Entrepreneurs for Impact

Here are today's three NEW topics on climate tech finance, decision tools, and mindful leadership:

Producing the highest performance, lowest power, and best total cost of ownership solution for AI transformer model inference.

Here are today's five NEW topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Using off-the-shelf tech to convert methane, CO2 emissions, and waste into carbon-negative fuels and green chemicals like methanol and ammonia.

Here are today's five NEW topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Climate resilience via better data: 7 cm-resolution via satellites and aerial imagery that does in hours what 80,000 drones would do in weeks.

Axiom Cloud also helps grocery stores and cold chain storage companies reduce energy use by 11% and avoid costly maintenance.

Project finance for carbon removed from the atmosphere to supply beverage and heavy industry customers in the US and abroad.

Here are today's five NEW topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Here are today's five NEW topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Here are today's five topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Here are today's five topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Ex-Tesla engineers raise $60M for solar and battery-powered RVs, creating tomorrow's camping today and relevant for 1 in 10 Americans.

Here are today's five topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Discover why Shell, Eni, and MCJ invested in this molten borate carbon capture tech led by an MIT PhD.

Here are today's five topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1.

Learn from two climate tech VC investors sharing startup lessons in energy, buildings, mobility, and industry.

Here are today's five topics on climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership:1. CLIMATE DATAWhich cities have the most startup funding? 2. CEO TO KNOWToussaint Wattinne @ Upway — $60M for sustainable mobility3. INVESTOR SPOTLIGHTTim Krysiek @ Climate Technology Fund of MassMutual Ventures4. AI INSIGHTDon't be scared: “100 million jobs erased by AI in the USA in 10 years.” 5. MINDFUL MOMENT“Don't feel sorry for yourself. Only assholes do that.”--------Join EFI's Climate CEO Peer GroupBecome an EFI Climate CEO Fellow—North America's top invite-only peer community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. 100 CEOs and Mentors representing $40B in market value or investment assets.

Serial entrepreneurs, MIT professors, and climate tech experts share their blueprint for building startups in this new book.

Tackling superpollutants, carbon insetting, digital carbon, and ESG strategy consulting before climate tech was cool.

Learn 5 quick insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership — straight from my Climate CEOs newsletter. Join 40,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

With 40 million electric bikes worldwide, we need Upway's marketplace to refurbish and resell them at scale.

Enjoy this brief primer on how to establish a board of advisors for your startup (or negotiate a seat on one). In our EFI climate CEO peer group, we have a growing library of these hot topic primers. To get more like this, join 40,000 who get my Climate CEOs newsletter. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

100,000 people joined 1,000 events in NYC last week for the Climate Week. In this 18-minute podcast, I summarize 16 highlights from my time there. If you like this, join 40,000 who get my Climate CEOs newsletter. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

Learn 5 quick insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership — straight from my Climate CEOs newsletter. Join 40,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com(Shout out to Carbon Brief on the visual.)

Electric vehicles, charging, and support in one predictable monthly payment (4 million EV fleet vehicles by 2030).

Learn 5 quick insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership — straight from my Climate CEOs newsletter. Join 40,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

Mapping $1.9 Trillion in global climate finance. Who invests? Who gets the funding?

Hear 5 themes from Sept. 10th EFI CEO & investor discussion on AI in climate tech in practice. Additionally, discover 7 ways AI is a climate champion, along with 14 example companies. (From my newsletter. Join 40,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com)

Using robots and microfactories to build energy-efficient, affordable homes, resilient to natural disasters.

Learn 5 quick insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI for entrepreneurs, and mindfulness in leadership — straight from my newsletter. Join 40,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

AI-powered agtech infrastructure is growing climate-friendly crops while boosting farmer profitability—backed by horticultural expertise and data science.

Learn 5 quick insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI tips, and mindfulness in leadership — straight from my newsletter. Join 20,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

Learn how to dramatically lower HVAC energy use via metal organic frameworks with Sorin Grama, CEO of Transaera.

Learn 5 quick insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI tips, and mindfulness in leadership — straight from my newsletter. Join 20,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

Legendary VC investor Brad Feld explains why “giving first” (his new book) is the key to building resilient founders, impactful startups, and thriving startup communities—especially in climate tech and turbulent times.

Learn these 5 quick insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI tips, and mindfulness in leadership — straight from my newsletter. Join 20,000 who get it. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

Learn how Realta Fusion raised a giant Series A VC round to commercialize university tech for affordable fusion energy in industrial heating.

Learn these 5 insights in climate & clean energy, startup investment, AI tips, and mindfulness leadership. Join 20,000 who get my newsletter: https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com

Discover how World Tree combines regenerative forestry, carbon sequestration, and impact investing to scale climate solutions across North America and Latin America.

The Climate Finance Fund is a philanthropic platform that helps to mobilize capital for climate solutions. Supported by the Hewlett Foundation and hosted by the European Climate Foundation, they're focused on China, the European Union, and the United States.–Previously, Marilyn led energy and cleantech investments at Village Capital, managed nuclear and renewable energy projects at AREVA (now Orano), and served as a Senior Research Fellow at Project Drawdown, where she led a team to analyze, model, and forecast energy solutions to climate change. Marilyn also worked at the intersection of science and policy at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and in economic development at the United Nations in Madagascar. She is a multilingual speaker and author of Sustainability at Work: Careers that Make a Difference.–In this podcast, we talked about the $450T of global capital relative to the $4T needed each year to mitigate the worst economic and public health effects of climate change, her blended finance work with BlackRock, why each dollar can accomplish more climate mitigation inthe Global South, what a hummingbird in Jamaica might have foretold about her work at the Global Climate Finance Forum, and how to find a job in this field in her book, Sustainability at Work.–

Remora, founded in 2020 in Michigan, retrofits diesel locomotives and semi-trucks with onboard systems that capture, liquify, and purify up to 90% of CO₂ emissions – while also cutting soot, particulates, and NOₓ – then stores it for offloading and sale, sharing revenue with operators. Backed by $117 M in venture funding and piloting with major players like Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, Ryder, Werner, and DHL, the company overcame early design issues (like waterlogging and backpressure) and is now scaling for broader deployment.–Paul is the co-founder and CEO at Remora. In 2021, he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. He earned his bachelor's degree in Statistics and Data Science from Yale University, where his research received the Porter Prize, the highest class-wide thesis prize.–In this podcast, we talked about how they got investors excited to invest $117M, why unit economics are so important, the joy of doing hard things, why expertise is overrated, the reason why reading biographies is so helpful, how he got the idea for this company as a senior at Yale University, why you should watch the movies Tommy Boy and Braveheart, and how the cost of capital influenced his choice of business model.–

Rusheen Capital Management is a Santa Monica, CA-based private equity firm that invests in growth-stage companies in the carbon capture and utilization, low-carbon energy, and water sustainability sectors.–Prior to co-founding Rusheen, Jim started, invested in and run numerous companies. These include: US Renewables Group (Founder & Managing Partner), Stamps.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:STMP – Founder), Spoke Software, Inc. (Founder & CEO), Archive, Inc. (Founder & CEO – sold to Cyclone Commerce), NanoH2O, Inc. (Founder & Board Member – sold to LG Chemical), SolarReserve (Founder & Board Member), Fulcrum Bioenergy, Inc. (Founder & Board Member), Common Assets (Founder & Board Member – sold to NASDAQ:SCTY), SET Technology (Board Member) and OH Energy, Inc. (Founder & Board Member).–In this podcast, we talked about why investors should remain optimistic about investing in climate, how reliability trumps novelty in the energy sector every time, the need for geoengineering as today's Tylenol, how tithing and the Giving Pledge can catalyze funding from 650,000 ultra high net worth families to address climate's toughest challenges, why we need new financial structures to match the 10-20 year nature of hard tech climate solutions, and why he likes to walk in the dark in Southern California canyons to hear whispers of insights about business and life.–

Endolith is a Denver-based biotech startup revolutionizing mining by leveraging microbes to sustainably extract copper and lithium from low-grade ores. Founded in 2023, the company employs custom-engineered microbial communities, adaptive biohatcheries, and real-time cloud-based monitoring to enhance mineral recovery while minimizing environmental impact. Endolith's innovations have demonstrated significant improvements in copper extraction, attracting partnerships with industry leaders like BHP and Rio Tinto. Their approach not only boosts efficiency but also reduces reliance on harmful chemicals, aligning mining practices with clean energy goals.–Dr. Liz Dennett is a technologist and entrepreneur with nearly two decades of experience in biotech and energy industries.Previously, she was the CTO of Cemvita, developing nature-inspired biosolutions for a carbon-neutral future.  Liz has held senior roles at Wood Mackenzie, AWS, Biota Technology, Hess Corporation, and the NASA Astrobiology Institute. She is also an advisory board member for the UW-Madison Dept. of Geoscience.  Liz holds a MS and PhD in geoscience and astrobiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison–We talked about reasons for her purple hair, copper demand expected to double by 2050, specially evolved microbial communities combined with cloud computing to enhance copper recovery, relying on internal validation over external approval, and bad mining puns.--

Lydian Labs is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup founded in 2021, dedicated to decarbonizing the aviation industry by producing sustainable fuels from carbon dioxide, water, and renewable electricity. Their proprietary technology employs fully electrified, modular reactors to convert CO₂ into carbon-neutral fuels, achieving up to 95% lower lifecycle emissions compared to traditional jet fuel.The company has successfully demonstrated a pilot system capable of producing 10,000 gallons of fuel per year, marking a significant step toward commercial-scale production planned for 2027. Lydian's approach offers flexibility by operating during periods of low-cost renewable electricity, enhancing economic viability and grid compatibility.Backed by prominent climate-focused investors such as Congruent Ventures and Galvanize Climate Solutions, Lydian is a leader in the sustainable aviation fuel sector.--Joe Rodden has spent his career building software to help the world's most sophisticated companies make complex strategic decisions in dynamic market conditions. Most recently, at Form Energy, Joe supported the commercialization of a novel iron-air battery for grid-scale energy storage.He previously worked at Affirm, which he helped prepare for IPO as an early lead on the strategy and finance team, and BlackRock, where he advised some of the firm's largest private and public clients on complex capital markets transactions.--Here are 6 highlights from the podcast:Why Aviation Needs SAF – Aviation could hit 20% of global emissions by 2050; SAF is under 1% of today's jet fuel.Lydian's Electrofuels – Made from CO₂, water, and clean power; compatible with today's infrastructure.Smart Sourcing – Ethanol CO₂ is cost-effective now; DAC offers long-term options; plants adapt to renewable energy.Scaling Up – Modular design enables 10x growth without redesign.Cost & Climate Edge – Electrofuels rival bio-SAF on price, cut emissions by up to 99%, and reduce contrails.Life Philosophy – Joe lives by ikigai and credits his organized partner for balance.--

Cyclic Materials is a Canadian cleantech company, founded in 2021, specializing in the recycling of rare earth elements (REEs) from end-of-life products such as electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and electronic waste. Their proprietary technologies, MagCycle℠ and REEPure℠, enable the efficient recovery and purification of critical materials, contributing to a circular economy and reducing reliance on traditional mining. In 2024, the company launched its first commercial demonstration facility in Kingston, Ontario, and announced plans to invest over $20 million in a U.S. facility in Mesa, Arizona.Cyclic Materials has secured significant funding, including a $53 million Series B round with investors like BMW i Ventures and Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund, to support its global expansion and the development of sustainable supply chains for critical materials.–Ahmad Ghahreman is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in cleantech, and one of the top hydrometallurgists in the world. He has co-invented more than 20 patents and commercialized over five technologies, focusing on transforming the rare earth elements market with sustainable, ethical solutions. In addition to his work at Cyclic, Ahmad is an early co-inventor of Jetti Resources' copper extraction technology (valued at $2.5B), and the co-designer of Li-Cycle's lithium-ion battery recycling technology (NYSE: LICY valued at over $1B). Formerly a professor at Queen's University, Ontario, Canada, he built the largest and most-funded metals extraction team in North America with over 20 graduate students. With a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, he is a leading hydrometallurgist researcher with over 3,000 citations.--

Chuck Templeton is an ex-operator, including founding OpenTable and serving as lead investor and operating Chairman in companies such as Grubhub and Venmo (Braintree Payment Systems). He is focused on helping the S2G team, entrepreneurs, and executives take their ideas, validate them, institutionalize processes, and ultimately scale their business innovations to address today's urgent environmental and societal problems.S2G is a multi-stage investment firm with $2.5B under management and 100+ portfolio companies. They focus on venture and growth-stage businesses across food and agriculture, oceans, and energy. With a commitment to creating long-term, measurable outcomes, S2G structures flexible capital solutions that can range from venture funding through growth equity to debt and infrastructure financing.–Here are 6 topics we covered in the podcast:1. S2G's Investment PhilosophyChuck Templeton debunks the myth that impact means weak returns—S2G invests where sustainability and strong financials align. Their focus spans food, ag, energy, and oceans, which together drive 90% of global emissions.2. Why Food & Ag Is UndervaluedFood systems cause one-third of emissions but get just ~4% of climate capital. Chuck sees massive upside in climate-friendly, great-tasting, and healthier food products.3. How S2G Operates DifferentlyThey invest $20M–$50M per deal, with dedicated teams per sector and an in-house acceleration platform that supports hiring, growth, and commercialization. Their capital stack includes both equity and flexible credit options.4. What Founders MissToo many founders obsess over tech and forget commercialization. S2G backs companies with $10M+ revenue, clear product-market fit, and capital discipline.5. Flashfood & Sunday: Climate by StealthFlashfood cuts grocery waste while saving consumers money; Sunday makes lawn care safer and easier for families. In both cases, climate benefits are real—but come after convenience, cost, and safety.6. Chuck's Personal FuelInspired by fatherhood and minimalism, Chuck shifted to climate after OpenTable and Venmo. Running, stoicism, and a love for leadership learning keep him grounded—plus, he's big on “raising your hand” to lead.--

Jigar Shah served as Director of the Loan Programs Office (LPO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from March 2021 to January 2025, where he oversaw a $400B budget. Prior, Shah was co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Generate has raised over $10 billion, investing in 50+ technology and development partnerships with more than 2,000 assets globally.Prior to Generate Capital, Shah founded SunEdison, a company that pioneered “pay as you save” solar financing (i.e., PPAs).After SunEdison, Shah served as the founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit founded by Sir Richard Branson to help entrepreneurs address climate change.--Here are six topics we covered in the podcast:1. Post-LPO ResetAfter managing $107B in deals at DOE's Loan Programs Office, Jigar Shah hit pause and rebranded as a “podcaster.” He's taking time to reflect before diving into the next chapter.2. Climate VC Is BrokenShah says the 100x-return VC model doesn't fit climate tech's reality. He pushes for an “East Coast” model: aim for 18% IRR, win 7 of 10 bets, and skip the moonshots.3. Evergreen Capital > 2-and-20At Generate Capital, Shah turned down big checks to build an evergreen structure that aligns with long-term climate infrastructure. It's less lucrative for managers, but way better for founders.4. FOAK Risk, ExplainedHe breaks project finance into five risks: tech, feedstock, offtake, construction, and ops. LPO, unlike most investors, can stomach execution risk, like 12 methane pyrolysis reactors, not just one.5. Think Like a DeveloperClean tech needs dev capital like real estate: risky early bets, then stable returns once built. It's not “risk-free”—just “risk-you-can-understand.”6. Deep Tech's Fatal FlawToo many founders chase giant, low-margin markets. Shah says to start with high-margin niches (like InventWood selling to data centers) and then scale.--

Climactic is an early-stage venture fund investing in the energy, AI, automation, and robotics sectors to address climate change and its effects. It is backed by folks like Chris Sacca, Reid Hoffman, Mio Partners, and StepStone.Prior to Climactic, Josh co-founded Freestyle Capital, where he sourced or invested in the unicorns: Airtable, Patreon, Betterup, and Intercom. He was a pioneer in the early days of the Internet where he co-founded Spinner, the first Internet music startup, acquired by AOL for $320M, and Crackle, a viral video startup, acquired by Sony for $65M. Josh's commitment to the environment is long-standing; he started a nonprofit app in 2014 to connect influencers (NBA, Guns N Roses, Mark Ruffalo, Al Gore, Evan Williams) to the most important climate actions from the leading nonprofits. --Here are six topics we covered in the podcast:Origins with Rock Stars and PresidentsJosh Felser co-founded ClimateX, connecting users to 100+ environmental nonprofits with partners like Al Gore, Guns N' Roses, and the NBA.Why He Left Traditional VCAfter success at Freestyle Capital, COVID and a five-month role in California's government led Josh to shift from consumer tech to climate venture, realizing business's role in systemic change.Climactic's EvolutionJosh and Raj Kapoor launched Climactic as a B2B climate tech fund, later narrowing their focus to AI and automation for enterprise sustainability and profitability.Two Portfolio BetsClimactic invested in Grit (robotics for faster, cheaper solar installs) and Copper (battery-integrated induction stoves for apartment electrification).Climate Messaging in the MAGA EraJosh advocates re-framing climate language—e.g., using “conservation” over “environmentalism”—to resonate with conservative audiences without losing authenticity.Personal WellnessJosh finds balance through humor, avoiding the 5 AM club, emotional resilience, and grounding reminders like a Buddha statue at his Stinson Beach home.--

Earth AI is discovering untapped critical metal deposits at half the cost in a fraction of the time. They combine machine learning and new modular drilling technology to move from detecting a prospect to drilling in just three to six months. They recently announced $20M in Series B funding in an oversubscribed round led by Tamarack Global and Cantos Ventures. Participating investors include Overmatch, Alpaca, Sparkwave Capital, Y Combinator, and Scrum Ventures.Roman is a YC alum, ex-PhD candidate at the University of Sydney,  and geologist with 10 years of industry and research experience in Europe, the Middle and Far East, and Australia.Here are 6 topics we covered in the podcast:1. The Problem The world faces a projected $10T demand for critical metals by 2050, yet new mineral discoveries have declined by 70% over the last decade. Current exploration methods are expensive, slow, and increasingly inefficient.2. AI-Powered Discovery Roman's team developed a machine learning model trained on 50 years of exploration data. The AI identifies geological proxies—subtle clues that indicate where valuable minerals may lie beneath the surface.3. Vertical Integration After realizing the industry wasn't ready to adopt their tech, Earth AI built its own exploration and drilling systems. This vertical integration slashed costs and sped up testing, allowing them to confirm mineral targets rapidly.4. Breakthrough Results Their AI led to the first-ever discovery of magnetic nickel on Australia's East Coast. They've since found lithium, silver, and lead deposits, securing land cheaply and unlocking high-value prospects.5. Founder Wisdom Roman emphasizes sustainable work habits and a strong internal compass. He credits storytelling as crucial to convincing investors and the broader industry of Earth AI's potential.--

Presto Charging is like Stripe for EV charging, providing a marketplace for EV fleet owners and EV charging networks via an app and API. They recently raised a $15 million seed round led by Union Square Ventures and included investments from Congruent Ventures, Jetstream, and Powerhouse Ventures.Ashwin is also a “papa to two feisty girls, weekend road bike cruiser, and photographer in hibernation.” Before Presto, he led the Vehicles and Electrification program at Uber. Here are 5 topics we covered in the podcast:1. Founding PrestoAshwin and co-founder JJ Rayner left Uber after facing the fragmented EV charging ecosystem firsthand. They created Presto to simplify access to public charging, turning a many-to-many problem into a one-to-many platform.2. Business Model & CustomersPresto serves B2B partners like Hertz, Avis, and Uber, offering a unified app and API for seamless EV charging. Their bottom-up approach won customer trust by delivering exceptional UX and fast support.3. Tech & ImpactPresto acts like "Stripe for EV charging," using data and machine learning to recommend reliable stations. Their system supports dynamic pricing and grid integration to drive long-term charging infrastructure growth.4. Founder JourneyAshwin encourages aspiring founders to “just do it,” with eyes wide open and a partner they trust. He stresses building in a sector you love, even if the leap from corporate life feels uncertain.5. Routines & ResourcesTo stay focused, Ashwin prioritizes recharge time with family and biking, emphasizing deliberate rest. He recommends books like Fall in Love with the Problem and Delivering Happiness for aspiring entrepreneurs.--