CleanTechies Podcast

Today we have a dual guest episode with Husband & Wife duo, Steve & Beth McDaniel. They have a background in the paint and coatings industry where they have been finding ways to make paints and coatings do something other than just decorate and protect their surface. Their latest innovation is a way to create surfaces that act as carbon capture the same way Blue Algae does. The surfaces can be mass deployed to capture gigatons of carbon to remove carbon from the air permanently at scale. Their company is called Reactive solutions, they are the recent winners of a CarbonX Prize to help Bulgaria test out their solution. The conversation has two parts. First, we talk about the science - the tech it self - how they came across it and the R&D process Second, we go into the more commercial side of things. We talk about their business model, their tips for winning  pilot projects, some of their advice on focusing on the MVP, and the importance of leveraging existing network to get the intros you need. If you're an entrepreneur in the hardware or IP side of thing, this second half is going to be pretty valuable so you can go there if you're strapped for time. Overall, really fascinating conversation. We hope you enjoy! Topics: 4:46 Intro to them, their backgrounds, and how they got into CarbonTech17:29 The R&D Process19:22 - The ideal use case for their tech27:43 Their cost per ton of capture and how many don't count the sequestration costs33:24 How carbon capture projects make money37:00 The IP & Licensing Model44:39 Why pilots are required to secure further investment51:20 Tips to winning pilot projects57:00 Gov. grants, should you get them, & how toLinks: Beth on LinkedIn: Steve on LinkedIn: Reactive Surfaces Website: Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: Join the Slack Channel:  Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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

Interested in how we will have enough lithium over the next decades to support the energy and EV transition? Well, you can learn about a company solving this problem. Enter EnergyX founded and run by Teague Egan. Teague had no previous experience in mining or chemistry but after seeing a huge gap in the market and one particular problem faced by a lithium reserve in Bolivia, he set out to see how he could solve this problem. In this conversation we cover...His journey to finding this problem and how he built the company What their technology does and how it's an artificial intersecting of several proven technologiesThe detailed process of how he funded the company at the start and the milestones to achieve each subsequent fundraise And finally how they spent effort up-front building a world-class team in order to help them attract talent more broadly down the road It is really an amazing conversation especially because of how candid he was about the experience and the raising process. I think both existing and aspiring climate tech entrepreneurs will find this valuable. Topics: 00:40 Intro to Teague5:30 How, as a non-technical person he founded a highly technical ClimateTech company15:50 What their technology is and how it works20:22 Borrowing existing proven tech and applying it to new problems29:45 Who are their customers33:10 The detailed breakdown of their fundraising process and the key milestones to advance to the next stage successfully42:00 Importance of IP44:50 Mining & Recycling46:30 Building a talent attraction machine and moat through hard work up-frontLinks: Teague on LinkedIn: Teague on Twitter: EnergyX Website: Invest in EnergyX: Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: Join the Slack Channel:  Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn:HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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

Today we are joined by Olivia Pedersen the founder of Sustaio. Olivia has a really incredible journey to building Sustaio. We were able to speak today about their technology, which is essentially a rewards platform for choosing sustainable products. This is a method for consumers to signal to corporates their interest in sustainable products. One thing we also touched on was the difficulty many women or financially less fortunate have to take ClimateTech jobs. Often, at an early-stage startup, the pay is low making it difficult to provide for a family. Founding a company is also difficult when providing for a family given the need to often work for an extended period of time without pay. Many really great topics in today's episode so as always, enjoy! Topics: 2:28 Her and how she got here8:18 how to test an idea9:10 # ppl have12:17 what they do22:51 Starting biz39:44 ish Gender pay gap Links: Connect with Olivia:  Sustaio Website: Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: https://www.next-wavepartners.com/Join the Slack Channel:  https://cleantechies.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-pd2drz6d-N~9nURU5JlyMXv2ZiO5bAQ#/shared-invite/emailFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-techies/ HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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

Today we are joined by DR Richardson the Co-Founder and CEO of Elephant Energy. DR started his career in a ClimateTech Fund for about 8 years. Then eventually left to scratch his entrepreneurial itch and build a ClimateTech startup. After about 2 years of testing ideas, he and his Co-founder Josh Lake landed on Elephant Energy where they are removing the friction of electrifying homes. A few of the things we talked about today are...their product & the benefits - an interesting one was the health benefits of ithow they got startedthe challenges of being a ClimateTech founderhis experience fundraising for the companythe talent challenges how important blue-collar work is and the challenges of making it attractive and his outlook on the future how you don't need to be a technical person to found a climate tech startup It's a really fun episode and hopefully an inspiration to those without a technical background who are motivated to build a business and want to help reverse climate change in the meantime.Topics: 3:19 How he started15:02 Benefits of electrifying a home (Financial, Climate, Comfort, Health)21:54 Finding good contractors and working with them25:06 Insurance COs & cleaner homes26:30  Launching and advice to other founders28:48 How PE exp informed his decision making process31:32 His experience fundraising (How wide, Luck, Just need one yes)35:10 Loyal to a fault37:23 Behind the scenes - the hard things39:38 The mental gymnastics of being a founder41:47 Talent and making Blue Collar work sexy49:13 Outlook on the future Links: Connect with DR on LinkedIn:Elephant Energy Website: Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: Join the Slack Channel: Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn:HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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

Today we were joined by John Shegerian the Co-Founder of ERI. Where they are recycling electronic devices and ensuring safe data destruction to comply with Cybersecurity concerns. They have been around for over 20 years. They wouldn't have been called this when they started, but being one of the oldest "CliamteTech" or "Circular Economy" companies out there, John had a lot of really great things to share with current ClimateTech founders. Perhaps most importantly he commented on fundraising from aligned individuals as well as how to attract and retain talent. John is also the author of The Insecurity of Everything and has offered to send a book for free to anyone who emails me or him at john@ERIdirect.com - If you do reach out to him please let him know you heard this discussion on the CleanTechies Podcast and he'll send you a free copy of the book so you can learn about cyber security - he'll even pay for shipping. Topics: 3:43 About John and how he got into ERI7:27 - What led him to go back to school later in his career9:17 - How cybersecurity and ClimateTech intersect15:06 - What ERI are doing and the process of recycling electronics for companies18:07- ESG forcing recycling behavior19:58 - Costs of recycling20:51 - Costs of not recycling25:03 - Key advice to CT Founders31:31 - Raising funds and strategic, value-aligned investors35:51 - Talent acquisition and retention44:55 - Why he's bullish on the future46:58 - About his book and how to get it for free (john@eridirect.com) Links: John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnshegerian/ERI Website: https://eridirect.com/Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: https://www.next-wavepartners.com/Join the Slack Channel: Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn:HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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

Today we are joined by Matt Ward the founder and CEO of the 4 Ward VC Accelerator. Today we covered a lot of things and it was a super fun conversation coming from yet another incredible individual who had no true background in Climate but decided to make it his life. Key topics are...How a mechanical engineer can build a ClimateTech AcceleratorWhy he chose to be part of the ClimateTech space / how everything will be re-engineered to be carbon neutral or low carbonIn his words what it takes to be a ClimateTech entrepreneur Why he's bullish on Ag & Food, Alt Materials, & Up-cycling & Recycling modelsReally free-flowing conversation so dive in - if you're looking for specific topics you can find the topic markers in the show notes.Topics: 4:30 Changing from engineering -7:05 Journey to ESG9:12 ClimateTech Space14:25 Bottle Necks23:04 How they vet members26:02 Tech Breakthroughs - is it necessary?29:52 Process working with them37:32 future / what he's interested in (Ag & Food, Alt Materials, Up-cycling or recycling Models)44:29 Decarbonization as the DefaultLinks: Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwardio/4Ward VC Website: https://4ward.vc/The Startup Tank: https://4ward.vc/the-startup-tank-climate-investor-pitch-show/Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: https://www.next-wavepartners.com/Join the Slack Channel:  Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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

Hello everyone and welcome back to the CleanTechies Podcast where we interview ClimateTech Founders and VCs to discuss their advice, experience, and all things Building and Climate Investing. In today's conversation, we speak with Erik Terjesen a Partner at Silicon Foundry. What is Silicon Foundry? With a name like that you know it's cool. In essence, they are a consulting service that works with Corporate VCs to help them find strategic investment opportunities. So, their clients are corporates. Big places like Walmart, BP, or Shell could be examples. Some of my favorite topics from today's episode are, Where the supply chain gaps are in the ClimateTech space He spoke about how they maintain collaboration through systems And he also offered some advice to startups in the space since he sees a lot of pitches and knows a lot of the mistakes startups are making There was also a section where he broke down the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act - commonly referred to as the IRA Alright, enjoy the conversation with Erik...Topics: 5:25 what led Erik to Climate9:04 - how corporate VCs operate12:54 - what they do at Silicon Foundry17:16- the process for their clients41:11 - IRA breakdown44:50 - Where supply chain gaps are48:31 - Advice for startups Links: Erik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-terjesen-b172b6/Silicon Foundry Website: https://sifoundry.com/Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners: https://www.next-wavepartners.com/Join the Slack Channel:  https://cleantechies.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-pd2drz6d-N~9nURU5JlyMXv2ZiO5bAQ#/shared-invite/emailFollow CleanTechies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-techies/ HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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 and Happy New Year! Today we are joined by Nadav Steinmetz the Founder of Nomea a ClimateTech Venture Capital Firm investing in Seed and Pre-Seed companies throughout the UK, Europe, and Israel. Nadav has a diverse background having been born in Belgium, raised in Israel, studied University in the States, and now living in London. He has worked at a variety of places including Blackstone. The 4 key areas we covered today are...Nadav's background and entrance into climateAll about Nomea, their remit, experience setting up, how they operate, and his advice to others seeking to set up a ClimateTech VC FundHis advice to ClimateTech founders  Finally, Nadav's future outlook Really great conversation and a great way for us to kick off our new focus. Topics: [3:47] Intro to Nadav & how he founded 1 for the World[9:49] Raising his first fund, their remit, how they differentiate, and his advice to others setting up a fund[25:21] Nadav's advice to founders generally, specific tips for pitching, and operational advice[37:46] His outlook on the market in the coming years, what he's excited about, bubbles, and adaptation vs mitigation investingLinks: Nadav on LinkedIn:Nomea Website:Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners:Join the Slack Channel: Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn:HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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 another episode of the CleanTechies Podcast. This is episode 76 of the show and we are thrilled to have you joining us. If you're a ClimateTech Founder seeking introductions to capital or potential partnerships or are interested in sponsoring the show, please reach out: silasmahner@gmail.comToday we are joined by an individual who focuses a bit more on a philosophical item. On something that we tend to be uncomfortable with, in western society; Endings. Joe Macleod, Author, Speaker, and Founder of AndEnd is an expert in endings and Endineering. Today, Joe lays out the importance of thinking about the end-of-product life experience from both a practical and customer experience perspective. It's important because (1) we need to be aware of what happens to the product when its use is done. (2) We need to incentivize consumers to be part of solving the circular economy. And (3) by doing these, the consumer becomes an advocate and it can spread to legislation and other corporations.We hope you enjoy this episode of the show and that it helps you to reflect a bit as this year comes to a close. Perhaps it will make it into one of your new year's routines. Topics:5:45 The design life cycle (Beginning and Ending)14:40 The Protestant & Industrial Revolutions shifting us away from the topic of "Endings"21:51 How some companies are focused on endings and how others can improve34:09 The 8 types of endings & how manufacturers get the product back to the factory41:18 Cataloging our items to become aware of our possessions43:40 Legislation and Endings. (Visible or Invisible Endings) 58:07 Advice to young professionals deciding on their next stepsWe hope you enjoy today's episode - please reach out with any specific questions or discussion points. If you're interested in being a show sponsor you can reach me at silasmahner@gmail.comLINKS:andEnd WebsiteJoe's Ted TalkEnds. Why we overlook endings for humans, products, services and digital. And why we shouldn’tEndineering. Designing consumption lifecycles that end as well as they begin.His training course on how to become an endineerMentioned in the show:His writing about Apple's end-of-user experienceStuffstrMarie Kondo's book, Declutter__________We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.comSupport the show 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 another episode of the CleanTechies Podcast. This is episode 75 of the show and we are thrilled to have you joining us. ---If you're a ClimateTech Founder seeking introductions to capital or potential partnerships or are interested in sponsoring the show, please reach out: silasmahner@gmail.com---Today we have a great conversation with Al Subbloie the Founder and CEO of Budderfly.Budderfly is one of the fastest-growing full-service commercial building efficiency companies. They help commercial building owners upgrade to efficient equipment and switch to solar by removing the biggest barrier to entry which is almost always cost. Through their partnerships, with strong financial institutions they pay for the upfront CapEx of the upgrades and then the building owner just keeps paying the monthly bill. However after the upgrades are done and Budderfly takes a premium for providing the service, the bill is actually lower than it was before. The amount they can improve efficiency so much that even with their model they are able to reduce the total monthly cost of energy. These types of innovations are super fascinating and much needed to reduce all barriers to entry. Without any further delay, please enjoy this conversation with Al Subbloie.Topics: Intro to IoT and how it works 6:20 the Problem 16:30 Brands care & ESG reporting25:55 how they handle the capital process37:00 Where the $0 CapEx model works 43:30 Regulatory issues46:20 educating the market 48:45 closing off We hope you enjoy today's episode - please reach out with any specific questions or discussion points. If you're interested in being a show sponsor you can reach me at silasmahner@gmail.comLINKS:Budderfly WebsiteAl Subbloie on LinkedInCheck out our Sponsor, NextWave PartnersJoin the Slack Channel  Follow CleanTechies on LinkedInHMU on Twitter (silasmahner)Support the show 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