Explore Podcast | Startups Founders and Investors

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Explore tells the stories behind the success of entrepreneurs and investors around the world. Hi there👋, I'm Hugo Rauch, a financial analyst at Microsoft and the host of Explore. I've always been fascinated by startups, in 2022 I wrote a 100 pages paper on the startup economy. In 2023, I wanted to learn from experience and I started Explore. I'm made myself the goal of supporting early-stage founders with theoretical and practical learnings. Consider following and giving 5 stars to support the show! ✨ A feedback or an idea, reach out to me on LinkedIn (Hugo Rauch). 🤝 explorepodcast.substack.com

Hugo Rauch


    • Oct 1, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 44m AVG DURATION
    • 142 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Explore Podcast | Startups Founders and Investors

    #108 - Josh Western - Space Forge - Growing materials in space

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2026 38:53


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #107 - Julia Padberg - SET Ventures - "The energy transition is not a technology challenge"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2026 51:15


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****New Wave is supported by:Evertrace: the leading founder detection engine for VCs. It traces signals across the digital landscape to uncover emerging founders earlier than anyone else, so you meet tomorrow's founders today.I use it myself to source more deals at Climate Club, and I LOVE it. See what Evertrace can do for you here, or ask me for an intro and get a little something from the team ;)***

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    #106 - Dinesh Ganesan - Arctern - Climate Investing in the Age of Compute

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2026 54:53


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #105 - Steve Kloos - Burnt Island Ventures - “It's All One Water”

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2026 43:34


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #104 - William Godfrey - Tangible - CapEx Financing 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2026 50:53


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    #103 - EDF, HTGF, Tetmet - Can Startups Reindustrialise Europe?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2026 51:25


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Brought to you by:EDF: partnering with New Wave on this mini-series to explore how cleaner energy, industrial innovation, and ambitious startups can rebuild Europe's productive edge. Discover EDF's work with industrial and climate innovators here.****

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    #102 - Marco Bertone - Syntetica - Nylon's dirty secret

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2026 58:02


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    #101 - Juan Nieto - Zacua VC - "Cement is the world's 3rd largest emitter"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2026 54:26


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Supported by:Leonard: The innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group, to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing VINCI's businesses: the digital revolution, the accelerating pace of innovation, and the environmental transition.****

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    #100 - Driss Laraqui - Fenix Energy - Using Iron as a Fuel to Replace Natural Gas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2026 49:45


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Supported by:Leonard: The innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group, to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing VINCI's businesses: the digital revolution, the accelerating pace of innovation, and the environmental transition.****

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    #99 - Clara Ricard - Transition - "Hardware can scale as fast as software, China proved it"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2026 40:56


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    #98 - Andreas Saari - Paebbl - The cement that stores carbon - (live recording)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2026 24:34


    Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #97 - Beau-Anne Chilla - FORWARD.one - "Technology without commercialization is just expensive science"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2026 41:37


    Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #96 - Assia Kasdi - Milvus Advanced - "Can we create metals like we create shampoos?"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2026 42:02


    Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #95 - Maximilian Schwarz - Nucleus - "It needs to feel uncomfortable sitting with them"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2026 52:13


    Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #94 - Renaud Visage - SlateVC - The CTO behind Eventbrite is now chasing Europe's climate unicorns

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2026 53:41


    Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #93 - Patrik Möller - CorPower Ocean - "Wave energy could surpass global nuclear capacity."

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2026 38:36


    Brought to you by Heights:A design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    #92 - Timothée Parrique - "You can't save the climate with capitalism"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 61:44


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    #91 - Ahmed Ismail - Dunia - Where AI meets material discovery

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026 80:39


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    #90 - Carl-Magnus Norden - Decade Energy - Powering the next generation of trucks

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2026 53:52


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    Lea Strumberger (KfW Capital): Inside Germany's $1B Fund of Fund

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2026 48:14


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Thanks you, Morning for hosting the podcast this week. Get 20% off your next meeting room (in Paris), just say you're coming from Hugo at New Wave.****

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    [5/5] Energy Carriers | Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2026 41:55


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    Arnaud Tran (Voltaback): The Economics of Corporate EV Charging

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2026 44:00


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    [4/5] Geologic Hydrogen & Geothermal | Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2026 37:26


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    Torsten Kolind (UGV): Can Geothermal Scale Beyond Iceland?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2026 51:44


    Thanks you, Morning for hosting the podcast this week. Get 20% off your next meeting room (in Paris), just say you're coming from Hugo at New Wave.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    [3/5] How cheap can solar really get? Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2026 33:58


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    James Gutman: The Iran War Is Accelerating Europe's Energy Transition

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2026 36:26


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    [2/5] Is it worth betting on fusion? Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2026 24:50


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****

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    [1/5] The Case for a Nuclear Renaissance | Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2026 33:55


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    Abhi Desai (Desai Ventures): The Missing Link in Fixing Methane

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2026 34:33


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    Jared O'Leary (SirenOpt): Fixing Advanced Manufacturing

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2026 32:56


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    Otto Birnbaum (Revent): Conviction, Follow-Ons & 100x Outcomes

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 42:21


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    Thor Gutierrez (Sirona): Is Direct Air Capture a Distraction?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 52:00


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    Fabian Heilemann (AENU): The 2026 Playbook for Climate VCs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2026 43:48


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    Sarah Sclarsic (Voyager): Electrification is the New Default

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2026 39:03


    Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Listen now:Apple // Spotify // YouTube

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    Fabien Koutchekian (Genomines): Can Plants Replace Mines?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2026 58:20


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    Katie Marsh (Recupere): Fixing Europe's Copper Problem

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2026 33:32


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    Jacob Bro (2150): Closing a €210M Fund for Urban Climate Tech

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2026 36:45


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    Joško Bobanović (Sofinnova Partners): The VC Playbook for Industrial Biotech

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2026 54:08


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    Martijn Lopes Cardozo (Regeneration VC): Circular Economy VC Playbook

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2026 53:19


    Subcribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Thank you to this week's sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.****

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    Jahed Momand (Cerulean Ventures): AI, Nature & Pre-Seed Bets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 51:38


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    Jessica Burley (Planet A): Funding the Physical World in Europe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2026 27:57


    Thank you to this week's sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***

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    Erik Engellau (Norrsken Launcher): How To Commercialize Science

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 53:52


    Thank you to this week's sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***

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    AI for Materials: Breakthrough or Illusion?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2025 45:28


    Sign up to New Wave's newsletter. ***This week on New Wave Weekly:

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    Anna Finizio: Inside Europe's Largest LP (EIF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 45:03


    Thank you to this week's sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***

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    [Live @ Supercluster] #5: Microgrids, storage, and the grid bottleneck with Simon Belka (Shifted-Energy)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 21:30


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    [Live @ Supercluster] #4: The state of European climate tech with Eglantine Dupuy (Dealroom)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 20:49


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    [Live @ Supercluster] #3: From pilot to scale: EDF on working with startups (David Ferguson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 26:52


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    [Live @ Supercluster] #2: Investing in industrial green tech with Marc Lechantre (Axeleo)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 35:53


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    [Live @ Supercluster] #1: Why Europe needs more collaboration with Sam Goodall (Cambridge Cleantech)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 26:00


    Sam Goodall on Europe's Climate Tech “Supercluster”In Paris, I sat down with Sam Goodall, CEO of Cambridge Cleantech and co-founder of the Climate Tech Supercluster.We unpacked a question I kept hearing:Why does Europe lead in climate innovation, but fall behind on scale?Sam's take is refreshingly clear: Climate tech is spread too thin. We miss an obvious “Silicon Valley” to go to.That's why he created the Supercluster approach: a series of events across Europe (London, Paris, Amsterdam) that increases the collision rate, and let smart people collaborate.Here's what we covered:→ Europe's superpower: the research base (TRL 1-3)→ Where the system breaks: scaling post-TRL 7 + “value leakage”→ The missing link: capital that matches deeptech timelines→ Why corporates are the de-risking engine for FOAK → 2026+ opportunities: industrial decarb + data center energy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

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    Marion Schuppe: Makesense Announces €25M Pre-Seed Impact Fund

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2025 21:56


    Makesense just closed its €25M pre-seed fund:So we sat down with Marion Schuppe to unpack what it really takes to build an impact-first VC from a nonprofit DNA.

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    The Food Tech Playbook: What Actually Scales

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2025 45:42


    This week on New Wave Weekly:

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