first release on voluntary carbon markets, Enjoy 🥳👏.---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox-----Topics:**02:41 Introduction**05:08 Challenges of the Voluntary Carbon Market**16:30 CDR Startups**17:53 Impact-Driven Motivation of CDR Founders**26:32 Gaps in the CDR Space**32:27 Role of Policy in Carbon Removal**39:03 Prioritization, Universities, and A-Teams**42:10 Collaboration and Partnerships**42:51 Takeaways-----Links:**Marian Krueger | remove**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today, we speak with Arvin Ganesan, an ex-Obama-Admin EPA and ex-Apple Energy Procurement executive. His career is fascinating, from finance to Policy to Energy Tech CEO. He offers us a lot of insight into their technology, how it works, and specifically how it plays well with utility models of making money. Towards the end, he mentioned the unknown of the commercialization path. He pointed out that it's not important to pick a model of commercialization with a tech like this because so many variables can dictate the best path to commercialization when the tech is proven past the pilot scale. Lots of good stuff is in today's episode! ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox ----- Topics: **2:37 Why Cheap and Accessible Energy Storage Matters**2:37 Why Cheap and Accessible Energy Storage Matters**17:30 Fourth Power's Utility-Scale Thermal Battery**21:58 Fast and Efficient Energy Storage and Discharge**27:10 Building Fourth Power**32:04 The Power of People**37:24 Maintaining Culture with Growth**42:21 Opportunities in the Utility Market**47:04 Startup Opportunities in Agriculture Decarbonization**49:01 The Importance of Mentorship**52:19 Takeaways----- Links: **Arvin Ganesan | Fourth Power**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Michael Kearney started off this podcast defending the political durability of the IRA…and he had us convinced. If that doesn’t have you hooked, I don’t know what will! Building for deeptech founders is HARD…like folding a fitted sheet hard.And that’s why we need someone like Mike to do it. Mike himself did his undergrad and Ph.D. at MIT, so he’s knows the MIT innovation ecosystem like the back of his hand (The Engine is an MIT spin-out). In between, he spent his time drawing power from the Sun…well not literally…he worked on grid-scale renewable energy at Ambri in corporate development. Now, he’s focused solely on supporting “Tough Tech” founders (side note, that’s definitely a favorite term of this podcast now). Mike clearly loves doing really easy things…right?---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox | https://cleantechies.substack.com/podcast🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **02:29 Introduction**03:50 Political Durability of the IRA**07:46 Supporting Tough Tech Startups**16:06 Scaling from Early-Stage Innovation to Large-Scale Deployment**26:30 Building in the Field**28:35 The Investment Model of Engine Ventures**30:41 Commercializing Technology **36:46 The Changing Nature of Competition in Clean Energy **45:20 Room for Innovation**51:36 Takeaways----- Links: **Engine Ventures | Michael Kearney**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-techies/**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

There are a few key things Climate Entrepreneurs should know. This guest brought up a bunch of them. It is incredible to see how successful they are in a crowded space. Today, he shared with us many of the things that helped them succeed. How to align all stakeholders in the sales process Building a product so simple the user can be up-skilled without specialized training Building a culture of pragmatismSpeaking Return-on-InvestmentEnjoy today's episode, and let us know your favorite moment in the comments (anywhere). ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **2:27 Intro and Background**3:05 The Problem They Solve**5:39 Global Emissions from Industry**11:44 Ideation and Idea Validation**13:37 Company Status and Growth**14:56 Challenges and Milestones**16:38 How / When to Pivot**18:16 Standing out in a Crowd**22:53 Market Positioning and Challenges**25:38 Pragmatism-First Culture**30:38 Principles and Habits for Success**32:38 Future Plans and Opportunities**37:00 Climate Startup Ideas **37:48 Closing Remarks and Call to Action**38:41 Takeaways----- Links: **Saleh ElHattab | Gravity**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

What do you get when you put Chris Rock, Timothée Chalamet, Greta Thunberg, & Marc Andreessen together? -- You get Tom Ferguson! The King of Water VC!(Warning! Tom is hilarious, so cancel your comedy cellar tickets because you won't need them)Today, we had the chance to speak with Tom, the founding partner of Burnt Island Ventures. They are the leading VC investor in all things water. They became this by compounding their network for years with some of the best water networks, including Imagine H2O. One notable thing he pointed out is, the IRA didn't include any investment into water infrastructure. 🤯 Tune in to get the whole thing today! 🌱🌎---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox | https://cleantechies.substack.com/podcast🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **5:00 Introduction**8:10 Why Sustainability**10:34 Time with Imagine H2O**16:13 Other Considerations for BIV**19:27 Story behind the Name BIV**20:55 MBA and Business School**27:22 Focus on Building Team**31:32 Pricing in Velocity of Sales Process**38:35 Compounding Network as a VC’s Moat**47:24 Biggest Problems in Water**56:17 Companies that BIV work with**1:00:42 Startup Opportunity; Water Testing Market**1:04:19 Takeaway----- Links: **Tom Ferguson | Burnt Island Ventures **Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-techies/**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Allison Wolff | Vibrant Planet Vibrant Planet is basically bringing the tech knowledge from the early FAANG days and applying that to land tender and wildfire resistance. Their platform is a prioritization system for land management restoration by providing real-time scenario planning, monitoring, and reporting. These assessments can help with qualifying projects for conservation finance. Allison brings a rolodex of experience working with top companies on sustainability, including Google, Meta, Netflix, eBay, Project Drawdown, & more and is now applying that knowledge with other star-studded experts to solve the wildfire risk problem.----🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview. ----🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox---Links: **Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**Somil & Silas on LinkedInSupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Recently, the MCJ Podcast experienced huge backlash for having Big Oil players on the show. This prompted us to bring back a past guest, Shaun Abrahamson from Third Sphere.----🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview. ----Shaun last joined us on episode 136 to talk about Navigating the Climate Capital Stack and how to Design for Finance (especially in the context of hardware). Today we dive into two macro topics. #1 Partnering with Big Oil --AND-- #2 Repricing Climate RiskThere are several subtopics under these big umbrellas (check topic timestamps). All of these were highly interesting to me, and I think they will be to you as well. Tune in to get the whole thing today! 🌱🌎---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox---Links: **Shaun Abrahamson | Third Sphere **Episode 136 - Hardware as an AI Moat, Design For Finance with the Climate Capital Stack, & More w/ Shaun Abrahamson (Third Sphere)**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**Somil & Silas on LinkedInSupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Somil chats with Chinmay Malaviya and Charlie Depman, CEO and CTO of Ridepanda, expanding access and usage of e-bikes, e-scooters, and micro mobility through employer sponsored subscriptions.Chinmay and Charlie bring a lot of startup and industry experience and were able to speak not only about their growth but ALSO breakdown the technical designs that help them be successful in micromobility.We talked about:How Ridepanda offers benefits platform for employers to subsidize employee transportationWhy micromobility faces business model and reputation challenges like Byrd’s bankruptcy despite rising demand for micromobilityHow they balance optionality and user choice will still focusing on scaling their inventory Analyzing historical data to project future growth and consider seasonality Accepting seasonality and overcoming challenges is crucial in the micro-mobility industryHow they design software for micro-mobility& much moreAs always, thanks so much for listening and enjoy the episode!---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel----- Topics: **03:23 Micromobility and its Reputation**12:10 Employer Business Model**20:43 Balancing Bike Production and Consumer Choice**23:42 Accepting Seasonality**28:55 Lessons from Foodpanda**32:40 Transitioning to Lime and the Transportation Space**35:21 Designing Software for Micro-Mobility**46:23 Advice for Founders----- Links: **Ridepanda | Chinmay Malaviya | Charlie Depman**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

What if Investors Only Made Money if they *actually* helped save the planet? Welp... folks, we have the show for you because that's exactly what Planet A is doing. Somil and Silas speak with Jessica Burley, a Berlin-based investor at the fund. On top of learning how they are *actually* walking the talk, we found out how they use Carbon Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) in their investing due diligence process. Tune in to get the whole thing today! 🌱🌎---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel----- Topics: **01:29 Introduction and Background**02:22 The Role of Life Cycle Assessments in Investing**8:44 Article 9 and the European Regulatory Landscape**10:27 Interest in Climate Tech Investing Outside of Europe**12:54 The Increasing Pace of Climate Tech Innovation**13:33 Jess's Journey to Climate Tech Investing**17:35 Transitioning from a Small Fund to a Larger Fund21:43 The Role of Brand and **Value in Climate Tech Investing**24:44 Sector Expertise and Operational Support in Investing**26:23 Geothermal Drilling for Renewable Heating**28:46 Investment Opportunities in Climate Tech**30:45 The Hardware Playbook: Investing in Hardware Startups**42:53 The German Climate Tech Ecosystem**49:18 Building Genuine Relationships in the Climate Tech Ecosystem**51:34 Takeaways--- Evaluating Life Cycle Assessment in Investment Decisions--- The Importance of the Hardware Playbook in the Investment Ecosystem--- De-risking Talent in Startups----- Links: **Jessica Burley | Planet A**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)