CleanTechies Podcast

🌎 Welcome back to the CleanTechies PodLetter, VC edition. Today, we are talking to Ryan Jeffery from Gener8tor Are you a founder who does NOT live in NYC, SF, or Boston? Well, today’s episode is for you. We are bringing you an episode with Ryan Jeffery, the Managing Director of Gener8tor’s Sustainability Accelerator Program, and we have a bit of everything for you…* Ryan’s story and why Gener8tor serves this space * How they partner directly with Corporations to get their participants direct access to them for pilot projects and more * What the key milestones are for hardware companies areAnd a 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: Ryan Jeffery* Ryan, originally from Wisconsin (Go Pack Go), started out his career in tech. Eventually went on to become the co-founder of Growth Panda and became a VC. * During his time as a VC, he often felt disconnected from the founders. So, when the chance to go to an accelerator came up, he jumped at it. * At first he started out as a Mentor with Gener8tor, and now is leading the Sustainability Accelerators across the company. 🚨🚨🚨 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 Accelerator/VC: Gener8torAcross VC, the vast majority of dollars have gone to three states. California, New York, and Massachusets. The rest of the country is at a massive dissadvantage, especially the further away you are from those hubs. Gener8tor was started to solve that. They focus on all of these forgotten areas—these flyover states. There is one key reason this matters so much. The problems that need to be solved for the lion’s share of the country, are more likely to work when created by the folks who are intimately familiar with those problems. Across their sustainabilitiy programs alone, they have 44 portfolio companies. In order to help them succeed they spend a lot of time getting them investment ready and then putting them in front of a lot of funds. They boast mentors such as Kim Zou of CTVC/Sightline, Matt McGraw of Anthro Ventures (and past guest), and Meryl Breidbart from At One Ventures to name a few. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 2:17 Intro and Background* 4:00 Joining Gener8tor* 7:40 The Biz Model of an Accelerator* 8:28 Challenges of Financing an Accelerator* 8:56 Partnerships with Corporations* 11:35 Focus on Underserved Areas* 13:54 The Role of Non-Silicon Valley States in Climate Transition* 22:00 Value Add of an Accelerator* 25:31 Perception of Accelerators by VCs* 27:33 Gener8tor’s Business Model* 28:16 Partnerships with Corporates for Pilot Projects* 31:52 Focus on Underserved Areas in Climate Transition* 34:13 Collab in Non-Tech Hub Areas* 40:27 Biggest Gap in Supporting Founders Outside of Main Hubs* 42:03 Role of AI in Solving Climate Change* 44:04 Success Story of a Hardware MVP* 47:30 Unique Considerations for Hard Tech Companies* 49:40 Milestones for Hard Tech Companies* 53:47 Areas of Interest in Climate Startups * 57:46 Advice for Hiring and Building a Team* 59:57 Pitching and Fundraising Tips* 1:05:14 Networking with VCs for Series A* 1:06:44 Advice for Investors in Climate* 1:08:19 Advice for Getting into VC or InvestingLinks* Ryan Jeffery | Gener8tor* 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. Are you a regular listener? If you take 7 min to give us some feedback, it will drastically help us improve the content for you. Today, we are talking with Robin Laine from Transect.We cover…* The issue choosing the best locations for renewables and how Transect solves that* How Robin established a “culture-first” company* How to convert a manual solution into a scalable technologyAsk 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: Robin LaineRobin Laine, CEO and Co-founder of Transect, has had a rich 17-year tenure within the environmental sector, marked by diverse roles ranging from field biologist to national program manager across various organizations. Her experience spans land surveys for sensitive resources, permitting processes for numerous development ventures, and providing environmental oversight for Fortune 500 enterprises. Now, at Transect, Robin channels her passion to create an online platform that facilitates environmental due diligence and site selection.The Company: TransectSolar Software, Remote Sensing, Data AdvisoryOne-liner: Transforming site selection to improve renewable energy performance for developersTransect's software redefines the landscape of site selection and environmental due diligence, representing a transformative tool for developers across various sectors. Offering instantaneous analysis tailored to renewable energy, utilities, oil and gas, and infrastructure projects, Transect facilitates swift identification and assessment of optimal sites, compressing timelines from weeks to mere minutes. Its standout features encompass rapid site localization, comprehensive critical issues assessment, seamless integration with real-time data updates, adaptable functionality across diverse industries, intuitive user interface, cost-effective efficiency, and preemptive risk management. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 02:37 Need for Transformation in Permitting* 05:58 How Transect Streamlines the process* 08:47 Building Trust with Developers* 11:50 Robin's Journey from Consultant to Entrepreneur* 23:33 Raising Transect's Seed Round* 24:38 Early Contracts and Scaling the Team* 32:24 Building a Culture-First Company and Hiring for Mission Alignment* 38:45 Being Customer-First* 45:32 Opportunities for Software in the Renewables Industry* 47:25 Future Solar Energy CostsLinks* Robin Laine | Transect* 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.Leave a comment with what you learned in today’s episode! 💭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. 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, VC edition. Today, we are talking to Peter Sun from ClimacticThe major topics we covered were… * Peter’s experiences hosting his very popular tea series ☕️* What data is most valuable in ClimateTech 💻* What AI can and can’t do…for nowAsk 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: Peter Sun* Peter has launched a popular tea series where he brings together all types of people to talk about important topics in ClimateTech* He co-founded the Duke Impact Investing Group, which led to the relationships that ultimately enabled him to join Climactic* Being on the founding team of Climatic, he has lots of insights into the current state of launching a fund and where trending topics like AI fit into his investing thesis🚨🚨🚨 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: ClimacticClimactic invests in visionary founders solving our planet’s greatest challenges: battling climate change, achieving sustainability, and creating a more circular economy. They focus early stage venture investments in climate tech for the enterprise and mobility. Their experience ranges over 20+ years of general tech experience, spanning 4 successful startups and two VC firms.Founded by serially successful entrepreneurs who are also seasoned venture capitalists and growth execs, Climactic will help engineer the next wave of multi-billion dollar companies aligned with planetary and societal prosperity - proving that capitalism and impact are not in conflict.Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 02:16 Overview of Climatic* 05:05 Applications of AI in Climate Companies* 09:30 The story of WeaveGrid* 11:58 Evaluating Companies for Automation and Efficiency* 16:50 Challenges in Implementing Transmission Lines* 19:20 The Value of Data in Climate Tech* 23:43 Starting a Climate VC Fund* 27:03 Climate VC vs. Impact VC* 30:12 The Difficulties for Founders in Climate Tech* 34:35 Starting a Fund in the Current Fundraising Environment* 52:45 Exit Strategies in Climate VC* 54:00 Competitiveness in Climate Investing* 56:00 The Blend of VC and Real Asset Industries* 58:29 The Rise of Hyper Specialist VCs* 01:00:20 Building a Personal Brand* 01:04:28 Habits for SuccessLinks* Peter Sun | Climactic* 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. Are you a regular listener? If you take 7 min to give us some feedback, it will drastically help us improve the content for you. Today, we are talking with Adam Goff from 8 RiversThis convo should be especially interesting to Policy nerds because of Adam’s background. We cover…* The policy landscape and how it affects the development of clean technologies 🏛️* How a technology development shop operates and makes money ⚙️* The tailwinds and headwinds to the deep tech space 🌬️Adam has a lot of knowledge and an interesting perspective on the landscape, so we are confident you’ll enjoy this (if you don’t, please let us know, and we will send Adam some stinky socks 🧦 in the mail 😉)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 GoffAdam started his career in DC, working on policy with the ClearPath Foundation. He did this from 2015 to 2018. After the passage of the bill allowing the 45Q tax credit, knowing the landscape of climate tech innovators, he joined 8 Rivers. During his time there, they have gone from about 20 employees to now over 70. The Company: 8 RiversCarbon Capture, DeepTech, Hydrogen, IP Licensing, One-liner: Developing technologies that make a positive impact on the climate by combining various de-risked technology in new ways, and then commercializing it. Context: For many years, there have been companies working on developing new technologies in hardware realm to solve the climate issue. In particular, a lot of focus has gone into developing carbon capture technolgies that work at low costs to prevent or pull out of the air, the carbon emitted. This is requried because we are on track to blow right through our reduction targets. What: They identify a particular problem, finding as much existing, de-risked technology as possible, and then putting it all together to solve the problem. Then proving it works at scale. Once all of this is done, they license out the IP to others so the impact can be scaled. Traction: As of today, they have commercialized 3 technologies and successfully built several pilot projects. They continue to work on additional technologies. Future: Because they have proven their capacity to bring research to the operating scale, they have a bright future. The tech they are currently developing in their pipeline includes, Direct air Capture, Post-combustion Carbon Capture, Zero-carbon Fuels, and Clean Ethylene. Certainly there is a lot to expect out of these folks. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 2:10 Intro* 4:00 Climate x Policy* 10:00 How to Pass Legislation Faster* 12:40 History and Structure of Eight Rivers* 18:00 The Process of Proving New Tech* 22:15 Their Current Technologies* 28:30 Raising Money for a Tech Developer* 33:20 Commercialization and Revenue Generation* 36:45 Selecting your First Site* 39:40 How to Understanding Global Regulatory Markets* 42:30 Systematizing Building a Hardware Climate Startup* 44:00 Future Plans for Eight RiversLinks* Adam Goff | 8 Rivers* 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.Leave a comment with what you learned in today’s episode! 💭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. 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. Are you a regular listener? If you take 7 min to give us some feedback, it will drastically help us improve the content for you. Today, we are talking with Helena Merk from StreamlineUnlike the grant landscape, today’s conversation is very clearly packed with value - in particular…* How Streamline saves months of time to pick and apply for grants 💸* What is “The Palo Alto Effect” 🤔* How they are scaling their product outside of climate tech and expanding their market size 📈There were a number of really impactful moments while recording this episode with Helena, so I hope you enjoy! 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: Helena MerkWe are calling it now: Helena/Streamline’s product is going to be one of the most important tools of the next 3-5 years to quicken the pace of deployment of capital. Helena is gaining a name for herself in the climate landscape tackling a massive unlock of value for the startups and scaleups applying for the flood of recent government grants. Without a tool like this, much of the grants and philanthropic capital will never get deployed. Ever since she was a child, Helena has been involved in tech. She built her first app in grade school. At the start of her career, she got involved in veterinarian work until eventually she realized, influenced by her upbringing in Silicon Valley, that her impact, fixing one elephant foot at a time, could not be scaled. After graduating from Duke and having completed several tech internships, she ended up going into software engineering at Smartcar. Unable to “escape” the influences of her upbringing, she ended up getting into YC with her startup Glimpse, a video conferencing tool that was later acquired by Twine. Wanting more impact and now with an exit under her belt, she set out to tackle climate change. After meeting her co-founder, Douglas Qian, they would first start Spirals and later on pivot to Streamline Climate. The Company: Streamline ClimateGrant Writing & Application, Software, Generative AIOne-liner: Streamline Climate simplifies and accelerates the grant application process for clean tech companies, using software and AI automation.Context: Currently there are billions of dollars of non-dilutive grant funding available (in the US alone) to help fund the companies fighting climate change. However, accessing this money is like pulling teeth… generally unpleasant. Applying for these grants can take months and a small mistake can render your application pointless. What: Using AI and Software, Streamline Climate is helping grant teams/individuals identify which grants to apply for, and then supporting them to win those grants. From assisting to writing the grants to ensuring all the boxes are checked ✅. Traction: They have been working with a handful of customers for the past ~year. If you’re wondering how popular it is… they had a LOT of people on the waitlist. Future: Assuming their tech is accurate and without halucinations, it’s reasonable to assume Streamline Climate is set up for a strong run as the timing could not be better. So many companies in the climate fight are feeling the pain of going through the grant writing process that they are most certainly looking for reliable software to help. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 1:30 Introduction and Overview* 1:55 Streamline's Mission and Services* 3:03 Crash Course on Grants* 5:57 Streamlining the Grant Process* 11:28 Customer Types* 12:37 Choosing the Right Grants* 14:12 Streamline's Business Model* 14:38 Finding the MVP and Paying Customers* 16:26 Lessons from Building Spirals* 17:55 Training the AI Model* 19:55 Addressable Markets Beyond Grants* 25:33 Finding a Co-Founder* 26:51 Go-to-Market Strategies* 42:25 Fundraising Journey* 41:27 VC Funding and Grant Writing* 44:40 Inbound Processes and VC Decision-making* 45:30 Exciting Announcement! Links* Helena Merk | Streamline Climate* 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.Leave a comment with what you learned in today’s episode! 💭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. 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, VC edition. Today, we are talking to Nick Findler & Chad Rickaby from ClimateDoorThe major topics we covered were… * What is “Growth-as-a-Service” and how it applies to Climate VC* How AI is transforming the venture space and streamlining operations* What it is like founding a company with your childhood best friend 🤝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: Nick Findler* Nick Findler has secured over $100M for global ventures in the green transition* His entrepreneurial journey includes roles at Stardust Solar, a solar installation training and education platform, and Forrest Innovations, eradicating mosquito-borne diseases* Beyond traditional sustainability, Nick integrates Artificial Intelligence within ClimateDoor for operational efficiency and innovationThe Guest: Chad Rickaby* Chad Rickaby is a global advocate for sustainable business growth with a background in government relations and international trade* His strategic collaborations with governments, Indigenous communities, investors, and climate financing entities have led to millions in funding for businesses* Chad's expertise in political science, public policy, and international markets positions him as a key figure in sustainable development🚨🚨🚨 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”: ClimateDoorClimateDoor is a Growth-as-a-Service (GaaS) firm dedicated to powering the next stage of growth for companies within the clean economy with business development, sales, capital raising, government grants, and ESG advisory.They partner with companies at the Seed and Series A stages to help them propel to the next level.Having embraced Generative AI, they are a great example of how AI is modernizing operations even in the venture space. They are also a thought leader and active player in the Canadian venture ecosystem.Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 00:00 Introduction and Background* 07:14 Overview of Climate Door* 13:27 The story of Polar Beer Taps* 16:10 Advantages of "Growth-as-a-Service"* 23:24 Canadian Venture Ecosystem* 26:20 Blending Capital Sources in Climate Tech* 29:30 Navigating Fundraising and Building Investor Relationships* 35:01 Streamlining Operations with AI* 39:51 Hiring Advice for Early Stage Companies* 42:57 Fundraising Advice for Bridge Stage Companies* 49:03 Challenges in Finding Value Spots in ClimateLinks* Nick Findler | Chad Rickaby | ClimateDoor* 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, VC edition. Today, we are talking to Tobias Egle from M VenturesTobias has a science-to-venture background, which made this a slightly different conversation than most of our VC episodes. The major topics we covered were… * His personal experience of going from PhD to venture * Decarbonizing the electronics manufacturing industry. With a specific focus on semi-conductors* Concrete examples of how AI is being used to advance the sustainable materials discovery processAsk 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: Tobias Egle* Tobias Egle is currently a Venture Investor at M Ventures, the Corporate Venture arm of Merck. * He studied Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering at Harvard, where he completed his PhD. During that time, he also had attempted, with a peer, to start a company. That time gave him a taste of entrepreneurship.* As he sought to find his path, he ended up sort of by accident, landing in venture. * Today, he’s investing in deep tech investment with M Ventures, where a part of what he invests in is the decarbonization of the semiconductor industry and electronics manufacturing at large. * Having the perspective of someone earlier in their career is quite refreshing. 🚨🚨🚨 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: M VenturesM Ventures is the Corporate Venture arm of German Pharma giant, Merck. The fund has allocated over €600m, was set up in 2009, and now has over 90 investments. They focus their investments across the sectors that intersect with their work in pharma, but also have a portion they allocate towards sustainability. In the world of semiconductors, there is a huge opportunity for further decarbonization of the manufacturing process. Another example is technology that can detect, capture, and destroy PFAS. A topic that hit the news heavily in the past few months. They start investing at early stages unlike many CVCs. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 01:21 - Introduction and Background* 04:32 - Transitioning from Academia to Venture Capital* 07:48 - Getting into Venture Capital* 10:52 - Focus Areas of M Ventures* 17:05 - Decarbonizing Electronics and Life Sciences* 23:37 - Challenges of PFAS Removal* 31:45 - Gaps in Deep Tech Founders* 40:45 - The Impact of AI in Climate Solutions* 46:55 - Adaptation and Climate Resilience* 48:10 - Grid Resiliency and Renewable Integration* 51:40 - Transitioning from R&D to Product and Business Development* 53:00 - Designing for Manufacturability in Hard Tech* 56:26 - Sustainable Supply Chain in Electronics Manufacturing* 57:42 - Team Building and Hiring for Startups* 01:01:34 - Getting into VC and Starting a CompanyLinks* Tobias Egle | M 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. 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, reach out!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 Trevor Best from SyzygyToday, we really got the juice for you 🍹* For us energy nerds, Trevor breaks down how their light-powered chemical reactors are 30x more energy efficient when compared to conventional reactors 🥵* For the aspiring founders, he walked us through his super data-driven approach to picking a technology to bet it all on ♠️* For those scaling, he broke down their headcount through each of their fundraises as well as their strategic investment partner strategy Honestly — Trevor is kick-ass, and what they are building is super cool - especially if you’re an innovation junkie like me 🤪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: Trevor BestIn university, Trevor completed a Triple Major that covered International Business, Management, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Technology, setting him up well for his future endeavors. Being from Houston, naturally started his career in the Energy industry working with Baker Hughes. During his eight years here, he worked on the innovation team to come up with new technologies. Given all this exposure he possessed a strong foundational knowledge of the chemicals industry. Trevor states openly that he had three other failed attempts at starting a company. As you’ll pick up in the interview, it’s clear he wanted to be an entrepreneur from a young age. Over time, he started having ‘Energy Lunches’ with his Co-Founder, Suman Khatiwada, PhD, to dissect startup ideas. Often, these were technical and based on research papers. Having learned from past failures, they put together a framework of Tech Comparison, Market, and Impact, which they used to kill ~80 ideas before they got to one they couldn’t kill. Through a research paper published by a Rice University professor, they dug into the details. On the surface, it wasn’t much to look at, but after seeing further unpublished data, they found this catalyst technology was 30x more efficient than current industry standards, and they knew it was go time. They cashed in all their chips and started building. Today, Trevor is the CEO of the company, and they are nearing the major inflection point to get past TRL 8. The Company: SyzygyIndustrial Decarbonization, Green Chemicals, Green Hydrogen, SAFOne-liner: Developing chemical reactors that are 30x more energy efficient than current industry standards, using a new photocatalyst technology, thus massively reducing global emissions produced from the production of goods… (imagine putting that on your resume) Context: Nearly all of the world's products are built using secondary materials, which are produced through catalyzing raw materials. This is done using chemical reactors, which today are primarily powered through heat combustion. What: The Syzygy technology uses light (photocatalyst) instead of heat and is 30x more energy efficient. Busienss Model: They licence out their IP and provide chemical reactors that they produce, making it a high margin business. However, there are product guarantees to take into consideration, meaning this is only possible when the tech is air tight. Traction: When Trevor and Suman found the tech it was at TRL 3. From there a team of four took it to TRL 5. Fast forward, they have a team of 100 and have gotten to TRL 8. Once they get to TRL 9, hopefully later this year, they will blow the doors off of this thing. If they run into issues, it will be a rough road. Future: Given their partnerships with some of the biggest chemical and energy industry corporates, they are well positioned to capitalize should all go well with their current demonstration. Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 1:30 Trevor's Story* 4:00 What is Photocatalyst* 9:40 The Idea Framework (Tech, Market, Impact)* 12:55 How to Come Up w/ Ideas* 17:30 Their Tech (Catalyst & Reactor)* 24:45 ~5x Reduction in Energy Use* 27:00 Impact on Everyday Life* 29:35 Traction* 32:50 From TRL3 to 8* 36:05 Business Model* 38:42 Fundraising Mistakes & Lessons* 43:15 Culture | Missionaries > Mercenaries Links* Trevor Best | Syzygy* 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.Leave a comment with what you learned in today’s episode! 💭🗓️ AsksHere’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, reach out! 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. 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, VC edition. Today, we are talking to Russell Sprole from Virta VenturesIn this episode, some of the biggest ideas we discuss are…* Marketplace models in climate, specifically the current potential of a hydrogen energy marketplace* The limitless potential of AI to impact climate tech, particularly in the built environment and the management of distributed energy resources.* Why Russell is bullish on the electrification of transportationAsk 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: Russell Sprole* Russell Sprole is Managing Partner of Virta Ventures, bringing over 12 years of experience in investing and operational roles* Russell was CFO at Full Harvest, the leading B2B marketplace for produce in North America. At Full Harvest, he led finance, accounting, HR, and legal and often many other hats as the team scaled from 5 to over 60 people and Full Harvest raised over $45 million in capital. * Prior to Full Harvest, Russell was VP of Business Development and Business Operations at RePower through its successful sale to Soligent and VP of Strategy of Product at Admirals Bank, focused on the bank’s rapidly growing solar and home improvement lending business. Russell also led FP&A and Sales Operations at Stem (NYSE: STEM) during a critical early growth period for the company, which debuted on the public markets in 2021. * Prior to Stem, Russell spent four years at SunPower developing and financing hundreds of megawatts of solar across all three business lines - utility, commercial, and residential.* Russell holds an MBA from Wharton Business School and a BA from Yale University.🚨🚨🚨 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 linkto schedule your demo and get a 10% discount! 🚨🚨🚨The VC: Virta VenturesVirta Ventures focuses on pre-seed and seed stage climate tech companies working to decarbonize energy, mobility, the built environment and food/agriculture. They target equity-light businesses - typically SaaS, marketplaces, software-enabled services, and fintech/insurtech. Virta Ventures aims to partner with founders from “day zero” — leaning on their operating and investing expertise to get startups through the early stages. Don’t get it confused — they aren’t a SaaS VC. They invest in “equity-light”innovation that enables hardware—bits powering atoms. Their four focus areas are:* Support the development and management of our energy grid* Lower barriers and costs for electrifying transportation* Decarbonize our existing building stock—residential, commercial, and industrial* Speed up the transition to regenerative agricultureEnjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 4:00 Starting Virta Ventures * 10:22 Equity Light Solutions * 13:50 Software Solutions in Antiquated Industries * 17:07 Common Equity Light Business Models * 22:55 Investing in Tiba * 28:33 Investing in Crowded vs. Nascent Markets * 34:41 Lessons from Full Harvest * 47:46 Investing in Hydrogen Marketplaces *  1:01:52 The Impact of AI on Climate Tech * 1:06:54 Effective Practices of Portfolio Companies * 1:08:33 Opportunities in the Electrification of Transportation * 1:11:12 Fundraising Advice for Climate Tech Founders Links* Russell Sprole | Virta 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.🗓️ Upcoming EventsReminder 🔔 that we have another CleanTechies in-person networking event on January 11th Contact Somil or Silas on LinkedIn to be included and receive details on the location.🚨🚨🚨 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 Ken Munson from RhythmosIn this episode, some of the biggest ideas we discuss are…* Ken's career from architecture to entrepreneurship and a discussion on the importance of veteran entrepreneurs staying in the arena * Why customer experience is key to EV success* His tactical tips on selling to utilities and understanding their perspective Overall, Ken brings a lot of mature and actionable advice, given how many reps he has as an entrepreneur. 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: Ken Munson* Industry Expertise: Ken Munson is a distinguished leader in the clean technology and electric vehicle sectors, with a career spanning over two decades. His journey began in architecture, but a shift towards entrepreneurship led him to the clean technology industry. Ken's experience ranges from biotechnology and agriculture to renewable energy, where he has consistently focused on sustainable and innovative solutions. His leadership roles in various companies, including Sun Verge Energy, have been pivotal in pioneering grid-edge energy storage and solar technology integration.* Professional Journey: Ken's entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found and lead multiple companies, including Sun Verge Energy and Rhythmos. His decision to join Rhythmos as CEO was driven by a keen interest in addressing the challenges of integrating electric vehicles into the utility grid. His expertise in business development and innovative technology applications has significantly contributed to advancing sustainable energy solutions in the industry.* Focus on Innovation: Throughout his career, Ken Munson has demonstrated a strong commitment to innovation, particularly in clean technology and sustainable energy solutions. At Rhythmos, he is at the forefront of utilizing AI to optimize electric vehicle charging and grid management, showcasing his dedication to pioneering technologies that not only enhance energy efficiency but also drive environmental sustainability. Ken's visionary approach continues to influence the evolution of the electric vehicle and clean technology landscapes.The Company: RhythmosEV Charging Infrastructure, GridEdge, Energy EfficiencyOne-liner: Revolutionizing EV Charging Efficiency with AI-Driven Grid Integration Solutions.Function: Rhythmos specializes in developing next-generation managed charging services for electric vehicles, focusing on integrating EVs seamlessly into the utility grid using advanced AI algorithms.Origin: Rhythmos was founded to address the growing need for efficient integration of electric vehicles into the power grid. Recognizing the challenges in grid management due to the increasing adoption of EVs, Rhythmos set out to create innovative solutions that harmonize EV charging with grid capabilities.Problem / Solution: The traditional approach to EV charging puts a strain on the utility grid, leading to inefficiencies and potential overloads. Rhythmos tackles this challenge by using AI to predict optimal charging times, thereby balancing the grid load and reducing costs. Their technology allows for intelligent charging management that adapts to grid conditions and user needs, ensuring efficient energy use and cost savings. This approach not only enhances the sustainability of EV charging but also paves the way for a more robust and adaptable energy infrastructure.Enjoying the CleanTechies PodLetter? Please show your support by subscribing! 📝 Show Notes:Topics* 1:40 Intro to Ken* 3:00 Going from Architect to Entrepreneur to Rhythmos* 12:00 What Grid Edge Is* 14:45 What Rhythmos is Doing, Why, and How it Works* 21:30 How Rhythmos is Helping Solve the Infrastructure Problem* 24:50 Their Customer Types (Utilities & Commercial Fleets)* 27:48 How They do Incremental Data Access Tech to Fill the Gaps to the Utility* 31:20 The ROI of Using Rhythmos* 32:15 Advice on Selling to Utilities* 36:45 How to Hire Good SalesPeople* 42:30 On Deciding to Go Back Into the ArenaLinks* Ken Munson | Rhythmos* 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.🗓️ Upcoming EventsReminder 🔔 that we have another CleanTechies in-person networking event on January 11th Contact Somil or Silas on LinkedIn to be included and receive details on the location.🚨🚨🚨 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