Capital Series: Hampus Jakobsson, Pale Blue Dot

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by Jason Jacobs. This series explores a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress.

Hampus Jakobsson is General Partner at Pale Blue Dot, a seed-stage venture capital firm that backs the most exciting climate tech startups across Europe and the United States.

We were excited for this one because Hampus is a software engineer, turned founder, turned angel investor, turned VC. He also grew up working in areas of more traditional tech that didn't involve climate, and only recently pivoted to devoting all of his professional attention to building a climate investment firm, a story that's relatable to many.

In this episode, we cover:

[2:42] An overview of Pale Blue Dot
[5:01] Hampus' feelings about the climate problem and how they've evolved
[9:19] The early days of Pale Blue Dot's first fund
[13:08] How Hampus balanced his time getting the first fund closed vs. planting the seed directionally with LPs
[18:14] His strategy and thesis before going to market compared to where Pale Blue Dot is today
[22:43] The firm's approach to the first check vs. follow on
[27:50] Different areas of climate Pale Blue Dot invests in
[31:02] The Pale Blue Dot founder
[35:03] The firm's decision process on potential investments
[43:23] Sector expertise and Pale Blue Dot's diligence process
[52:57] Hampus' thoughts about impact and how Pale Blue Dot measures it
[57:08] Reporting and important metrics
[01:03:24] Pale Blue Dot's geographical footprint
[01:06:31] The firm's mix of LPs
[01:10:19] Hampus' thoughts on the role of fossil fuel companies in the energy transition
[01:19:06] An overview of The Drop conference

Additional Resources: The Overstory by Richard Powers

Get connected:
Jason Jacobs
Hampus Jakobsson / Pale Blue Dot
MCJ Podcast / Collective

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Episode recorded on April 17, 2023.

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant