CleanTechies Podcast

TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS 🚨* As you have seen, we have recently launched a Patreon 🥳🚀 please check it out and consider buying us **just one** latte ☕️* Thanks for returning to the CleanTechies Podcast on Substack! We have a big favor to ask you. Please take a couple minutes to fill out our listeners’ survey! Thank you SO much for being a supporter.🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, founder edition.Today, we are talking to Mike Hall from AnzaIn this conversation, we chat about…* How a process optimization mindset led them to sping out Anza from Borrego * Providing end-user feedback to OEMs via benchmarking * Transitioning from leading a developer to a software business And much more… 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelSubscribe to get these episodes and show notes directly in your inbox - if you find this valuable, consider becoming a paid subscriber to help us continue this work. Already a subscriber? Upgrade to paid by clicking on “Upgrade to Paid” in the top right 👆The Guest: Mike Hall* Mike Hall started his career as a Process Engineer and eventually went to work with his brother at Borrego, where they would go on to turn it into one of the leading Renewable Energy Developers and EPCs in the US. * Through building Borrego and always striving to improve efficiency, they developed internal software to help them procure solar panels more efficiently and always get the right hardware. * In 2023, they raised some PE and then spun out Anza as its own company from Borrego. The Startup: AnzaSolar, Procurement, Productization One-liner: Saving solar developers large amounts of time and helping them always get the right product. Anza is originally an internal tool that Borrego developed internally in order to streamline their procurement process and ensure they were always getting the right equipment for the job. Despite only officially spinning out in 2023, this company or product has been in existence for years while being used and refined internally at Borrego. Today Anza is helping dozens of clients save time and avoid mistakes when it comes to procuring solar pannels. Hopefully in the future we will see them add aditional functionalities. Enjoy the content but unable to support financially? Share the episode with your network and mention your favorite aspect of the show. 🙏📝 Show Notes:Topics* 02:20 The Problem with Solar Module Procurement* 07:11 Value Beyond Price in Procurement* 09:23 Working with Sellers * 12:06 Trends in Solar Product Sales* 15:38 The Journey of Starting ANZA* 22:25 Transitioning from Borrego to ANZA* 31:45 The Impact of Climate Legislation* 37:24 Underutilizing Technology and Data in the Industry* 41:11 Advice for Founders in the Renewable Energy Space* 43:02 The Benefits of Being a Second-Time Founder* 44:46 The Journey to Becoming an Entrepreneur* 47:39 Takeaways SectionLinks* Mike Hall | Anza* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates?—Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Please take 7 minutes to help us with this. It’s 7 minutes for you, but it makes a huge impact on how we can serve you. * Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS 🚨* We’ve launched a Patreon 🥳🚀 please check it out and consider buying us **just one** latte ☕️* Thanks for returning to the CleanTechies Podcast on Substack! We have a big favor to ask you. Please take a couple minutes to fill out our listeners’ survey! Thank you SO much for being a supporter.🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, founder edition.Today, we are talking to Ryan Gilliam from ForteraIn this conversation, we chat about…* How Ryan pivoted at the right time and was able to start Fortera* What is their Net-Zero Cement technology and how they scaled it* Why they are able to survive the “Startup Valley-of-Death”And much more… 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelSubscribe to get these episodes and show notes directly in your inbox - if you find this valuable, consider becoming a paid subscriber to help us continue this work. Already a subscriber? Upgrade to paid by clicking on “Upgrade to Paid” in the top right 👆The Guest: Ryan Gilliam* Ryan is the Co-Founder & CEO of Fortera, a company pioneering net-zero cement* He started off spending 11 years at the Calera Corporation, where he learned the fundamentals that would help him start Fortera* Ryan is also a Venture Partner at 1955 Capital, investing in technologies developed in the Americas and Europe that can help solve China’s and the developing world's greatest challenges in areas including energy & environment, food safety & supply, health & education, and sustainable manufacturingThe Startup: ForteraNet-Zero CO2 Cement, Materials, ConstructionOne-liner: Fortera develops a turnkey bolt-on decarbonization solution that integrates into existing cement plant infrastructures to produce net-zero cementTheir process draws on 100,000+ hours of R&D, 100+ issued global and pending patents and 10+ years of real-world product demonstration. The Silicon Valley-based company is backed by leading investors including Khosla Ventures and Temasek. Fortera’s first low-carbon cement plant is nearing completion in Redding, Calif., and will be one of the world's largest carbon mineralization plants.Enjoy the content but unable to support financially? Share the episode with your network and mention your favorite aspect of the show. 🙏📝 Show Notes:Topics* 01:44 Intro* 05:08 Experience with the Cement Industry* 09:40 The Problem of CO2 Emissions in Cement* 13:34 Making the Technology Fit Within the Ecosystem* 19:46 Changing Customer Mindsets* 25:50 Integration with Cement Producers* 29:56 Starting Fortera and Convincing Investors* 33:55 Fundraising and Shifting Capital Stack* 37:05 Raising Early Rounds and Bringing in New Investors* 41:28 Transitioning to Project Financing* 44:07 Project Development vs Licensing IP* 46:28 Key Considerations for Commercial Projects* 48:08 Importance of Planning and Preparation* 48:35 Challenges in Supply Chain ManagementLinks* Ryan Gilliam | Fortera* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates?—Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Please take 7 minutes to help us with this. It’s 7 minutes for you, but it makes a huge impact on how we can serve you. * Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS: 🚨* We’ve launched a Patreon 🥳🚀 please check it out and consider buying us **just one** latte ☕️* Thanks for returning to the CleanTechies Podcast on Substack! We have a big favor to ask you. Please take a couple minutes to fill out our listeners’ survey! Thank you SO much for being a supporter.🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, Impact Investor edition.Today, we are talking to Thomas Belazis from The Rockefeller Foundation.We have yet another great episode on the role that philanthropy plays in the climate fight. We discuss… * How and WHY The Rockefeller Foundation (TRF) is going all-in on Climate* How TRF uses their philanthropic capital to unlock other funding * A nugget on how the philanthropy related to the king of oil, John D. Rockefeller thinks about the future of their role in ClimateTechAnd a lot more. 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelSubscribe to get these episodes and show notes directly in your inbox - if you find this valuable, consider becoming a paid subscriber to help us continue this work. Already a subscriber? Join our Patreon to support the show by becoming a patron! 🙏The Guest: Thomas Belazis* Thomas is Director of Innovative Finance at The Rockefeller Foundation, but his background and journey into impact-investing is somewhat unique. * Originally from the rust-belt (midwest), with a poverty lawyer for a father and nurse for a mother, his decision to go into the business world nearly caused his parents to have a heart attack. * His career started in consulting out of a company in Brazil. In this role, he worked a lot on international opportunities and this opened his eyes to a number of things. * Eventually, he moved into investing, working for hedge funds investing in emerging markets. During this time, he learned about impact investing. This idea and his interests aligned well and seemed to fill a gap. * Eventually, he would land his first role at The Rockefeller Foundation where he rose the ranks and climbed to his current role. 🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount! 🚨🚨🚨The Foundation: The Rockefeller FoundationPhilanthropic Capital, Nature-Based Solutions, Impact Investing, One Liner: Investing Catalytic Philanthropic capital into emerging impact markets. Originally founded in 1913 with donations from the historically-significant John D. Rockefeller, the giant who created Standard Oil, this foundation was one of the first well-organized and systematic foundations.From the beginning, their charter has been “…to promote the well-being of humanity and make opportunity universal and sustainable.” This, plus the origin of the money, makes it fitting that they have recently committed $1bn to investing in climate. This amounts to about 75% of their spend going forward. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* What Thomas Does at TRF* TRF’s $1bn Climate & Net Zero Commitment * Why Nature-Based Solutions* Catalytic Capital & Unlocking Funding * The Role of Philanthropy in Climate * Flexible Investment Approach * His Career Journey and Mentorship * Collaboration with Elemental Excelerator * Future Projects * Emerging Market Interest * Global Ambitions Links* Thomas Belazis | The Rockefeller Foundation* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Asks 👋* We recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear how we can improve the show and what you like most.* Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🚨🚨🚨 Early-stage founder looking for top-tier talent - reach out to Silas, and he’ll save you hundreds of hours with your critical searches. 🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, VC edition.🚨🚨 Listen to the new takeaways section at the end of the episode!!Today, we are talking to Zécca Lehn from Responsibly Ventures.In this episode, we discuss:* How he uses data in impact reporting and communicating with LPs* How Responsibly Ventures maintains an ethical and integrity-based focus in their investing* Maintaining focus and presence in what you do despite the noiseAnd a lot, lot more. Ask yourself this: is the content we put out valuable enough to you that you’d be willing to buy us a latte 🍵 once a month? 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelThe Guest: Zécca Lehn* Zécca is the GP at Responsibly Ventures where he invests at the Pre-Seed stage in sustainability and social good * Zécca was interested in sustainability from when he was a child, before cleantech 1.0 and majority of what we know as climate tech today* He started off his career as an environmental economist and data scientist, two skills that clearly benefit his ability to lead an impact-focused fund today* He was able to combine his passion for economics and environmental consulting into running a fund which today is Responsibly Ventures🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount! 🚨🚨🚨The VC: Responsibly VenturesResponsibly Ventures is a PreSeed VC Impact Fund, backing remarkable teams, focused on both Sustainability and Social Good.They encourage competitive moats, rapid scale, all aspects of inclusion, ethics, integrity, and customer love.They support our Founders in achieving Venture Scale Positive Impacts, considering a company’s impact-moat to be their financial opportunity. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 1:45 Introduction and Background* 10:23 Early Interest in Sustainability* 13:43 Investing in Sustainability and Social Good* 15:52 What is Customer Love?* 17:13 Ethics and Honesty in Investing* 25:26 Balancing Returns and Impact* 27:21 Data and Reporting in Venture Investing* 30:52 Subjectivity in Measurement and Reporting* 31:57 Challenges of Collecting and Using Data* 34:05 Privacy and AI Concerns in Impact Investing* 37:09 The Power of Follow-on Investors* 39:50 Maintaining Focus and Presence* 42:08 Climate Anxiety and Perspective* 45:16 The Role of Returns in Climate Investing* 52:04 Addressing Desertification as an Impact* 54:05 TakeawaysLinks* Zécca Lehn | Responsibly Ventures* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most.* Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers!!! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates? Maybe getting candidates but can’t bring them across the line consistently? Or not getting sufficient applicants? — Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

Thanks for returning to the CleanTechies Podcast on Substack! We have a big favor to ask you. Please take a couple minutes to fill out our listeners’ survey! Thank you SO much for being a supporter.🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, founder edition. Today, we are talking to Oliver Shafaat from Sci-Lume LabsRecently, we had the pleasure of speaking with Lori Dunn, who is decarbonizing today - but we wouldn’t have new technology like that without people like our guests today. Oliver Shafaat, the founder of Sci-Lume Labs. Today’s core discussion points are… * The overall problem with the apparel industry* How they are solving it using an agriculture waste feedstock to create circular fibers (bylon) * The challenges and process of developing deep-tech And much more… 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelSubscribe to get these episodes and show notes directly in your inbox - if you find this valuable, consider becoming a paid subscriber to help us continue this work. Already a subscriber? Upgrade to paid by clicking on “Upgrade to Paid” in the top right 👆The Guest: Oliver Shafaat* After finishing his PhD at Caltech, Oliver worked with Spiber Inc in Japan where he was studying advanced fibers. * Eventually, he felt the itch of entrepreneurship and knew he had to pull that thread to see where it led. * Fast forward to today, he’s now a Gener8tor alumni, based in Oklahoma, developing his technology day by day. The Startup: Sci-Lume LabsSustainable Fibers, Circularity, Biotech, BylonOne-liner: Developing fully recycalbe fibers from agricultural waste as the feedstock, to substantially reduce emissions in the apparel industry. Founded in 2022, the comapny is iterating quickly to develop recyclalbe fibers. They call it bylon. To date, Oliver has been named Biotech Innovator of the year. Sci-Lume has gone through the Gener8tor accelerator program. Step by step they are advancing to commercialization out of their Oklahoma-based lab. Enjoy the content but unable to support financially? Share the episode with your network and mention your favorite aspect of the show. 🙏📝 Show Notes:Topics* 01:16 Intro* 02:16 The Challenges of the Apparel Industry* 04:34 The Inspiration behind Bylon* 11:45 Evaluating Polymers* 13:59 Starting a Company* 15:22 Funding the Company* 18:45 The Process of Making Fibers* 23:19 Sourcing Feedstocks* 25:27 The Sustainability of Bylon* 28:31 Recyclability and End-of-Life* 30:21 IP and Business Model* 32:04 Scaling Up and Challenges Ahead* 34:58 Pilot Conversations* 38:49 Interest from Clothing ManufacturersLinks* Oliver Shafaat | Sci-Lume Labs* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates?—Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Please take 7 minutes to help us with this. It’s 7 minutes for you, but it makes a huge impact on how we can serve you. * Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, Philanthropy edition?Today, we are talking to Adam Fraser from TerrasetIn this episode, we discuss:* The state of philanthropic capital in climate and the need for more* The in’s and out’s of carbon removal projects* Adam’s journey from journalism to being “anti-GHG”And a lot, lot more. 🚨🚨 We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Ask yourself this: is the content we put out valuable enough to you that you’d be willing to buy us a latte 🍵 once a month? 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelThe Guest: Adam Fraser* Adam is the CEO of Terraset where he leads the organization in collecting donations and investing those into important carbon removal projects* He started off with a career as a Journalist for ~6 years before moving into communications and leadership roles in the Sports world* Before joining Terraset, he led global development and a program to use sports to end various inequalities under the patronage of Nelson Mandela🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount! 🚨🚨🚨The 501c3: TerrasetClimate scientists agree: it's not enough just to reduce emissions. We also need to remove large amounts of carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere. Carbon removal solutions exist, but they're not growing fast enough, and there aren’t enough of them. We need to rapidly accelerate the deployment of permanent, high-quality carbon removal. To do that, we need policy change, corporate buyers, venture capital, philanthropic support - we need it all. They secure funding via tax-deductible donations from people, foundations, family offices, and donor advised funds, and use it to make strategic purchases of high-quality carbon removal. They use research from leading climate organisations like Frontier and CarbonPlan and evaluate potential recipients against strict criteria to ensure donations drive real impact on the planet. Donors include Grantham Foundation, Conscience Bay Research, Tim Ferriss, Segment co-founder Calvin French-Owen, and multiple other funds and people who want to shape the future of the carbon removal market.Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 04:48 The State of Philanthropic Capital and Climate* 06:52 Challenges in Philanthropic Investment in Climate* 11:05 Being Anti-GHG and the Importance of Carbon Removal* 13:45 Different Carbon Removal Technologies* 16:32 Transition from Journalism to Philanthropy* 22:45 Efficiency and Scalability of Philanthropic Capital* 34:08 The CDR Landscape and Evaluation* 40:41 Donor Profiles and Funding Sources* 47:03 Genesis of Terraset and the "anti-GHG" Approach* 50:00 Optimism and Urgency for the FutureLinks* Adam Fraser | Terraset* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Asks 👋* Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers!!! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates? Maybe getting candidates but can’t bring them across the line consistently? Or not getting sufficient applicants? — Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

Thanks for returning to the CleanTechies Podcast on Substack! If you are returning reader, we have a big favor to ask you. Please take ~7 min to fill out our listeners’ survey so we can better understand your preferences and better tailor the show to you. Thank you SO much for being a reader/listener. 🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, founder edition. In Today’s Issue* Today’s Issue* Lori’s background* The origin of Optimus Technologies and what they do* Show notes (timestamps)* Links* Asks* Our key takeaways 🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates?—Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.Today, we are talking to Lori Dunn from Optimus Technologies We have a great issue of the show today with a kick-ass person who is passionate about doing everything we can to decarbonize TODAY. Some of the core discussion points are… * Going from a ‘small company’ energy to ‘big company’ energy* Why the trucking industry hasn’t already switched to biodiesel and how Optimus Technologies is solving that * Managing the challenges of upscaling manufacturingAnd much more… Subscribe to get these episodes and show notes directly in your inbox - if you find this valuable, consider becoming a paid subscriber to help us continue this work. Already a subscriber? Upgrade to paid by clicking on “Upgrade to Paid” in the top right 👆Enjoy the content but unable to support financially? Share the episode with your network and mention your favorite aspect of the show. 🙏📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelThe Guest: Lori Dunn* Early in Lori’s career, she worked for the Peace Corps. This alone offers you an idea of the type of person she is. * After that, she got straight into decarbonizing, primarily doing sales for various climate tech companies. * Eventually, this culminated in landing the COO role at Optimus Technologies in 2022, where she wasted no time in getting to business. * On the personal side, it’s clear when you speak with Lori, that she’s a kick-ass person who is squarely focused on doing her part to reverse climate change. The Startup: Optimus TechnologiesTransportation Decarbonization, Biodiesel, HardwareOne-liner: Helping the trucking industry decarbonize by up to 90% TODAY. Founded in 2010 by Colin Huwyler who believed there had to be a better biodiesel option. Most technologies only allowed low blends of biodiesel (B5-B20). Thanks to his deep conviction, he has persisted through many challenges and the company is still alive due to that effort. The partnership between Lori and OT, comes at a perfect time where the technology has been proven and it’s now time to scale. In 2024 they sold 1,000 units, and are aiming to be selling multi-thousands within the next year and a half. 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 01:43 Small vs Big Energy Company* 04:37 Decarbonizing Diesel Engines* 07:00 Challenges to Decarb the Diesel Industry* 09:39 Understanding Fleet Managers' Problems* 11:37 Previous Attempts* 14:33 The Long Game of Hardware Innovation* 19:25 Joining Optimus* 25:36 The Technology of Optimus* 29:07 Communicating Value to Investors* 33:16 Revenue Model and Cost Structure* 37:42 Scaling Manufacturing and Funding* 42:33 Metrics and Partnerships* 44:30 Early Stage Manufacturing* 46:34 Manufacturing In-house vs OutsourcingLinks* Lori Dunn | Optimus Technologies* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Please take 7 minutes to help us with this. It’s 7 minutes for you, but it makes a huge impact on how we can serve you. * Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)Key TakeawaysAs we record, some things pop up that stand out to us. Either because they are unique and new to us or because they have been said similarly by other past guests. Since you have most likely not listened to every episode, we are putting them here for you. * They had the right team. * Lori talked a lot about how culture and the right people have been important to their success. * This stood out because it’s something a LOT of our guests have said. The notable part is that the ones who have scaled up their teams a lot are the ones who are banging the drum of culture the most. * Cost + Safety. * This is related to most of the companies that sell to large corporates but are new because we’ve not had anyone selling to commercial fleet owners. * The general principle to be aware of is that innovation may not be the word your customers want to hear. Many folks focus on cost savings, but in many cases, the word innovation is equal to risk, and the decision-makers in many legacy companies are not chomping at the bit to be the first ones to try a new gadget. * So, when building your company, developing your tech, and crafting your messaging, account for your customers' motives. In many cases, the words reliability and cost savings will be critical. * Preserving Optionality.* Given that her customers are fleet managers, a huge concern is access to biodiesel. Similar to range anxiety, the question in their mind is, what if I can’t access biodiesel on this route? * Therefore, their system must allow drivers to switch between 100% biodiesel and traditional diesel if they don’t have it. * I think this is the first time we’ve heard this specific advice on the pod. * Worth keeping this in mind. Many hard-core folks might be tempted to push for all-or-nothing adoption, but maintaining optionality is super important. * Design for Reporting.* It's not a new concept, but I noticed that they help make it easy for their customers to report on their sustainability goals by generating real-time data on what fuel is used. (ASK: Let us know what you think of this section)🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, VC edition.Today, we are talking to Ben Eidelson from Stepchange and Climate Papa.In this episode, we discuss:* What it means to be a “product-led company” and why he invests in them * How to be an active listener and foster vulnerability in founder relationships* Tips for climate product-market fit: understand needs and honest distributionAnd a lot, lot more. 🚨🚨 Ben has a rockstar climate newsletter of his own called Climate Papa, it’s a must follow!Ask yourself this: is the content we put out valuable enough to you that you’d be willing to buy us a latte 🍵 once a month? 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelThe Guest: Ben Eidelson* Ben started his career at Microsoft before leaving to found his first company (and exit!) called everythingIsTheBest which was acquired by Google* He then spent 5 years as a PM in google focused on their mobile messaging and communication products before leaving to found his second company (and you guessed it…exit!) called Rep which focused on customer assistance for online brands* Rep was acquired by Stripe where Ben was a PM for almost four years improving payment methods for the US and Canada* Now he has fully pivoted into climate first with his angel investing, then his newsletter Climate Papa, and now recently launched early stage climate fund called Stepchange🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount! 🚨🚨🚨The VC: StepchangeStepchange is an early stage venture fund that invests in product-led companies that will make a step change impact on climate. Stepchange puts product leaders at the core of everything we do—from who we invest in and how we support them, to who we seek as LPs, partners, and advisors. We partner with founders at the very beginning, making $100-200K investments in the first round of funding.Exceptional products are essential for mitigating and adapting to climate change. We are in the midst of the largest upgrade in modern society, and software is our fastest deployed lever. We need an ecosystem of new software tools, financial products, and API layers that propel consumers, businesses, and institutions to upgrade faster than we normally might. The startups that sit at the center of this transition will be some of the most valuable companies of our generation.Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 03:10 What is a Product-Led Company?* 08:49 Why PMs are not Thinking about Climate* 14:45 The Importance of Active Listening* 16:03 Identifying Founder Potential* 18:29 The Role of Vulnerability in Relationships* 20:35 The Origin and Impact of Climate Papa* 25:41 The Product-Focused Thesis of Step Change* 27:41 Product Meets Hardware and Deep Tech* 34:35 Bullish Industries in Climate* 42:45 Lessons from Being a Founder* 44:59 Building Deep Co-Founder Relationships* 47:32 Tips for Product-Market Fit in ClimateLinks* Ben Eidelson | Stepchange | Climate Papa* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Please take 7 minutes to help us with this. It’s 7 minutes for you, but it makes a huge impact on how we can serve you. * Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers!!! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates? Maybe getting candidates but can’t bring them across the line consistently? Or not getting sufficient applicants? — Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

Thanks for returning to the CleanTechies Podcast on Substack! If you are a first-time consumer or if you are returning, we have a big favor to ask you. Please take ~7 min to fill out our listeners’ survey so we can better understand your preferences and better tailor the show to you. Thank you SO much for being a reader/listener. 🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, founder edition. Today, we are talking to Virginia Klausmeier from SylvatexToday, we had the chance to learn about a pretty technical innovation with someone who helped us understand tech in a manageable way. Some of the core discussion points are… * The landscape of battery manufacturing, along with the supply chain issues pushing onshoring and nearshoring* How Sylvatex is creating a more sustainable precursor material for use in battery manufacturing by using a waterless innovation * Her journey to becoming a founder and the mission behind what she’s doing Ask yourself this: is the content we put out valuable enough to you that you’d be willing to buy us a latte 🍵 once a month? 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelThe Guest: Virginia Klausmeier * Having graduated from University of Oregon with a Masters in Biomechanical Engineering, Virginia would start her career working in consulting. * She would end up starting Sylvatex in the wake of her Father’s death to continue on his research. Perhaps out of a desire to carry on his legancy but as we discussed on the pod, out of a responsibiliyt to the planet. * Today, Virginia is on a number of boards, speaks at industry events including for the World Economic Forum, and is pushing Sylvatex forward to the point where they can start producing Cathode Active Materials at scale (CAM). The Startup: SylvatexBattery Materials, Manufacturing, Green ChemicalsOne-liner: Making Cathode Active Materials (chemicals used in the production of batteries) without water. Born out of Virginia’s late father’s research, Sylvatex is her way of taking the opportunity presented to her to help solve climate change.The technoligy uses a dry manufacturing process to produce Cathode Active Materials without using water and in a highly energy efficient way. This helps reduce the environmental impacts of these materials which are in high demand. In addition to all of this, their technology will help onshore battery production in the US, reducing the supply chain concerns, as well as removing a lot of emissions caused by shipping these materials. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 01:23 Intro* 07:11 Battery Mfg in the US* 09:11 Onshoring Battery Mfg* 09:42 The Opportunity* 15:54 Motivation* 17:12 The Story of Sylvatex* 19:16 Starting a Company* 21:03 Taking the Leap* 24:13 Waterless Cathode Production* 30:51 State of Sylvatex* 42:11 Pilot Funding* 42:41Milestones for Commercialization* 45:05 Getting to Bankability* 47:29 Debt Financing for Modular Manufacturing* 48:25 Navigating the UnknownLinks* Virginia Klausmeier | Sylvatex* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Please take 7 minutes to help us with this. It’s 7 minutes for you, but it makes a huge impact on how we can serve you. * Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers!!! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates? Maybe getting candidates but can’t bring them across the line consistently? Or not getting sufficient applicants? — Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, founder edition. Today, we are talking to Leise Sandeman from PathwaysShoutout to Leise and the Pathways team for their recent fundraise 🚀🚀🚀 You can find her announcement of it here and the Axios article here! We had the chance to talk about this off the record and are so happy to be putting this episode out at the time of their announcement 🎉In this episode, we discuss…* How Pathways develops software for material manufacturers' environmental impact analysis* What an Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) is and how it aids in carbon reduction* Why success in startups requires relationship building, understanding perspectives, and audacious goalsAsk yourself this: is the content we put out valuable enough to you that you’d be willing to buy us a latte 🍵 once a month? 📺 Watch on YouTube🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify🗣️ Join the Slack ChannelThe Guest: Leise Sandeman* Leise started her career as a consultant at McKinsey and a project manager, exercising skills in information synthesis and team management that became crucial in how she handles her co-founder relationship* She started Pathways in grad school at Harvard, finding it the optimal time and place to launch a startup in the built environmentThe Startup: PathwaysMaterials, Manufacturing, Construction, SoftwareOne-liner: Pathways is a platform for manufacturers that simplifies the creation of product life cycle analyses. Pathways is developing AI-enabled technologies that integrate across operations, ingesting supplier data and giving manufacturers insight into the environmental emissions impact. They’re like the environmental nutrition facts for materials. But instead of calories and carbs, we measure chemicals and carbon. This enables product decarbonization through emission hot spots, material life-time trade-offs and creation of environmental product declarations.Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 01:28 Introduction* 03:18 What is a Life Cycle Analysis* 06:12 Environmental Product Declarations* 09:02 Deciding to Start a Company* 21:24 Finding a Co-founder* 30:48 Growing Interest in the Built Environment* 44:47 Landing the First Customer* 46:50 Receptiveness of Manufacturing Industry* 47:50 Building Relationships Across Differences* 53:39 What Attracted Investors* 55:27 Navigating an Oversubscribed Round* 58:45 Building Audacious Goals* 59:36 Reflecting on the JourneyLinks* Leise Sandeman | Pathways* Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas* Check out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Asks 👋* We have recently launched a listener survey, and we would love to hear from you how we can improve the show and what you like most. Please take 7 minutes to help us with this. It’s 7 minutes for you, but it makes a huge impact on how we can serve you. * Have a specific guest or topic you’d like us to discuss? Leave a comment and let us know. Here’s the thing: Somil and I both have day jobs, so if you’re in the helping mood, we both have an ask for you today.Somil: I’m currently seeking to connect with founders in the built environment space for a project I’m working on. If you’re in that space, schedule a chat here!Silas: As many of you know, my day job is solving people’s hiring headaches in climate - do you have a hiring headache? Well, let me be your Advil. (booking here)🚨🚨🚨 Attention Hiring Managers!!! Are you struggling to find qualified candidates? Maybe getting candidates but can’t bring them across the line consistently? Or not getting sufficient applicants? — Reach out to our sponsors, NextWave Partners today to help solve that for you.NextWave Partners is a leading Global Renewables, Climate, & Sustainability recruitment consultancy solely focused on these impact areas. They are also B-Corp Certified.Reach out to them today to help you solve your hiring challenges and get you one step closer to making an impact.🙏🏽 Thanks for tuning in, and see you all next episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe