CleanTechies Podcast

Today, we are speaking with a representative of the legendary Rockefeller Foundation. For those unaware, this foundation is one of the oldest well-organized institutions of its type and has been responsible for a massive number of efforts over the past 100 years. 

Our guest is Thomas Belazis, Director of Innovative Finance. He runs their Climate & Impact Investing arm. 

Some of the notable things we cover today are... 

1. Their $1bn Climate and Net Zero Commitments
2. How they end up unlocking a lot of other capital when they invest
3. And why high integrity in EVERY investment matters because of the weight their name carries 

Enjoy this episode with Thomas from The Rockefeller Foundation. 🌱🌎

---
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📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube
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Topics:
**What Thomas Does at TRF
**TRF’s $1bn Climate & Net Zero Commitment 
**Why Nature-Based Solutions
**Catalytic Capital & Unlocking Funding 
**The Role of Philanthropy in Climate 
**Flexible Investment Approach 
**His Career Journey and Mentorship 
**Collaboration with Elemental Excelerator 
**Future Projects 
**Emerging Market Interest 
**Global Ambitions

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Links:
**Thomas Belazis | The Rockefeller Foundation
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

**Check out the new takeaways section at the end of the episode!!**

In this episode, Somil and Silas chat with Zecca Lehn, GP of Responsibly Ventures, backing U.S. PreSeed startups in both Social and Sustainable Tech. He uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guidepost for his investments.

We breakdown the specifics of his investing thesis including what is “customer love” and what it means to be ethical in investing, Zecca is especially good at using data and data reporting – we heard a lot of really unique insights from him on how he uses data in his operations. We also dive into his experience as an impact investor, the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

---

🌎 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:
**1:45 Introduction and Background
**10:23 Early Interest in Sustainability
**13:43 Investing in Sustainability and Social Good
**15:52 What is Customer Love?
**17:13 Ethics and Honesty in Investing
**25:26 Balancing Returns and Impact
**27:21 Data and Reporting in Venture Investing
**30:52 Subjectivity in Measurement and Reporting
**31:57 Challenges of Collecting and Using Data
**34:05 Privacy and AI Concerns in Impact Investing
**37:09 The Power of Follow-on Investors
**39:50 Maintaining Focus and Presence
**42:08 Climate Anxiety and Perspective
**45:16 The Role of Returns in Climate Investing
**52:04 Addressing Desertification as an Impact
**54:05 Takeaways

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Links:
**Zécca Lehn | Responsibly Ventures
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

Fast fashion is destroying the world. Imagine if we could make threads that are fully recyclable ... over and over... Well, that's what Oliver Shafaat is trying to do with Sci-Lume Labs. 

They use agricultural feedstock, and are using low-heat methods so they aim to be able to achieve cost parity. 

What they are working on is difficult, but would be world changing. 

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:
**01:16 Intro
**02:16 The Challenges of the Apparel Industry
**04:34 The Inspiration Behind Bylon
**11:45 Evaluating Polymers
**13:59 Starting a Company
**15:22 Funding the Company
**18:45 The Process of Making Fibers
**23:19 Sourcing Feedstocks
**25:27 The Sustainability of Bylon
**28:31 Recyclability and End-of-Life
**30:21 IP and Business Model
**32:04 Scaling Up and Challenges Ahead
**34:58 Pilot Conversations
**38:49 Interest from Clothing Manufacturers

-----
Links:
**Oliver Shafaat | Sci-Lume Labs
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

In this episode, Somil chats with Adam Fraser, CEO at Terraset, the “anti-GHG” 501c3. Philanthropy in climate is a hot topic – leading up to this episode we were getting questions left and right about the future of this space. And it’s because there’s seemingly so much money that could be in the space but isn’t yet. 

That is the problem Adam and Terraset are trying to solve. It couldn’t have been a more timely show.

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:
**04:48 The State of Philanthropic Capital and Climate
**06:52 Challenges in Philanthropic Investment in Climate
**11:05 Being Anti-GHG and the Importance of Carbon Removal
**13:45 Different Carbon Removal Technologies
**16:32 Transition from Journalism to Philanthropy
**22:45 Efficiency and Scalability of Philanthropic Capital
**34:08 The CDR Landscape and Evaluation
**40:41 Donor Profiles and Funding Sources
**47:03 Genesis of Terraset and the "anti-GHG" Approach
**50:00 Optimism and Urgency for the Future

-----
Links:
**Adam Fraser | Terraset
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

 If you LOVE technology that allows for decarbonization TODAY, then Somil & Silas' conversation today with Lori Dunn from Optimus Technologies will interest you.

Discover how Optimus is revolutionizing the transport sector by producing bolt-on systems that allow truck drivers to utilize 100% biodiesel and reduce their overall emissions by up to 90%.

Learn from Lori how they are navigating the challenges of funding, team alignment, and strategic planning for the future.

Join us as we explore the journey from seed to series A, and the transition from small to big company energy.

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:
**1:43 Small vs Big Energy Company
**4:37 Decarbonizing Diesel Engines
**7:00 Challenges to Decarb the Diesel Industry
**9:39 Understanding Fleet Managers' Problems
**11:37 Previous Attempts
**14:33 The Long Game of Hardware Innovation
**19:25 Joining Optimus
**25:36 The Technology of Optimus
**29:07 Communicating Value to Investors
**33:16 Revenue Model and Cost Structure
**37:42 Scaling Manufacturing and Funding
**42:33 Metrics and Partnerships
**44:30 Early Stage Manufacturing
**46:34 Manufacturing In-house vs Outsourcing

-----
Links:
**Lori Dunn | Optimus Technologies
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

In this episode, I chat with Ben Eidelson, Co-founder & GP of Stepchange, an early-stage venture fund that invests in product-led companies that will make a “step change”, pun intended, I’m guessing?, impact on climate. 

When editing the episode, Alex, our executive producer, told us he could already tell one of our best episodes yet. I very much agree. This turned out to be the VC meets product meets content special I was hoping it would be. We discuss all things product in climate, Ben being a 2 time exited founder to big tech, starting a climate fund in this environment, and why his kids changed his life. 

A huge shoutout to Ben for coming on the episode. This started out as me fan-boying to one of his episodes and here we are. 

As 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: 
**3:10 What is a Product-Led Company?
**8:49 Why PMs are not Thinking about Climate
**14:45 The Importance of Active Listening
**16:03 Identifying Founder Potential
**18:29 The Role of Vulnerability in Relationships
**20:35 The Origin and Impact of Climate Papa
**25:41 The Product-Focused Thesis of Step Change
**27:41 Product Meets Hardware and Deep Tech
**34:35 Bullish Industries in Climate
**42:45 Lessons from Being a Founder
**44:59 Building Deep Co-Founder Relationships
**47:32 Tips for Product-Market Fit in Climate

-----
Links:
**Ben Eidelson | Stepchange | Climate Papa
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

Today we speak with Virginia Klausmeier, President & CEO of Sylvatex, a company aiming to commercialize technology that was originally developed by her father. The technology is a waterless method to produce Cathode Active Materials (the chemicals that go into the production of various types of batteries).

We cover a lot of things. The primary topics being Onshoring Battery Production, Getting to Bankability, and How their Technology works.

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:
**1:23 Intro
**7:11 Battery Mfg in the US
**9:11 Onshoring Battery Mfg
**9:42 The Opportunity
**15:54 Motivation
**17:12 The Story of Sylvatex
**19:16 Starting a Company
**21:03 Taking the Leap
**24:13 Waterless Cathode Production
**30:51 State of Sylvatex
**42:11 Pilot Funding
**42:41Milestones for Commercialization
**45:05 Getting to Bankability
**47:29 Debt Financing for Modular Manufacturing
**48:25 Navigating the Unknown

-----
Links:
**Virginia Klausmeier | Sylvatex
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

(Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you)

In this episode, Somil and Silas chat with Leise Sanderson, founder and CEO of Pathways. Pathways is an AI platform that simplifies environmental impact analysis for the materials and manufacturing supply chain.

I’m a built environment junkie, so this was…really fun. Materials are the main cost driver of construction which means they will be especially difficult to decarbonize. Tools like Pathways make it easier to identify which materials will help maintain cost-parity. Major potential for a big emitter like construction and the built environment. 

Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎

-----
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
-----
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
-----
📺 👀 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:
**01:28 Introduction
**03:18 What is a Life Cycle Analysis
**06:12 Environmental Product Declarations
**09:02 Deciding to Start a Company
**21:24 Finding a Co-founder
**30:48 Growing Interest in the Built Environment
**44:47 Landing the First Customer
**46:50 Receptiveness of Manufacturing Industry
**47:50 Building Relationships Across Differences
**53:39 What Attracted Investors
**55:27 Navigating an Oversubscribed Round
**58:45 Building Audacious Goals
**59:36 Reflecting on the Journey

-----
Links:
**Leise Sandeman | Pathways
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

Silas speaks with Ryan Jeffery, Sr. Managing Director of the Sustainability Accelerators at Gener8tor, a collection of Accelerators that serve the rest of the country outside of SF, NYC, and Boston, where the majority of VC dollars go.

(Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you)

Ryan started as a founder. Later, he became a VC and eventually ended up in Gener8tor running the sustainability-focused accelerators because of his desire to be closer to the founders and more involved.

He shared a lot of great data on where funding goes, his story, why investing in underserved founders is, beyond being the right thing to do, also leads to better returns.

Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎

-----
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
-----
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
-----
📺 👀 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:
**4:00 Joining Gener8tor
**7:40 Biz Model, Challenges, & Financing an Accelerator
**8:56 Partnering w/ Corps
**11:35 Focus on Underserved Areas
**13:54 The Role of Non-Silicon Valley States in Climate Transition
**22:00 Value Add of an Accelerator
**34:13 Collab in Non-Tech Hub Areas
**40:27 Gap for These Founders
**42:03 Role of AI in Solving Climate Change
**49:40 Milestones for Hard Tech Companies
**57:46 Hiring & Building a Team
**59:57 Raising Tips
**1:06:44 Advice to Investors
**1:08:19 Getting into VC

-----
Links:
**Ryan Jeffery | Gener8tor
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

In this episode, Silas and Somil chat with Robin Lane, CEO and founder of Transect, a product that aids and expedites site selection for infrastructure projects.

For Silas and I, this was an exciting mix of infrastructure meeting technology. Robin has been doing this for a while, so she had a lot to tell us about her experiences with developers, rolling Transect out to market, how she grew as a founder alongside her company, and what she sees for the future.

 (Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you)

We were really happy to have her on and learn a lot of new things about site selection and the problems plaguing infrastructure projects today – a major component of increasing the supply of renewables and advancing the climate transition.
-----
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
-----
📺 👀 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:
**02:37 Need for Transformation in Permitting
**05:58 How Transect Streamlines the process
**08:47 Building Trust with Developers
**11:50 Robin's Journey from Consultant to Entrepreneur
**23:33 Raising Transect's Seed Round
**24:38 Early Contracts and Scaling the Team
**32:24 Building a Culture-First Company and Hiring for Mission Alignment
**38:45 Being Customer-First
**45:32 Opportunities for Software in the Renewables Industry
**47:25 Future Solar Energy Costs

-----
Links:
**Robin Laine | Transect
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

In this ep, we chat with Peter Sun, founding team at Climactic, an early stage fund investing in ClimateTech, specifically focused on efficiency in software which has a lot to do with, you guessed it, AI.

We dive into the nuances of how AI is impacting climate tech, where the opportunities for software are in decarbonization, and Peter’s journey joining the founding team. As someone who personally is wary of putting AI in every conversation, Peter had real insight into the ins-and-outs of whats real and whats not, and I really enjoyed learning from him.

As 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.  
-----
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
-----
📺 👀 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:
**02:16 Overview of Climatic
**05:05 Applications of AI in Climate Companies
**09:30 The story of WeaveGrid
**11:58 Evaluating Companies for Automation and Efficiency
**16:50 Challenges in Implementing Transmission Lines
**19:20 The Value of Data in Climate Tech
**23:43 Starting a Climate VC Fund
**27:03 Climate VC vs. Impact VC
**30:12 The Difficulties for Founders in Climate Tech
**34:35 Starting a Fund in the Current Fundraising Environment
**52:45 Exit Strategies in Climate VC
**54:00 Competitiveness in Climate Investing
**56:00 The Blend of VC and Real Asset Industries
**58:29 The Rise of Hyper Specialist VCs
**01:00:20 Building a Personal Brand
**01:04:28 Habits for Success

-----
Links:
**Peter Sun | Climactic
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

Today, we are joined by Adam Goff, the SVP of Strategy at 8 Rivers, a technology portfolio developer. Think of it like a venture studio but specifically for technology (often chemistry) instead of companies.

(Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you) 

He talks us through how that looks and how they commercialize the products, and we also spend a lot of time discussing the role and importance of policy when it comes to clean tech. 

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:
**2:10 Intro
**4:00 Climate x Policy
**10:00 How to Pass Legislation Faster
**12:40 History and Structure of Eight Rivers
**18:00 The Process of Proving New Tech
**22:15 Their Current Technologies
**28:30 Raising Money for a Tech Developer
**33:20 Commercialization and Revenue Generation
**36:45 Selecting your First Site
**39:40 How to Understanding Global Regulatory Markets
**42:30  Systematizing Building a Hardware Climate Startup
**44:00 Future Plans for Eight Rivers

-----
Links:
**Adam Goff | 8 Rivers
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-techies/
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

There are a plethora of national and local grants available to help companies solving the climate problem, but landing one is a herculean effort. Writing them takes months and can result in absolutely nothing. Half of the battle is picking the right grant to apply for. Well, Helena Merk and her team at Streamline Climate are solving that.

(Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you)

Their AI powered tech helps companies identify which grants to apply for and then helps them land them by ensuring every t is cross and i dotted.

Aside from telling us what they are doing, we also got to hear the story of how Helena met her co-founder Douglas Qian and how growing up in Palo Alto impacted her career decisions, among other things.

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 | https://cleantechies.substack.com/podcast
🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel 

Topics:
**3:03 Crash Course on Grants
**5:57 Streamlining the Grant Process
**12:37 Choosing the Right Grants
**19:55 More TAM
**25:33 Finding a Co-Founder
**26:51 GTM Strategies
**42:25 Fundraising Journey
**41:27 VC Funding and Grant Writing
**44:40 Inbound Processes and VC Decision-making

Links:
**Helena Merk | Streamline Climate
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

Climate Tech founders needs lots of different financing options and styles of support – ClimateDoor is an example of a niche’d styles of venture support that I hope we see more of in ClimateTech VC.

ClimateDoor is a style of venture builder called “Growth-as-a-Service”, functioning similarly to a late stage accelerator.

We dive into the nuances of their model, the Canadian VC ecosystem, what its like founding a company with your childhood best friend and more.

Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎
-----
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
-----
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
-----
📺 👀 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:
**00:00 Introduction and Background
**07:14 Overview of Climate Door
**13:27 The story of Polar Beer Taps
**16:10 Advantages of "Growth-as-a-Service"
**23:24 Canadian Venture Ecosystem
**26:20 Blending Capital Sources in Climate Tech
**29:30 Navigating Fundraising and Building Investor Relationships
**35:01 Streamlining Operations with AI
**39:51 Hiring Advice for Early Stage Companies
**42:57 Fundraising Advice for Bridge Stage Companies
**49:03 Challenges in Finding Value Spots in Climate

-----
Links:
**Nick Findler | Chad Rickaby | ClimateDoor
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

Our guest today is Tobias Egle, an investor at M Ventures, the Corporate Venture arm of Merck.

Tobias joins us today to speak about deep tech investing, specifically around materials innovation and the decarbonization of electronics manufacturing. A topic that has been in the news a lot recently is PFAS, and given his work, he was able to speak about the issues with PFAS as well as how to get rid of it.

He also provided some advice to highly technical founders when it comes to team building and surrounding themselves with the right partners.

Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎
-----
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
-----
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
-----
📺 👀 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:
**01:21 - Introduction and Background
**04:32 - Transitioning from Academia to Venture Capital
**07:48 - Getting into Venture Capital
**10:52 - Focus Areas of M Ventures
**17:05 - Decarbonizing Electronics and Life Sciences
**23:37 - Challenges of PFAS Removal
**31:45 - Gaps in Deep Tech Founders
**40:45 - The Impact of AI in Climate Solutions
**46:55 - Adaptation and Climate Resilience
**48:10 - Grid Resiliency and Renewable Integration
**51:40 - Transitioning from R&D to Product and Business Development
**53:00 - Designing for Manufacturability in Hard Tech
**56:26 - Sustainable Supply Chain in Electronics Manufacturing
**57:42 - Team Building and Hiring for Startups
**01:01:34 - Getting into VC and Starting a Company

-----
Links:
**Tobias Egle | M Ventures
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

The chemical industry is ~$4.7t globally. The reason is that nearly everything we use is produced using secondary products that are created from catalyzing raw materials in some way.

This is currently done using combustion (heat) powered reactors, and our guest today is commercializing a new way to do that. A way that is 30x more efficient than cutting-edge combustion reactors.

Co-founder & CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics, Trevor Best, joins us to discuss the journey of coming across the technology from a white paper - and then going through the required steps to prove the technology at scale so it can produce at a commercially viable level.

Their tech can be applied to many specific types of reactors. Currently, they have three uses, but down the road, first principles thinking indicates they will be able to build alternatives for many reactors.

They make money by licensing out the IP and selling the reactors which they produce. And this is happening today. They have many outstanding orders for their tech.

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
*1:30 Trevor's Story
*4:00 What is Photocatalyst
*9:40 The Idea Framework (Tech, Market, Impact)
*12:55 How to Come Up w/ Ideas
*17:30 Their Tech
*24:45 ~5x Reduction in Energy Use
*27:00 Impact on Everyday Life
*29:35 Traction
*32:50 From TRL3 to 8
*36:05 Business Model
*38:42 Fundraising Mistakes & Lessons
*43:15 Culture | Missionaries > Mercenaries

Links
*Trevor Best | https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorwbest/
*Syzygy Plasmonics | https://plasmonics.tech/
*Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners | https://www.next-wavepartners.com/
*Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-techies/
*@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

In this episode, we chat with Russell Sprole, founder and managing partner of Virta Ventures. Virta Ventures invests at the early stages focusing on “equity-light” companies.

We dive into the nuances of marketplace models, the potential of AI in climate tech, his journey with Full Harvest, and more. 

This is a great episode for software enthusiasts interested in its place in the climate tech ecosystem. 

As always, thanks so much for listening and enjoy the episode!

https://linktr.ee/cleantechies

---
🌎 If you'd like to see the full PodLetter, go to our substack to see all the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
---

📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube.

📫 Interested in written summaries and takeaways from the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter.

Want to be part of the community and engage further? Check out the Slack Channel

Topics

• 4:00 Starting Virta Ventures 
• 10:22 Equity Light Solutions 
• 13:50 Software Solutions in Antiquated Industries 
• 17:07 Common Equity Light Business Models 
• 22:55 Investing in Tiba 
• 28:33 Investing in Crowded vs. Nascent Markets 
• 34:41 Lessons from Full Harvest 
• 47:46 Investing in Hydrogen Marketplaces 
•  1:01:52 The Impact of AI on Climate Tech 
• 1:06:54 Effective Practices of Portfolio Companies 
• 1:08:33 Opportunities in the Electrification of Transportation 
• 1:11:12 Fundraising Advice for Climate Tech Founders 

Links

• Russell Sprole | Virta Ventures
• Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas
• Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

Today, Ken Munson, CEO of Rhythmos, shares his story of becoming an entrepreneur, including the wins and losses. He also discusses what Rhythmos is doing in grid-edge technology. He explains what GridEdge Tech is, the importance of experienced entrepreneurs staying in the arena, and the intricacies of selling to utilities. Munson also delves into the future of grid technology and sustainable energy solutions.

Enjoy the Episode! 🌱🌎

---
🌎 If you'd like to see the full PodLetter, go to our substack to see all the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
---

📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube.

📫 Interested in written summaries and takeaways from the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter.

Want to be part of the community and engage further? Check out the Slack Channel. https://tinyurl.com/mwkn8zk5

Topics:
**1:40 Intro to Ken
**3:00 Going from Architect to Entrepreneur to Rhythmos
**12:00 What Grid Edge Is
**14:45 What Rhythmos is Doing, Why, and How it Works
**21:30 How Rhythmos is Helping Solve the Infrastructure Problem
**24:50 Their Customer Types (Utilities & Commercial Fleets)
**27:48 How They do Incremental Data Access Tech to Fill the Gaps to the Utility
**31:20 The ROI of Using Rhythmos
**32:15 Advice on Selling to Utilities
**36:45 How to Hire Good SalesPeople
**42:30 On Deciding to Go Back Into the Arena

Links:
**Ken Munson | https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethmunson/
**Rhythmos | https://rhythmos.io/
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: https://www.next-wavepartners.com/
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-techies/
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on Twitter / X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

On this episode, we interview Jay Kapoor, General Partner at VSC Ventures. VSC Ventures is a Seed-stage VC fund focusing on climate adaptation and industrial automation. Their central thesis is that although starting a company is becoming easier, its becoming harder and harder to get noticed. Their solution? Storytelling. Confused? Listen to this episode – you won’t be disappointed.

Jay needs no introduction – he has a podcast himself, comes from a VC and media background, and left a lasting impression on us as one of the most well-spoken guests we've ever had.
---
🌎 If you'd like to see the full PodLetter, go to our substack to see all the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---
🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨
---

📺 👀 Prefer to watch: Subscribe on YouTube.

Want to be part of the community and engage further? Check out the Slack Channel. 

Topics:
**5:50 Focus on Industrial Automation
**9:39 The Intersection of Industrial Automation and Climate
**15:26 Augmentation vs Replacement in Automation
**17:23 The Importance of Good Storytelling in Automation
**20:03 Jay’s Accidental Transition to Climate Investing
**25:40 Engaging with Government and Incumbents
**34:28 Founder/Market Fit: Founders from The Industry
**40:24 Impact on Fundraising and Time Horizons; Fund Size
**47:50 The Importance of Choosing the Right Investor
**50:47 Changing Cap Table Construction
**58:28 The Evolution of VCs' Value Prop
**1:02:20 The Role of PR in Climate Investing
**1:06:43 Founder vs Company Journey; Paint Jet's Story
**1:11:53 The Power of Storytelling in Pitch Decks
**1:17:06 Hiring and Building a Team
**1:20:53 Identifying Founders Willing to Adapt

Links:
**Connect with Jay | VSC Ventures
**Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas
**Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.
**This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

In this enlightening episode, Silas and Somil are speaking all about Water and Wastewater Infrastructure with Adam Tank, the CCO and Co-Founder of Transcend Infrastructure.

Adam shares his journey into the water industry and the creation of Transcend, a software platform that automates the design process for water infrastructure projects. He discusses the challenges and opportunities in the industry, including the need for more innovative and sustainable solutions. Tank emphasizes the importance of building a strong team, staying true to the company's mission, and remaining curious and open to learning. He also highlights the future of the water infrastructure industry, including the focus on carbon neutrality and the role of public demand in driving innovation.

Enjoy the Episode! 🌎

---
🌎 If you'd like to see the full PodLetter, go to our substack to see all the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---

📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube.

📫 Interested in written summaries and takeaways from the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter.

Want to be part of the community and engage further? Check out the Slack Channel. https://tinyurl.com/mwkn8zk5

Topics: 

**2:00 How Adam Ended up in the Water
**6:30 From Investor to Entrepreneur 
**8:20 First Company, Pipe Robots
**10:00 Transcend's Tech 
**11:45 Who Uses Transcend 
**12:30 Before and After Transcend
**17:20 Why Current Infrastructure is Bad
**19:30 Spin-Out of Organica, the MVP 
**23:40 Taking the Leap to Transcend 
**26:25 The Future of Water Infrastructure / the UK vs US Utilities 
**28:45 Future: Proactivity, Automation, Digitization, Active Consumers
**30:35 Why To Choose A Critical Infrastructure Careers 
**32:20 Founder Advice: Find the right team, Remember WHY You Do What You Do, Be Passionately Curious
**34:15 Importance of Curiosity & Intentionality in Career 

Links:
**Connect with Adam
**Adam's Website
**Transcend Infrastructure Website
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners:
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn:
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on Twitter / X 

We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com