Gita Sjahrir, Head of Investments at BNI Ventures, and Jeremy Au discussed three main topics:
1. Southeast Asia Climate Investment: Jeremy and Gita talked about DealStreetAsia’s article on the $1B of climate investment capital now available across Southeast Asia, e.g. Aera VC, led by Derek Handley (a previous BRAVE guest), which raised $50 million for industrial decarbonization, Radical Fund, led by Alina Truhina (a previous BRAVE guest) ’s first close of $40 million Southeast Asian investment vehicle, Eversource Capital looking at $700 million for its second investment vehicle, and ADM Capital raising a $200M Indonesia climate-focused fund. Gita emphasized the challenges and opportunities of such an investment thesis.
2. Indonesia Energy Efficiency and Infrastructure Mechanics: Jeremy and Gita dived into Indonesia's push to transition to renewable energy, the use of positive behavior economics and respecting contracts to encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices. She highlighted the importance of understanding the limitations and stages of development in different islands and the challenges of establishing energy baselines, grid infrastructure, and cost control across fragmented energy markets.
3. Emerging vs. Developed Country Carbon Debates: Jeremy and Gita explored the contrast between developing and developed economies in terms of incentives. They highlighted the correlation between emissions per capita, energy consumption per capita, and GDP per capita, and the need for careful planning in the early retirement of power plants. They also touched on the dependence on the Chinese solar cell industry and the potential risks of supply chain disruptions, as well as the energy crisis in South Africa and its impact on economic growth. She emphasized the differences in pressure faced by developing markets compared to developed ones and underlined the need for representing local perspectives in global media narratives.
They also talked about Nepal’s recent TikTok ban, the evolving nature of young democracies, the geopolitical and macroeconomic factors influencing energy policies, and the government’s role in adapting to the needs of their citizens and international partners.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/sea-climate-funding
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
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