Listen Time: Full Show 38:51 (no ads) | Free Preview 31:19 Today, we are speaking with Shaun Abrahamson from Third Sphere . Third Sphere is a leading ClimateTech investor that also has a debt strategy for high-volume production startups in the hardware space. They have backed companies like ChargeLab , ClimateBase , Gradient , OneWheel , Therma , Revivn , & Wasted ( check out the episode we did with Revivn ). This is Shaun’s third time on the pod — if this is your first time hearing him, you...
Nov 15, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 220
There’s no sugarcoating it…Trump is bad news for ClimateTech — but thankfully, we have interviewed 200+ ClimateTech Entrepreneurs on how to build politically resilient companies — ensuring the future is greener no matter who the president is. Today, we’re distilling those key lessons for you. Key risks across / what’s on the chopping block Possible silver linings & some wins Recognizing the reality of the situation Examples of likely downside Choose a new narrative Key advice to startups Bet...
Nov 08, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 219
Today we are joined by Duncan Logan , CEO & Co-Founder of 9Zero . A community platform to bring climate professionals together in person and online so we can work together to solve the climate crisis. Duncan previously founded RocketSpace where he saw many tech startups that would go on to become unicorns. Companies like Uber, FlexPort, and Spotify. Having this experience made him realize the importance of creating a hub for people to collaborate and bump into each other. They are extending ...
Oct 31, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 218
Jean-Simon Venne is the co-founder and CTO of BrainBox AI, a pioneering company using artificial intelligence to optimize energy use in buildings. With a background in telecom and deep expertise in building mechanics and computer engineering, Jean-Simon has led BrainBox’s efforts to bring scalable, autonomous HVAC systems to the market. In this episode, Jean-Simon discusses his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of scaling AI in the built environment, and how BrainBox AI leverages deep lear...
Oct 29, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 217
Brian Berzin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Thea Energy, a nuclear fusion company aiming to commercialize clean, dispatchable energy. With over 70 years of scientific research from Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, Thea Energy focuses on utilizing a stellarator design for efficient and scalable fusion power. Previously an electrical engineer and venture capitalist, Brian combines his technical and entrepreneurial expertise to lead Thea in developing the next generation of energy solutions, targeting c...
Oct 24, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 216
Today, we are speaking with Liz Dennett , the CEO and Founder of Endolith . Endolith recently spun out of Cemvita to form its own independent company. ( Ep #200 with Moji from Cemvita ) By 2050, we will need more copper than in the history of mankind due to the electrification of industry and developing countries. If we don’t solve this, it could lead to geopolitical conflicts. Their tech uses microbes to eat crushed rocks and poop out copper (I did say explain it to me like I’m 5). They add thi...
Oct 22, 2024•44 min•Season 1Ep. 215
A while ago, we released a survey to collect people's feedback on NY Climate Week 2024. Well… the results are in! And we are here to recap them. If you want to know… What people thought the best events were (and why) As well as the worst… (namedropped… 😬) and why Favorite topics Topics people want to see more next year What everyone’s goal was, and did they achieve it? What people will do differently next year And takeaways from your favorite CleanTechies hosts We enjoyed making this, and we th...
Oct 17, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 214
Arjun Jairaj is an investor at noa, a London-based VC firm focused on early-stage ventures in the built environment across North America and Europe. With experience spanning private equity, startup founding, and advisory roles, Arjun has worked in India, the UK, and beyond, including founding a shared economy startup called Plonk. At noa, he focuses on real estate, construction, energy, and mobility, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and climate technology. In this episode, Arjun shares i...
Oct 15, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 213
We're joined by Panama Bartholomy, Founder and Executive Director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC). We talk about Panama’s background, the journey of creating the BDC, and why heat pumps and electrification are at the heart of decarbonizing buildings. He shares insights on the challenges of transforming America’s building sector, the importance of state-level action, and the opportunities for public-private partnerships in pushing climate tech forward. We also talk about China, an...
Oct 09, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 212
Bucket List: - Do a live podcast recording ✅ Thanks to Extantia, one of THE leading ClimateTech funds in Europe, we recorded our first live podcast with Co-Founder, Partner, & LinkedIn Top Voice Yair Reem . It was FOAKing awesome. And no, it wasn’t awesome just because we got to do a live podcast, but because so many of you showed up to listen!! Shoutout to all of the CleanTechies that came through; we’re sufficiently motivated to do another 🚀. No frills this time, the pizazz was in the rec...
Oct 04, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 211
And... don't forget to fill out the post climate week survey! 📝 NYCW 2024 was a DOOZY…filled with plenty of good and crazy times that we equally don’t really remember. It went by in a blur, but so much happened in the week that we need to break it down with all you CleanTechies out there. Listen to the ep to hear about: What events we liked — Third Sphere, Political Risk Event, Climate Capital Summit, New Climate Futures The events we didn’t like — VC hangouts & loud bar meetups Our biggest...
Oct 02, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 210
Hey Everyone! We're excited to share two big announcements. 🚨🚨 First, CleanTechies is doing its first-ever live podcast! 🎙️🎊 We are partnering with Extantia , one of THE leading ClimateTech VCs in Europe, to do our first ever live podcast recording. 🎉 When: Wednesday, Sep. 25th @ 4 pm Sharp (be early) Where: Register for address Register for 1 of 15 CleanTechies tickets here: https://lu.ma/n8gteqtm Second, we are hosting a soccer game for CleanTechies ⚽ When: Friday, Sep. 27th @ 5:30 pm Whe...
Sep 23, 2024•2 min•Season 2Ep. 1
NY Climate Week is ####ing insane — event after event after event. If you’re not careful, you’ll waste an entire week of work and sleep — and get nothing out of it. We are here to give you our two cents… or rather, 35 min of advice on how to get the most out of your climate week experience. This is for you regardless if this is your first or fifth climate week. We broke it down into: Before - How to prep During - What to keep in mind during the chaos After - Mastering the follow-up Have a listen...
Sep 19, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 209
We’re back with another episode featuring Jonathan, a founder shaking up the battery tech industry! Jonathan, a UC Berkeley Chemical Engineering grad, spent years in wastewater treatment before realizing the key driver of adoption was economics. In 2017, he and his co-founders, frustrated with their jobs, started their own company after working in thin film membrane industries. (Psst! This is a free version of the episode. To get the whole enchilada, become a paid subscriber on our substack ) To...
Sep 17, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 208
In this episode, we are joined by Till Stenzel, Partner at SET Ventures, a European venture capital firm that has been in operation in 2007 which makes them one of the first climate VCs out there. They invest $2-$5M in rounds that range from $3-10M at the Series A/A+ stage. SET Ventures focuses on innovative business models and typically like to lead or co-lead rounds. Their investments range over 6 focus areas: distributed energy systems, digital utilities, AI & enabling technologies, built...
Sep 12, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 207
This is a masterclass on investing in the future 🌍💰. Today, we're sitting down with Peter Sofer, Investment Partner at Clean Energy Ventures (CEV). Based in Austin, Texas, Peter tackles investing in the toughest-to-decarbonize sectors. CEV is known for backing companies that could be the only game in town for the long haul, with potential to achieve multi-gigaton greenhouse gas reductions. Peter’s journey is packed with insights, from his time at the Environmental Defense Fund to leading Clean...
Sep 09, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 206
Today’s episode is special to me! When I first learned about ClimateTech, I dreamed of building a Venture Studio in the space. Although I didn’t even know what a Venture Studio was back then, I quickly realized that founder-market fit is crucial for success. While I’m not there yet, I started my own recruitment firm to gain the freedom and impact I wanted in a field with a huge need for affordable services. Maybe one day, I’ll follow in Ben’s footsteps. But for now, this conversation with Benjam...
Sep 03, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 205
We don’t always have climate philanthropic-learning orgs on, but when we do, it’s always a banger 💥 We're sitting down with Karl Burkart, the Co-Founder and Deputy Director of One Earth. One Earth funds advanced scientific research and technology applications to address the climate crisis at scale across three pillars: Renewable energy transition Nature conservation Regenerative agriculture Karl's journey is nothing short of fascinating, starting from his early days as an architect focused on s...
Aug 28, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 204
This is a special breakdown of Ample’s strategic playbook and how you can apply it to your hardware climate startup. The full version of this episode is only available to our paid subscribers — soo… if you’re looking for a reason to become a paid sub… here is your chance 😉 Become a paid subscriber today by clicking here: 👇 https://cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe Links John de Souza | Ample Inc. Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn ...
Aug 25, 2024•7 min•Season 1Ep. 203
Today, our guest is John de Souza . Co-founder of Ample Inc . A startup betting that battery swapping is the future. If you're at all like me, you're thinking that sounds bat shit crazy. Well, listen to today's episode, and you'll realize it's the opposite. It's the only logical conclusion to EVs. We can't gloss over this -- John is special. This is his 4th major startup endeavor, and it's clear that it is because he brings a level of maturity and wisdom that very few founders do. He could have ...
Aug 22, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 202
Drew D’Alelio is an Investor at Connecticut Innovations, the government investing arm of the state of Connecticut, who helps manage and co-founded the state’s $100M climate tech fund. He plays a pivotal role in managing their $100M Climate Tech fund with a triple bottom line of returns, climate mitigation and adaptation, and CT jobs. His passion for sustainability was sparked by witnessing the impacts of climate change firsthand in Florida, where his family is from. Over the years, he has develo...
Aug 20, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 201
Woo Hoo! Episode #200 🎉🎉🎉 We are thrilled to release our 200th episode with the one and only Moji Karimi. Moji is a co-founder of Cemvita, the biotech powerhouse that has also birthed GoldH2 and Endolith (now individual companies). This is the free version of the episode. To get the full thing, go to our Substack and become a paid subscriber. Any paid tier gets full access to the episode. Today, Moji shares with us, His journey into entrepreneurship and Cemvita What in the world they do and w...
Aug 15, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 200
Vivin Hegde is a visionary in the built environment space — from leading innovation efforts at Hilti to co-founding Zacua Ventures, Vivin is on a mission to redefine how we think about construction and infrastructure. In this episode, he dives deep into the challenges and opportunities of investing in the built environment, sharing his journey from managing corporate venture capital at Hilti to launching Zacua Ventures, where he backs early-stage startups focused on decarbonization, productivity...
Aug 13, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 199
Today, we are speaking with Kieran White. Co-Founder of Curo. At Curo they help EV Fleet owners secure reliable charging without the need to build their own infrastructure. This has the double benefit of allowing existing infrastructure owners to maximize their assets. Today’s call is super fun. We discuss: How he hustled his way into a job with Tesla at 18, even tho they claimed to only hire 21 and older The effect this exp had on him and how it led to him launching Curo How they help fleet own...
Aug 09, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 198
Hey everyone! Today’s episode is a special issue. We are unpacking Susan Su’s recent article “What a second Trump presidency would mean for climate investing” . She originally posted this on her Substack, Climate Money but we wanted to unpack it for those who prefer to learn by audio. The first ~20 minutes of today’s episode are public, but you’ll need to be a paid subscriber to access the remaining 17 minutes. Get the full episode and support our work while doing so by going to CleanTechies.Sub...
Aug 05, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 196
Edo is a rockstar individual — from tackling the lack of green employer incentive problem to building climate tech communities across the USA, Edo joins us to share his journey from working in sustainability at Apple to founding Elements World, making it possible for employers to hit their sustainability targets through their employees. He discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in addressing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by leveraging the often-overlooked potential of employee-related a...
Jul 29, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 195
Today we speak with Ravi Kurani, CEO and Founder of Sutro (water IoT device company -- exited to Sani Marc). Aaand the creator and host of Liquid Assets, a Podcast interviewing the leading voices in WaterTech. Between Ravi's background as a founder in the water, his familiarity with the water ecosystem, and now his opportunity to interview the leaders in the water space, he's a great person to have on regarding all things water. We feel that we got a hell of a deal here. We get to have one conve...
Jul 25, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 194
Today, we are talking to Matthias Muehlbauer of OnePointFive . We have the pleasure of covering one of our good friends, Matthias Muehlbauer at the powerhouse firm OnePointFive. Matthias is a Founding Partner at the firm, where their activities range across two operations: **They provide diligence and climate advisory services **They train sustainability professionals They’re bringing a level of success and professionalism that is beating MBB (top 3 consulting firms) at the sustainability game. ...
Jul 23, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Dimitry Gershenson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Enduring Planet. A fractional CFO and Non-Dilutive Funding service for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs. As for funding, they provide working capital for founders who have landed grants or who have government contracts. It's great to see more Climate-Specific service providers to help continue supporting the ecosystem. Today, Dimitry shares his story, and we discuss: **The importance of and when to hire a fractional CFO **Funding underrepresented founders...
Jul 18, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 192
In our third installment of sustainable building materials, we’re taking another look at lumber. We’ve already called reclaimed lumber “the superpower building material you’ve never heard of”. As a refresher, lumber, processed wood from trees, is a versatile and widely used building material known for its strength, durability, and workability. So why isn’t there more of it in our buildings? Well, as great as lumber is, usable lumber from our buildings only comes from a few places — in the USA, i...
Jul 15, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 191
