Invested In Climate

When you think of residential solar, you probably think of solar installations that are tied to the grid. These installations have many benefits. You can rely on the grid when you need to, you don’t need to store all the energy you generate in batteries, and you can sell energy back to utilities. But on-grid solar isn’t for everyone, and our future surely requires some mix of on- and off-grid technology.  To learn about the use case and business opportunity of distributed off-grid solar, I sat down with the founders of two growing, off-grid solar companies. Arnold Leitner is the CEO of YouSolar, and Sean Luangrath is the CEO of Inergy Solar. Both Arnold and Sean have been in the industry for a long time and helped clarify why off-grid solar matters, who it's for, where the industry is, and where its likely to go. Their two companies offer really different products and understanding their differences really helped me comprehend some of the different applications for off-grid solar. And, as it happens, YouSolar is actually in the final stretch of an equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine, which you might want to check out if you really like what you hear. Ok, here we go!In today’s episode, we cover:[3:02] Arnold’s CEO journey[6:11] Sean’s CEO journey[9:11] Inergy’s product lineup & target customers[11:32] The power of a 26-pound electricity system[13:01] YouSolar’s progress toward commercialization[13:53] YouSolar’s current & future products[17:59] YouSolar’s history[18:53] The importance of off-grid solar[25:11] The difference between YouSolar, Inergy & big solar companies[29:36] The future of balancing on-grid & off-grid power[36:46] Key barriers to scaling[40:52] Experiences with crowdfunding[45:45] ​​How listeners learn more about distributed off-grid solarResources MentionedYouSolarInergy SolarStartEngine: YouSolar Crowdfunding CampaignNREL: Fuel from the Sky StudyConnect with Arnold Leitner & Sean LuangrathConnect with Arnold on LinkedInConnect with Sean on LinkedInConnect with Jason RissmanOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In ClimateIf you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, please get in touch!

Given the enormity of climate change and the unprecedented opportunity for innovation that comes with decarbonization, I love learning about ambitious efforts that really take seriously the speed and scale at which we need to invest in change. I’ve long been a fan of New Energy Nexus – an organization that aims to make clean energy accessible to everyone by supporting 100,000 climate entrepreneurs. They take an ecosystem approach, recognizing that entrepreneurs need not just cash, but supportive networks to succeed, and they’ve been building up ecosystems all over the world to support diverse entrepreneurs.I was thrilled to learn more about New Energy Nexus and one of their best-known accelerators Third Derivative, which is a partnership with RMI. In this episode, you’ll hear from Nexus’ founder and CEO, Danny Kenedy, and Third Derivative co-founder and CMO, Elaine Hsieh. We talk about their backgrounds, the work that Nexus and Third Derivative are doing, their approach to ecosystem building, the importance of justice, equity, and inclusion in climate investing, underhyped and overhyped spaces in climate tech, and much more. Third Derivative is currently accepting applications through March 21 for its next two cohorts - so if you’re a startup founder, consider putting in an application. For everyone else, hope you enjoy. In today’s episode, we cover:[3:43] Third Derivative & Elaine’s role[4:31] New Energy Nexus & Danny’s role[5:07] Danny’s path to starting New Energy Nexus[8:15] Elaine’s path to starting Third Derivative[11:28] Nexus’ large-scale approach[14:48] Nexus’ country-level programs in practice[18:41] Challenges & learnings from setting up programs in other countries[20:41] What makes Third Derivative different & important[25:53] Underhyped & overhyped spaces in climate tech[31:54] The climate justice lens that informs Nexus’ & Third Derivative’s work[37:10] Recent growth & continued interest in climate investments[41:07] What needs to change to address today’s climate crisis[44:10] ​​How listeners can get involved with New Energy Nexus & Third DerivativeResources MentionedNew Energy NexusThird Derivative’s (D3) startup accelerator applicationRocky Mountain Institute (RMI)BloombergNEF’s Energy Transition Investment Trends reportConnect with Danny Kennedy & Elaine HsiehConnect with Danny on LinkedInConnect with Elaine on LinkedInConnect with Jason RissmanOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In ClimateIf you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, please get in touch!

Get ready. This episode is a really detailed conversation about what could be one of the most important new technologies for addressing climate change. Here’s some context: The world has started working to decarbonize virtually every sector of the economy. Yet, even if we had all the political and corporate will, investments and incentives one could imagine, this would still be an incredibly complex process that takes decades. And so, we’ll continue to emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses for longer than we want. Essentially, the faucet will stay on, and we need other ways to reduce the amount of carbon in our atmosphere to slow and eventually reverse climate change. That’s where carbon removal and today’s conversation comes in. We’re joined by Tomás Álvarez Belón and Tito Jankowski. Tomás is a climate investor at Collaborative Fund, focused on decarbonization. Tito Jankowski is CEO of AirMiners, a community of innovators focused on removing carbon dioxide from the air to reverse climate change. These two are true experts and pioneers that are helping to build the carbon removal industry from scratch. I learned a ton and think you’ll enjoy. Here we go.In today’s episode, we cover:[3:43] Collaborative Fund & Tomás’ role [5:17] AirMiners & Tito’s role[6:08] Why focus on carbon removal[10:11] The difference between carbon removal & carbon capture[11:51] The knee-jerk reaction behind carbon removal[17:59] The state of the carbon removal space today[22:13] More about AirMiners, who they work with & what they offer[25:24] The impact of AirMiners to-date[28:38] Tomás’ learnings from the growth of carbon removal startups[31:56] Carbon removal becoming a commodity[34:14] Tito’s learnings from the growth of carbon removal startups[38:05] Collaborative Funds’ investments & the range of possibilities around carbon removal[50:09] How large investments have helped the marketplace grow[58:46] Why companies should get involved & become purchasers to support the carbon removal marketplaceResources MentionedCollaborative FundAirMinersAirMiners Startup AcceleratorAirMiners Youtube ChannelXPRIZE for Carbon RemovalFrontier: Stripe ClimateShopify’s Sustainability FundSouth Pole: Carbon Removal SolutionsMicrosoft: Carbon Removal ProgramConnect with Tomás Álvarez Belón & Tito JankowskiConnect with Tomás on LinkedInConnect with Tito on LinkedInConnect with Jason RissmanInvestedinClimate.comOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In ClimateOn any podcast platformSign up for our newsletterIf you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, get in touch!

Today’s episode focuses on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. What began as a fringe interest in socially responsible investing grew at an astonishing rate and is now completely mainstream, considering the ESG performance of companies. According to a PWC report from last November, ESG investing will grow over the next three years to reach over $30 trillion dollars. That’d be over 20% of all assets under management and a real force influencing how well companies act on climate change, amongst many other issues. But ESG can be messy and confusing. To learn more about what it actually is, how it's distinguished from impact investing, why it became politically controversial in the US last year, how it’s performed for investors, and how it's likely to change in the future, I sat down with James Stone, VP of ESG Research at Baron Capital. Jamie offered a really clear overview and I learned a ton. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. In today’s episode, we cover:[3:23] James' background & his experience with ESG investing[5:23] Baron Capital & what they specialize in[6:33] The ESG market today & trends[9:53] Overall interest in ESG investing & how it's been changing in recent years[11:03] Who is actually interested in ESG investing[14:44] Baron’s ESG commentary & the World Economic Forum study on top global risks[20:26] The positive feedback loop due to growing ESG investors & capital deployed[25:09] The impact of policy developments related to climate investing within ESG[27:49] The political backlash & controversy of ESG[31:22] The impacts of ESG investing on companies[33:46] The SEC climate disclosure rule change[35:17] Policy developments that Jamie is watching for this year[35:41] ​​Thoughts on ESG investing opportunities this year & longer-term[36:45] Things for climate-focused investors to consider[38:40] How listeners can get involvedResources MentionedBaron CapitalConnect with James StoneConnect with James on LinkedInConnect with Jason RissmanOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In ClimateIf you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, please get in touch!

So far in 2023, we've been looking to the future. Our first episode featured new opportunities with Google, CSAA and IDEO. Then, we did an episode focusing on regenerative agriculture, and another on transforming the global food system.This week, we'll look to the past and replay one of our first and most popular episodes ever. The episode features Jamie Beck Alexander of Drawdown Labs, a program of Project Drawdown. I thought it's worth replaying as it helps explain the idea that any job can be a climate job, and highlights some really useful tips for creating climate impact through your work no matter what you do.This episode is for everyone - and it's a reminder that you don't need to switch jobs or start a new company to be part of today's climate movement. Here we go.In today’s episode, we cover:[3:20] The mobilization of talent toward climate change jobs[5:23] Learn more about Project Drawdown & Drawdown Labs[8:34] The private sector’s role in addressing climate change[12:41] Jamie’s mantra: Every job must be a climate job[14:27] Learn about the “Climate Solutions at Work” guide[21:53] How to hold companies accountable to their green initiatives[28:05] The impact of the Drawdown Project’s workshops[30:56] How to influence the organization you work at[32:46] How you can make an impact in all areas of your lifeResources MentionedProject DrawdownDrawdown LabsClimate Solutions at Work GuideChanging Company Culture Requires a Movement, Not a MandateSEC Proposes Long-Awaited Climate Change Disclosure RulesJamie Beck Alexander’s TEDx TalkAmazon Employees for Climate JusticeDoughnut EconomicsConnect with Jamie Beck AlexanderConnect on LinkedInFollow on TwitterConnect with Jason RissmanInvestedInClimate.comOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In Climate

Are you ready to uncover the truth about our food systems and its impact on our planet? Last week, we delved into the topic of soil and regenerative agriculture, and this week, we're taking a closer look at the larger picture of food and its role in climate change. As it turns out, food is not only something we interact with every day, but it's also a complex web of industries, processes, and relationships that account for a staggering one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. Our special guest, Danielle Nierenberg, is a leading expert and advocate in the field of sustainable food systems. She's the President of Food Tank, a non-profit organization working to improve the global food system. Together, we'll be discussing groundbreaking strategies to combat food waste, promote regenerative agriculture, and rethink the future of meat production. Join us for a fascinating conversation with a seasoned expert in the field as we explore the most pressing issues facing the food industry today and the opportunities for change in the coming year.In today’s episode, we cover:[3:00] Food Tank’s origin story[5:32] Danielle’s background & path of environmentalism[7:45] The role that Food Tank is playing today[8:56] Ways that people can get involved in Food Tank[10:30] What is the food system[11:53] How is the food system (as it's currently designed) exacerbating climate change[13:24] Opportunities & priorities for reversing climate change through food[16:20] Momentum & trends in the regenerative agriculture movement[19:10] Best practices that we need for the future - balancing big corporations & small-scale farmers[21:13] How do we break our dependency from synthetic fertilizer[22:45] Signs of progress in reducing synthetic fertilizer dependency & cutting food waste[26:59] Meat consumption, lab-cultivated meat & preferences[30:53] Danielle’s thoughts on alternative protein for investors[32:45] The biggest levers for food systems impact[33:46] Impressions from the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference & next steps in the global policy arena[36:02] Danielle’s top priorities for 2023[37:59] Podcast spotlight - Food Talk with Danielle NierenbergResources MentionedFood TankWorld Wildlife FundGreenpeacePeace CorpsReFEDHealthy Living CoalitionWeight Watchers InternationalCongressman Jim McGovernJournalist Chloe Sorvino & her book, Raw DealPodcast: Food Talk with Danielle NierenbergConnect with Danielle NierenbergConnect with Danielle on LinkedInConnect with Jason RissmanOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In ClimateIf you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, please get in touch!

Welcome to an episode on agtech, soil health and regenerative agriculture. Here’s some context: one of the big mysteries we’re facing today is how we’re possibly going to feed 10 billion people while transforming agricultural practices that are truly unsustainable. Modern farming is a technological marvel that has dramatically reduced hunger over the last century, but it relies heavily on synthetic fertilizer, which is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, and intensive farming practices that have degraded soil’s ability to grow food. To understand this issue better and learn about some potential solutions, I sat down with agricultural biologist Dr. Paul Zorner and Biodel Ag CEO Ben Cloud. They both bring decades of experience in agriculture and see great potential in regenerative ag practices and innovative agtech technology, including a new product called Sequester. I learned a lot from this conversation and think you’ll enjoy it. Here we go.In today’s episode, we cover:[3:00] What is happening to soil today & why it matters[7:22] The role of synthetic fertilizers in the future[11:18] Soil health & soil biology[13:30] What is regenerative agriculture & its state in the world today[15:27] The barriers to adopting regenerative practices[19:10] Biodel Ag, their work & Ben’s background[22:56] Biodel’s customers & the value proposition of Sequester[27:40] Paul’s background & how he came across Ben and his team[29:09] Sequester’s potential & opportunities for impact[31:02] The next couple of years at Biodel[33:14] The agtech market today, its potential for contributing to climate solutions & other opportunity areas[37:57] The innovation gaps & areas where greater attention is needed[40:23] ​​The agtech market over the next decadeResources MentionedBiodel AgSequester Soil Health InstituteDr. Jay Golden at Syracuse University & the Dynamic Sustainability Lab“The Next Fintech Revolution: Agriculture Finance” by Nik Milanovich in Forbes The Wizard and the Prophet by Charles MannAlternative Fuels and Chemicals CoalitionConnect with Ben Cloud & Dr. Paul ZornerConnect with Ben on LinkedInConnect with Paul on LinkedInConnect with Jason RissmanOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In Climate

Happy New Year - and welcome to the first episode of 2023!We have two special guests with us today to discuss exciting opportunities for climate progress.We’re joined by Matt Ridenour, the Head of Startup Ecosystems for Google. Matt is a dear friend who I had the pleasure of working with for several years at IDEO. He’s now leading accelerator programs at Google, and he’s here to talk about an open call for climate founders. The second opportunity is focused on helping frontline communities become better equipped to deal with climate impacts. We’re joined by Jami Goldman, the Sustainability Manager at CSAA, which is a AAA Insurer. She’s someone I’ve been working closely with in recent months on an upcoming open innovation challenge. Jami’s here to talk about a way for funders, investors and other partners to get involved in making the challenge impactful, and eventually, the challenge will be open to startups and non-profits serving communities impacted by climate change. We’ve got lots in store for this year, and many more new opportunities to share. Here’s to making it the best year yet for climate progress. Let’s get started!In today’s episode, we cover:[2:39] New Year’s resolutions[5:00] Matt’s role at Google & what he’s working on[6:15] Jami’s role at CSAA & what she’s working on[7:46] Insights on Google’s accelerator program for climate startups[10:54] The impact of Google’s previous climate accelerators & lessons learned[15:13] How founders can get involved in Google’s accelerator program for climate[15:53] Insights on CSAA’s open innovation challenge for addressing the climate crisis[18:22] Why climate change matters to insurance providers[19:59] The importance of CSAA’s open innovation challenge - why is innovation needed[21:49] Advice for those who want to get involved in CSAA’s innovation challenge[23:27] Matt’s vision for Google's climate accelerator & the impact it can have[25:07] Jami’s thoughts on the mindsets & capabilities that leaders need to develop to handle climate disruptions[27:27] Advice for Googlers seeking to make an impact on climate change[29:44] Predictions for the climate space in 2023Resources MentionedGoogle for Startups Accelerator: Climate ChangeIDEO x CSAA Open Innovation Challenge - Partner Interest FormCSAAIDEOCharge Net StationsChargerhelpTechCrunch DisruptConnect with Matt Ridenour & Jami GoldmanConnect with Matt on LinkedInConnect with Jami on LinkedInConnect with Jason RissmanOn LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In Climate

This is going to be our last episode for 2022. We’ll be back in January with more great conversations. If you have ideas for episodes or topics you’d like us to explore, please reach out through our contact form or on LinkedIn. I’ve had a blast getting this podcast started and I’m excited for it to only get better as we continue. A big thank you to all our guests, to our listeners providing feedback and reviews, and also to Julie Mai, and Aaron & Carey Green for their help behind the scenes.For our last episode of the year, I’m excited to end where we began – and that’s talking about the importance of local activism and policy. Today’s guest is Adrian Martinez. No, not the football player, nor the baseball player – but the superstar Senior Attorney for Earthjustice. Adrian is working on a program called Right to Zero. In today’s episode, he talks about the critical role Earthjustice’s team of attorneys play at the city, state and federal level to help communities eliminate pollution through decarbonization. I was really energized by this conversation and encouraged to learn that the power we have at a local level can really add up to transformative, widespread change. Hope you enjoy this one. Happy holidays. In today’s episode, we cover:[3:22] What is Earthjustice & how it got started[4:22] What is Right to Zero[5:42] The intersection between environmental action & human health[7:30] What needs to change in the built environment & how Earthjustice is helping[9:46] Local change, how it works & progress for buildings[12:04] How the Inflation Reduction Act will make a difference[13:04] Examples of necessary mandates[14:01] Transportation campaigns, how they’ve worked & the results[17:05] Earthjustice’s role on the pathway to policy change[18:35] Electrifying transit buses - where lawyers are needed[20:38] Other types of fleets Earthjustice is working to decarbonize[23:26] Ways that people can take a stand & be involved[26:03] How equity is factored into Earthjustice’s work[29:22] Who is in opposition & how are they showing up[31:33] The influence of tech on decarbonization efforts[33:51] Adrian’s holiday wishlist for the tech industry[35:27] How climate-invested companies are affecting Earthjustice’s work[37:18] Earthjustice’s other priorities & how listeners can helpResources MentionedEarthjusticeEarthjustice: Right to ZeroEarthjustice Action CenterConnect with Adrian MartinezConnect with Adrian on LinkedInConnect With Jason RissmanInvestedInClimate.com On LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In Climate

The future is electric - especially when it comes to cars. Demand for electric vehicles is far outpacing supply, and automakers are rolling out more or more EV models as governments around the world set clear timelines for when new gas-powered cars will no longer be allowed. The transition to EV is good news for our climate. Transportation creates over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, and about 40% of that comes from cars. This episode focuses on where we’re at in the EV transition and I’m joined by two true experts. Kyle Stock is a Senior Writer for Bloomberg Green. He writes about cars and has his finger on the pulse of EV trends. Cathy Zoi is the CEO of EVgo, the largest public EV charging network in the United States. Cathy has extensive experience in the energy sector and is building the infrastructure we need for the switch to electric vehicles. We talk about the current state of the EV market, which cars are hot and who’s buying them, the impact of recent legislation, our evolving user experience with cars and much more. I learned a lot and am sure you will too. Enjoy. In today’s episode, we cover:[3:13] The state of the EV market today[7:09] The hottest EVs in the US right now & what’s driving the demand[9:15] Kyle’s personal favorite EV[11:38] Cathy’s personal favorite EV[12:28] Who’s actually buying EVs today[14:20] Things you should consider if you’re looking for an EV or new car in general[16:00] How does the cost of EVs compare & tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act[19:28] What is EVgo & the problem they’re aiming to solve[23:10] EVgo’s geographic footprint & the current user experience of EV charging[27:33] The most significant barriers to the EV transition[33:44] The possibility of charging while you drive[37:55] The future of the EV user experience Resources MentionedBloomberg GreenEVgoS&P Global MobilityNational Electric Vehicle Infrastructure ProgramTeslaFord ElectricHyundai ElectricKia EV6Subaru ElectricVolkswagen ElectricGMC Hummer ElectricToyota ElectricChevy ElectricUber ElectricLyft ElectricConnect with Kyle Stock & Cathy ZoiConnect with Kyle on LinkedInConnect with Cathy on LinkedInConnect With Jason RissmanInvestedInClimate.com On LinkedInOn TwitterSubscribe to Invested In Climate