Startup Series: Toucan

Kim Stanley Robinson, renowned science fiction author, is our guest on this episode of MCJ. He is the author of the Ministry for the Future, a novel which outlines humanity's attempts to navigate climate change in the coming decades.

Former President Barack Obama named the Ministry for the Future as one of his favorite books of 2020. The work has been cited by numerous entrepreneurs and builders in the MCJ member community as having had a significant impact on their interest in working on climate and decarbonization solutions. The subject of climate change shows up in many of Kim Stanley Robinson's works from his Mars trilogy, written in the 1990s about humans terraforming Mars, to his science in the capital Series from the mid 2000s, to his 2017 novel, New York 2140, which is set in a Lower Manhattan that is submerged due to sea level rise.

And it shows up in many of his other works as well. Stan, as he goes by, has won numerous awards including the Hugo Award for best novel for both Green Mars and Blue Mars, and the Nebula Award for best novel for Red Mars and his book 2312. The Atlantic has called his work the gold standard of realistic and highly literary science fiction writing. And according to an article in the New Yorker, he is generally acknowledged as one of the greatest living science fiction writers. Stan and Cody have a wide-ranging conversation about his relationship with nature, his views on capitalism, society, government and technology, and of course his writings and his views on climate change and the path ahead for us all.

In this episode, we cover: 

• [03:04]: Stan's early life, finding solace in nature on the California coast
• [06:40]: Writing "The High Sierra: A Love Story" during the pandemic
• [08:57]: Noticing climate change impacts in the Sierra Nevada
• [12:08]: Climate change awareness sparked by a 1995 trip to Antarctica
• [14:13]: Mixing dread and hope in climate change discussions
• [17:36]: Viewing technology as both hardware and software
• [21:19]: Critiquing capitalism's role in power dynamics
• [26:58]: Majority's desire for a sustainable world despite hurdles
• [28:00]: Individual actions within broader societal efforts
• [30:14]: Civil disobedience as a response to failed representation
• [34:18]: The UN and other international governance's role in global challenges
• [39:18]: The potential of international treaties in climate action
• [42:11]: The concept of sudden societal change in climate action
• [48:06]: Ministry for the Future and "following the money" in climate change narratives
• [55:59]: Overview of Stan's works and current projects on Antarctica

Episode recorded on Feb 7, 2024 (Published on Mar 11, 2024)

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• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Subodh Kulkarni is CEO and President at Rigetti Computing, and our topic in this episode is quantum computing and its implications for our changing planet. Rigetti Computing, a publicly listed company, builds quantum computers and superconducting quantum processors. It also provides cloud-based access to quantum computing for both commercial and research purposes. 

Quantum computing, a field rooted in theoretical physics, is complex and involves the use of quantum bits or qubits, which differ from binary computing's zeros and ones. As the world's computing demand continues to soar with AI and data centers consuming vast amounts of energy, AI also has the potential to unlock climate change solutions through innovations in biotech, advanced energy, planetary modeling, and more. 

We wanted to learn from Subodh about how quantum computing might change the game in all of these areas as it matures. Is it possible that quantum computing is an enormous future climate solution? Let's find out.  

In this episode, we cover: 

• [02:39]: Subodh’s background and joining Rigetti as CEO
• [05:26]: Basics of quantum computing versus classical computing
• [09:19]: Introduction to the subatomic world
• [11:46]: Physicality of a quantum computer 
• [15:01]: Rigetti's business model: cloud access and on-premise quantum computers
• [17:06]: Qubit development and the potential to follow Moore's law
• [18:02]: The power requirements of maintaining a hyper-cold environment for quantum computing
• [20:02]: Quantum computing's potential to reduce data center energy consumption
• [24:25]: Quantum's strength in probabilistic versus deterministic computation
• [29:26]: Rigetti's involvement in DOE’s fusion project
• [30:59]: Predictions for quantum computing advancements in the next 10 years
• [33:45]: How quantum computing can bolster artificial intelligence
• [36:18]: Current state of quantum computing and near-term inflection points
• [37:16]: Initial use cases for quantum computing, Rigetti’s commercialization strategies, and government funding
• [41:08]: Collaborative projects with major financial and pharmaceutical companies
• [42:12]: Potential applications in weather modeling and synthetic biology

Episode recorded on Jan 23, 2024 (Published on Mar 4, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.

Eric Letvin serves as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s deputy assistant administrator for mitigation. 

Eric directs FEMA's pre and post-disaster mitigation programs that support sustainable disaster resilient communities to avoid or reduce the loss of life, property and financial impacts of natural hazards. We talk about Eric's career journey, a brief history of FEMA and what the agency does before, during, and after natural hazards or disasters. We emphasize the importance of pre-disaster mitigation alongside talking about a new tranche of funding from the Infrastructure Bill going to support the work here.

In this episode, we cover: 

• [01:37]: Eric's role at FEMA and career path from engineering to hazard mitigation
• [03:43]: FEMA's inception, evolution, and mission within DHS
• [05:35]: Hazard mitigation vs. resilience outcomes
• [06:29]: FEMA's expanded role in non-natural disaster management
• [09:05]: Pre and post-disaster flood mitigation strategies and grant programs
• [11:38]: Wildfire mitigation efforts and challenges amplified by climate change
• [14:55]: FEMA's operational structure and budgeting for disaster relief and mitigation
• [17:06]: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for resilience efforts
• [19:03]: Examples of funded projects in disadvantaged communities
• [20:17]: The significance of FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance program in the face of climate change
• [22:56]: Advances in flood mapping technology and risk communication
• [24:40]: Challenges in modeling wildfire risk and the dynamic nature of wildfire hazards
• [26:34]: The importance of building codes in disaster readiness
• [28:59]: The shift towards prioritizing pre-disaster mitigation funding
• [30:00]: Lessons from past disasters on the value of proactive mitigation

Resources mentioned:

• The Fifth National Climate Assessment
• Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report

Episode recorded on Nov 16, 2023 (Published on Feb 29, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Dr. Britt Wray is a science communicator and the author of two books. Her latest is Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Anxiety, which is a national bestseller. Dr. Wray is also the director of CIRCLE (Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership, and Emotional wellbeing) at Stanford Psychiatry, a research and action initiative in the Stanford School of Medicine. Her first book, the Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction was named a best book of 2017 by the New Yorker. She most recently is a top award winner of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, which was bestowed upon her by the National Academies in partnership with Schmidt Futures.

Climate change evokes a myriad of emotions unique to each individual. It can stir outrage in some, sadness in others, a sense of helplessness for some, and dread for the future in others. There is no universally right or wrong reaction, as our responses are shaped by our distinct relationships with the world and the diverse circumstances in which we live. The perception of climate change varies; for some, it may feel abstract, while for others, the impacts are undeniably profound and far-reaching.

But as Dr. Wray points out, we know that climate change as we are experiencing it is anthropogenic, meaning it's the result of human behavior. And yet so little has been studied about the human behavioral response to climate change. How do we individually and collectively feel about climate change, and what do those feelings drive us to do? This is the sweet spot of Britt's work.

In this episode, we cover: 

• An overview of Dr. Wray's research on climate distress
• Her work as the Director of CIRCLE (Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership, and Emotional Wellbeing) at Stanford Psychiatry
• An overview of climate anxiety and its impact on people
• The concept of solastalgia and broken record, record breaking
• The importance of community and social connections in addressing climate anxiety
• The need for evaluation and evidence-based interventions for climate anxiety
• Including behavioralists and psychologists when addressing climate change
• The potential role of guilt in motivating action on climate change
• The impact of climate change on reproductive decisions and parenting
• Dr. Wray's book and newsletter
• The importance of open and vulnerable conversations about climate change

Episode recorded on Jan 29, 2024 (Published on Feb 26, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

On this episode of My Climate Journey, we have two guests: Susan Schofer and Po Bronson.

Susan is partner at SOSV and Chief Science Officer at Hax, which is SOSV's initiative around hard tech. She has a PhD in chemistry from Caltech, and most recently spent eight years at Modern Meadow, a growth stage startup in the bio leather space.

Po is general partner at SOSV, and managing director of IndieBio, which is SOSV's initiative around biotech. Po has written seven New York Times bestsellers, and has won nine national awards for science journalism.

Cody and our guests cover Susan and Po's backgrounds, the challenges in evaluating material science startups, their journeys from academia and the food industry, and early-stage deep tech investment models. They also discuss business economics in material science startups, scaling challenges, sustainable sourcing, and the potential and limitations of synthetic biology in the context of material science startups.

In this episode, we cover: 

• [02:01]: Susan and Po’s roles at SOSV
• [03:08]: The complexity of evaluating material science startups
• [04:49]: Susan's journey from chemistry academia to industry
• [07:13]: Po's transition from the food industry and writing to IndieBio
• [09:12]: Comparing Hax's and IndieBio's methodologies within SOSV
• [11:54]: SOSV's early-stage deep tech investment model
• [14:46]: Business economics in material science startups
• [17:11]: Unmet needs and sustainable sourcing in materials
• [19:48]: The critical role of performance in bio-based materials
• [22:22]: Scaling challenges in sustainable startups
• [24:08]: “Pure” vs. blended materials
• [30:54]: Scaling issues faced by bioleather companies
• [34:35]: Trends in the plastics space and circularity
• [37:15]: Challenges in the cosmetics and skincare industry
• [41:47]: Defining terms “biomanufacturing,” “bioeconomy,” and “synthetic biology”
• [45:07]: Challenges in biology vs. chemistry
• [51:35]: Susan and Po’s advice for founders

Episode recorded on Jan 16, 2024 (Published on Feb 20, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Dan Yates is the CEO and Chairman of Dandelion Energy, a Series B Stage startup deploying solutions for residential geothermal energy. 

As Dan explains it, residential geothermal distinguishes itself from utility-scale geothermal by not aiming to exploit a scarce, underground heat source for electricity generation through turbines. Instead, the process involves circulating an aqueous solution through a closed loop underground. This allows the system to harness the stable temperature of the soil beneath and employ it for both heating and cooling functions in a residential ground source heat pump. Essentially, residential geothermal aligns with the trajectory of residential HVAC heat pump adoption, serving as a means to maintain a dependable and efficient temperature for optimal heat pump performance.

Dan is a repeat guest on My Climate Journey. He joined Jason way back on Episode 7 to recount his journey as the Co-founder and the CEO of Opower. Dandelion's Co-founder, Kathy Hannun, was also on the pod way back on Episode 35. A lot has changed in that time. 

In today's conversation, we touch a bit on Dan's Opower journey, but most of the time is spent on Dandelion and geothermal. We also cover Dandelion's current geographic focus areas, the technologies it has developed, how they operate the company, the business model, the recent tax incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act and other legislation that have benefited the company, and so much more.

In this episode, we cover: 

• Dandelion's mission to bring residential geothermal to scale
• Dan's experience at Opower and its thesis 
• Difference between residential geothermal and utility-scale 
• How residential geothermal works and its benefits
• Dandelion's closed-loop solution 
• Geographic focus areas of Dandelion Energy 
• The company's heat pump technology 
• Recent tax incentives for geothermal energy
• An overview of Dandelion's operations 
• The company's business model and funding to date 
• Dandelion's biggest challenges and barriers to growth
• Estimated cost breakdown for homeowners looking to switch to geothermal with Dandelion
• Career opportunities with Dandelion and how folks can spread the word about geothermal

Episode recorded on Jan 18, 2024 (Published on Feb 15, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Today’s guests are Dr. Melissa Burt and Dr. Emily Fischer, who are part of a group called the Science Moms. The Science Moms are a consortium of climate scientists who are also mothers and who are, in their words, working to give our children the planet they deserve. They aim to demystify climate science and motivate everyday moms to demand climate change plans and solutions.

Dr. Burt is an assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University with a focus on arctic clouds, radiation and sea ice, and the assistant dean for diversity and inclusion in the school's Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering. Dr. Fischer is an associate professor also in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. She also serves as an affiliate faculty member for the CSU School of Global Environmental Sustainability.

A few months ago, we took to social media to see who could talk more about kids and climate change. The Science Moms were recommended by a huge number of folks that we know and trust. So here we are. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, we cover: 

• [2:36] Background of Dr. Melissa Burt and Dr. Emily Fischer
• [7:26] An overview of the Science Moms 
• [9:01] Concerns parents have when talking to kids about climate change
• [10:47] How to engage kids of different ages on climate 
• [16:39] How to feel confident in discussing climate change without being an expert
• [20:09] Political implications of discussing climate change
• [27:31] Myth vs. fact about climate change
• [29:41] Examples of collective action for parents and kids
• [33:41] Resources for learning more about Science Moms

Episode recorded on Feb 5, 2024 (Published on Feb 12, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Prakash Govindan is COO and Co-founder at Gradiant. 

Gradiant is a Series D stage company that develops technology for industrial wastewater treatment. They work with Fortune 500 clients across a range of industries, including semiconductor fabrication, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, mining, and more, to help them reuse water in their operations.

Prakash discusses his background, experiences with water scarcity during his childhood in India, how he met his co-founder during his doctoral work at MIT, how the company started, and the problem of industrial wastewater today. Cody and Prakash talk about some of the different industries and use cases that Gradiant serves, a bit about how their technology works, and how their business model is structured.

As Prakash says in the conversation, water is one of the primary interfaces through which the world will experience climate change, whether through drought or flood. The more we can do to manage our water supply, the better off we will be. 

In this episode, we cover: 

• [02:35]: Prakash's early experiences with water scarcity in India
• [04:09]: Gradiant becoming the water industry's only unicorn
• [10:21]: How climate change primarily impacts society through water
• [11:52]: Gradiant's role in closing the loop on industrial wastewater
• [18:25]: The challenges of industrial vs. municipal wastewater treatment
• [22:22]: Gradiant's bespoke water treatment solutions for the pharmaceutical industry
• [26:17]: The company’s involvement in direct lithium extraction and production processes
• [30:52]: The importance of seawater desalination and minimizing brine discharge
• [38:03]: How Gradiant collaborates with semiconductor clients under the CHIPS Act
• [41:50]: Gradiant's approach to extracting valuable byproducts from waste
• [45:06]: Early funding for Gradiant from high net-worth individuals and family offices
• [46:01]: Gradiant's revenue and backlog growth, anticipating future financial milestones
• [48:38]: The story behind the company name, Gradiant with an “A” instead of an “E”

Episode recorded on Jan 5, 2024 (Published on Feb 8, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Ben Hubbard is CEO and Co-founder at Nexus PMG, an infrastructure advisory and project development organization dedicated to reducing carbon intensity and enhancing resource efficiency. Ben co-founded Nexus PMG in 2013 after multiple years of working on complex metal refining facilities in locations including Mongolia and Saudi Arabia.

In this episode, Cody and Ben cover how Nexus PMG got started, what key risks the firm explores when assessing a project for development capital, Ben's advice for infrastructure-heavy startups as they scale, and how he sees the next five years of infrastructure deployment playing out. And they cover a whole lot in between, including the criticality of feedstocks, the role of insurance, opportunities for private equity, and first-of-a-kind project finance.

In this episode, we cover: 

• [01:56]: Ben's early mining experience in extreme climates during the 2007 recession
• [05:24]: Nexus PMG's founding story
• [11:51]: Abandoning all fossil-fuel projects and full transition to low-carbon focus
• [17:01]: Observations on declining investment returns in wind and solar projects
• [20:39]: Challenges in variability and quality of sustainable materials
• [27:15]: Turnaround of a distressed biomass plant in British Columbia
• [30:08]: Launch of Nexus Development Capital for scaling businesses
• [36:04]: Recent shifts from strategics investing to meet ESG goals
• [38:17]: Why team dynamics are critical to project success
• [42:50]: Trend forecasting in sustainable projects: hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuels
• [46:01]: Ben’s optimism about capital deployment in the next decade

Episode recorded on Jan 8, 2024 (Published on Feb 5, 2024)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.

Roy Mittleider is the director of training for CalCERTS. CalCERTS is one of California's Home Energy Rating System providers (or HERS), which is an acronym we use a lot in this episode. They operate in the state under the conditional approval of the California Energy Commission, or the CEC. CalCERTS provides specialized HERS training and certification, performs quality assurance on all HERS Raters they certify, and maintains an online data registry of permits and records of energy efficiency work for each home in California. 

In this episode, we deep dive into what a HERS rater does, who they work with, what their training is like, and what career paths they can take. We also talk about different types of energy specifications a structure needs to meet in order to be up to the latest energy code. And we end with talking about the role that technology can play in optimizing the workflow in the home energy efficiency auditing space.

In this episode, we cover: 

• Introduction to CalCERTS and the Home Energy Rating System (HERS)
• History of the HERS industry and its development in California
• Compliance rating and verification process for existing homes and new construction
• Energy specifications and standards for buildings in California
• The importance of air sealing and insulation in home energy efficiency 
• The role of technology in optimizing workflow and improving efficiency in home energy efficiency auditing
• Career paths and opportunities for HERS raters
• Importance of data registry and record-keeping for energy efficiency work in California
• Potential for technology to improve data transfer, streamline paperwork, and enhance the HERS rating process

Episode recorded on Aug 17, 2023 (Published on Nov 2, 2023)

Get connected with MCJ: 

• Jason Jacobs X / LinkedIn
• Cody Simms X / LinkedIn
• MCJ Podcast / Collective / YouTube

*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.