Climate CEOs: Scaling Startups

Learn how Clearloop’s CEO Laura Zapata blends policy, pop culture, and utility-scale solar to decarbonize the U.S. grid and expand clean energy access.⭐ My guest today is Laura Zapata, Cofounder and CEO of Clearloop.Clearloop creates carbon solutions for organizations of all sizes, from global corporations to small businesses and educational institutions, to decarbonize the economy, expand access to clean energy, and accelerate the development of new solar projects in American communities where the greatest economic and environmental benefits can be achieved.Clearloops works in partnership with utility-scale solar developer Silicon Ranch, which acquired Clearloop in 2021.In addition, Laura is the former Head of Global Communications for Uber Eats, Press Secretary for Hillary Clinton’s Presidential race in Ohio, and communications lead for other Congressional offices.---🎙️ In this episode, we talked about:How to get Taylor Swift to partner with Clearloop (half serious). What she learned by working at Uber in a “move fast and break things” mentality. Having the former Governor of Tennessee as a cofounder (a first for our podcast). How to move from being an intrapreneur with Uber Eats to an entrepreneur. The importance of being optimistic. What we all need to do to improve climate tech’s communication strategy to broaden the tent (btw, pop quiz: how many degrees Fahrenheit is 1.5 degrees Celsius?). Why working with renewables in the South can have more impact given the carbon intensity of the power grid. How Clearloop’s model of carbon offsets for corporates changes how renewable energy power plants are financed. The need to build a life, not just a career (and the joy of farmer’s markets). And lots more!---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 80,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Discover how MassMutual Ventures is deploying $100M into early-stage U.S. climate startups, from clean power to climate intelligence, with lessons from geopolitics, unicorn hunting, and even pierogi-making.⭐ My guest today is Tim Krysiek, Managing Partner at MassMutual Ventures.MassMutual is an insurance and financial services firm with $460B in AUM, and MassMutual Ventures is their venture arm. Their new US Climate Tech Fund represents $100M and is focused on early-stage opportunities (Series A and B) in climate intelligence, sustainable cities, and clean power. Initial check sizes are $2-5M.Tim was previously Managing Director at Equinor Ventures where he worked across the energy value chain, including renewables, fusion, mobility, and storage. He was also a consultant at Cambridge Energy Research Associates (now S&P Global), a researcher at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, and a political risk consultant at Google. Krysiek achieved all these great things because he got an MBA from Duke University, where I teach. (OK, I exaggerate slightly.) When not investing in world-changing companies, I hear that he’s an aspiring Eastern European cook focused on the 3Ps – pierogies, pelmeni, or potica.---🎙️ In this episode, we talked about:His team’s work investing in five climate tech unicornsHow his study of geopolitics across twelve countries shaped him into an investorWhat their climate intelligence focus means in terms of cheaper data and falling processing costsHow the Net Zero Tracker of corporate climate goals influences their thesis around voluntary carbon marketsWhy he’s excited about investing in proptech given the durability of buildings and the potential value that MassMutual can create for companies in that spaceWhat he means by keeping one foot on certain ground and the other on uncertain groundHow much water he drinks per day and its relationship to the number of steps he takes per dayHis three favorite climate books and three favorite business books (Power Law, anyone?)And lots more---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 80,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn how Dawn Lippert has built Elemental Excelerator into a powerhouse with 150+ climate tech startups funded, community-driven deployment, and a venture spinout in Earthshot Ventures.⭐ My guest today is Dawn Lippert, the CEO of Elemental Excelerator, Partner at Earthshot Ventures, and Senior Climate Advisor at Emerson Collective.Elemental Excelerator advances solutions to climate change and deploys them in the communities that need them the most. Each year, they fund 15-20 companies up to $1 million to improve systems across categories such as energy, mobility, water, agriculture, and beyond. To date, they have invested in 150 companies.  Earthshot Ventures is a venture capital firm backing entrepreneurs making a dent in climate change, and it spun out of Elemental in 2021.Emerson Collective was established and led by Laurene Powell Jobs, and is working to renew some of society’s most calcified systems, creating new possibilities for individuals, families, and communities.---🎙️ In this episode, we talked about:How her work with sea turtle conservation in Puerto Rico and off-grid solar work in India led her to where she is todayWhy it’s so important that the 150 companies that Elemental has funded form close partnerships with local communities for project developmentThe genesis of Earthshot Ventures as an experiment to combine top-quartile VC returns with nonprofit supportTheir love of experimentation and their creation of eight financial products to meet the needs of climate foundersThe missing gap of FOAK finance (i.e., first of a kind) as companies go from VC funding to project financeTheir obsession with moving more capital into climate, especially because 50% of the solutions we need to meet our 2030 climate goals have not yet been commercializedHow to balance urgency with importance in our calendarsWhy joy is so essential in her work and company cultureWhat she looks for in founders they backAnd lots more---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 80,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Discover how Matt Lipscomb and DMC Biotechnologies are producing sustainable chemicals with fermentation, $50M in funding, & a 40-person team driving cost-effective scale-up.⭐ My guest today is Matt Lipscomb, Founder and CEO of DMC Biotechnologies.DMC is a Boulder-based biotech company that sustainably produces bio-based chemicals using fermentation, with over $50M in VC funding and a team of over 40 people.In addition, Matt is a:Certified Ski Mountaineering GuideRock climbing guide and instructorDirector for the American Institute of Avalanche Research and EducationPhD in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder---🎙️ In this episode, we talked about:The meaning of metabolic engineeringHow rock climbing has taught him to better manage risks as a CEOHis experience seeing glacier retreat has inspired his workHow DMC engineers microbes to standardize fermentation for cost-effective scale-upThe definition of “friend-shoring” and how DMC improves companies’ supply chainsWhy his early work in chemical plants led him to where he is todayWhat he means to cross-train physically and intellectuallyThe pains of fast growth and techniques he uses to build culture and cohesion while growing 3x this yearWhy investors care that you’re founding a company with a former cofounderThe difference between lifespan and healthspanAnd lots more---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 80,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Discover how Gabe Phillips is tackling hard challenges, scaling Catalyst Power, & delivering cheaper renewable energy with ESCOs, community solar, & battery solutions.⭐ My guest today is Gabe Phillips, Founder and CEO of Catalyst Power.Catalyst Power is an ESCO, retail electricity provider, community solar aggregator, and solar/battery developer for commercial and industrial businesses in the Northeast US.In addition, he is a distance runner, musician, woodworker, father, and thriver on 4-5 hours of sleep per night. I told him that we might need to have an intervention later.---🎙️ In this episode, we talked about:The outsized benefits of doing hard thingsHow his customers view risks and risk mitigation when it comes to solar powerWhy a roll-up acquisition strategy made sense to launch this businessHow he’s able to get clean renewable power at cheaper prices for customers than brown powerWhat the following phrase means: “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”Three of his favorite books on entrepreneurship, meditation, and the benefits of being uncomfortableAnd lots more---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 80,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brad Hartwig, CEO of Arbor, discusses their carbon-negative power technology and the process of converting organic waste into clean energy. They explore topics like vegetarian rocket engines, eliminating smoke stacks, and monetizing revenue streams for zero-cost clean baseload power. They also touch on personal interests like surfing and the importance of finding balance in entrepreneurship.

This podcast discusses topics such as conscious greed in the hedge fund business, the influence of Buddhism on investment decisions, transformative journey after a financial crisis, career opportunities in sustainability and impact investing, different investments in climate investing, and the importance of establishing daily habits of reflection and meditation.

Chris shares practical strategies for climate tech CEOs to schedule priorities instead of just prioritizing their calendar.⭐ I’m not a ruthless person. Except when it comes to my calendar. 😃And the climate tech startup CEOs in our peer group program at Entrepreneurs for Impact are always looking for ways to “schedule their priorities instead of prioritizing their schedule.”So, in this podcast, I talk through a resource I put together on the topic for my climate CEO members. Hopefully, it stimulates some new ideas for you and your teams.And...Here's a Google Slides version: "Experiment: 10 Ways to Create 10 Hours Per Week"https://tinyurl.com/2r6kyptr(Beware: Results may vary. Widely. 😏)Also...If you have other topics you’d like me to cover on a future AMA podcast, just DM me on LinkedIn or reply to my Entrepreneurs for Impact newsletter on Substack.---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 70,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chris answers listener questions on climate startup funding, helping female founders, recommended books, and career choices for impact.⭐ In this Ask Me Anything (AMA) podcast, I cover these five questions from listeners to the Entrepreneurs for Impact podcast and readers of the ⁠Entrepreneurs for Impact newsletter⁠ on Substack.“You always ask your guests what books they’re reading, but how about you? What books do you like to recommend?” – Thanks, Casey“What are some of the best non-financial resources that are available to entrepreneurs (aside from badass climate CEO peer groups at Entrepreneurs for Impact)?” – Thanks, Nick“If I want to have a bigger impact on climate change, should I work for a big firm or smaller one?” – Thanks, Tyler“I want to help female founders in climate tech succeed. I would love to start off by working pro bono and helping them raise funds and learn as I go. But where do I start?” – Thanks, Helena“If I’m raising VC capital for my startup, what do I need to create for investors, besides a pitch deck?” – Thanks, BrookIf you have other questions you’d like me to cover on the next AMA podcast, just DM me on LinkedIn or reply to my ⁠Entrepreneurs for Impact newsletter⁠ on Substack.---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 70,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn how Amanda Hall and Summit Nanotech use nanotechnology to cut lithium production from 18 months to 1 day while raising $72M to accelerate the EV revolution.⭐ My guest today is Amanda Hall, Founder and CEO of Summit Nanotech, which supports the electric vehicle revolution by capturing lithium ion in brine using nanotechnology. In their unique process, they shorten the average industry rate of lithium production from 18 months to 1 day. They also dramatically reduce the amount of water, pressure, heat, and chemicals needed to responsibly mine this valuable input for battery storage.To date, they’ve raised $7M in grants and $65M from investors, such as Capricorn, Evok Innovations, Volta, and Grantham.---🎙️ In this episode, we talked about:How her training as a geophysicist in the oil and gas industry trained her for this jobWhy she felt compelled to travel to Tibet and why that led her to come back, quit her job, sell her home, sell her oil and gas stocks, and rethink her contributions to the worldWhat the human kidney and biomimicry taught her about early designs for Summit’s technologyHer advice on trusting her gut to make tough decisions earlier rather than laterThe importance of trusting and verifying the data you rely on for growing your companyWhy they are vertically integrating to own land and own lithium outputsWhat they look for when hiring new team members, such as humility, relentlessness, and a desire to do the impossibleHer favorite quotesBook recommendations for CEOs to better manage their team’s growthAnd lots more---👍 Quick favor: Please leave a review or 5-star rating on your podcast player. This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here. 🙏---🌎 Entrepreneurs for Impact is on a mission to help climate founders, CEOs, and investors scale faster via the #1 peer group community in North America. Our invite-only cohorts grow through monthly meetings, annual retreats, and 1:1 coaching calls. Today’s highly vetted members represent over $8B in market cap or assets under management. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Programs are led by Dr. Chris Wedding — 4x founder, $1B of investment experience, and Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill professor, with 70,000+ professional students taught, 25 years of meditation, an obsession with constant improvement, and far too many mistakes to keep to himself.And here's our weekly newsletter — A 2-minute summary of climate tech startups, impact investing, and leading with purpose (and a sense of humor). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠