The Tech 4 Climate Podcast

March 2025 Tech 4 Climate Insights:Exploring Climate Tech Innovations: Key Events in Q2-2025Join us for an in-depth guide to the most exciting climate tech events happening in Q2 2025. We cover key events like the Energy Tech Summit in Bilbao, the U.S. Climate Action Summit in Washington D.C., Rebuild in Madrid, and more. Whether you're a founder, investor, or simply passionate about climate solutions, this guide will help you navigate important gatherings across the globe, from sustainable investing forums in Paris and London to innovative hackathons in Lausanne and key policy discussions in New York. Explore how various sectors are converging to create a sustainable future and find out the best opportunities for networking and investment.Timeline:00:00 Introduction to Climate Tech Events in Q2 202500:21 April Highlights: Energy and Mobility Innovations02:31 May Events: Hackathons and Carbon Removal03:54 June Events: Tech and Regional Summits05:44 The Bigger Picture: Global Climate Action09:21 Top Picks for Climate Investors11:18 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

February 2025 Tech 4 Climate Insights:Disruptive Startups Solving Global ChallengesIn this February edition of Tech 4 Climate Insights, the mini podcast series from Climate Investors Alliance spotlights innovative startups addressing some of the most pressing challenges in the climate tech space. Taking a sector-focused approach, exploring groundbreaking solutions in transportation, food, energy, industry, and buildings that are driving sustainability forward.-Presenting Tech 4 Climate Insights, our new dynamic mini-series that delves into the most influential topics shaping the future of climate innovation. Designed for founders, investors, and climate tech enthusiasts, this series provides exclusive insights into the stories, strategies, and opportunities driving impactful change in the industry.

Meet the founders reshaping our sustainable future with groundbreaking, climate-focused solutions.Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampMeet the foundersIn this latest episode of our Founder series, I invite you to join me in a dynamic roundtable discussion with the visionary leaders shaping the future of sustainable technologies. We continue our journey with Cleantech Open Northeast's Senior Director, Beth Zonis, and meet four emerging finalists from the 2023–2024 season. This marks our fourth encounter showcasing the incredible ecosystem that Cleantech Open cultivates: an environment where the most promising minds tackle critical issues in energy, manufacturing, and resource efficiency. The new cohort brings fresh perspectives, proven research track records, and cutting-edge industrial partnerships. In this session, you'll hear directly from them:Gianluca Roscioli, Founder of Arculus Solutions: Enabling hydrogen transport in existing natural gas pipelines through an MIT-developed hydrogen-barrier coating.Arjav Shah, Founder of hydroGel: Using novel polymeric resins for more efficient, cost-effective industrial purification processes in food, pharma, and biotech.Marissa Beatty, Co-Founder of Turnover Labs: Converting mixed CO2 emissions into valuable chemical building blocks, creating a circular process that reduces waste and emissions.Jeff Maelstrom, Founder of Green Spear: Transforming CO2 into high-quality graphite for EV batteries and energy storage, strengthening domestic supply chains and reducing carbon footprints.Listen in to learn about their work, find inspiration, and discover how to get involved in shaping our cleaner future.

Explore the cutting-edge of building retrofits and discover how Mortar.io is transforming commercial real estate for a zero-carbon future.Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the Founder Ranjeet Bhalerao, CO-Founder & CEO @ MapMortarWelcome to another episode of Tech 4 Climate, today we're zooming into MapMortar, a trailblazer in the real estate sector. With commercial buildings accounting for around 40% of the global carbon footprint, the push for a sustainable makeover is critical. Mortar.io tackles this challenge with its virtual modeling and simulation platforms, making decarbonization retrofits viable and also profitable. Ranjeet, a chartered engineer, shares his journey from working on groundbreaking solar thermal power technology in India to spearheading sustainable transformations in the building sector. Inspired by a legacy of family involvement in real estate and a series of innovative ventures, Ranjeet's approach to Mortar.io combines his engineering acumen with a deep commitment to fighting climate change.Join us as we explore the complex landscape of building retrofits, discussing the technical challenges, market opportunities, and regulatory frameworks that shape the industry. Ranjeet will share insights into how MapMortar's technology is advancing the movement towards zero-carbon commercial buildings and what the future holds for sustainable urban development.PART II: My Secret Sauce (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)In this second part of the episode, Ranjeet shares his strategies for navigating fundraising challenges and maintaining resilience during setbacks. He also reveals how prioritizing family time and structured breaks from work help him achieve a sustainable work-life balance.

Uncover the innovative world of Synonym Bio, pioneering the next wave of sustainable biomanufacturing.Ep.#97 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Edward Shenderovich, the Co-founder & CEO of Synonym BioIn this episode of the Tech 4 Climate Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Edward Shenderovich, the Co-founder & CEO of Synonym Bio, a trailblazer startup reshaping how we approach biomanufacturing with their "fermentation farms," creating ecosystems where synthetic biology can flourish.Edward Shenderovich, has charted a fascinating path through the realms of mathematics and philosophy, eventually steering his way into entrepreneurship and synthetic biology. His unique journey is marked by a blend of rigorous analytical skills and a deep philosophical understanding of technology's role in society. In our conversation, Edward unpacks the story behind Synonym Bio's groundbreaking digital tools, Capacitor and Scaler, and their transformative impact on the biomanufacturing industry. We'll focus into the challenges of navigating complex biological processes, the strategic thinking driving the company's growth, and how Synonym Bio aims to streamline the biotech production pipeline. Let's look into the nexus of innovation, sustainability, and the vision to build a more resilient future! PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)Building a genuine relationship with investors is equally important as having a strategic financial approach. Investors prioritize sincerity over hard sell—they're experienced in discerning authenticity. Regarding work-life balance, Edward emphasizes the importance of good sleep.

Join us as we unveil the next chapter in sustainable energy with 1S1 Energy's revolutionEp.#96 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1. Meet the founder: Daniel Sobek, Co-Founder and CEO at 1s1 EnergyIn this new episode, let's explore the innovative world of 1s1 Energy & their renewable hydrogen technology. Together, we'll uncover how they're revolutionizing the green hydrogen sector by creating next-generation materials that enhance the efficiency and durability of fuel cells and electrolysis stacks. Their mission? To dismantle the barriers of traditional hydrogen production and spearhead a global movement towards a sustainable, emission-free future. Let's meet Daniel Sobek, co-founder & CEO of 1s1 Energy, whose eclectic engineering background in aerospace, mechanical, and electrical disciplines fuels his passion for solving some of the world's most complex and pressing problems. Let's discover the story of a visionary who sees every problem as an opportunity for innovation and societal impact.This episode focuses into the critical role of hydrogen in decarbonizing our economy, the innovative strides made by 1s1 Energy in electrolyzer technology, and the broader implications for global energy markets. We explore the complexities and potential of green hydrogen, its applications, production challenges, and the regulatory landscape. Join me as we discuss the genesis and growth of 1s1 Energy, the economic dynamics of their solutions compared to traditional methods, and how they stand out in the global market.Part II: My Secret SauceDaniel emphasizes the importance of aligning your product with market needs and securing validation straight from the source. Next, he advocates for the urgency of generating revenue swiftly, highlighting the balance between rapid growth and maintaining product integrity. He also shares insights into achieving work-life harmony, advocating for strategic work intensity and the importance of perspective, exercise, good nutrition, and adequate sleep.

Discover the synergy between venture capital and climate tech transforming agriculture. Ep.#95 Venturing Green: The Rise of Green Ammoniawith Yair Reem, Partner @ Extantia - Tech4Climate Podcast by StartupBasecamp PART 1: Meet the investorJoin me to discover Extantia, a pioneering climate-first venture fund. They're setting new standards by backing game-changers in the climate tech landscape, emphasizing real-world impact over mere green optics. Their mission? Fueling innovations that turn the tide against climate change, with a special focus on deep decarbonization solutions across Europe and the U.S.Let's get to know together Yair Reem, an electrical engineer with the soul of a storyteller and a knack for transformative technology. He transitioned from tech expert to climate investor, armed with insights from the early days of cleantech.This episode zooms in on green ammonia's transformative potential, dissecting its role in reducing agriculture's carbon footprint.Let's unpack the science and strategy behind it, with Extantia spotlighting the intersection of green tech and venture capital. And discover the innovations shaping our agricultural future and learn how Extantia's approach is nurturing the seeds of sustainable change. Tune in for a glimpse into the green ammonia revolution. Part 2: My Secret Sauce (Members only)In the second part of the show, Yair stresses the fact that in fundraising, storytelling is paramount. A good product and presentation are vital, but forming genuine relationships and conveying a clear vision can make a real difference. Regarding work-life balance, for him, it's about achieving harmony by engaging deeply in your passions. This balance isn't just dividing time between work and personal life but integrating both in a way that complements one another.

Meet the incredible entrepreneurs deploying new innovations in the fight against climate change. Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the foundersIn this latest episode of our Founder series, join me in a roundtable discussion with Beth Zonis, the Senior Director at Cleantech Open Northeast, alongside six finalists from the 2023 program. Known as the cradle of cleantech innovation, the Cleantech Open is the launchpad for green technology ideas.This marks our third encounter with Beth and the latest cohort of change-makers who are shaping our environmental future, and the conversation has never been more compelling. In this session, you'll hear directly from these innovators: Shiv Bhakta, Founder of Active Surfaces - a startup that is commercializing an ultra thin-film solar technology based on decades of MIT research. Their technology can unlock terrawatts of dual land use next generation deployment. Ryan Letts, CEO of Cleonmaye - a company devoted to innovation primarily in the renewable and reusable energy sector. They are constantly striving for global method change through continuous learning, research, and development.Ed Smith, Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Amply Energy - a startup that promotes the adoption of heat pump systems among American homeowners. They make game-changing software tools for HVAC contractors. From load calc to system design to quote to rebate management, Amply software makes heat pump installers' lives easier. Lingchen Kong, Co-Founder of Ellexco - which offers a chemical-free, electricity-driven direct lithium extraction technology. Battery-grade lithium hydroxide could be produced from geothermal brine or other aqueous lithium sources.John Harrold, Founder of Zinco Verde - a startup that makes new, enhanced, more eco-friendly, non-nano, ultra-pure metal oxides and metal oxide blends.Jyotsna Budideti, Co-Founder & CEO of Spacesense - a technology company helping organizations build geospatial AI solutions simpler. They provide an AI toolbox designed to help geospatial data scientists and developers build AI solutions faster, easier and at scale.Get ready to be part of their journey and discover how you can contribute to their mission for a cleaner, greener planet. Don't miss out on these stories of resilience, innovation, and the quest for a sustainable tomorrow. Tune in to learn more and mobilize to join the cleantech revolution!

Discover how NoshBio is transforming the alternative protein landscape to reshape our environmental footprint.Ep.#93 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Tim Fronzek, Co-Founder & CEO of NoshBioJoin me to uncover the story of NoshBio, a visionary startup that is creating sustainability opportunities in the food industry. With groundbreaking fermentation technology, they're on a mission to make alternative proteins both available and desirable.In this new podcast episode, I sat down with Tim Fronzek, Co-Founder & CEO of NoshBio, whose journey is filled with bold entrepreneurship, sporting discipline, and a deep-rooted drive for environmental impact. Listen as he shares his path from athlete to CEO, and how personal passion fuels his professional mission.We will also dive into the food industry's hefty environmental toll and learn about NoshBio's fungi-based innovation impact. We will also talk about the regulatory framework as well as the market incentives and limitations. Let's discover together their strategy to disrupt the market and the upcoming initiatives that could propel us into a new era of sustainable eating. Get an insider's look at how they plan to bring delicious, eco-friendly options to plates worldwide and tune in to be part of the conversation that could change the way we eat forever!!!PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During this second part of the show, Tim shares his previous fundraising experience and the importance of focusing on the rationales of the business model rather than solely focusing on revenues. Regarding work-life balance, Tim shares with us how implementing some daily habits have significantly simplified his life.

Urban EV charging revolution: uncovering the electric pulse of cities.PART 1: Meet the founder: Tiya Gordon, Co-founder and COO at ItselectricDuring this new episode of our founders series, I sat down with Tiya Gordon, co-founder & COO at Itselectric, a climate tech startup at the forefront of a vehicular revolution, aiming to electrify our streets one curbside at a time. With a vision to proliferate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across the United States, Itselectric collaborates with property owners, offering them a chance to tap into a new stream of passive income while contributing to the environment. Tiya Gordon is a New Yorker with a passion for the vibrating life of cities and the potential of technology within them. From laying down the foundations of public technology in train stations and museums to influencing policy for urban infrastructures, Tiya has been recognized with prestigious awards, her drive now is harnessing design to combat the climate crisis. In this episode, we'll explore how charging solutions are currently deployed, the market dynamics, and regulatory impacts (including the IRA's weight). Tune in as Tiya shares the challenges and opportunities she perceives in the market, and the unique narrative of Itselectric's inception. From the tangible aspects of hardware and user experience to the overarching questions of smart charging and grid impact, Tiya's insights are set to charge up the conversation. Join us to understand how Itselectric is selecting deployment sites, the economics of joining the network, and their business model – all in pursuit of an electrified, sustainable future. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY=> More info on our site)During the second part of the talk, Tiya shares advice on navigating investor relationships, emphasizing the futility of trying to change hearts and minds of the skeptical. Instead, she advocates for aligning with those already on board with your vision. Tiya also shares that by waking up early, she has uninterrupted time to focus which helps her achieve her goals and a work-life balance.

Discover how the maritime industry and shipping operations impact climate change.Ep.#91 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Ivan Ladan, Founder & CEO @ Marine DigitalIn this episode of our founders' series, I sat down with Ivan Ladan, founder & CEO of Marine Digital, a tech company that focuses on the decarbonization of the maritime industry by delivering advanced energy efficiency analytics and optimization tools for supply chain and vessel operations.Ivan started his professional journey with a career in finance, achieving notable success but soon found himself yearning for a more innovative and less conservative culture. His desire to bring meaningful change and passion for innovation and technology steered him toward the maritime industry with the founding of Marine Digital.Join our conversation as we dive into key issues plaguing the maritime supply chain and shipping, including non-standardized practices, poor data quality & lack of transparency, inefficient fuel consumption, and significant greenhouse gas emissions. Let's explore together how Marine Digital is working to address these complex matters via data acquisition, performance analysis, and process simplifications.PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During this second part of the show, Ivan discusses startup fundraising, sharing essential strategies for nurturing investor relations and mastering the art of pitching and achieving work-life balance.

How a global organization leverages deep technology to address pressing industrial, environmental, and societal challenges. PART 1: Meet the Innovator Arnaud de la Tour, CEO & Co-Founder @ Hello Tomorrow In our latest episode, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Arnaud de la Tour, CEO and Co-founder of Hello Tomorrow which accelerates radical solutions for human and planetary health by leveraging deep tech ventures. They've built a vast deep tech network, helping startups and companies to develop innovative solutions. Their services include innovation consulting as well as organizing startup competitions and acceleration programs. Arnaud, who holds a PhD in Industrial Economics and a Master's in Engineering, is driven by his expertise to bridge the gap between deep tech startups, investors, and industry giants to address global challenges. His transition from BCG to leading the charge in Deep Tech was driven by a desire to make a tangible impact on the world's environmental issues. Tune in to discover the intricacies of funding for innovative deep tech solutions aimed at combating climate change as we discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities in the sector and navigate the complex web of capital resources. Let's uncover together unique insights and challenges that deep tech startups encounter. Join us to gain a more profound understanding of the deep tech world!Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Arnaud shares with us the importance of finding the right VC, specially for Deep Tech startups. He also sheds light into how resilience and grit are key while pitching to different VCs.

Discover the innovative world of smart façades while exploring the future of sustainable construction in the US.Ep.#89 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Anas Al Kassas, Founder & CEO @ InovuesIn this episode, I had an insightful discussion with Anas Al Kassas, founder and CEO of Inovues, a startup that makes buildings smarter & greener for a sustainable future by integrating the latest energy saving and smart glass technologies into existing windows and façades without replacing the existing systems. Anas, who is an architect and façade engineer, then talks about his passion for dynamic and smart façade systems and how his journey led him to work on mega-scale projects in Dubai before pursuing his master's in architecture in the U.S. Inspired by his father's entrepreneurial spirit, Anas embraced risk-taking and innovation to address the energy efficiency problems in older buildings by founding Inovues.In this Episode, you will have an insider's perspective deepening your understanding of the construction industry and the glass sector in the US. We will cover together the technologies that are being developed, and we will perform a zoom at the current and upcoming climate regulations and incentives tailwinds impacting the glass industry, as well as covering the strategies for penetrating this billion-dollar market. Finally, we will hear how you can get involved with Innovues' mission to decarbonize the built environment.PART 2: My secret sauce (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During this second part of the show, Anas discusses the importance of milestone-based approach while fundraising. Anas also shares how the flexibility from working from home has helped him achieve a work life balance.

Empowering Climate Action by Investing and Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar Industry and Community Solar Projects in the USPart 1In this episode, we dive into the world of climate finance and renewable energy investment with Climatize, a platform that's making it easier for individuals to take meaningful action against climate change while also growing their portfolios. Join us as we sit down with Alba, the co-founder and COO of Climatize, to explore her inspiring journey and gain insights into the state of the solar industry in the United States and the exciting opportunities in community solar projects.Climatize was born out of Alba's passion for climate justice and inclusion. With a strong engineering background and a double master's degree in renewable energy and sustainable energy technologies, Alba's journey led her to co-found Climatize as a means to empower individuals to take tangible climate action. Her activism, technical expertise, and commitment to solving climate challenges have shaped her remarkable journey as an entrepreneur. Alba is also a Young Energy Ambassador for the European Commission and has been recognized by Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for her contributions to social impact.Then we dive deep into the solar industry in the United States and why solar energy plays a crucial role in the energy transition. Alba sheds light on community solar projects, their significance, and the opportunities they offer for both investors and communities. We explore the existing solutions in place to finance and develop renewable energy projects and discuss the market's organization, including key players and regulations. Part 2: Secret Sauce (Available to Members Only- More info on our site)Alba shares with us the importance of research and preparation in the funding stage of startups. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the industry, identifying weaknesses, and finding ways to strengthen startups.

Helen's Journey from Finance to Climate Tech While Challenging Net Zero Norms, Embracing Renewable Realities, and Navigating the Geopolitics of Green TechEp.#87 Helen Lin, Partner at At One Ventures - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday on the Tech4Climate podcast, I met Helen Lin, Partner at At One Ventures which is a forward-thinking venture capital firm dedicated to investing in early-stage companies that leverage disruptive deep technology to challenge traditional industries while significantly reducing their environmental impact. Helen's journey undertakes a transformation from a conventional finance career to a purpose-driven path. She began in investment banking and private equity, later realizing the need for meaningful work. She completed an MBA before dedicating eight years to microfinance in Africa. Witnessing the intertwined challenges of climate change and social impact in vulnerable regions fueled her passion for climate tech and venture capital. Helen's commitment to climate justice, equitable resource allocation, and investment in emerging markets reflects her deep sense of responsibility to address climate change's impact on underserved populations and the planet - making her journey an inspiring example.The conversation then delves into Helen's unique insights and experiences within the climate tech sector, offering a glimpse into the innovative solutions regarding mining technologies to ensure the sustainable supply of critical minerals, its challenges & opportunities, plus the Geopolitical considerations. Stay tuned to gain valuable insights into the exciting world of climate tech, mining technologies and sustainable investing.Part 2: My Secret Sauce (Members only)In the second part of the show, Helen gives tips for founders who are fundraising and shares the best way to stand out and catch investor's attention. Helen also shares how carving out time for yourself is essential to succeed.

Phoebe Wang from Amazon Climate Pledge Fund helps us explore the environmental impact of data centers and e-waste, highlight areas for improvement and some current innovations in chip design, cooling and energy storage. Ep.#86 Phoebe Wang Investment Partner Amazon Climate Pledge Fund - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorPhoebe Wang is an investment partner at the Amazon Climate Pledge Fund, a $2 billion fund focused on sustainability and climate change. Their goal is to help Amazon and their Climate Pledge signatories achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 through investments in various sectors like transportation, food, circularity, data centers, manufacturing, materials, and nuclear fission.Phoebe has been involved in climate tech investing for the past 12 years, backing over 30 companies, 3 of which have become unicorns. Phoebe's passion for sustainability was sparked by witnessing pollution and smog in Asia whilst growing up, which motivated her to pursue a career in climate-focused fields. Phoebe has a background in material science engineering, business, and environmental engineering, and has worked in various roles before becoming an entrepreneur and investor in the climate tech space.In today's episode Phoebe discusses the impact of data centers and e-waste focusing on greenhouse gas emissions and the importance of finding alternative more sustainable solutions, especially moving into the AI era. Phoebe also tells us about developments and innovations in chip designs, cooling techniques and energy storage to reduce energy consumption. We discuss the urgency for self-regulation by big tech companies and the need for circularity and recycling in data centers. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Phoebe gives her advice on the best way to catch an investor's attention with your pitch deck and the importance of building a support system. Phoebe also shares how she navigates a healthy work-life balance with 2 school age children.

From Australia's Energy Sector to scaling Unicorns. Albert Bielinko discusses the challenges for residential adoption of renewable energy and gives us an insight into what it takes to build and scale a unicorn. Ep.#84 Albert Bielinko @ Telstra Ventures - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorOn today's podcast I had the pleasure of meeting with Albert Bielinko, Partner at Telstra Ventures. A very exciting firm that has invested in 91 tech-enabled companies of which 15 have become unicorns. Their focus is one post revenue Series A to Series C, writing 3 to 12mil USD on initial cheques and working closely with founders to grow their businesses. Albert talks very fondly of his two young daughters and makes sure he spends lots of time with his family, in his spare time he enjoys running and football. He describes himself as a geek regularly reading and researching about the energy transition. Albert was very early to the food delivery space, starting a business with some friends in 2011 and describes how his naivety took him on a steep learning curve. He then went on to spend time at Goldman Sachs on the finance and technology side and was an advisor to companies, CEO's, CFO's which gave him a good grounding to become an investor. In today's episode we discuss the transformation of Australia's energy system towards renewable sources, particularly solar power and the challenges faced for residential adoption such as high upfront costs and lack of awareness still existing. However, the increasing cost of electricity from traditional sources is creating a stronger incentive to make the switch. Albert also discusses Telstra's approach to supporting companies that have potential to solve challenging problems at scale and how they go about supporting international expansion. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Albert gives his top three pieces of advice for founders pitching for investment, and shares his go to book and podcast for learning about climate and climate tech.

Deep diving the Mining Industry: Environmental Impacts, Solutions, and Corporate InnovationEp.#85 Francesca Whitehead, Vice President on Climate Tech Investment Team - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday on the Tech4Climate podcast I meet with Francesca Whitehead, Vice President on Climate Tech Investment Team. Fifth Wall are the largest asset manager focused on modernizing, future proofing and decarbonizing the built environment and their LPs include 110 of the largest owners, operators and developers of real estate across 15 countries. They currently have 125 portfolio companies across both climate tech and prop tech.Francesca grew up in Vietnam and Hong Kong before heading to the US to study and has been there until very recently when she was asked to relocate to London to jumpstart Fifth Wall's European Climate tech investing as a fund. Francesca started her career in climate tech immediately after university working in Goldman Investment Banking covering natural resources, before joining the KKR Global Impact Fund's inaugural team. She then went on to join G2 VP fund focused on applying emerging tech to improving inefficiencies and sustainability in traditional industries across a variety of sectors before joining Fifth Wall at the end of last year. In this episode Francesca deep dives into the mining industry's impact on climate change and the importance of introducing sustainable practices and solutions. She speaks about the negative impacts of the industry, not only from emissions but also pollution, waste, land degradation and human rights. We discuss existing solutions, from electric vehicles to the electrification of machinery, and also the potential role of corporate ventures in driving innovation and sustainability in the mining industry. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Francesca gives tips for founders who are fundraising and shares the differences she's noticed in founder pitches between Europe and the US. She also shares her routine for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and her love for podcasts.

Join us as we unlock the potential of multifunctional high temperature energy storage and its pivotal role in spearheading the global transition away from fossil fuels.Ep.#83 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Martin Schichtel, Founder and CEO of KRAFTBLOCKIn this episode of our Founders Series, I had an insightful discussion with Martin Schichtel, co-founder and CEO of KRAFTBLOCK which he describes as a multifunctional high temperature energy storage system with the mission to decarbonize various industries. Having studied Chemistry and completed a PhD in Nanotechnology, Martin went on to develop materials as part of a research institute before falling into selling these types of products. Kraftblock started out as a hobby in 2008, which he approached in a very scientific way spending 3 years doing extensive literature and market research, before building the business proposition and launching. Martin is also an avid reader and lover of nature, trail runs and deep discussions with family and friends about theories he's read about and new ideas. Historically, energy storage has been discussed with electricity or battery storage in mind, however less so about heat, hydro and sunlight. In this episode we discuss different types of energy storage, new technologies and how if we want to really move away from fossil fuels for energy production we need to ensure energy storage can be sustained through the night time hours, or when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing in order to sustain lifestyles, industry and wealth for the future. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During this second part of the show, Martin shares his experience of his fundraising journey for a large scale hardware company and some tips he wishes he knew beforehand. He also shares his advice for reaching a healthy work-life balance as a busy founder.

Is there a zero sum trade-off between investing in mitigation and investing in adaptation? Alex Laplaza from Lowercarbon Capital discusses the importance of adaptation and building resilience to mitigate the felt human and economical impacts of climate change.Ep.#82 Alex Laplaza @ Lowercarbon Capital - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday we are speaking with Alex Laplaza, Partner @ Lowercarbon Capital. Lowercarbon is a seed and early-stage fund investing in technologies and solutions to dramatically reduce and remove greenhouse gas emissions. They aim to be the first money in and remain investing in the company for its full lifecycling. Alex was born in Spain but grew up in New York, after studying International Relations he found himself spending a summer working in a school in rural Uganda and describes how he first experienced the magic of environmental solutions being implemented with the installation of a water well meaning increased school attendance of young girls. He went on to continue working on water security issues as a Fulbright scholar in Indonesia before studying Energy Policy at Stanford which eventually led him to work at Lowercarbon Capital. In today's episode we discuss scaling adaptation solutions and the green vortex, a positive feedback loop between policy and technology. And how policies can make the cost of technologies cheaper, and vice versa. Alex also gives his take on what the most promising sectors are for building impactful companies at scale whilst being highly profitable.Today we are speaking with Alex Laplaza, Partner @ Lowercarbon Capital. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Alex tells us how he switches off to find a healthy work-life balance. He also shares his go-to podcast and books and also tells us his tip for catching the attention of a climate tech investor!

Katie Hoffman from Regeneration VC helps us explore the textiles industry and how new consumer products with regenerative qualities can help to create better methods, mechanisms and systems, whilst reducing pollutants.Ep.#81 Katie Hoffman @ Regeneration VC - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday on the Tech4Climate podcast we meet with Katie Hoffman, an entrepreneur, investor and activist, who built several companies from scratch before going down the VC route. She's now a partner at Regeneration VC, an early stage venture fund focused on adopting circular principles within consumer markets, that notably has Leonardo Di Caprio as an investor in the fund. Katie comes from a family of lawyers and always thought she would go down the same route until her mother sadly got sick with cancer which led her down a path of exploring what toxicity and pollution in our environment can cause someone she loves to get sick. Now she dedicates herself to deeply understanding the climate crisis and particularly the polluting industries. In this episode Katie talks us through the intersections of finance and policy with the climate crisis. And deep dives into the 2.5 trillion dollar textile industry and how changes in different parts of the value chain such as using alternative non-toxic dies, alternative fibers that can biodegrade into natural systems can have a significant impact on reducing pollutants from the overall process.Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Katie gives three tips for founders who are fundraising. She also shares her routine for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and her essential reading for climate tech founders.

Taking consumer products from one to beyond. Meera Clarke from Redpoint Ventures helps us explore where the B2B and B2C consumer market is going from a Climate focused venture perspective. Ep.#78 Meera Clarke @ Redpoint Ventures - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday we speak with Meera Clarke from Redpoint Ventures. Redpoint has been around since the late 90s and has partnered with the likes of Stripe, Twilio and Snowflake to name a few. Their scope is broad however Meera joined a year ago to focus on building out Redpoint's footprint within Climate.Meera hails from North Carolina and she explains how a lesson from her dad when very young sparked an initial curiosity to care for the planet. From working in the House and Senate, to Finance at Morgan Stanley where she was identifying disruptive trends in the markets to VC at Obvious Ventures and now Redpoint, Meera talks about her propensity for action and desire to be where things are happening. In this episode Meera deep dives into what companies have really scaled on the consumer side and how to empower and motivate the mass market to live their best lives both personally and professionally whilst keeping the impact of their actions on the planet in mind. She covers the importance of risk mitigation and how they, at Redpoint, assess this when considering investment for both B2B and B2C businesses. And why they're less prescriptive in their approach to measuring impact when considering investment at an early stage. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn part 2, Meera shares how Redpoint focuses on Team and TAM, and how to demonstrate your build velocity. She gives her advice on building longitudinal relationships with investors and tells us about her secret recipe for success.

Using biochar as a replacement for cement, Mario pulls carbon from the atmosphere and addresses the emissions of the world's second most used material. Ep.#79 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Mario Schmitt, Co-Founder of ecoLockedIn this episode of our Founders Series, we had a concrete discussion with Mario Schmitt, co-founder and CEO of Eco-locked which turns biochar into an additive for concrete that partially replaces cement and other emission-intensive ingredients to make concrete carbon neutral, lighter, more insulating, along with a couple of further benefits. As an economist by training, but an environmentalist by nature, Mario was already alarmed by climate change at 18 but did not know how to address it. After working in a consulting firm for several years, but still drawn by his love of nature and biodiversity, he knew he wanted to make an impact while he was still young and decided to start ecoLocked after meeting his co-founder. Concrete is the second most used material in the world after water, and with that use come a lot of emissions. In this episode, we examine those emissions, which ones are harder to abate, and how are they addressed by ecoLocked's solution? We then take a wider view of the industry - how is the market organized, who are main actors, what are the current regulatory frameworks. In doing so, we get a concrete understanding of ecoLocked's solution and how it fits in the larger sector. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During this second part of the show, we learned where Mario has focused his efforts to accelerate his fundraising and what has been successful. We then learn how Mario keeps up his energy and why, sometimes, you just need to take a break.

Plastic is amazing because it lasts so long. That's exactly why it's also a problem. Xavier Sarras walks us through the single-use-plastic market and its alternatives. Ep.#78 Xavier Sarras @ 4P Capital - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorFor this episode of our investor series, I chatted with Xavier Sarras, Founding Partner at 4P Capital, an early stage impact venture capital fund that invests in environmental and social resilience, a term Xavier defined as carbon reduction and circular economy models, along with sustainability education, and mental wellbeing models. Xavier's journey started at 17 when he founded his own marketing agency. 30 years later, after successfully building diverse marketing and sales agencies, he was already an angel investor when he decided to make a pivot and move away from helping companies sell things we don't need to investing in companies solving our most pressing issues. In preparing for this podcast, Xavier and I had agreed to discuss the issue of single-use plastics. So I asked him, what is the problem, what are the main technological solutions and where should you, the listener, look to find out about common solutions? We then took a deep-dive into the market by looking at regulation and the innovations and market-gap that got Xavier excited and led him to found 4P. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Xavier lets us in on what the 4Ps stand for and how it reflects on what kind of founders they're looking for. He then tells us exactly what creative goal he has set for himself to ensure a good work-life balance and what he uses to stay on top of that.

Overdesign of concrete is a major issue in the construction industry. Jonathan uses AI to reduce overdesign, reduce the concrete needed in construction, and reduce the industry's emissionsEp.#77 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup Basecamp PART 1: Meet the founder: Ionathan Lazovski Founder & CEO at Structure-Pal LtdFor this newest episode of our Founders Series we chatted with Ionathan Lazovski, CEO at Structure-Pal which provides engineers with the tools to reduce concrete volume in their design using a powerful novel AI. Jonathan has been involved in the construction industry for a long time and came to the realization that the house he would design as an architect was never the one that could be constructed due to inefficiencies in terms of cost and materials. He knew that tools existed to optimize construction methods, and, driven by a desire to keep the planet inhabitable for his children, he founded Structure-Pal.In this episode we take a look at the problems with the construction industry and its inefficiencies and find out which materials are greener than others. In doing so we learned about the gap in the market Structure Pal fills, how it is affected by regulation, and how Structure Pal and its team of engineers address it. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During this second part of the show, we learned some top pitching tips from the winner of our Pitch Competition and Ionathan's Secret Sauce for building a successful business while also maintaining a work-life balance.

Hydrogen is going to be big, but it is also overhyped. How can it be both? We dive into hydrogen and the complexities of the market with Shayle Kann, Partner at Energy Impact Partners. Ep.#76 Shayle Kann Partner @ Energy Impact Partners - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday we sat down with Shayle Kann who leads Energy Impact Partners' Frontier Fund dedicated to investing in revolutionary technologies to enable deep decarbonization. Energy Impact Partners is a $2.5 billion + venture capital firm backed by a coalition of the world's largest energy and industrial companies.Shayle's story begins with a story itself. Shayle's career began very early as a kids' entertainer and storyteller. Despite retiring from that career, storytelling continued to be a constant thread in his life, and something he seeks in founders. In university, he became enthralled by such an esoteric subject as utility regulations and decided it was the career for him. He then joined an early-stage digital media and market intelligence startup where he led the GTM research operation. Once the company was bought out, he jumped ship toward something with more impact and joined EIP. Shayle's expertise in the energy sector brought us to a discussion about hydrogen, its different sources, its different uses, and where the market is heading. We then dove into EIP and asked, what is the story behind it, what are they doing differently, and what areas they are particularly excited about?Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second portion of the show, Shayle shares his advice for technical deeptech founders on how to best pitch their tech. He also shares one of his favorite climate reads about the energy industry.

Alternative leathers can make a significant difference in tackling climate change. We take a deep dive with Sophie and learn about how the Collaborative Fund measures its impact. Ep.#75 Sophie Bakalar Partner @ Collab - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorIn this newest episode of our investor series, we spoke with Sophie Bakalar, Partner at the Collaborative Fund, a network of fund managers investing across asset classes by identifying and supporting companies that live at the intersection of for-profit & for-good.Sophie's journey as an investor emerged on the back of three different startups. It was after her second company was acquired, however, that she started to think about climate change during a year backpacking around the world. Over the course of her travels, she realized how far behind the US was in taking action against climate change and she decided to pivot toward a career with more impact. In this episode, we not only take a dive into the thesis behind Collaborative Fund, but do so by looking at alternative leathers. Why are alternative leathers so important to fighting climate change? What are the main solutions and the challenges they face? Are these solutions sustainable or susceptible to greenwashing? Join us for a deep dive into sustainable fashion and how to measure its impact. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Sophie explains what she likes to hear from founders who pitch to her and what she recommends to any who may be interested to do so. She then explains her tricks for maintaining a good work-life balance and what podcasts she recommends.

Only about 5% of water used in industry is recycled, a major problem considering increasing water scarcity caused by climate change. Alex is working to fix that. Ep.#74 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Alex Rappaport, CEO & Co-founder of Zwitter Co. During this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with Alex Rappaport, CEO and Co-founder of Zwitter Co. Zwitter Co is developing first-of-its kind filtration membranes that help treat and reuse some of the world's most challenging waste by providing tools that industry, food and manufacturing facilities can use to treat their wastewater and reuse it on-site at or below the cost of standard discharge. Alex always had an interest in the outdoors and getting sick from drinking bad water taught him the importance of water treatment. While attending Tufts University for environmental engineering, he became interested in entrepreneurship as a vehicle for impact. Armed with his idea, he was able to tap into the large Tufts network of alumni and mentors and launch Zwitter Co. We all know that water is instrumental to human life, but it is also fundamental to our way of life, and the way we produce things uses a lot of water. In this episode, Alex walks us through exactly how much water is wasted in making our stuff, where that water goes, and what he is doing to change that. In doing so, we learn about the main challenges of wastewater treatment, how regulation plays a role, the total market value of wastewater management, and the ins-and-outs of Zwitter's solution to a problem that is rapidly being aggravated by climate change. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY=> More info on our site)During the second part of the discussion, Alex gives his fundraising tips, including who you should target beyond traditional VCs and how. He then gives his tips on how to achieve a good work-life balance by switching off every night and how he does that.

AENU promotes transparency as integral to reaching our impact thresholds. Ep.#73 Dr Fabian Heilemann, Founder & CEO @ AENU - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday we sat down with Dr Fabian Heilemann founder & CEO @ Aenu, a VC impact fund focused on early-stage companies primarily located in northern Europe and the UK. With his evergreen Fund, Aenu is breaking free of the ten-year VC traditional fund model to build lasting relationships with the founders it invests in by following startups through to post-IPO.Fabian's background as an entrepreneur began early on when he first partnered with his brother to start a food truck business. He has since then started five companies including one that was sold to Google, and used the proceeds to enter the investing space. But it was only later that he and his brother began to think about impact and pivot toward the climate space and together they started AENU, which is now a 100M Evergreen fund. During this episode, Fabian takes us on a deep dive to understand what the overall climate tech sector looks like and how it differs across continents. Is it collaborative or competitive? Which sectors are most exciting or over-hyped? Come along as we get a bird's eye view of the global climate tech ecosystem with an investor that has a foot on both continents. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Fabian gives a few super valuable tips on how to frame your pitch to be the most impactful and what he does to keep his energy up.

Paolo Piffaretti is de-risking permanent carbon removal credits to help companies achieve their net-zero goals. Ep.#72 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Paolo Piffaretti Co-Founder & CEO CarbonˣDuring this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with Paolo PiffarettiCarbonx is a FinTech climate startup that de-risks and facilitates the procurement of permanent carbon removal credits for companies aiming to reach net zero carbon.Paolo is originally Swiss, and unlike all his peers at his Swiss business school, he went into entrepreneurship and founded two companies before ultimately ending up as head of Net Zero at Algolia. Yet Paolo returned to his passion for entrepreneurship upon realizing the amount of risk involved in removing residual emissions and decided to found Carbonx. In this episode, Paolo explores the voluntary carbon market and why it is fraught with risk. In doing so, he takes us deeper into the sector. I asked him, are voluntary carbon markets fair? Who are the main buyers? What does the regulatory landscape look like? What solution has Carbonx created to address the challenges of this market and how does it work? PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During the second part of the discussion, Paolo talks about how to tackle FOMO as a founder and what content you should consume to counter that.

Wildfires are getting, well, wilder. Allison Wolff's platform helps land managers monitor forests to make sure they remain resilient. Ep.#70 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Allison Wolff, CEO at Vibrant PlanetDuring this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with Allison WolffVibrant Planet is a tech platform that is accelerating fire-prone forest resilience worldwide. Currently, there is a little more than half of the land worldwide that needs fire in some way to cycle nutrients, cycle carbon, and to regenerate. Brilliant Planet has created an online platform for landscape restoration that helps land managers plan in more fire-prone ecosystems. Allison grew up in Colorado, with issues of forest fires and pine beetles in her backyard. After a successful career in tech in Silicon Valley she started gravitating more toward climate issues and it wasn't until after the Paradise Fire that she really dove into how to regenerate the forests in the west that had been mismanaged for so many years. California is losing 6% of its forests per year, and Allison traced this down partially to a data and communication problem. So, she set out to create a platform that facilitated the monitoring and reporting of this rapidly changing ecosystem. In this episode, Allison starts off by explaining what nature-based solutions are and how she has created a tech product to enable them. She goes on to explain the natural challenges nature-based solutions face, along with those faced by analytics-as-a-service products. In doing so, she sets out how she created her product while ensuring good UX, and the economics of nature-based solutions. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During this second part of the discussion, Allison gives her tips on how to fundraise for nature-based solutions, while maintaining a good work life balance. She also gives her book recommendations based on projects she has worked on.

EV adoption faces a lot of barriers compared to the ease of filling your gas tank and driving away. John is making sure that electric can be as easy and as cheap as gas. Ep.#70 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: John de Souza, Co-founder & President at AmpleDuring this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with John de Souza, Co-Founder and President of Ample. Ample is solving the problem of delivering energy to electric vehicles with a solution that provides autonomous battery swapping for electric vehicles and makes driving EVs as simple and cheap as gazoline cars. John's international background provided a fascinating perspective to our discussion on electric vehicles and entrepreneurship, which he gained during his formative years spent in Ethiopia and Dubai where he learned that founding a company is much more common than we think and we shouldnt be afraid of the risk. John then established himself in the US and had a long career in tech and health. He was later looking to buy an electric car when he realized that EVs were still not easy to charge quickly and drive long distances, so he set out to found Ample. In this episode, John gives a captivating look at the electric vehicle industry beginning with an examination of what major markets have done to increase the adoption of EVs. He then dives into the main challenges EVs face and why current subsidies are misguided. From there he moves into the infrastructure difficulties EVs face, how more charging stations are not just the answer due to a multitude of considerations and why Ample's simple solution is a needed alternative for technology we hope to build, but do not yet have. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY=> More info on our site)During the second part of the discussion, John gives some as-of-yet-unheard tips on the Tech4Climate podcast about how to make sure you get the most out of your fundraising.

Retail accounts for 25% of carbon emissions. Tristan is working with retailers to put carbon neutral products on their shelves and reduce those emissions. Ep.#69 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Tristan A. Foerster CEO & Co-Founder at ClimatePartnerDuring this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with Tristan Foerster, Co-founder and CEO at ClimatePartner. ClimatePartner helps businesses on the long journey of reducing and abating carbon emissions by enabling them to carbon footprint their emissions and offset unabatable emissions through the projects it has developed with its partners across the globe.Tristan's story was unique and fascinating, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about his journey toward helping businesses be carbon neutral. Tristan has had a variety of experiences, from early search engines to an ecommerce startup, then to consulting before working for matchmaking software, Tristan joined ClimatePartner 12 years ago and hasn't looked back. Including scope 3 emissions, retail accounts for 25% of global GHG emissions. In this episode, Tristan dissects how he helps retailers account for their carbon emissions, and why double accounting is actually necessary for improving accountability. He then dives into the intricacies of retail and why emissions are so hard to offset, why that meant that ClimatePartner had to exist, how he developed the company, and how it works. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)During the second part of the show, Tristan gives his tips on how to make it, even if your company functions as an involuntary non-profit for several years. He then gives us a glimpse on ways he has found to reach a good work life balance and what sources of information he uses to stay abreast of the climate landscape.

Ep.#68 Marcus Lehmann - Co-Founder and CEO of CalWave l Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Marcus Lehmann, Co-Founder of CalWaveDuring this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with Marcus Lehmann who has developed, with his team, a unique way to harness the power of waves. Waves are the largest unused renewable resource in the world with the great benefits of being more energy-dense, stable, and predictable than other forms of renewable energy. Marcus' startup Calwave intends to equip coastal communities with clean, reliable and local energy while keeping our planet healthy.It was clear from speaking with Marcus that co-founding CalWave was the natural progression of what had been a continuous interest in both building things and riding the waves. From early on, Marcus was already building robotic boats and self-propelled surface vessels, despite growing up in Munich. After studying mechanical engineering with a focus on entrepreneurship, Marcus came to UC Berkeley for his Master's thesis where he was introduced to the technology that would lead him to Co-found CalWave.Energy dependency is a particularly poignant discussion right now with the war in Ukraine, and it was fascinating to talk with Marcus about how his solution has the potential to mitigate the energy dependency of so many coastal communities, particularly island nations. In doing so, we talked about the value chain of renewable energy, how that affects the adoption of renewables, and how CalWave is making waves in the energy market. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)In the second part of the show, Marcus shares his tips for fundraising and getting out of your lab. He also gives some recommendations on work life balance and books that help him get there.

After flying to Bangladesh to help with the Rohingya Crisis, Alex Blum discovered a new way of creating plastics that was more sustainable and could have a huge impact on the construction industry. Ep.#67 Alex Blum - Co-Founder of Applied Bioplastics l Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Alex Blum, Co-Founder of Applied BioplasticsDuring this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with Alex Blum who has developed a way to mix sustainable plant fibers with durable plastics that are either virgin, recycled or bioplastics to enable their use in standard manufacturing and substantially reduce their cost and carbon footprint. It was fascinating to sit down with Alex who speaks with such passion about his journey as a successful tech salesman turned philanthropist, and now entrepreneur. In 2017, sensitive to the humanitarian crisis of the Rohingya population, Alex decided to take action and flew to Bangladesh with a film crew to produce 2 award winning documentaries showcasing the crisis with the world. The trip led him to learn about new plant based cellulose technologies that could be used in the construction industry, especially for better refugee shelters. Although the company has since shifted from this initial model toward producing pellets for manufacturers that are decarbonized through their plant fibers mix, it still makes houses for refugees that are sustainable, not only by reducing the material carbon footprint, but by using local material and labor to construct them. During this episode, Alex took me on a deep-dive into the plastics industry to learn how the market works, who the main players are, why there is a trail of dead-bodies in the bioplastics space and what Alex is doing differently. In doing so, we dove into the technicalities of plastic, its regulations and market, and what role it plays in the global economy. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)In the second part of the show, Alex shares his tips for fundraising, especially in the current economic climate. He also gives some great book recommendations and his unconventional view on work life balance.

Ep.#66 Jon Salazar Founder and CEO @ Gazelle Wind Power l Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Jon Salazar Founder and CEO at Gazelle Wind PowerDuring this new episode of our Founder Series, we sat down with Jon Salazar Founder and CEO at Gazelle Wind Power. Gazelle has developed a unique and innovative Hybrid Floating Platform with high stability and attenuated pitch, designed and engineered by leading expert naval engineers. The company is on a mission to enable the power of wind for the globe and accelerate the worldwide opportunity for deep-water offshore wind energy.I was excited to have Jon on the show and learn the ins and outs of the fast-growing offshore wind energy industry and how Gazelle has the potential to play a key role in tackling the cost and engineering challenges of deep-water floating wind turbines to unleash the industry's full potential. During this episode, you will learn about the industry and its potential for growth. What needs to happen to accelerate the development of the sector? Then we will cover with Jon the initial challenges in developing the solution Gazelle engineered from lab scale to pilot project. Finally, we will dive into their business model, their path to scale their solutions, and how you can get involved in the project. PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)In the second part of the show, Jon will share his secret sauce to successfully raise millions from large institutional investors to finance his hardware startups. He will also share some of his best reads and how he keeps up high energy despite his intense workload.

Meet 4 incredible entrepreneurs deploying new innovations in the fight against climate change. Ep.#65 Beth Zonis Senior Director @ Cleantech Open Northeast - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder:During this special episode of our Founder series, we are sitting down with Beth Zonis Senior Director @ the Cleantech Open Northeast chapter and 4 of the finalists from the 2022 program. The Cleantech Open is considered the world's oldest and largest cleantech accelerator, providing entrepreneurs and technologists the resources needed to launch a successful cleantech company. This was the second time we had Beth and the winners of the Cleantech Open with us on the show, and it was great to learn about the new companies going through the program and hear about their journeys and startups, their challenges, and market potential. During the episode, we will hear from each of these incredible founders, and how you can get involved in their exciting innovations to fight climate change: John Ireland, Founder and CEO of NTP Technologies - a startup aimed at reducing and eliminating synthetic nitrogen fertilizer by providing farmers a cleaner and greener alternative that is organic, salt-free, and produced onsite and on demand. Ian McKendry, Senior Research Scientist at Hit Nano - a startup focused on advanced manufacturing of energy storage materials aimed at producing creating more energy and carbon-efficient cathodes for batteries. Bohdan Radejko, CEO of Kasava Engineering - a startup that has created a more powerful and efficient transmission that allows smaller engines to perform as well as larger engines and reduces greenhouse gases.Skylar Bagdon, CEO of Verde - a startup that has developed solar panels that are 10x lighter in weight and more flexible than currently available rooftop panels.

Ep.#64 Marcus Lovell Smith CEO @ Neutral Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup BasecampPART 1: Meet the founder: Marcus Lovell Smith, CEO of Neutral During this new episode of our Founder Series, we are sitting down with Marcus Lovell Smith, CEO of Neutral. Neutral is the first pure carbon-neutral food company in the US and works directly with dairy farmers and beef ranchers to mitigate their climate impact and deliver carbon-neutral food products to consumers in more than 2000 locations. It was utterly fascinating to converse with Marcus and learn the ins and outs of the dairy industry and how Neutral is tackling the emissions of a notoriously difficult sector to decarbonize. Marcus first got involved in the sector when he came to the US twenty years ago to run a family dairy farm. He has since worked with the best at Alphabet, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and the Harvard Entrepreneurship program, in a variety of leadership roles. With his love for the countryside and farm life, he naturally found his way back by combining his business acumen, passion for climate change, and love of the country through his work at Neutral. As 93% of Americans have dairy milk in their refrigerators, it's imperative that the sector's emissions are tackled head-on immediately. And Marcus is doing just that with Neutral. During the episode, we got to ask him, where do the main dairy industry emissions come from? How does he go about decarbonizing the industry? How does he get farmers on board? And what are the future market opportunities for companies in this space? PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site)In the second part of the show, Marcus explains how he got celebrity investors such as Lebron James, and Mark Cuban to embrace his vision and invest in the company. He will also share how he has sold his story, and how he keeps the smile on his face despite the workload.

Electrification is not a trend, it's a revolution, and batteries are at the forefront. Nadav Steinmetz from Nomea helps us explore where the market is going.Ep.#63 Nadav Steinmetz @ Nomea - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecampPART 1: Meet the investorToday we are speaking with Nadav Steinmetz, Founder & CEO @ Nomea. Nomea is a UK-based, climatetech fund that invests in transformative technologies that advance the transition to net-zero emissions. They particularly focus on startups within the UK, Europe, and Israel and invest in both early and late-stage companies helping them grow into highly profitable and successful enterprises. It was fascinating to talk to Nadav. He's Franco-Israeli yet spent much of his career in the US and UK, and first considered impact when he founded an NGO as a student. Two years ago, he left the financial sector to found Nomea and truly focus on climate tech on the premise that it was the sector that would provide the most impact. In founding Nomea, Nadav became an expert in battery technologies. He takes us on a journey across the global battery market in an attempt to understand what are its main drivers, what it would take for Europe to catch up to the Asian Market and how batteries can become more sustainable amidst this electrification revolution. In doing so, we learn more about Nomea and their founding premise, what type of investments they make, what they are excited about and how you can get involved. Part 2: My Secret SauceIn the second part of the show, Nadav explains two tips for founders who are fundraising. He also gives a controversial opinion on why work-life balance is overrated.

Wes set out to prove that you can indeed do both things by investing in mission-driven startups. Ep.#62 Wes Selke @ Better Ventures. - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup Basecamp PART 1: Meet the investor Today we are speaking with Wes Selke, Founder Partner @ Better Ventures. Better Ventures is an Oakland-based, early-stage venture firm that backs mission-driven founders that are leveraging emerging technologies and break-through science to solve big problems in the world from climate to health to economic opportunity. It was a pleasure to talk to Wes who has been investing in mission-driven startups for over a decade. Over the course of his career, he has gained particular insight into synbio and how it will play a crucial role in decarbonizing our industries. He gives us a deep dive into how economic growth is compatible with sustainability and reducing global emissions, and what role synbio can play. Part 2: My Secret Sauce In the second part of the show, Wes clues us into what framework he uses to assess the “je ne sais quoi” of the founders he invests in. He also provides his tips on what he does to really keep a clear mind and work-life balance.

Rokas makes early-stage, audacious investments that lead to big wins for climate.  Ep.#61  Rokas Peciulaitis @ Contrarian Ventures. - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecamp PART 1: Meet the investor Today we are speaking with Rokas Peciulaitis, Founder & Managing Partner @ Contrarian Ventures. Contrarian Ventures is a VC firm that invests across Europe and Israel and provides a hands-on approach to climate generation that puts founders first by mobilizing the resources and building the tools they need to accelerate their product market fit. It was a joy to talk to Rokas who at the age of 26 convinced the largest utility company in the Baltic to back him in investing in a single GP, and from there Contrarian Ventures was born. The firm remains true to its name, and makes bold, audacious bets at early stages across the energy, mobility, building, industry and carbon removal sectors. Rokas' maverick approach to investment in the climate tech sector truly offered some fascinating insights into the carbon removal space, the role of regulation in carbon markets, and the way forward for climate tech.  Part 2: My Secret Sauce In the second part of the show, Rokas offers more than just your average google search worth of advice on how he likes to get people's attention when he is making them an offer. He also provides some interesting reads that can give you a new perspective on human society. 

The global food system needs a reboot. Phil Morle, deeptech investor and foodtech expert, explains why.  Ep.#60  Phil Morle @ Main Sequence Ventures PART 1: Meet the investor Hello and welcome to the Tech4Climate Podcast, I'm Guillaume your host and each week we give you the stories of climate tech founders and investors and their unique insights into this fast-moving ecosystem.  Today we are speaking with Phil Morle, Partner at Main Sequence Ventures. Over his long career, Phil has found that his super power is helping founders fill out their canvas of ideas. He now helps founders grow their teams by investing in global companies that have science at their core. Deeptech investor and foodtech expert, he gives us a deep dive into why we need to rethink the whole foodtech ecosystem.  Part 2: My Secret Sauce In the second part of the show, Phil explains the details of slam-dunk financing and how you should use it to pitch to investors. He also gives a few tips on achieving a good work-life balance and the books he uses to get there. 

Offsetting is important, but only for what can't be otherwise reduced. Maria explains the nuances of the carbon markets and how it's making a big impact in climate tech.  Ep.#59    Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup Basecamp PART 1: Meet the founder: Maria Fujihara, Founder and CEO at SINAI During this new episode of our Founder Series, we are sitting down with Maria Fujihara, Founder and CEO at SINAI. SINAI is a decarbonization and intelligence platform that helps companies in carbon-intensive sectors account for their emissions and find decarbonizing solutions. SINAI helps them replace existing operations with more sustainable solutions. I had long been looking forward to speaking with Maria and getting a better understanding of carbon markets and her journey in creating SINAI. Maria has always been interested in nature and doing whatever possible to coexist with it, something that may have come out of being raised by two forest engineers in Brazil. Prior to founding SINAI, she worked for a non-profit in the sustainable construction sector but eventually knew she was driven to do something more and was accepted into Singularity University at the NASA Research Park, where she learned all the skills needed to found a climate tech startup.   In this episode, Maria covers the ins and outs of carbon management and clarifies that carbon offsets should only be used for a company's emissions that cannot otherwise be reduced. But what are those companies and their main emissions? Maria explains what drives most companies to reduce their foorprints and which sectors are leading the charge. In doing so she not only explains how SINAI works but what she has learned as a founder along the way. Above all, Maria gives three main tips to founders - Make sure you consider both the big picture and the small details, never give up, and follow your gut.   PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY - More info on our site) During the second part of the talk,  Maria gives a few more specific tips for founders, specifically in her time at Y Combinator. She also gives recommendations on how to manage a good work life balance, including a few good reads that might help. 

Foodtech is the largest market, four times bigger than software. Learn about the future of foodtech from one of its forefront investors. Ep.#58  Björn Witte @ Blue Horizon - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecamp PART 1: Meet the investor In today's episode, we are speaking with Björn Witte, Managing Partner and CEO Blue Horizon.  It was very interesting to have Björn on the show and learn about the foodtech sector from someone who has significant experience first as an operator and then as an investor in the sector. He now works for Blue Horizon, a next-generation impact investment firm with a lifecycle investment philosophy. Their mission is to fill a role in the food system by understanding what drives the market and use it to produce a double positive return on investment: one for the investors, the other for the planet.  Björn began his career restructuring companies but quickly shifted over to the foodtech space as a way to make more impact. He began to work a lot with farmers in India and Asia to build up their productivity and at one point, even became a shareholder in a food production company. Eventually, he met Roger, Blue Horizon's founder, and decided to join. He now leads a diverse team across entrepreneurship, finance, and academia with 78 deals across the world.  Björn is passionate about food, a passion that he uses to guide us on a journey across the foodtech ecosystem, and the world's largest market. In our discussion, Björn specifically hones in on alternative protein as a means to produce the greatest impact, but how? What are the key drivers of the market? What are the major roadblocks? How does he respond to critiques of the Frankensteinization of food? How can innovation in the sector fast-track our goal toward zero emissions? Part 2: My secret sauce: In the second part of the show,  Björn explains what advice he has for founders looking to fundraise or enter the foodtech space. He also gives a few recommendations on books, tv-shows, and reports he has used to understand foodtech and climatetech more generally.

Easy access to onstreet electrical charging is one of the significant barriers to adopting EVs nationwide. Jeff Prosserman is trying to fix that.  Ep.#57 Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup Basecamp PART 1: Meet the founder: Jeff Prosserman, Co-founder and CEO at Voltpost During this new episode of our Founder Series, we are sitting down with Jeff Prosserman, Co-Founder and CEO of Voltpost. Voltpost aims to boost the decarbonization of mobility by retrofitting existing lamp posts into electric vehicle chargers and improving access to curbside charging for those living in cities.  I was very much looking forward to speaking with Jeff, who had a mid-career pivot toward sustainability concurrent with the pandemic. Following initial studies in film with later work in advertising in New York, Jeff eventually ended up leading Samsung's business innovation program. During the pandemic, he pivoted toward climate and took a master's in sustainability management in Columbia where he met his co-founders and started Voltpost as a solution to improve access to sustainable mobility.   In this episode, Jeff explains the genesis of Voltpost and the importance it plays in solving issues of equity in mobility. Only 2% of cars today are electric, yet cars make up a significant portion of the US' GHG emissions. One of the primary adoption barriers is the lack of convenient and affordable charging in cities. In this podcast, we examine how Jeff is tackling this problem, how long it took to make the prototype, what the competition looks like, and the ins and outs of bringing the product to market.  PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY=> More info on our site) During the second part of the talk,  Jeff explains how to fundraise and bring a software and hardware solution to market. He also gives tips on managing a work-life balance and the books that help him do so. 

The Nordic countries are home to a significant proportion of climate tech startups. So what makes the region so fruitful for innovation? Ep.#56  Terhi Johanna Vapola @ Helen Ventures - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecamp PART 1: Meet the investor In today's episode, we are speaking with Terhi Johanna (TJ) Vapola, Vice President, Head & Founder at Helen Ventures. Helen Ventures is the venture arm of Helen Ltd, one of the largest energy companies in the Nordics. Helen Ventures operates at the junction of energy tech and climate tech with a specific focus on those companies building digital ecosystems to tackle energy problems. I was thrilled to have Terhi on the show because of the seasoned perspective she provided of the climate tech landscape after a long career in the sector. Tehri has always been interested in sustainability and tech, beginning with her secondary school education, but at the time, the cleanest energy available was nuclear. Terhi's drive toward promoting climate tech was very much driven by this early understanding of energy infrastructure and a desire to improve it. After a long career at Nokia, and a successful startup, Terhi wanted to help founders learn from her mistakes and became involved with dozens of climate tech startups as an angel investor and eventually founded Helen Ventures.  In this episode, Terhi offers a deep dive into the main markets of the Nordic region and where Helen Ventures fits within them. She offers a thorough overview of the main sectors of the climate tech landscape by way of an explanation as to why the region is such a leader in energy and transportation tech. Along the way she answers a few tough questions: What do the Nordics offer that stimulate innovation? What industries are leading in Nordics and why? Which traditional industries in the region have the most potential for good solutions and founders?  Part 2: My secret sauce: In the second part of the show,  Terhi explains what criteria she uses to gauge her potential investments and their impacts on climate. In doing so, she explains what she likes to hear from the founders she ends up supporting. She also gives her two cents on how to navigate a good work-life balance with some good books. 

If there is a fire in your backyard, you don't develop firefighting technology, you deploy what you have at scale. Ibrahim is helping do that.  Ep.#55  Ibrahim AlHusseini Managing Partner, FullCycle PART 1: Meet the investor In today's episode, we are speaking with Ibrahim AlHusseini, Managing Partner @ FullCycle. FullCycle is a growth equity fund designed from the bottom up to accelerate the deployment of what they consider to be climate critical technologies. By investing in both the companies and their technologies, Ibrahim ensures that startups go from having a promising technology to being an 800 pound gorilla in their respective vertical.  I was tremendously excited to speak to Ibrahim about his goal to accelerate capital deployment toward climate tech, a cause that is close to my heart. Ibrahim's career began with a nutraceutical company run out of his dorm room. After a few more startups, he became a tech VC, but it was only after seeing the slow degradation of the natural environment every year back home in the middle east that he decided to learn everything he could about climate change and dedicate his life and investments toward mitigating it.  In this episode, Ibrahim gives a unique perspective of the VC landscape and why the current VC funding model does not work for the climate crisis. He lays out his argument while also giving a thorough look at investment numbers in the climate tech landscape, who the leading countries are in terms of technological innovation, where the investment gaps are in climate tech funding, and what he is doing to fix that.  Part 2: My secret sauce: In the second part of the show, Ibrahim gives us a look at the criteria he uses to base his investment decisions and how founders should pitch to him. He then covers what books recommend and how they help him achieve a work life balance. 

India is the fourth global emitter and soon will be the most populous country. Its role in the climate challenge is key. So what is it doing to address that and how is Priya Shah at the center of it? Ep.#54 Priya Shah @ Theia Ventures - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecamp PART 1: Meet the investor In today's episode, we are speaking with Priya Shah, General Partner @ Theia Ventures. Theia Ventures is a seed-stage climate tech fund, based in India looking at all verticals in climate tech with a specific interest in companies that are working in IP-led technology-based ventures. Theia Ventures is a very thought-driven fund and aims to be one of the early movers in the climate tech space in India, which offers Priya a good perspective into that fast-growing space. I was thrilled to have Priya on the show and learn about her story. Priya has over 15 years of experience in the impact investing space, which began when she started the ESG working group at Bloomberg, back when the concept was often overlooked. She then worked in the impact investing space in India, including working for an off-grid solar energy startup, an experience that gave her a good look at issues of energy access in India.  In this episode, Priya uses her considerable experience to not only explain the genesis and model of Theia Ventures, but also how it plays a bigger role in the climate tech space in India. In doing so, she offers a fascinating look at the Indian climate tech landscape, the different sectors, roadblocks, and drivers of growth. This analysis informs her discussion of impact, how India is an important piece of the climate challenge, and how she measures impact to make sure to position Theia Ventures at the forefront of India's efforts to leapfrog the US and the EU in reaching net-zero.  Part 2: My secret sauce: In the second part of the show,  Priya explains her approach to investing and what tips she has for founders. She explains what she does to manage her work-life balance, and what books she recommends for clarity in addressing the climate crisis. 

Designed for big companies, Sweep tackles a big problem -  how to manage a company's emissions and that of all their suppliers and customers.  Ep.#53    Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup Basecamp PART 1: Meet the founder: Raphael Güller,  Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer at Sweep During this new episode of our Founder Series, we are sitting down with Raphael Güller, Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer at Sweep. Sweep is a platform for large companies to reduce their emissions,  both across the structure of the organization and across the value chain. One of Sweep's biggest challenges and main objectives is tackling scope three emissions within its customer base.  I was very excited to speak with Raphael, who has worked in different designer roles throughout his career as a graphic designer, brand designer, and finally creative director at ZenDesk where he met the rest of his co-founders. Two years ago, inspired by wildfires he experienced on vacation, he joined his co-founders in starting Sweep, which just closed a $100 Million funding round in early 2022. In this episode, Raphael walks us through that journey, and how he and his co-founders iterated on Sweep and what their catalyst moment was that made them all realize it's all hands on deck for climate.   In this episode, Raphael methodically explains the carbon market and how managing carbon within a big business is a matter of data and how you use it. Tackling scope three emissions is a question of orchestrating among all the big and small suppliers down the line to create a bigger picture of a company's footprint. That is why Raphael prefers the term carbon management to carbon accounting - it's more than measuring; it's understanding what to do with those measurements. With that in mind, Raphael acts as our guide across the carbon landscape, its regulations, market opportunities, and how he uses data to tackle the problem.   PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY=> More info on our site) During the second part of the talk,  Raphael gives fundraising tips for SaaS companies along with a glimpse at his work-life balance and what books he reads to help maintain that balance. 

Sheetal was frustrated with the amount of food wasted in regular food processing, so she founded a company that explored the hidden gems left behind in the food we treasured.  Ep.#52   Sheetal Bahirat, Founder and CEO at Hidden Gems Beverage Company   Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup Basecamp PART 1: Meet the founder: Sheetal Bahirat, Founder and CEO at Hidden Gems Beverage Company During this new episode of our Founder Series, we are sitting down with Sheetal Bahirat, Founder and CEO at Hidden Gems Beverage Company, winner of our 6th Quarterly Pitch Competition last June. Sheetal is working to extract nutrients out of food waste to create functional products and ingredients through her company Hidden Gems. Her first product, Reveal, is an avocado seed brew containing antioxidants extracted from avocado seeds to make a beverage that is not only good for your gut, but improves the ability of avocado seeds to have a second life and break down in commercial composting.  I was very much looking forward to speaking with Sheetal, who is particularly passionate about food and how it can have such a powerful effect on us, on how we feel, how we interact with others, and how we build community. After several startup ventures, Sheetal received her Masters in Culinary Arts and Sciences where she learned the technical know-how she would need to tackle the food waste problem. After many iterations, customer reviews, and trial runs, she has brought to market a product that is not only sustainable, but that answers the question, what is an avocado seed beverage even supposed to taste like, and how do I match people's expectations?  In this episode, Sheetal walks us through the problem of food waste and how it's not just in stores; it's in your fridge, on the farm, in the restaurant, and in that food product you love. By taking us through her own founder's journey, she takes us on another journey through the food waste landscape as we answer some key questions: What is the market opportunity? What are some of the key stumbling blocks? Does regulation serve to hinder or help? Why is it critical to upcycle food waste?  PART 2: My secret sauce: (AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLY=> More info on our site) During the second part of the talk, Sheetal gives tips on fundraising and how to tell your founder's story in a compelling way to get more attention. She also explains her tips for managing a work life balance and what that concept means to her. She will also explore what she reads in her free time to find value for her business in her own climate tech space.

From politics to publishing, and now venture capital, Itamar Weizman provides a fascinating look at the climate tech landscape in Israel and beyond. Ep.#51 Itamar Weizman @ Firstime VC - Tech4Climate Podcast by Startup basecamp PART 1: Meet the investor In today's episode, we are speaking with Itamar Weizman, Partner and Head of Climate Investments @ Firstime VC, one of the key players of the climate tech landscape in Israel. Itamar's career began in non-profit activism with Greenpeace and political campaigning, but a few years ago, he made the shift toward climate and came in to lead climate tech at Firstime VC. He now also runs a non-profit publishing company to promote sustainable thinking in Hebrew. I was excited to have Itamar on the show and to learn from his extensive knowledge of the climate tech ecosystem in Israel. It was particularly interesting to learn what advantages he thinks Israel brings to the table in terms of the global ecosystem, and why Israel is such a leader in foodtech, transportation, and mobility. Above all, Itamar provided an interesting glimpse of how he arrived at leading climate tech at Firstime VC, and what his journey looked like along the way, peppered with book recommendations and the seminal studies he learned from that informed his thinking. In this episode, Itamar explains his drive to protect humanity from itself. In doing so, he explains how he joined Firstime VC, how he partners with founders, and how he measures impact versus greenwashing, to ensure that his fund truly contributes to climate efforts. Most importantly, he explains how he maintains his optimism on how we can solve climate change, despite the challenges, and how he avoids feeling demoralized about the challenging times ahead.. Part 2: My secret sauce: In the second part of the show, Itamar gives a run-through of what he looks for in the companies he invests in. Itamar is a self-professed podcast and book enthusiast, so he also gives an extensive list of the podcasts and books that have been useful to him in understanding the climate tech space.