CleanTechies Podcast

Hello everyone and welcome back to CleanTechies the Podcast. This is episode 51. ________If you are a climate tech founder with specific questions you'd like us to ask -- OR -- looking for capital and strategic partner introductions, please reach out to me via the Slack Channel or LinkedIn and we are glad to help in any way we can.  ________Today's conversation is with Demian Klenk, Co-Founder of 6c-Index, where they are building an index fund of Carbon projects that are tied to the blockchain for transparency. In this discussion, we covered what they are doing, what are the carbon markets, blockchain's role in the climate fight, seeing carbon offsets as an investment, and a lot of other things surrounding the topic of the intersection of Blockchain and ClimateTechOverall, great conversation with Demian. I'm very fascinated to see what they do and if they are able to truly crack the code on getting corporations to willingly invest in carbon removal projects.Main Talking Points: Intro to DemianRegenerative MarketsWhat is 6c-IndexWhat are Carbon MarketsHow do they workHow the credits appreciateChanging the narrativeDrawdown Blockchain and Climate ChangeBlockchain and InnovationEnabling new financial productsWhy Wyoming DAOsCreating a technically savvy publicWe 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.com6c-Index Website: https://6c-index.com/Connect with Demian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demian-klenk-ba2110183/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: @silasmahnerSupport the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/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

🌎 NYCW was a pivotal moment for many of us current or aspiring climate professionals. It brought together large swaths of diverse talent, all working in different assets to solve the climate crisis. Many of these gatherings were headlined by some of the smartest minds in climate and climate tech. An implicit goal we’ve had at the CleanTechies Podcast since then is to have as many speakers from the week as we can.I’m excited to introduce the speaker of one of the most popular talks at NYCW and the Managing Partner of Third Sphere VC, Shaun Abrahamson. ---🌎 If you'd like to see the full PodLetter, go to our substack to see all the written content that supplements the audio interview.  ---🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨---Shaun is an early-stage investor in the climate sector with a background in engineering and over a decade of focus on early-stage climate investments. Shaun’s engineering mindset involves constructing narratives with numbers and employing simple models to assess the viability of proposed ideas but combines that with the perspectives of advertising professionals, emphasizing the importance of understanding human behavior — a facet engineers might overlook. --Topics4:10 Intro8:10 Balancing returns vs. impact11:36 Bad investment signals in climate20:59 What is Third Sphere27:47 Mistakes hardware founders make31:39 Design for Finance49:46 Which climate capital stack segments are underutilized 1:00:51 Insights1:03:45 IRA59:24 Climate x AI1:08:39 Hardware MVP1:14:15 Building a company right now1:17:47 Advice to founders1:23:25 Advice to VCs--Links**Connect with Shaun | Third Sphere VC**For all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs, check out our sponsor NextWave Partners.**This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.**Connect with Somil | Connect with SilasSupport the show

In this episode, Somil chats with Josh Knauer, CEO of ReSeed, bringing carbon credits directly from farmers to the market.They focus on the oldest form of carbon capture – vegetation. They support farmers in taking their protective and restorative farming practices, validating them, and then creating the mechanisms to sell those credits to interested parties. We talked about:His strategy to differentiate these credits compared to the rest of the market, What works for them, How he’s building an entire protocol around these methods, What he’s learned from engaging with smallholder farmers,Why ag may make the best nature-based solution to carbon capture, As always, 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 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **03:12 ReSeed**06:35 Engaging with Farmers through Local NGOs**08:03 Process of Onboarding Farmers and Issuing Credits**11:23 Stabilizing Farmers on the Land**30:07 Partnering with Farmers as Business Partners**33:40 Photosynthesis as Carbon Capture**35:42 The Trading Desk and Receipt Marketplace**40:53 Maintaining the Highest Integrity Carbon Credits**48:25 Announcing Partnership at COP28**51:43 Investing in Nature-Based Solutions**56:35 Takeaways----- Links: **Josh Knauer | ReSeed**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show

Each year, about 1 billion pounds of chemicals are sprayed on crops in the US alone - globally, that number is around 5.6 billion. Our guest today is AgTechLogic, and they are solving this problem.They do this by helping Farmers retrofit their existing machinery with precision sprayers that use computer vision to identify weeds and spray only on the weeds in a concentrated way that kills the weeds and won't overlap with the crops.Today, nearly all farmers use broadcast spraying, or spraying everything. By implementing this tech, farmers can save a lot of money and produce healthier produce. Let's get into it. 🌱🌎---🌎 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: **1:13 Introduction and Overview**1:43 Reducing Chemical Overuse in Agriculture**7:36 Validation and Early Discoveries**11:11 Market Research and Initial Trials**15:37 Concerns about Herbicide Usage**20:34Case Studies and Cost Savings**24:04 Objections and Early Adoption**24:57 Reducing Water Usage and Regrowth**26:09 Building Trust and Landing the First Pilot**28:54 Entrepreneurship Later in Career**32:07 Collecting New Data**35:40 IP and Moat**37:38 Funding Journey**41:03 Responsible Growth**42:55 Future Plans and Getting the Message Out**45:48 Reaching Out and Educating Farmers**47:54 Takeaways----- Links: **Tom Gauthier | AgTechLogic **Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show

Are you curious about what happens to solar panels when they are no longer usable? Maybe your crazy uncle's statements from last Thanksgiving about how solar doesn't work are still echoing.Well, look no further. Today, we are speaking with Adam Saghei, Founder of WeRecycleSolar, and we are discussing the end of life for solar panels.How circular can we make the supply chain? What can OEMs learn about their products' end-of-life? What is the REAL lifespan of a solar panel? How is this reality affecting investor returns? How are solar panels being refurbished and resold? And how are investors getting early upgrades to make a higher return despite the additional capex?Let's get into it. 🌱🌎---🌎 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: **01:34 Intro and Background**03:15 The Problem of End-of-Life Solar Panels**08:52 Financial Implications of Shorter Lifespan**13:33 Recycling and Refurbishing Panels**16:21 Reusing Materials in the Supply Chain**21:06 Origins of We Recycle Solar**23:29 Introduction to Returns Management Programs**24:28 Starting the Refurbishing and Recycling Process**25:32 Pivoting to a New Business Model**26:44 Entrepreneurial Mindset and Taking Risks**28:14 Scaling the Business and Future Growth**30:51 Technology and Innovation in Recycling Processes**31:38 Intellectual Property and Strategic Components**32:34 Business Model and Potential Partnerships**35:54 Current Scale and Future Goals**38:24 Roadblocks and Challenges**39:15 Funding and Bootstrapping the Business **40:54 Acquiring Talent and Building Culture**43:38 Supporting the Future of the Industry**49:29 Takeaways----- Links: **Adam Saghei | WeRecycleSolar**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show

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 show

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 show

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 show

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 show

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 show

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 show

**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 show

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 show

In this episode, Somil chats with Adam Fraser, CEO at Terraset, the “anti-GHG” 501c3. Philanthropy in climate is a hot topic – leading up to this episode we were getting questions left and right about the future of this space. And it’s because there’s seemingly so much money that could be in the space but isn’t yet. That is the problem Adam and Terraset are trying to solve. It couldn’t have been a more timely show.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:**04:48 The State of Philanthropic Capital and Climate**06:52 Challenges in Philanthropic Investment in Climate**11:05 Being Anti-GHG and the Importance of Carbon Removal**13:45 Different Carbon Removal Technologies**16:32 Transition from Journalism to Philanthropy**22:45 Efficiency and Scalability of Philanthropic Capital**34:08 The CDR Landscape and Evaluation**40:41 Donor Profiles and Funding Sources**47:03 Genesis of Terraset and the "anti-GHG" Approach**50:00 Optimism and Urgency for the Future-----Links:**Adam Fraser | Terraset**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on XSupport the show

 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 show

In this episode, I chat with Ben Eidelson, Co-founder & GP of Stepchange, an early-stage venture fund that invests in product-led companies that will make a “step change”, pun intended, I’m guessing?, impact on climate. When editing the episode, Alex, our executive producer, told us he could already tell one of our best episodes yet. I very much agree. This turned out to be the VC meets product meets content special I was hoping it would be. We discuss all things product in climate, Ben being a 2 time exited founder to big tech, starting a climate fund in this environment, and why his kids changed his life. A huge shoutout to Ben for coming on the episode. This started out as me fan-boying to one of his episodes and here we are. As always, 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 🌐 Join the CleanTechies Slack Channel ----- Topics: **3:10 What is a Product-Led Company?**8:49 Why PMs are not Thinking about Climate**14:45 The Importance of Active Listening**16:03 Identifying Founder Potential**18:29 The Role of Vulnerability in Relationships**20:35 The Origin and Impact of Climate Papa**25:41 The Product-Focused Thesis of Step Change**27:41 Product Meets Hardware and Deep Tech**34:35 Bullish Industries in Climate**42:45 Lessons from Being a Founder**44:59 Building Deep Co-Founder Relationships**47:32 Tips for Product-Market Fit in Climate----- Links: **Ben Eidelson | Stepchange | Climate Papa**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show

(Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you)In this episode, Somil and Silas chat with Leise Sanderson, founder and CEO of Pathways. Pathways is an AI platform that simplifies environmental impact analysis for the materials and manufacturing supply chain.I’m a built environment junkie, so this was…really fun. Materials are the main cost driver of construction which means they will be especially difficult to decarbonize. Tools like Pathways make it easier to identify which materials will help maintain cost-parity. Major potential for a big emitter like construction and the built environment. Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎-----🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  -----🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨-----📺 👀 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:**01:28 Introduction**03:18 What is a Life Cycle Analysis**06:12 Environmental Product Declarations**09:02 Deciding to Start a Company**21:24 Finding a Co-founder**30:48 Growing Interest in the Built Environment**44:47 Landing the First Customer**46:50 Receptiveness of Manufacturing Industry**47:50 Building Relationships Across Differences**53:39 What Attracted Investors**55:27 Navigating an Oversubscribed Round**58:45 Building Audacious Goals**59:36 Reflecting on the Journey-----Links:**Leise Sandeman | Pathways**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show

Silas speaks with Ryan Jeffery, Sr. Managing Director of the Sustainability Accelerators at Gener8tor, a collection of Accelerators that serve the rest of the country outside of SF, NYC, and Boston, where the majority of VC dollars go. (Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you)Ryan started as a founder. Later, he became a VC and eventually ended up in Gener8tor running the sustainability-focused accelerators because of his desire to be closer to the founders and more involved. He shared a lot of great data on where funding goes, his story, why investing in underserved founders is, beyond being the right thing to do, also leads to better returns. Enjoy the episode! 🌱🌎-----🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  -----🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨-----📺 👀 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:**4:00 Joining Gener8tor**7:40 Biz Model, Challenges, & Financing an Accelerator**8:56 Partnering w/ Corps**11:35 Focus on Underserved Areas**13:54 The Role of Non-Silicon Valley States in Climate Transition**22:00 Value Add of an Accelerator**34:13 Collab in Non-Tech Hub Areas**40:27 Gap for These Founders**42:03 Role of AI in Solving Climate Change**49:40 Milestones for Hard Tech Companies**57:46 Hiring & Building a Team**59:57 Raising Tips**1:06:44 Advice to Investors**1:08:19 Getting into VC-----Links:**Ryan Jeffery | Gener8tor**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show

In this episode, Silas and Somil chat with Robin Lane, CEO and founder of Transect, a product that aids and expedites site selection for infrastructure projects. For Silas and I, this was an exciting mix of infrastructure meeting technology. Robin has been doing this for a while, so she had a lot to tell us about her experiences with developers, rolling Transect out to market, how she grew as a founder alongside her company, and what she sees for the future. (Take the CleanTechies Listeners Survey to help us better serve you) We were really happy to have her on and learn a lot of new things about site selection and the problems plaguing infrastructure projects today – a major component of increasing the supply of renewables and advancing the climate transition.-----🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  -----📺 👀 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: **02:37 Need for Transformation in Permitting**05:58 How Transect Streamlines the process**08:47 Building Trust with Developers**11:50 Robin's Journey from Consultant to Entrepreneur**23:33 Raising Transect's Seed Round**24:38 Early Contracts and Scaling the Team**32:24 Building a Culture-First Company and Hiring for Mission Alignment**38:45 Being Customer-First**45:32 Opportunities for Software in the Renewables Industry**47:25 Future Solar Energy Costs----- Links: **Robin Laine | Transect**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show

In this ep, we chat with Peter Sun, founding team at Climactic, an early stage fund investing in ClimateTech, specifically focused on efficiency in software which has a lot to do with, you guessed it, AI.We dive into the nuances of how AI is impacting climate tech, where the opportunities for software are in decarbonization, and Peter’s journey joining the founding team. As someone who personally is wary of putting AI in every conversation, Peter had real insight into the ins-and-outs of whats real and whats not, and I really enjoyed learning from him.As always, 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.  -----🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨-----📺 👀 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: **02:16 Overview of Climatic**05:05 Applications of AI in Climate Companies**09:30 The story of WeaveGrid**11:58 Evaluating Companies for Automation and Efficiency**16:50 Challenges in Implementing Transmission Lines**19:20 The Value of Data in Climate Tech**23:43 Starting a Climate VC Fund**27:03 Climate VC vs. Impact VC**30:12 The Difficulties for Founders in Climate Tech**34:35 Starting a Fund in the Current Fundraising Environment**52:45 Exit Strategies in Climate VC**54:00 Competitiveness in Climate Investing**56:00 The Blend of VC and Real Asset Industries**58:29 The Rise of Hyper Specialist VCs**01:00:20 Building a Personal Brand**01:04:28 Habits for Success----- Links: **Peter Sun | Climactic**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X Support the show