In this episode, I sit down with Mike Jackson, Managing Partner at Earthshot Ventures. Earthshot Ventures calls themselves carbon generalists and invest from Seed to Series B. They mainly invest in software and “stepchange” hardware with a preference to double down on existing portfolio companies.Mike’s story is great because of how intentional he has excelled at every stage and in multiple sides of building in climate. He is a successful founder from cleantech 1.0, a rockstar investing even before earthshot, experienced in project finance, and now investing in a collaborative way that is pushing the whole climatetech industry forward.---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox | https://cleantechies.substack.com/podcast🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel | https://tinyurl.com/mwkn8zk5----- Topics: **06:49 Journey from Childhood to Leading a Climate Fund**12:54 Lessons from Cleantech 1.0**15:54 Preparing for Project Finance**25:13 Importance of Business Models**32:35 Rising at the Westly Group**34:37 Building a Complementary Team**39:48 Why Earthshot is a "Network Fund"**43:14 Investing Earlier in ClimateTech**45:02 AI and its Impact on Climate**48:31 Attracting Capital from Generalist Investors**49:50 Advice for VCs ----- Links: **Mike Jackson | Earthshot Ventures**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

In this episode, we actually have a bit of a flashback for you – I sit down to chat with Tiya Gordon, co-founder and COO of It’s Electric, creating curbside EV charging specifically built for cities. Before I even go into what we talk about, I’d like to shout out what Tiya has done in the few months since recording this episode in December:She was part of the Green Economy Action Plan, a landmark green jobs plan for NYCHas appeared on NPR,Was awarded the 2023 Top 10 Innovator award for Transportation Electrification by Darcy Partners, Was featured in Forbes, Spoke at Davos, Received a  $1.5M award from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation enabling cities to deploy our innovative and community centered model of public charging. And just last week, she announced that It’s Electric has created the first UL certified detachable cable charger That’s not mentioning all the recognitions they collected in 2023 but I’ll leave you all to read about those on your own. Tiya and I have met a few times in a few different context, but it was a real pleasure being able to do this with her and tbh I think we’re already due for a part two.---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox | https://cleantechies.substack.com/podcast🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel | https://tinyurl.com/mwkn8zk5----- Topics: **03:03 It's Electric Origin Story**07:01 What does It's Electric do**11:31 What it's like Working with Cities**15:10 What she Learned From Working with Municipalities**31:04 NYCW**37:10 Building the Team**40:52 Having a "Non-Traditional" Background in ClimateTech**45:43 Advice for Founders**50:07 Note to Audience----- Links: **Tiya Gordon | It’s Electric**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

In this episode, Somil chats with Logan Grizzel, partner at MUUS Climate Partners, the climate tech venture capital arm of MUUS & Co. investing at the convergence of decarbonization and technological innovation.This episode probably broke the quotable clip record we have – Logan was a great mix of knowing how to communicate his thoughts and genuinely having such unique insight having worked on alternative fuels at Toyota, then going into grid strategy and now spending time as a Climate VC, previously at Blackhorn Ventures and now MUUS Climate Partners.In this episode we talk about the challenge with timeframes of venture funds in climate, his perspective on nuclear fusion, alternative fuels at Toyota, centralized vs. decentralized grids, the nuances of hardware, the climate tech scene in Denver, how they got such a diverse team, & more.Anyways, thanks so much for listening and enjoy the episode!---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox | https://cleantechies.substack.com/podcast🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel | https://tinyurl.com/mwkn8zk5----- Topics: **03:11 Herd Mentality in Climate VC**09:26 Logan's Experience at Toyota**13:34 The Significance of the Prius**17:06 Nearshoring and Onshoring **21:34 The Mismatch in Hydrogen Supply and Demand**24:39 Decentralized vs Centralized Approaches to the Grid**28:04 Timing and Assessing Technology Maturity**29:25 Assessing Founder Adaptability**30:29 Dreaming Too Big or Small in Entrepreneurship**42:16 Denver Climate Scene**48:12 Lessons from Blackhorn Ventures**49:34 Diversity in Team Building**58:58 Advice to VCs**01:01:53 Takeaways----- Links: **Logan Grizzel | MUUS Climate Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

What happens when successful CleanTech 1.0 founders step up to the plate again? Anza happens and it's magical. Today, Somil & Silas are interviewing Mike Hall, a Co-Founder of Anza, a company they spun out of Borrego, his and his brother's first venture.At Borrego, they developed software to streamline and improve the way they chose which solar panels to use for projects. Realizing this was a problem for everyone, they spun it out in 2023 and were off to the races. Enjoy this episode with a legendary entrepreneur 🌱🌎---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox | https://cleantechies.substack.com/podcast🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel | https://tinyurl.com/mwkn8zk5----- Topics: **2:20 The Problem with Solar Module Procurement**7:11 Value Beyond Price in Procurement**9:23 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**37:24Underutilizing 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----- Links: **Mike Hall | Anza**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

In this episode, Silas and Somil chat with Ryan Gilliam, CEO of Fortera, a company focused on paving the way to zero CO2 cement backed by leading investors including Khosla Ventures and Temasek. What makes Fortera so exciting is that they’ve successfully raised all the way to their Series B, making them one of not many later stage companies in climate. We talked about his experience fundraising, the ins-and-outs of their tech, how to win over customers, his experience working with project developers, the current state of supply chain dynamics, the climate capital stack, and more.---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- 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 Management----- Links: **Ryan Gilliam | Fortera**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Today, we are speaking with a representative of the legendary Rockefeller Foundation. For those unaware, this foundation is one of the oldest well-organized institutions of its type and has been responsible for a massive number of efforts over the past 100 years. Our guest is Thomas Belazis, Director of Innovative Finance. He runs their Climate & Impact Investing arm. Some of the notable things we cover today are... Their $1bn Climate and Net Zero CommitmentsHow they end up unlocking a lot of other capital when they investAnd why high integrity in EVERY investment matters because of the weight their name carries Enjoy this episode with Thomas from The Rockefeller Foundation. 🌱🌎---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- 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**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

**Check out the new takeaways section at the end of the episode!!**In this episode, Somil and Silas chat with Zecca Lehn, GP of Responsibly Ventures, backing U.S. PreSeed startups in both Social and Sustainable Tech. He uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guidepost for his investments.We breakdown the specifics of his investing thesis including what is “customer love” and what it means to be ethical in investing, Zecca is especially good at using data and data reporting – we heard a lot of really unique insights from him on how he uses data in his operations. We also dive into his experience as an impact investor, the good, the bad, and the ugly. ---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- 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 Takeaways----- Links: **Zécca Lehn | Responsibly Ventures**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Fast fashion is destroying the world. Imagine if we could make threads that are fully recyclable ... over and over... Well, that's what Oliver Shafaat is trying to do with Sci-Lume Labs. They use agricultural feedstock, and are using low-heat methods so they aim to be able to achieve cost parity. What they are working on is difficult, but would be world changing. Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- 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 Manufacturers----- Links: **Oliver Shafaat | Sci-Lume Labs **Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Topics include challenges in philanthropic investment in climate, importance of carbon removal, transitioning from journalism to philanthropy, efficiency and scalability of philanthropic capital, donor profiles and funding sources, genesis of Terraset and the 'anti-GHG' approach, and optimism and urgency for the future.

 If you LOVE technology that allows for decarbonization TODAY, then Somil & Silas' conversation today with Lori Dunn from Optimus Technologies will interest you. Discover how Optimus is revolutionizing the transport sector by producing bolt-on systems that allow truck drivers to utilize 100% biodiesel and reduce their overall emissions by up to 90%. Learn from Lori how they are navigating the challenges of funding, team alignment, and strategic planning for the future. Join us as we explore the journey from seed to series A, and the transition from small to big company energy.Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎---🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube 🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey 📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel -----Topics:**1:43 Small vs Big Energy Company**4:37 Decarbonizing Diesel Engines**7:00 Challenges to Decarb the Diesel Industry**9:39 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 Outsourcing-----Links:**Lori Dunn | Optimus Technologies **Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on XSupport the showEvery ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)