CC Pod

This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Enduring Planet is a portfolio company at Climate Capital, where Vijay works as a Syndicate Investor and Advisor.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital!In the latest CC Pod, Vijay explored the journey of Dimitry Gershenson and Erin Davis, co-founders of Enduring Planet. Enduring Planet is revolutionizing the way climate entrepreneurs access working capital, making it faster, more flexible, and founder-friendly.The co-founders connected years back when Erin pitched Dimitry, then at Facebook, for her fund. When Dimitry later envisioned Enduring Planet, Erin, with her solid experience in credit and impact-aligned capital, was an ideal co-founder. Enduring Planet tackles two primary issues: the tedious process of underwriting deals and the urgent need to provide capital quickly to climate entrepreneurs. Their innovative approach has filled a gap left by traditional financial services, particularly for those winning state or federal funding for climate solutions.Despite the shifts in the venture ecosystem posing challenges to fundraising, Dimitry and Erin have learned to cultivate a community of investors who understand their mission and are willing to take early risks. Their approach has fostered sustainability and potential profitability at an earlier stage than is typically expected in the startup ecosystem.Erin and Dimitry's complementary skills, paired with a shared vision, have been pivotal in Enduring Planet's success. Their advice for other founders? Build a team that fills your gaps, brings diverse perspectives, and approaches problems from different angles.Enduring Planet is more than just a fintech platform; it's a beacon for climate entrepreneurs striving to create a sustainable future. Visit enduringplanet.com to learn more! Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, California Cultured is a portfolio company at Climate Capital, where Michael works as a General Partner and Jenny works as a Managing Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts!Michael and Jenny had the privilege to have an insightful conversation with Alan Perlstein, CEO of California Cultured in the newest CC Pod. A pioneer in food tech and climate, Alan's mission is to address the detrimental environmental impact of traditional food production.California Cultured is focusing on cell-cultured chocolate and coffee, aiming to revolutionize these industries. The process eliminates the need for vast tracts of land, reducing deforestation and carbon emissions. By contrast, cell-cultured products require minimal land use and produce significantly lower emissions.California Cultured’s novel fermentation process not only enhances product flavor but also offers health benefits. This process is scalable and has already been successfully applied at industrial levels in plant cell culture, reaching up to 100,000 liters - around 5X the scale reached in large cell-cultured meat systems.Alan envisions a future where production of chocolate and coffee is domestic and local, drastically reducing the pollution from international shipping. Currently, a typical bar of chocolate travels over 5,000 miles before reaching a consumer, contributing to its carbon footprint.California Cultured's work represents a significant step towards a sustainable food industry. By offering consumers healthier and more environmentally friendly options, they are helping to shape a future where delicious food doesn't come at the expense of our planet.Visit cacultured.com to learn more! Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, MeliBio is a portfolio company at Climate Capital, where Michael works as a General Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts:In the latest episode of Climate Capital Podcast, Michael interviews Darko Mandich, CEO and Co-Founder of MeliBio. Melibio is pioneering food tech company that's transforming the honey industry by producing honey without the use of bees, a venture inspired by Darko's decade-long experience in the traditional honey industry across Serbia, Spain, and Norway. Honeybees, responsible for pollinating approximately one-third of the food that we consume daily, are facing a global crisis. In the US alone, beekeepers lost 43.7% of their honeybee colonies from April 2019 to April 2020, according to a Penn State study. This alarming decline in honeybee populations, largely attributed to factors like habitat loss, disease, pesticides, and climate change, poses a significant threat to global food security and biodiversity.In response to this crisis, Melibio is offering an innovative solution: plant-based honey. This product not only replicates the taste and texture of bee-made honey but also relieves the stress on bees, allowing them to fulfill their crucial role in our ecosystems without the added pressure of commercial honey production.Despite the challenges of scaling up their production and effectively engaging potential customers, Melibio has made notable strides. They even secured their first customer, a three-Michelin-star restaurant, without showcasing any prototypes. Visit Melibio.com to learn more! Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts:In this special episode of CC Pod, Michael explores Climate Angels with Vijay Rajendran, an experienced Climate Capital Syndicate Investor and Advisor. Vijay is not a typical interviewee for this show. From being an entrepreneur in commerce and fintech to advising both startups and big companies on product and strategy, his experiences have crafted his perspective on climate investing. He isn't a portfolio founder, but rather a colleague at Climate Capital who is helping to launch Climate Angels - an educational program for potential angel investors interested in the climate tech space.Climate Angels is designed to answer questions about angel investing, particularly in the climate field, which differs significantly from other tech verticals. It will guide participants through the process of developing a robust investment thesis, sourcing potential startups, evaluating them, syndicating, and eventually providing advice or guidance to portfolio companies.From our CC Insights article announcing the launch of Climate Angels:Angel investing, by the numbers.Angels play an important role in the larger venture ecosystem, providing capital to bridge early startups from company formation to their first “real” fundraise. * On average, angel groups invested a total of $5.3 million per group in 2022, an increase of 15% from 2020. The total amount invested in 2021 represents the highest total since the Angel Capital Association began tracking this data.1* Angels continued to focus on investing in pre-seed & seed-stage deals in 2021, reducing investments in later rounds. Angels invested more than 50% of their dollars in Series Seed, which accounted for nearly 60% of deals, up from 50% in the prior two years.* Startups that have angel backing are at least 14 percent more likely to survive for 18 months or more after funding than firms that do not. 2Vijay shares valuable insights into the differences between early and later stage investment, explaining how the journey from idea to seed stage presents unique opportunities and challenges. He emphasized the importance of understanding and evaluating the market potential and the quality of the startup team, crucial factors that every angel investor must consider.The conversation also delved into the shift in perception of climate investing. Traditionally viewed as impact-first and return-second, the narrative is changing. Vijay laid out a compelling case for climate as an investable category, suggesting that the focus should be on the myriad opportunities in the sector, from energy transition to food systems.The Climate Angels program is open to individuals who have dabbled in angel investing and are intrigued by the opportunities in the climate world. It also welcomes those who haven't invested before but are passionate about climate change and want to contribute to the sector in a meaningful way.The Climate Angels program is a unique opportunity to explore climate investing, learn from experts in the field, and contribute to the fight for societal decarbonization. For those interested in learning more about the program, visit the website.Disclaimer: Under no circumstances should any information or content on this page be considered an offer to sell or solicitation of interest to purchase any securities, including any securities advised by Climate Capital or any of its affiliates or representatives. Further, no content or information herein is or is intended, nor should it be construed as, an offer to provide any investment advisory service, financial advice, legal, tax, accounting, investment, or other advice from Climate Capital or any of its affiliates (collectively "Climate Capital”). Under no circumstances should anything herein be construed as fund marketing materials by prospective investors considering investing in any Climate Capital investment fund. Content contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell — or a solicitation of an offer to buy — any securities and may not be used or relied upon in evaluating the merits of any investment. Information regarding companies highlighted herein has been provided by third parties, and Climate Capital makes no representations or warranties as to its accuracy, as to the viability of any company listed herein, or the results of any investment in a listed company. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Aralez Bio is a portfolio company at Climate Capital, where Jenny works as a Managing Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts:This week on the Climate Capital Podcast, join Jenny Kan in a deep dive with Tina Boville, CEO and co-founder of Aralez Bio. Aralez Bio is transforming production of non-canonical amino acids.Tina and her co-founder David Romney started their journey while working on a unique technology as postdocs at Caltech. They were developing an enzyme platform that could synthesize new types of amino acids. The idea to start a company was initially seeded by their academic co-founder & Nobel Laureate, Francis Arnold.The core of Aralez Bio's work revolves around expanding the toolkit of amino acids. Currently, there are 20 amino acids that are easy to make, but the opportunity lies in creating new ones. By developing a new generation of bio-based products, Aralez Bio aims to address challenges surrounding health and sustainability.The company's journey to scale up their process was not without its challenges. From running tiny experiments to producing a kilogram of amino acids, it took them about a year to accomplish their goal. The triumphant moment of producing their first kilogram of amino acid was a defining moment for the company, marking a significant milestone in their journey.Tina's advice to budding entrepreneurs is to be fearless. She believes in focusing on the strengths and learning from red flags. She encourages entrepreneurs to learn from their mistakes and move forward.Looking forward, Tina envisions Aralez Bio growing to capture more of the amino acid world. They aim to expand their platform to make any amino acid imaginable, scale up the production to support various developmental stages, and introduce these amino acids into a new generation of products that are better and more sustainable. Tina & the Aralez Bio team are always eager to connect with like-minded individuals interested in green chemistry, sustainability, and the creation of sustainable bio-based products. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Living Carbon is a portfolio company at Climate Capital Bio, where Jenny works as a Managing Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts:We're back with another exciting episode of the Climate Capital podcast! Join us as we dive deep into a chat with Maddie Hall, CEO and co-founder of Living Carbon. Living Carbon leverages synthetic biology to enhance the carbon capture capabilities of trees.Raised in Seattle, Maddie's interest in climate change was sparked early on by her experience witnessing methane leakage in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.Living Carbon's mission is to develop and deploy a synthetic biology carbon removal solution that maximizes the amount of carbon captured per acre. Rather than focusing on crops, as much of the existing field work does, Living Carbon has chosen to concentrate on trees, drawing on methods used in the early 2010s for poplar engineering for biofuel production.Navigating the carbon project development landscape has been one of the greatest challenges for Maddie. The complex and often varying interpretation of methodologies, coupled with an element of in-group mentality among legacy nonprofits and old-school carbon product developers, has presented hurdles. However, Maddie believes that the market needs to mature and that mission-aligned companies joining forces can help change the system from the ground up.As a female founder in a male-dominated field, Maddie also discusses the added challenges and pressures she has faced.Looking forward, Maddie envisions Living Carbon playing a dual role: being the 'picks and shovels' that allow for the scaling of the nature-based carbon capture market, and developing first-of-its-kind projects to demonstrate the feasibility of their approach. She encourages anyone interested in the field or looking to contribute to reach out and join the journey. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Rubi Laboratories is a portfolio company of Climate Capital, where Jenny works as a Managing Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts:Welcome to another episode of the Climate Capital podcast! Today, we're thrilled to share an in-depth conversation with Neeka Mashouf, co-founder and CEO of Rubi Laboratories. Neeka's journey is rooted in a deep passion for nature and the environment, a passion she shares with her twin sister. They have always been captivated by the science behind nature, and their childhood experiences in a nature-focused community fueled their drive to contribute to climate solutions.Rubi Laboratories is pioneering what Neeka terms the 'Symbiotic Era' of manufacturing. This novel concept involves capturing CO2 and transforming it into useful materials, emulating the process of trees absorbing carbon dioxide. Their primary focus presently is on creating cellulose – a key component in textiles – from CO2. This impressive feat of engineering is not only a technological marvel but also addresses the urgent need for sustainable manufacturing processes.Scalability has been a significant challenge in their journey. Neeka shared the difficulties they faced in transitioning from millilitre scale to larger scales. They learned to allocate ample time for research and development at each stage to understand the system and optimize it before moving to the next scale. It's a testament to their resilience and adaptability, qualities that are crucial for any startup.One of the unique aspects of Rubi Laboratories is its culture. Neeka emphasizes creativity and ownership. She believes that these two elements, combined with a shared vision for a sustainable future, can create a powerful and effective team. This culture has undoubtedly played a vital role in their journey, enabling them to overcome challenges and continually innovate.Neeka's story is a true inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those passionate about the environment. Her dedication to sustainable manufacturing and creating a more symbiotic relationship with nature provides a guiding light for future endeavors in the field of decarbonization. If you're interested in learning more about Rubi Laboratories or getting involved, Neeka encourages you to reach out and join their community. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Rubi Laboratories is a portfolio company of Climate Capital, where Michael works as a General Partner and Jenny works as a Managing Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decisionIn the latest CC Pod led by Michael and Jenny, they interview Melik Demirel, one of the co-founders of Tandem Repeat. Through the integration of biotechnology and sustainable practices, Tandem Repeat is revolutionizing the way we think about fashion and its impact on the environment.At the beginning of the episode, Melik shares his background and personal story. Having moved to the United States at a young age, he made a significant contribution to the scientific community by writing groundbreaking code in protein dynamics. This achievement sparked curiosity and admiration from his peers, setting the stage for his passion for innovation and problem-solving.Tandem Repeat is driven by a team of three co-founders who recognized the need for a technological solution to address the environmental challenges posed by the fashion industry. Their company, founded in 2018, focuses on developing sustainable materials and fabrics that have a minimal carbon footprint.Melik explains how they utilize biotechnology to manipulate genes, allowing them to optimize natural fibers and create innovative materials. By harnessing the power of fermentation and genetic engineering, Tandem Repeat aims to produce eco-friendly fabrics that can replace harmful synthetic alternatives.Building a startup is never without its challenges, and Melik openly shares some of the obstacles he has faced. From perfecting the conversion of fibers into fabric to navigating disagreements with investors, Tandem Repeat has encountered its fair share of setbacks. However, through perseverance and effective communication, Melik and his team have managed to overcome these hurdles and grow both personally and professionally.Looking ahead, Melik envisions Tandem Repeat as a key player in the sustainable fashion industry. Their mission is to save the world one garment at a time, and they plan to achieve this by expanding their product offerings and continuing to innovate at the intersection of climate and biotech. Melik's ambition is for Tandem Repeat to become an integral part of a growing society and a catalyst for positive change. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Gelatex s is a portfolio company of Climate Capital, where Jenny works as a Managing Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts:In the latest episode of the Climate Capital podcast, hosted by Jenny Kan - GP of Climate Capital's Bio Fund - we had the privilege of delving into the world of Gelatex. This innovative materials technology company, led by co-founders Mari-Ann and Märt-Erik, is on a mission to revolutionize various industries by offering sustainable and versatile solutions. TL;DL (too long; didn’t listen):Gelatex's proprietary technology, developed in Estonia, enables the efficient production of bio-based nanofibers. These nanofibers possess unique properties that can be harnessed across a wide range of applications: from eco-friendly leather-like textiles to cultured meat, wound care, bio-based filtration materials, and tissue engineering.Initially starting with a focus on eco-friendly textiles, Mari-Ann and Märt-Erik realized the immense potential of their nanofiber technology and made a pivotal decision to pivot in 2020. This move allowed them to explore new avenues and applications, broadening their impact on multiple industries.Mari-Ann and Märt-Erik emphasize the importance of putting together a skilled and passionate team that aligns with their vision. Their dedication to finding the right people has been instrumental in overcoming obstacles and achieving milestones.Looking ahead, Gelatex has ambitious plans to expand their production capabilities. They aim to establish a certified production facility, paving the way for widespread adoption of their groundbreaking materials. By continuing to disrupt industries and provide sustainable alternatives, Gelatex envisions a future where high-tech materials reshape lab-grown products. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Wild Microbes is a portfolio company of Climate Capital, where Michael works as a General Partner and Jenny works as a Managing Partner.CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision.Subscribe to CC Pod wherever you listen to your podcasts:In the latest episode of the Climate Capital podcast, hosts Michael and Jenny engage in an insightful conversation with Ben Kramer, the co-founder of Wild Microbes. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Wild Microbes is on a unique mission: harnessing the incredible potential of microbes to create sustainable products.TL;DL (too long; didn’t listen):Kramer, a Stanford graduate, outlines Wild Microbes' ambitious vision to replace environmentally destructive products in the supply chain with biologically engineered solutions. He explains the concept of bioproduction, illustrating how over 60% of physical goods in our supply chain can be made biologically. The potential scope of biomanufacturing is broad, ranging from producing dyes and pigments to ingredients for food and cosmetics.One significant challenge that Wild Microbes addresses within the biotech industry is improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the fermentation process. The company pioneers the use of novel microbes, sourced from diverse environments, to enhance the fermentation process. Their approach involves identifying microbes that naturally thrive in conditions similar to those within a fermentation tank, transforming biomanufacturing challenges into opportunities.Kramer also highlights the commercial traction that Wild Microbes is currently gaining. Companies in the food, cosmetics, and chemical sectors are showing interest, eager to launch their own bio-based products.The work of Wild Microbes stands as a testament to the power of innovative biotechnology in creating a more sustainable future. Focusing on harnessing the potential of microbes, the company is driving changes within the biotech industry and making significant contributions to the fight against climate change. The prospect is exciting, making us anticipate what the future of sustainable product development might hold. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe