CleanTechies
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#245 The Future of Electrification & the Opportunity of Europe | Felix Krause (Vireo Ventures)
Today’s episode features Felix Krause, founding partner of Vireo Ventures, one of Europe’s leading early-stage energy tech investors. Felix is based in Berlin and brings decades of experience across solar project development, corporate VC, and now independent fund management.
We dig deep into why electrification is the real unlock for climate, and why Felix and his team believe the software that manages energy flows—not new forms of generation—is where VC dollars can make the biggest impact.
Felix also talks candidly about:
How Vireo built a reputation as a han...#244 $1bn Pipeline for Solid State Transformers | Haroon Inam & Michael Wood III (DG Matrix)
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts
In This Episode:* What is a Solid State Transformer * How Solid State Transformers are Reshaping the Energy Industry* How They Built a $1bn Pipeline
Sponsors:
Goodwin: The Law Firm of Choice for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs
ErthTech Talent: Affordable CleanTech Search Firm
What’s up, everyone!
Today, we have a great episode with Haroon Inam & Michael Wood III from DG...
#243 Battery Storage Supply Chains & Future in US-China Trade War | Danny Lu | Powin
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* Goodwin: The Law Firm of Choice for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs
* ErthTech Talent: Affordable CleanTech Search Firm
What’s up, everyone!
Today, we have a great episode with Danny Lu from Powin. Powin is a leading provider of BESS, w/ 8 GWh of systems built and 9 in the pipeline.
As the Trump admin pushes for more drilling and a seemingly anti-clean energy policy (despite that not b...
#242 The 3 Most Common Mistakes Climate Founders Make | David Brekke, Goodwin
In This Episode:
The story of him co-launching the Goodwin climate practiceWhat’s happening in climate tech right now? (Market update)The 3 Biggest Mistakes Climate Founders MakeCheck Out Our Sponsors!
Goodwin: The Law Firm of Choice for ClimateTech EntrepreneursErthTech Talent: Affordable CleanTech Search FirmWhat’s up, everyone!
Today’s episode is special since we’re speaking with David Brekke from Goodwin. In case you somehow missed it, Goodwin is the sponsor of our podcast, so yes, this is sponsored...
#241 The Biz Model Making eFuels Pencil Out | Joe Rodden (Lydian)
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Today, we have a great episode with Joe Rodden from Lydian. And we are talking all things eFuels and their story.
Lydian uses Co2, Water, and abundant Green Energy to create eFuels/SAF. And because of their flexible run method, they can do it profitably, consistently.
In the recent past there has been a huge demand for SAF that has been hard for major airlines to procure. In part because the technology was not there, but mostly because there were no plants up...
#240 Bulldozing in a New Era of Climate Tech Investing & Tech-Enabled Investing | Andrew Chan from Atas VC
Today, we have a great episode with Andrew Chan from Atas Ventures.
Surprise surprise…we’re continuing the conversation about the climate tech vibe shift, climate tech 3.0, climate risk…whatever you want to call it.
However, our conversation with Andrew Chan of Atas Ventures is a little bit different. Andrew has, from the very beginning, thought about climate investing from first principles, placing profitability and tangible impact at the core of his strategy. He refers to this next wave as "Climate 3.0," an evolution beyond traditional impact investing towards applied technologies like robotics, IoT, and advanced energy...
#239 Climate Risk, a New Era for Climate Tech | Grace & Adam from Equal Ventures
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What’s up, everyone!
Today we have a great episode with Grace Penders and Adam Chadroff from Equal Ventures. If you're not familiar with Equal, I recommend checking out episode 116 where we had on Rick Zullo, the Founder of Equal.
Today, we're continuing the conversation about the climate tech vibe shift. However, our conversation with Equal is a little bit different. Equal has, from the very beginning, had a thesis broader than just climate. One of those other areas is insurance. This is an area that is increasingly intersecting with climate...
#238 ClimateTech is Mainstream, so is The Vibe Shift | Tommy Leep (Jetstream)
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Hey everyone! Today we’ve got a great episode with Tommy Leep from VC, Jetstream. Some of his PortCos include David Energy, Pachama, Rhizome, and past pod guests Pathways & Glacier.
He’s been on the show in the past with some great advice on fundraising. Check it out — episode 85.
#85 How to Raise Money for your ClimateTech Startup w/ Tommy Leep, founder of Jetstream VC
Recently there have been a bunch of people shifting their focus or branding to be more inclusive and not always sound ‘pure climate tech’ — Tommy is one of th...
#237 Using Robotics to Transform Recycling & Building Data Moats with Hardware w/ Rebecca Hu Thrams (Glacier)
Rebecca Hu Thrams, co-founder of Glacier, is on a mission to transform recycling using AI-powered robotics and proprietary physical data to fix one of the biggest inefficiencies in waste management.
Glacier isn’t just another AI company—it’s tackling the physical world problem of waste sorting, giving recyclers and major brands unprecedented visibility into where materials actually go. By deploying intelligent sorting robots, Glacier is not only increasing efficiency but also building a defensible data moat, positioning itself as the source of truth for the circular economy.
With growing consumer demand for sustainability and new re...
#236 Critical Minerals: A Master Class on How to Win w/ Nicholaus Rohleder
We’re doing something a bit different…🤔
We’re exploring the urgent and evolving landscape of critical minerals with Nicholaus Rohleder from Climate Commodities. Nick, an investor and expert in the field, breaks down how the U.S. went from a leader in mineral production to heavy reliance on foreign sources—and why the time is now for entrepreneurs to help rebuild domestic supply chains.
Key Topics Covered:
The Rise and Fall of U.S. Mineral ProductionWhy Critical Minerals Matter More Than EverOpportunities for EntrepreneursThe Ca...#235 This $100 BILLION Industry Is Hiding in Plain Sight! Big Oil's Bet on Carbon Capture
This week, we’re joined by Todd Bush, an expert in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), with decades of experience supporting oil and gas companies in their decarbonization efforts. Todd has founded and sold multiple companies and is now leading decarbonfuse, a daily newsletter tracking deal activity in carbon capture and industrial decarbonization.
This conversation covers the current state of carbon capture, where the momentum is strongest, the biggest barriers to scaling CCUS, and how policy and investment shifts are shaping the industry. If you’re curious about where the carbon capture market is headed and how...
#234 The Future of Cleaner Data Centers & Lessons from 20+ Years at Meta, LinkedIn, & Cisco w/ Yuval Bachar (EdgeCloudLink)
Yuval Bachar, Founder and CEO of Edge CloudLink (ECL), is on a mission to revolutionize data centers with hydrogen-powered, off-grid solutions.
His journey spans decades, with leadership roles at Cisco, Facebook, and LinkedIn, where he built critical infrastructure for some of the biggest names in tech. Now, he’s pioneering a new wave of sustainable data centers, delivering AI-ready capacity in just nine months—compared to the industry average of three to four years.
Here’s the game-changer: ECL’s modular approach eliminates reliance on traditional power grids, slashes emissions to zero, and generates its own cool...
#233 The Climate Disruptors You Haven’t Heard of (Yet)—Inside Energy Tech Nexus w/ Nada & Jason
In This Episode
We are speaking with Nada Ahmed and Jason Ethier, two of the founding partners at Energy Tech Nexus. Energy Tech Nexus is a Houston-based hub designed to connect EnergyTech startups with the resources they need to grow. This includes access to capital, corporate partners, direct access to pilot opportunities, as well as a community of other founders doing the same thing.
In this episode, we dive into
**how they're building an innovation powerhouse in the heart of the U.S. energy industry,
**the evolving role of oil ma...
#232 The Carbon Capture Startup Google Bet Big On—And Why It’s a Cheaper | Anca Timofte (Holocene)
In This Episode
In today’s episode of CleanTechies, we’re joined by Anca Timofte, the CEO and Founder of Holocene, a direct air capture (DAC) company revolutionizing carbon removal through a continuous-loop liquid system. With over a decade of experience in carbon capture—including being one of the first employees at Climeworks—Anca offers unparalleled insight into the challenges and opportunities of building climate solutions.
Anca walks us through:
**How Holocene's low-temp carbon capture slashes energy costs with novel organic chemistry.
**Solid vs. liquid DAC: Why Holocene’s approach...
#231 How to Cut Costs AND Eliminate Emissions in Homes [BY 90%+] w/ Jane Melia (Harvest Thermal)
Jane Melia is the CEO and Co-Founder of Harvest Thermal, revolutionizing home heating with heat batteries.
Jane’s journey began with a vision to make home electrification both cost-effective and climate-friendly. Harvest Thermal has developed a patented system that combines heat pumps with thermal storage, reducing household emissions by 90% and energy bills by 30%, all while providing unparalleled comfort.
Here’s the kicker: Jane and her team have successfully navigated the challenges of hardware deployment, secured millions in grant funding, and built a business that’s not only scalable but also grid-friendly and future-proof.
With h...
#230 This Founder Built a $5M Climate Tech Startup in Africa (Here’s How!) w/ Martin Freimuller (Octavia Carbon)
Martin Freimüller, the CEO and Co-Founder of Octavia Carbon, a cutting-edge Direct Air Capture (DAC) company based in Kenya
Martin’s journey began with a deep appreciation for Africa’s potential and the realization that Kenya, with its abundant geothermal energy and skilled talent pool, is the perfect location for DAC. In just two and a half years, Octavia Carbon has developed patented technology, grown to a team of 61 (40 of them engineers), and even built Kenya’s first DAC pilot facility.
Here’s the kicker: they’ve managed to secure millions in prepaid carbon reve...
#229 How to Make Money on Pilot Projects w/ Martin Schichtel (KRAFTBLOCK)
On today’s episode, we’re speaking with Martin Schichtel, the CEO and Founder of Kraftblock, a thermal energy storage solution for industrial clients that use high heat.
Today, they’re delivering their 5th project. All of which have been paid for by their customers — yep, you read that right. They have not used equity to pay for these pilot and demonstration projects.
Their tech takes excess heat or electricity and turns it into heat, stores it in these engineered rocks. When demand is needed, they deliver the power. Reliable and affordable energy storage is the key to...
#228 How to Invest in ClimateTech in 2025 like a Day 1 Investor w/ Joshua Posamentier (Congruent Ventures)
Joshua Posamentier is the co-founder and managing partner at Congruent Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund focused exclusively on climate tech. With a background in physics and a career that began in the semiconductor industry, Josh transitioned into climate investing after holding various roles at Intel and Prelude Ventures. Widely regarded as an OG in the climate tech space, Josh has been investing in climate solutions since well before the current wave of interest, making him one of the most experienced voices in the field. His deep technical expertise, combined with over a decade of focused climate investing, has...
ClimateTech Wrapped 2024
Our reflections and musings as we close out the year...
Topics
01:28 2024's Top CleanTechies Episodes
07:37 Insights
12:49 Reflections on Branding and Storytelling
20:22 Milestones and Achievements in 2024
26:12 Key Lessons for Climate Tech Startups
34:59 Future Outlook
Support the show
Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽
Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO an...
#226 What Working With Governments to Tackle Climate Change Looks Like w/ Julia Kumari Drapkin (ISeeChange)
Julia Kumari Drapkin is the CEO and founder of ISeeChange, a data platform that combines resident-generated insights with AI to address climate adaptation challenges. Julia’s background as a climate science reporter, covering disasters like Hurricane Katrina, inspired her to bridge the gap between people’s lived experiences and actionable climate solutions. Her expertise in storytelling and data-driven insights shapes ISeeChange's people-first approach to building climate resilience.
ISeeChange leverages ground-truth data—stories, photos, and observations—from residents and combines it with sensor, satellite, and proprietary AI models. The platform delivers actionable insights to cities, counties, and utilitie...
#225 Solving Sulfur Waste while Capturing Carbon & Producing Sulfuric Acid & Hydrogen w/ Owen Cadwalader (Travertine)
Learn how this carbon capture startup also produces green chemicals AND hydrogen -- how they funded their first demo plant -- their secrets to building a resilient business model -- and what he would advise Trump's admin in order to help keep climate on track while also competing with China.
Listen Time: Full Show 58:31 (no ads) | Free Preview 37:14
On today’s episode, Owen Cadwalader, the COO of Travertine, delivers one of the most value-dense episodes we’ve ever released.
Hear how they are solving the massive sulfur waste problem while also captur...
#224 How to Scale up Anode Manufacturing in the US w/ Gleb Yushin (Sila Nanotechnologies)
Hear the story of how Sila Nanotechnologies has successfully developed, taken to market, and scaled up a new Anode technology for the battery industry. -- Learn the importance of Job Creation in landing funding -- Understand why CleanTech is actually bi-partisan -- and Understand where the puck is going with the battery industry.
Listen Time: Full Show 1:09:26 (no ads) | Free Preview 41:27
On today’s episode, Gleb Yushin, the CTO of Sila Nanotechnologies, pours out the wisdom he has from 14 years working on and scaling up Sila Nanotechnologies to the point where their Anode te...
#223 Everything You Need to Know About ClimateTech Politics (DoE, DoD, GovTech, Partnerships, & More) w/ Nate Loewentheil (Commonweal Ventures)
Nate Loewentheil is the founder and managing partner of Commonweal Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on solving America's biggest challenges through entrepreneurship. Nate’s career spans angel investing, politics, and public policy. Previously, he served in the Obama White House, advising President Obama on emerging technologies such as clean energy and broadband expansion. His background includes roles in the Yale Entrepreneurial Society, founding the Roosevelt Institution, and advising startups during his time running venture investments for a family office.
Commonweal Ventures invests in pre-seed and seed-stage companies tackling generational challenges such as climate change, competition wi...
#222 Exposing the O&G Carbon Capture Lie & How Skytree is Doing it Right w/ Rob van Straten, CEO)
Hear the CEO of Skytree explain how you MUST build for scale to achieve impact in a timely manner -- how O&G have been releasing their captured Co2 for years -- why their biggest investor is a huge Greenhouse Operator -- the importance of co-locating your carbon capture tech with the demand -- his journey into climate -- and a few more hot takes.
Listen Time: Full Show 57:04 (no ads) | Free Preview 41:09
On today’s episode, Rob van Straten, the CEO of Skytree captures our attention with his deep wisdom on how to...
#221 Blended Finance is Going to Save ClimateTech (& Why We Need More of It) w/ Amy Duffuor (Azolla Ventures)
Amy Duffuor is a co-founder and General Partner at Azolla Ventures and Managing Director at Prime Impact Fund, Azolla's predecessor vehicle. She has a diverse background that spans immigration research, management consulting, impact investing, and renewables investment banking. Amy began her career studying marginalized West African migrants and later pursued an MPhil in Migration Studies at Oxford University. Transitioning into management consulting, she worked on supply chain and procurement projects in London and Southeast Asia, where she developed a passion for climate change solutions. Her experience running venture accelerator programs in Southeast Asia for impact-driven startups inspired her to...
#220 How This Top Investor Believes ClimateTech Startups Can Still Exit
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’ll understand why because he is very thoughtful.
During NY Climate Week, the Third Sphere te...
#219 How to Win in ClimateTech Under Trump
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 Better / Faster / Cheaper Bring on Non-Climate Investors Choose the Right Customers Involve CVCsBuild in Climate-Friendly StatesHelp the US Compe...#218 Building THE Global Climate Collaboration Community & Lessons from the 00's Tech Boom | Duncan Logan (9Zero)
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 this even further by building these hubs in all major climate cities because unlike the 2000’s te...
#217 How BrainBox AI has Mastered the Use of AI in Building Decarbonization | Jean-Simon Venne (BrainBox AI)
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 learning to decarbonize buildings and support grid efficiency.
BrainBox AI is a Montreal-based company that uses artificial intelligence to optimize HVAC systems in co...
#216 This is How Nuclear Fusion Becomes a Reality w/ Brian Berzin (Thea Energy)
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 commercial deployment by the 2030s.
Thea Energy is an American fusion power company established in 2022 as a spin-off from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The...
#215 Decarbonizing Mining, Microbes x Metals, National Security x Climate, & the Microbe Mafia | Liz Dennett (Endolith)
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 this to existing mining operations to increa...
#214 THIS is What People ACTUALLY Think about NY ClimateWeek
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 yearWhat everyone’s goal was, and did they achieve it? What people will do differently next yearAnd takeaways from your favorite CleanTechies hostsWe enjoyed making this, and we think you’ll enjoy listening. Let us know how we did!
#213 UK's New Climate Focus, Data Science in VC, Investing in DeepTech, & More w/ Arjun Jairaj (noa)
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 insights on:
#212 Building Decarbonization at Scale, US Relationships with China, Heat Pump Revolution, & More w/ Panama Bartholomy (Building Decarbonization Coalition)
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, and Panama offers a unique perspective on the role of international collaboration in the race to decarbonize.
Tune in for an in...
#211 FOAK Everything, the LARGEST Offtake Agreement Directory, Capital Types, Commercialization Talent, & More w/ Yair Reem (Extantia)
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 recording...
#210 Our NYCW 2024 Hot Takes 🔥
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:
CleanTechies Event Alert 🚨- First Live Pod & NYCW Soccer Meetup
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 addressRegister for 1 of 15 CleanTechies tickets here: https://lu.ma/n8gteqtmSecond, we are hosting a soccer game for CleanTechies ⚽
When: Friday, Sep. 27th @ 5:30 pmWhere: Near Sunset Park in Broo...🚨Special EP 209: Get the Most out of NY Climate Week
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 prepDuring - What to keep in mind during the chaosAfter - M...#208 China's Graphite Monopoly, Battery Industry In Trump Admin, Silicon vs Graphite, Price vs Range, & More | Jonathan Tan (Coreshell)
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)
Today they are building Coreshell, a company helping replace the use of Graphite in batteries wh...
#207 Innovative Business Models, Europe's Regulatory Environment, EV Challanges, Freight Electrification & More w/ Till Stenzel (SET Ventures)
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 environment, industrial energy management, and mobility & transport.
On a personal note, Till takes us on...
