The Collective VC Podcast

"I worry for my children, I worry for my children's children" In this candid chat with a live audience, Jamie Burrows shares his 10-year journey building a vertical farming company that's addressing both food and water security in a changing climate.→ Hear how personal tragedy at 29 led Jamie to reassess his path and take "the jump" into vertical farming→ Follow his journey from working "7 nights a week" in a rundown Deptford warehouse to raising £37M→ Understand why he believes "price parity is very important" for sustainable food innovation→ Discover why family offices, not VCs, are funding this intergenerational visionHear how Jamie transitioned from US Air Force engineer to agricultural innovator, working "7 nights a week" in a rundown Deptford warehouse before raising £37M to revolutionize food production. He explains why vertical farming isn't a "one stop shop solution" but part of a broader approach to combat climate change and resource scarcity.➢ verticalfuture.com➢ rebelmeetups.com➢ themillsfabrica.comRecorded at The Mills Fabrica for "Rebel Meets: CLIMATE EDITION" - the first topic-focused Rebel Meetup bringing together innovators and climate tech enthusiasts. 📹 Thankful for Ant Silva (@mags__media) for filming.📷 Thankful for Daisy (@daisydrewettmedia) for photography. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

Today, we’re joined by Dessi Pettersson, Head of Impact at Sagana—a climate-focused VC firm bridging Europe and Africa. 🌍💡 Key topics we cover:🔹 The differences between VC in Europe & Africa🔹 How cross-pollination between ecosystems drives impact🔹 The challenges of early-stage climate investing🔹 The future of exits & liquidity in African markets🔹 Why passion-driven founders outperform in emerging markets⚡ Notable insights:→ Why VC models don’t always fit African markets→ The role of fintech in climate investing→ How capital stacks must evolve for real impact→ The hidden risks of corruption & regulation in emerging markets→ Why IP protection is different in Africa vs. Europe🌱 "If you can invest in Africa the right way—balancing impact and returns—you’re part of something extraordinary."#VentureCapital #ClimateTech #Africa This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

In this episode, I sit down with Stenver Jerkku, founder and CEO of Soldera, a pioneering force in renewable energy innovation. Stenver is a seasoned tech entrepreneur whose ventures span renewable energy, AI, and climate finance. With over €20 million in venture capital raised, he’s founded companies such as eAgronom, transforming farming toward carbon neutrality, and Solid World, which created commodities markets for climate finance. Now, with Soldera, Stenver is empowering renewable energy producers by enabling automated guarantees of origin (GO) sales for immense time savings, better deals & market access.Stenver delves into his journey from working at the unicorn Glia to founding Soldera, where he and his team streamline GOs to create income for smaller energy producers who can feel stumped by market bureaucracy — and how aggregating producers’ GOs maximizes their market leverage instead. Stenver’s vision is fueled by AI-driven solutions that automate administrative burdens for energy producers, helping them focus on their core mission: contributing to a sustainable energy future.Enjoy this insightful episode with a true innovator in climate tech!#climatetech #venturecapital #guaranteesoforigin #renewableenergy #sustainability #startups ----------------------------------------00:00 - Introduction to Guarantees of Origin03:50 - From Carbon Markets to GO Markets07:00 - What are Guarantees of Origin13:45 - Strategies for Market Access in Renewable Energy16:00 - National GO Auctions18:00 - Addressing Market Volatility and Seasonal Demand21:00 - GO Sales Strategies25:20 - Long Term Vision 26:44 - Green Hydrogen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

🤖 Discover how the world's best robot hands are made! Join us for a fascinating conversation with Rich Walker, Director of Shadow Robot Company, as we unpack robotic dexterity and the landscape of engineering robotics for specific future applications.Key Topics Discussed:🔧 The evolution of Shadow Robot's world-class robotic hands🧠 Understanding dexterity in robotics vs human hands🔬 How AI and deep learning are transforming robotic manipulation🌱 The role of robots in addressing climate change challenges💼 Insights into running an employee-owned robotics company➡️ Rich's LinkedIn: / walkerrich 🌐 Shadow Robot: https://www.shadowrobot.com/💡 Subscribe for future episodes featuring innovators, founders, and investors sculpting the future!#Robotics #ClimateTech #venturecapital 🌐www.collective.vc This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

In this episode, Ollie chats with Etienne Variot, who shares his journey from the financial sector to leading efforts in regenerative agriculture. Discover how Regen Insight and Rize are providing farmers with cutting-edge tools and innovative financing models to support their sustainability initiatives.➣ 🌱 Regen Insight: guarantees the climatic impact of regenerative agriculture by leveraging agricultural and environmental data through a simple, intuitive tool. Trusted insight into your regenerative efforts, and high-impact carbon certificates.➣ 🌾 Rize ag: Building the first tech-verified carbon finance platform in agriculture, blending advanced technologies, such as advanced soil modelling, carbon footprint, and satellite imagery.We also dive deep into Etienne's challenges as a founder and his insights on the complex and evolving regenerative agriculture ecosystem. Learn about the obstacles he faced, the strategies he employed to overcome them, and his visions for the future.Etienne's work has been recognized as one of the 30 most promising Foodtechs in Europe by Plug and Play and as part of Future 40 at Station F.P.S. Curious about how regenerative agriculture can change the future of farming? Comment below with your thoughts! 🌍➣ Etienne's LinkedIn: / etiennevariot ➣ Regen Insight: https://www.regeninsight.com/➣ Rize Ag: https://www.rizeag.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

You may recognize him—AutiHD pitched in our competition event in April. Recap here: ( • Collective VC Pitch Competition: Apri... )In this episode, we explore the intricacies of daily life with Autism and ADHD, something close to Ollie's heart, in much more detail than our initial three-minute pitch competition allowed. Joel sheds light on the daily experiences of neurodivergent people, the backwards elements of healthcare systems, and frustrations in workplace environments. Joel's experiences eventually culminated in something incredible: launching a startup in the highly complex healthcare sector to support those with Autism and ADHD.From discussing the critical need for timely support to sharing strategies for inclusive hiring practices, this episode offers a comprehensive look at AUTIHD's mission. Seeking to empower individuals with ASD and ADHD, Joel's journey from personal diagnosis to entrepreneurial endeavor is a great example of purposeful entrepreneurship. Whether you want to build in this space or not, you'll gain valuable perspectives on understanding neurodiversity even just a little better than before. Equally, for startups and investors—get ready to tap into key info on building a platform that bridges gaps in mental health care with AI-driven solutions and community support 🧠💬.Joel is also hosting a free webinar on July 24th: "Neurodiversity in the Workplace - ADHD and Autism." Register here: ttps://www.autihd.com/webinar-beamreach➣ Joel's LinkedIn: / jo%c3%abl-schmit-a6513259 ➣ AutiHD: www.AutiHD.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

For this Collective VC episode, Ollie chatted with Max Pog, an expert on all things Venture Studios (via Venture Studio Family).Max is a prominent figure in the venture studio world. He conducted a viral 7-month research project on venture studios and hosted two of the largest venture studio conferences with over 1,000 registrations each — most recently being the Fund of Funds & Family Office Online Conference with over 3000 registrations. Most importantly, Max founded the Venture Studio Family community, providing support and a space for venture builders and start-up/venture studios to collaborate and share learnings. Additionally, Max co-leads an investment syndicate for studios and interviews studio founders and VCs on his podcast. Check out Max's YouTube channel / @pogmax !We wanted to delve into the niche mechanisms that make Venture Studios a hot topic, ranging from investor-founder dynamics to the various best practices and trends that arose from Max's research.As always, we hope you enjoy!➣ / maxpog ➣ https://inniches.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

Doerte Hirschberg co-founded Climentum Capital, a leading fund that invests in champions of decarbonization. Climentum focuses on European early-stage companies that eliminate emissions at their industrial sources. ✅Amber and Ollie chatted with Doerte to explore perspectives on ClimateTech, the intricacies of Article 9 VC, and some of the key challenges of running and operating a fund—from company culture and ethical challenges to taking the right meetings and best practices in diligence processes. 🌱We also discussed the early-stage industrial decarbonization landscape across different European nations and touched on the economics of venture funding in climate. Additionally, we identified the most valuable startups in various ClimateTech sectors and examined what might make investors more cautious about diving into nascent climate technologies across different geographies. 🌍This episode is definitely value-packed for those interested in climate. Enjoy!➣ Doerte's LinkedIn: / doerte-hirschberg-393a06 ➣ Climentum Capital: https://climentum.com#Investor #VentureCapital #ClimateTech This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

Bruna Alessandri Bonetti serves as a VC Investor at Leanox Impact Capital.In this episode, we delve into her journey into VC, her perspectives on ClimateTech, and offer tips for aspiring VCs, particularly women interested in ClimateTech and beyond.We also hear about curating networks to tackle scientific challenges, barriers to entry into VC and entrepreneurship, and the experience of being in VC at a young age.Definitely a value-packed episode for aspiring VCs. Enjoy!➣ Bruna's LinkedIn: / brunaab ➣ Leanox Capital: https://www.leanox.eu#Investor #VentureCapital #ClimateTech This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

Chatted with ⚽ Neissan Monadjem, the mastermind behind LINKSPORTS INTERNATIONAL CORP.LinkSports is a platform set to transform the world of player investment. It does this by empowering fans, scouts, and brands to discover and support the next generation of athletic talent from every corner of the globe. Just as gambling on sports is so mainstream... why not make taking a gamble on the career of a young athlete equally normal, helping them in the process? In short: delivering social impact via platforming under-served and unknown talent — neatly packed into an app.Sceptical? We discussed the realities behind investing in players. How does this actually help...? You'll have to listen.A delicate process, from generating AI-driven player rankings to fan micro-sponsorship, learn how this platform is advancing careers, engaging fans, and ultimately propelling aspiring athletes towards success who otherwise would not have the abiltiy nor means.LinkSports has a clear mission to deliver impact. We hope you enjoy our discussion with ⚽ Neissan Monadjem as he shares his vision to make player investing mainstream!➣ https://linksports.com/➣ / neissan-monadjem #SportsInvestment #LinkSports #Athletics This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

In this episode, we learn from Jake Berber about what it takes to build a bean-free coffee start-up, and why he was driven to build Prefer in the first place.From the issues affecting the industry, to future-proofing coffee without using beans, to finding a co-founder, pitching investors as a FoodTech startup, and his experiences at Entrepreneur First (EF), this episode has a lot of value... and a rich flavour-profile ☕.Gain insights into fermentation as a crafting process, the sustainability mission, the unique taste profiles offered, and the strategic growth of a venture-backed brand committed to preserving the affordability of coffee for future generations. This was a lot of fun. As always, enjoy!0:00 - Introduction to Prefer and its Mission0:50 - The Process of Creating Coffee without Coffee Beans1:22 - The Challenges and Solutions in Flavor Creation3:56 - The Impact of Climate Change on Coffee Production4:40: - Sustainable Growth and Mission of Prefer5:40 - The Taste Profile of Prefer Coffee7:00 - Customizing Caffeine Levels in Coffee8:50 - Health Aspects and Benefits of Prefer Coffee9:55 - Products Offered by Prefer11:00 - Packaging vs Taste13:10 - The Entrepreneurial Journey: From Neuroscience to Prefer15:00 - Entrepreneur First and Finding the Right Co-founder19:00 - Approaching Investors in FoodTech21:00 - Big Stories, Huge Vision vs Ambiguity21:30- Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in Food Tech and Sustainability24:00 - How the Audience Can Support Prefer's Growth24:50 - Addressing Misconceptions and Supporting the Coffee Industry26:00 - The Origin and Benefits of the Name 'Prefer'➣ https://www.prefer.coffee/➣ / prefercoffee ➣ / prefercoffeesg ➣ / jakeberber #JakeBerber #Prefer #PreferBio #PreferCoffee #BeanFreeCoffee #Singapore #VentureCapital #ImpactStartups #ClimateChange #Coffee This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

Ziyaan Virji is a phenomenal young entrepreneur with one life mission:To have an impact on 1 billion lives around the world. He's the Founder and CEO of Leaders of Today, one of the fastest-growing communities of young people who are changing the world. He's scaled the community to over 100,000+ young people via a weekly newsletter, podcast, and opportunity list. He also founded For The Menstruator, and led a team of over 150+ young change makers from over 10 countries around the world in the goal of creating a world of menstrual equity, positively impacting 20,000+ menstruators, co-designing a reusable sanitary package that is cost-effective and eco-friendly. He's scaled his personal LinkedIn to 20,000+ followers, and reached 500, 000 engagements for FTM on social media using various campaigns such as #myperiodstory and #passthepad. He also raised over $50,000 through sponsorships, partnerships, crowdfunding and various events, launching the first-ever International Period Month in collaboration with 30+ organisations from around the world. Additionally he worked with the Vancouver Propel Impact Fund in a full cycle of investment activities.➣ https://www.leadersoftodaypod.com/➣ https://leadersoftoday.beehiiv.com/➣ / ziyaanvirji 0:00 - Introduction1:29 - Leaders of Today and the Impact Fund2:07 - Focus Shift to Leaders of Today2:31 - Mission and Structure of Leaders of Today4:41 - Importance of Democratizing Access to Opportunities5:06 - Personal Motivation Behind Leaders of Today6:37 - The Importance of Providing Varied Opportunities8:04 - Background and Founding of For the Menstruator11:07 - Challenges and Learnings from Nonprofit Work14:50 - Overcoming Stereotypes and Gender Norms in Health Sector17:26 - Engagement of Men in Feminine Health Issues19:22 - Expanding Beyond One Social Issue20:31 - Personal Journey and Reflecting on Purpose21:26 - Balancing Profit and Social Impact23:29 - Measuring Impact in Venture Capital25:16 - Perception of B Corp Certification26:03 - Investing with Impact28:48 - Future Career Directions30:39 - Benefits and Drawbacks of Building a Large Community32:21 - Strategy Behind Growing a Community36:31 - Personal Approach to Public Engagement39:33 - Handling Public Perception and Building Genuine Connections41:52 - Engagement and Growth on LinkedIn44:02 - Navigating Growth and Brand Authenticity47:36 - Dealing with Perception and Authentic Engagement49:02 - Advice for Leaders of Today This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

For Collective VC Podcast EP3, we sit down in conversation with with Arunjay Katakam after his latest book release. Arunjay is a global citizen, serial entrepreneur, and passionate inclusivist. From his early days at EY to co-founding startups like Yooz, his expertise in fintech and remittances is unparalleled. As the founder of Yooz and a mentor at DFS Lab and Catalyst Fund, Arunjay has played a pivotal role in driving financial inclusion in developing countries. Currently, he spearheads initiatives at the UNCDF, leading innovation on migration and remittances. Arunjay's latest book, "Generation Hope: How Inclusive Economics Can Help Us All Thrive," explores mindsets of scarcity, abundance, our current path, and what we can do."This book illustrates how to continue moving from a mindset of scarcity and survival to one of abundance and thriving, from narrow-minded self interest to an awareness that we are part of a much larger interconnected whole.The world needs us. Together, we can save our planet and help humanity thrive." Generation Hope: How Inclusive Economics Can Help Us All Thrive," offers a transformative perspective on building a more equitable future. To fully grasp the depth of topics explored, his book is essential reading. Importantly, Arunjay does not profit from the book, and encourages donations to Acumen.This episode barely scratches the surface - Go grab the book!➣ https://www.arunjay.com/generation-hope➣ https://www.arunjay.com/➣ / arunjay #ArunjayKatakam #GlobalCitizen #SerialEntrepreneur #Inclusivist #FintechInnovation #SocialImpact #CollectiveVC #GenerationHope #InclusiveEconomics 00:00 - Introduction and Book Discussion02:01 - Arunjay's Journey and Career Insights04:10 - The Concept of Consciousness Explained05:08 - Anecdote: Learning from Mistakes and Consciousness07:05 - The Importance of Mindfulness and Meditation10:12 - Detaching from Materialism and Embracing Minimalism13:37 - Analyzing the Gig Economy and Algorithmic Impact16:42 - The Ethical Dilemma of Gig Economy Workers19:16 - Personal Responsibility and Collective Action for Change22:20 - Consumer Behavior and Its Impact on Society24:20 - The Challenge of Distributing Your Message27:40 - The Future of Digital and Financial Innovation30:45 - Web3's Potential to Transform Business Models34:06 - Critique of Bitcoin and the Need for Financial Innovation36:04 - Envisioning a More Efficient Financial Services Sector38:10 - The Role of Venture Capital in Driving Social Change42:43 - The Impact of Generational Consciousness on Society44:14 - The Importance of Cooperative Games and Collaboration46:47 - Venture Capital's Evolving Landscape and Challenges49:31 - Reframing Education for Future Generations54:17 - Personal Insights: Living a Life of Purpose56:03 - The Power of Chess in Learning to Lose and Collaborate1:00:00 - Education's Role in Societal Change1:02:40 - Encouraging Collaborative Over Competitive Dynamics1:04:47 - Balancing Capitalism with Collaborative Efforts1:06:19 - Breaking Free from Binary Political Labels This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

The second episode of the Collective VC podcast features Reese Wong, the founder of Micromeetup: re-imagining connection via small-scale, personalised meetups👋He shares his insights on community building, the student entrepreneur lifestyle, finding a good balance, and insights into the startup scene while studying at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), as the president of LSESU Entrepreneurs. He talks about curating the Global Shapers - London Hub II how he would build a hypothetical investment philosophy, his future visions for Micromeetup, and much, much more (chapters in the video) ‼️ 🌍 • Reese Wong: Communities, Curation, St... ➣ https://micromeetup.co.uk➣ https://www.reesewong.com/➣ / reesewong1 I'm having way too much fun making these 😂#CollectiveVC #Podcast #VentureCapital #ReeseWong0:00 - Introduction to Reese Wong and the Collective VC Podcast0:32 - Reese Wong's Portfolio Career and Community Building Projects1:32 - The Value of an Entrepreneurial Mindset and Challenges Outside London2:08 - The Intersection of International Relations and Entrepreneurship2:36 - Reese's Engagement with London's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem3:20 - Analyzing the Unique Entrepreneurial Culture at LSE4:04 - Supporting Entrepreneurs at LSE with a Broad Range of Events5:06 - The Influence of Finance and Consulting Aspirations at LSE6:19 - Addressing the Aspirational Aspects of Entrepreneurship Among Students7:08 - Reese Wong's Early Influence and Initiatives in Hong Kong9:17 - The Challenges of Community Building and Engagement10:21 - Insights into the World Economic Forum and Global Shapers Community12:30 - Reese Wong's Role and Impact within the Global Shapers Community14:44 - Diverse Initiatives and Local Impact Projects by Global Shapers in London17:01 - The Importance of Effective Time Management and Prioritization19:17 - Balancing University Work with Entrepreneurial and Community Efforts21:04 - The Optimal Time for Starting a Startup During University23:08 - Keeping Doors Open While Pursuing Entrepreneurial Ventures24:43 - Vision and Goals for Micromeetup: Enhancing Real-World Connections26:24 - The Concept of Micro Events and Their Unique Appeal28:19 - Strategies for Encouraging Real-Life Connections Through Technology30:19 - The Challenge of Changing Mindsets in Consumer Behavior32:00 - Building a Team and Leveraging Public Interest for Micromeetup33:37 - The Value of Building in Public and Engaging with Community35:31 - Reese Wong's Long-Term Aspirations and Focus for the Future37:49 - Investment Thesis Focused on Driving Mindset Change Through Tech39:01 - The Potential of Short-Form Content in Shifting Mentalities40:17 - Reflections and Advice to Reese's Future Self This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc

The first (mini!) episode of the Collective VC podcast features Javier Caruso, an Angel investor based in Argentina, founder of Webstarted and Webstarted Ventures. 🚀He shares his insights on the Latin American VC market, his investment philosophy focused on people and software-as-a-service companies, and building conviction in founders. ✊➣ https://webstarted.com/➣ https://www.webstartedventures.com/➣ / jdcaruso 0:00 - Introduction to Javier Caruso and Collective VC Podcast0:06 - Javier's Background and WebStarted Initiative1:07 - Venture Institute Experience and Future Plans1:29 - Challenges and Opportunities in Latin America's VC Market2:37 - Startup Ecosystem and Investment Focus in Latin America3:13 - Promising Sectors: Fintech, Climate Tech, HR Tech, Education3:57 - Investment Philosophy: People Over Projects5:26 - Building Conviction in Founders Before Product-Market Fit7:16 - The Importance of Aligning with Founders' Visions8:09 - The Role of a VC in Supporting and Connecting Startups9:28 - Monthly Check-Ins with Invested Companies for Growth Support10:34 - Leveraging Connections for Business Opportunities11:44 - Separating Investment and Business Services13:53 - Encouraging Founders to Make Their Own Decisions14:26 - Best Hiring Practices for Founders16:39 - The Critical Importance of Early-Stage Hiring17:47 - Co-Founders' Roles in Early Stage Startups19:00 - The Role of Venture Capital in Latin America and Globally22:13 - Advice for Founders on Picking the Right VC Partner24:35 - The Impact of VC Partnerships on Startup Direction26:06 - The Importance of Asking for Advice Over Seeking Funds27:42 - Shoutout to Portfolio Companies in Latin America28:06 - Closing Remarks and Thanks This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.collective.vc