Inevitable

Today's guest is Irving Fain, Founder & CEO of Bowery Farming.Bowery Farming is a modern farming company building smart indoor farms located close to its cities. Its farms are powered by its proprietary farm operating system, BoweryOS, creating a simplified, agile food system focused on flavor, freshness, and safety.Irving has a diverse background across varying industries. He started his career in investment banking on Wall Street, where he focused on private equity and helping companies raise late-stage capital. Leaving the financial sector, Irving served as Director of Digital Marketing & Content at iHeartMedia. After four years with iHeartMedia, he knew his real passion was in entrepreneurship. Irving co-founded CrowdTwist, an enterprise software company providing comprehensive omni-channel loyalty & analytics solutions for industry-leading brands. Irving switched his focus towards climate solutions with a nagging feeling that he wanted to solve complex and significant problems with broader societal implications. In 2014, he founded Bowery Farming and currently serves as CEO.Irving is a great guest, and I felt a lot of similarities in our respective journeys. Irving guides me through his career path, why he's always felt a passion for entrepreneurship, and how Bowery Farming came about. He explains Bowery Farming's mission, the practice of indoor farming, and what sets Bowery Farming apart from its competition. We also discuss the broader agriculture landscape, where policy fits into the conversation, and the future of food. This is a fantastic episode for anyone interested in the future of farming.You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded April 9th, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/irving-fainTo learn more about Bowery Farming: https://boweryfarming.com/Bowery Farming is hiring! Check out the available positions here: https://boweryfarming.com/careers/#section-job-listings Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Bill Weihl, Executive Director of ClimateVoice.ClimateVoice is a non-profit that mobilizes the voices of employees to encourage companies to go "all in" on climate. Large corporations and companies have historically shied away from lobbying against the fossil fuel industry. ClimateVoice was founded on the idea that these companies need to engage in climate policy and use their power to fight for the climate. Before founding ClimateVoice, Bill spent twelve years at Google and Facebook working on sustainability for the tech giants. He also spent a decade as a computer science professor at MIT. Bill holds a Ph.D. from MIT in computer science.In this episode, we dive into ClimateVoice, the non-profit's mission, and the problem it's tackling. Bill also touches on why corporations are hesitant to get involved and how ClimateVoice mobilizes employees to demand change. It was great to have Bill come back on the podcast and learn more about ClimateVoice.You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded April 8th, 2021Want to get in touch with Bill? Check him out on TwitterFor more information about ClimateVoice, visit: https://climatevoice.org/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This week's guest is Val Miftakhov, Co-Founder & CEO of ZeroAvia.ZeroAvia is building the world's first practical zero-emission aviation powertrain. ZeroAvia utilizes hydrogen power to accelerate the transition to sustainable aviation. Before focusing on climate solutions, Val held several senior business and product positions at Google and McKinsey & Company and was a nuclear researcher at Stanford Linear Accelerator. Val is a serial entrepreneur in the EV space dedicating the last decade to electrifying transportation. He founded eMotorWerks, a company working on smart grid EV charging solutions. Val founded ZeroAvia in 2017 and assumed the role of CEO in May 2019. With two degrees in Physics, Val holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University and Masters from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. He is a two-time winner of Russian Nationwide Physics competitions. In his spare time, Val makes good use of his airplane and helicopter pilot licenses.In this episode, Val takes me through ZeroAvia's inception, what the company is working on, and why he decided to tackle zero-emission aviation. We discuss why batteries or bio/synthetic fuel aren't the best solutions, where hydrogen power fits in, and how zero-emission aviation impacts the airline industry. We also dive into key milestones for the company, the public-private partnerships it has secured, and the future of ZeroAvia. It was great to be joined by Val and learn more about his experience in zero-emission aviation. You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded April 1st, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/val-miftakhovTo learn more about ZeroAvia: https://www.zeroavia.com/ZeroAvia is hiring! Check out the open positions: https://zeroavia.applytojob.com/apply Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This week's guest is Joshua March, Co-Founder & CEO of SciFi Foods, formerly known as Artemys Foods.SciFi Foods is on a mission to empower humanity to eat sustainably. It's working on the next generation of meat alternatives by cultivating meat. To replicate the full flavor profile and aroma of meat, SciFi Foods uses cell-based meat, growing real muscle and fat outside of the animal in bioreactors. Then they combine plant-based meat with the cultivated animal cells, enabling the team to create a more meat-like taste and texture. Artemys Foods is working to increase the efficiency of production and decrease the cost of bio-engineered meat.Before SciFi Foods, Joshua founded Conversocial, a customer experience platform that helps brands develop meaningful relationships with their customers at scale, and iPlatform, a social application company that was one of the world's first Facebook Preferred Developers. In this episode, Joshua walks me through his motivations for starting SciFi Foods, the alternative meat landscape, and how SciFi Foods fits in. Joshua and I talk about the differences between software and biotech entrepreneurship, what critics have to say about cultured meat, and how to scale alternative meat production. He also explains the stage of the company, where it is in its go-to-market, and what is coming next. It was great to learn more about the world of alternative meat and Joshua's journey.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 18th, 2021To learn more about SciFi Foods, visit: https://scififoods.comSciFi Foods is hiring! Various positions across engineering, research, and operations, including a Chief of Staff position: https://boards.greenhouse.io/scififoodsTo learn more about this episode, visit our website: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/artemys-foods Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This week's guest is Mike Hall, CEO of Borrego.Borrego is a leading developer, EPC and O&M provider accelerating the delivery of large commercial, community solar, and utility-scale solar and energy storage projects in the United States.With a background in Chemical Engineering, Mike is the 3rd co-founder of Borrego, then Borrego Solar. The origins of the company date back to the early 1980s when a family friend built an off-grid PV-powered home in Borrego Springs. When Mike's brother, Aaron, graduated from college, he started a rooftop solar business out of their family garage, and Borrego Solar was born. This year, Borrego Solar rebranded to Borrego and expanded its efforts to accelerate renewable energy adoption to meet increasing demand. Mike also sits on the board of Metrus Energy and Solar Energy Industries Association. Mike and I have a fantastic discussion about Borrego, its evolution, and the solar and renewable energy sector more broadly. Mike explains the history of the solar market, the importance of policy at the state level, and how the various types of energy markets need different solutions. We also dive into the problem of intermittency, seasonal energy storage, and dirty peaker plants. Mike has been in the solar and renewable energy sector since the early 2000s. It was great to have in join me this week.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 31st, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/mike-hallTo learn more about Borrego: https://www.borregoenergy.comBorrego is hiring! Check out the open positions: https://www.borregoenergy.com/careers/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Lyndall Schreiner, Director of Product at Afresh & Founder at Earthrise School. In 2018, Lyndall had her climate aha moment after the IPCC 1.5 Degree Report came out. She was invested in redirecting her career to focus on climate. After 18 months of learning as much as she could about climate and volunteering with the Sunrise Movement, Lyndall landed at Afresh as Director of Product. Afresh is a startup focused on using AI to eliminate food waste in the supply chain. Lyndall also started Earthrise School, which offers individual and group coaching for people who want to pivot their careers to focus on the climate emergency.Lyndall is a fantastic guest as she successfully transitioned her career into climate and now helps others do the same. In this episode, Lyndall walks me through her "aha" moment, the experience volunteering with the Sunrise Movement, and how she founded Earthrise School. We also talk about her experience transitioning to a startup and finding the right fit for her needs. We also dive into her approach, where she found success, what she learned along the way, and advice she has as a career coach. For anyone looking to make a career shift towards climate, Lyndall has a wealth of knowledge, and this episode is a must-listen.Enjoy the show! You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 26th, 2021Advice Lyndall has for those looking to make a career transition:Build community outside of your regular circles, communities like My Climate Journey, Work On Climate, and Climate Action Tech are great places to startJump in before you know everything, you learn fastest with your hands on the tools so volunteer or work on a side project to build your knowledge in the spaceKnow that everyone is on a unique journey, focus on what is important to you and the overlap of your skillset with the impact you want to haveFor job information, utilize Climatebase and VC portfoliosWant to get in touch with Lyndall? Join her Climate Pathfinders weekly call here: https://www.earthrise.school/pathfindersFor more information about Earthrise School, visit: https://www.earthrise.school/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This week's guest is Erin Burns, Executive Director of Carbon180.Carbon180 is a climate-focused NGO that partners with policymakers, scientists, and businesses worldwide to build a world that removes more carbon than it emits. Before Carbon180, Erin focused on energy, environment, labor, and agricultural issues, including staffing for the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Public Lands Subcommittee. While working for Senator Joe Manchin, Erin met Noah Deich. She became increasingly interested in direct air capture and carbon removal. She also worked at Third Way, a DC-based think tank, managing carbon capture and removal, innovation, and other clean energy policy advocacy. Erin joined Carbon180 in 2018 to start the policy office in Washington, DC. Earlier this year, Erin assumed the role of Executive Director, where she works with scientists, entrepreneurs, academics, and policymakers to create and inform federal policy on carbon capture, removal, and use.Erin is a fantastic guest with vast knowledge across the policy sector, from energy to carbon removal to labor. Erin walks me through her role as Executive Director, her career leading up to Carbon180, and how the carbon removal sector has evolved since 2015. We also discuss numerous examples of federal climate policy, the direct air capture landscape, and how carbon180 drives change. For those looking interested in policy and carbon removal, you can't miss this episode.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 12th, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/erin-burnsTo learn more about Carbon180: https://carbon180.org/Carbon180 is hiring! Check out the open positions here: https://carbon180.org/jobs Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This week's guest is Joel Jean, Co-Founder & CEO of Swift Solar.Before joining Swift, Joel served as Executive Director of the Tata-MIT GridEdge Solar research program, which focuses on scale-up of new solar photovoltaic technologies for India and other developing countries. He developed ultra-lightweight, flexible solar cells that the 2017 Katerva Award recognized, and he was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Fellow in Energy.Swift Solar is designing and manufacturing lightweight solar panels and cheaper, more efficient systems than existing products. The company is working on a new kind of technology called Perovskites. Perovskite uses a crystal structure that allows you to tune the material. Swift Solar is tuning Perovskite panels to absorb different parts of the solar spectrum. The team stacks two Perovskites on top of each other; the top panel absorbs blue and high-energy light, while the bottom panel absorbs red and near-infrared light. Swift Solar's goal is to optimize different parts of the solar spectrum to make a more efficient solar cell. The company was founded in 2017 by leading perovskite scientists from Stanford, MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.In this episode, Joel explains how the Perovskite technology works and where it fits in the renewable energy and solar landscapes. We deep dive into Swift Solar's incorporation, the research behind the technology, and the company's progress to date. Joel also touches on funding in the solar energy space, why LPs are hesitant to invest in it, and how the sector has evolved since the early 2000s. Joel is a great guest with a wealth of knowledge on solar and Perovskite technology. This is a fantastic episode for those looking to double click on new solar technologies.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 12th, 2021To learn more about Swift Solar, visit: https://www.swiftsolar.com/To learn more about this episode, visit our website: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/swift-solar Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This Week's guest is Josephine Cheung, Director of Research & Development at GCP Applied Technologies.GCP Applied Technologies is a leading global provider of construction products technologies that include concrete and cement additives, building materials and technologies that ensure quality and enhance business productivity. In 2016, GCP Applied Technologies spun off from W. R. Grace.With a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT, Josephine spent her entire career working on cement and concrete additives. She has taken on many roles from Research Engineer to Principal Scientist to Director of Research and Development. A prolific innovator, Josephine has pioneered numerous groundbreaking sustainable product solutions for the cement and concrete industry. She is a holder of more than 20 patent families and has been a category creator in her field. She has helped cement manufacturers around the world realize a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.I was looking forward to this episode as GCP Applied Technologies has not been a company focused on climate change in the past. Josephine and I walk through the corporate decisions to focus on climate, the motivations behind it, and what they are working on to decarbonize the cement market. Josephine also explains why cement and concrete are significant sources of carbon emissions. We dive into the challenges faced when decarbonizing cement, the most innovative solutions to date, and how cement fits into the broader clean transition. Josephine is a great guest, and it's encouraging to see larger companies focusing on climate.Enjoy the show! You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 16th, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/josephine-cheungTo learn more about GCP Technologies: https://gcpat.com/en Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Andy Towne, Founding Partner & CEO of Hobbs & Towne Inc.Founded in 1997, Hobbs & Towne Inc. is an executive search and advisory service firm. Partnering with venture capital, private equity, and family office investors, as well as global companies, HTI manages retained executive searches for high-level business leaders and C-suite positions. The firm's advisory services include restructuring, interim management, and mergers, acquisitions and proprietary deal flow. HTI works across sustainability and climate technologies, primarily in energy, mobility, food, agriculture, and water. Over the last 20 years, they've placed over 2,500 leaders in more than 600 companies globally.With two decades of experience, Andy is a climate career veteran. He has witnessed the many iterations of cleantech over the years and is a fantastic guest. Andy explains what Hobbs & Towne Inc. does and how the recruiting firm has developed since its inception. He walks me through the similarities, differences, and evolution of the cleantech sector over his illustrious career. We also dive into advice Andy has for those looking to make a career transition. Whether you are a veteran reorienting your career towards climate or a newcomer finding your place in this massive industry, you won't want to miss this episode.Enjoy the show! You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 16th, 2021Advice Andy has for those looking to make a career transition:Educate yourself on the topic you are interested in pursuing in climateMeet as many people as you can, go to conferences (virtual), and develop an opinion on a sector or subjectGet on Twitter and follow climate leaders Want to get in touch with Andy? Reach out to him on twitter @HobbsTowne or via email atowne@hobbstowne.com Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant