CleanTechies

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

Hey Everyone!

We're excited to share two big announcements. 🚨🚨

First, CleanTechies is doing its first-ever live podcast! 🎙️🎊

We are partnering with Extantia, one of THE leading ClimateTech VCs in Europe, to do our first ever live podcast recording. 🎉

• When: Wednesday, Sep. 25th @ 4 pm Sharp (be early)
• Where: Register for address
  • Register for 1 of 15 CleanTechies tickets here: https://lu.ma/n8gteqtm

Second, we are hosting a soccer game for CleanTechies ⚽

• When: Friday, Sep. 27th @ 5:30 pm
• Where: Near Sunset Park in Brooklyn (final location shared if approved)
  • Register here: https://lu.ma/duovm34k

We’re very excited to see you all there 😎!

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

NY Climate Week is ####ing insane — event after event after event. 

If you’re not careful, you’ll waste an entire week of work and sleep — and get nothing out of it. 

We are here to give you our two cents… or rather, 35 min of advice on how to get the most out of your climate week experience. 

This is for you regardless if this is your first or fifth climate week. 

We broke it down into:

• Before - How to prep
• During - What to keep in mind during the chaos
• After - Mastering the follow-up 

Have a listen and comment with your advice for all the other CleanTechies. 

Good luck out there! 

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

We’re back with another episode featuring Jonathan, a founder shaking up the battery tech industry!

Jonathan, a UC Berkeley Chemical Engineering grad, spent years in wastewater treatment before realizing the key driver of adoption was economics. In 2017, he and his co-founders, frustrated with their jobs, started their own company after working in thin film membrane industries.

(Psst! This is a free version of the episode. To get the whole enchilada, become a paid subscriber on our substack)

Today they are building Coreshell, a company helping replace the use of Graphite in batteries while also making us less reliant on China, the main global supplier of Graphite. 

In this episode, we cover:

• The lack of true innovation in battery tech over the last 20 years.
• How luxury EVs focus on range, while China slashes prices.
• How Coreshell’s tech could reduce reliance on China’s graphite monopoly.
• The EU’s take on battery recycling vs. US policy.

Join us for more insights!


🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies
📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube
🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey
📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox
🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack Community

• Jonathan Tan | Coreshell
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

In this episode, we are joined by Till Stenzel, Partner at SET Ventures, a European venture capital firm that has been in operation in 2007 which makes them one of the first climate VCs out there. They invest $2-$5M in rounds that range from $3-10M at the Series A/A+ stage. SET Ventures focuses on innovative business models and typically like to lead or co-lead rounds. Their investments range over 6 focus areas: distributed energy systems, digital utilities, AI & enabling technologies, built environment, industrial energy management, and mobility & transport.

On a personal note, Till takes us on a fascinating ride through his career, from his early inspiration drawn from Amory Lovins and the Rocky Mountain Institute, to his venture into renewable energy projects across Northern Africa during the early solar boom, and his pivotal role at E.ON, where he navigated their corporate energy strategy towards renewables. In the age old debate of investing in the “now” of tech — tech we already have commercializable vs. investing in the future (i.e. more expensive breakthroughs), Till believes in the now, saying I quote “we don’t really need major science and energy breakthroughs to turn our energy system carbon free.” Mind blowing — listen to the ep to find out why.

He talks about:

• How Europe's regulatory environment is shaping the energy transition
• The challenges of scaling EV and grid technologies
• Why the future of freight electrification might be closer than we think

Enjoy!

---
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---

🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies
📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube
🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey
📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox
🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack Community

Topics 

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:28 Innovative Business Models 
• 24:45 The Impact of Europe's Regulatory Environment
• 26:39 Challenges Faced by Utilities
• 32:15 The Power of Storytelling and Education

Paid Version Starts

• 35:27 Exit Modeling and Fund Strategy
• 48:57 Looking Forward for SET Ventures
• 50:21 Helpful Resources in Climate Tech

Links

• Till Stenzel | SET Ventures
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

This is a masterclass on investing in the future 🌍💰.

Today, we're sitting down with Peter Sofer, Investment Partner at Clean Energy Ventures (CEV). Based in Austin, Texas, Peter tackles investing in the toughest-to-decarbonize sectors. CEV is known for backing companies that could be the only game in town for the long haul, with potential to achieve multi-gigaton greenhouse gas reductions.

Peter’s journey is packed with insights, from his time at the Environmental Defense Fund to leading Clean Energy Ventures' second fund, targeting $305 million in Seed and Series A investments.

This episode dives into an issue not often discussed in detail — the future of climate tech amid political and economic uncertainty. Peter breaks down how the evolving political landscape and macroeconomic factors will influence the availability of non-dilutive funding, and why a company's storytelling is critical for fundraising success. 

In this conversation, we explore:

• How Clean Energy Ventures chooses companies that are addressing the most challenging sectors
• The potential impact of a new administration on climate tech, especially around the IRA 
• His thoughts on geopolitical tensions, China’s dominance in renewables, and the future of onshoring production 

---
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---

🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies
📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube
🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey
📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox
🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack Community

Topics 

• Clean Energy Ventures' Investment Philosophy 
• Challenges of Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors 
• Navigating Political and Economic Uncertainty 

Paid Version Starts Here

• Onshoring vs. Global Competition 
• Evaluating Startup Success
• Exit Landscape for Climate Tech Startups 
• Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Entrepreneurs 

Links

• Peter Sopher | Clean Energy Ventures
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

Today’s episode is special to me! When I first learned about ClimateTech, I dreamed of building a Venture Studio in the space. Although I didn’t even know what a Venture Studio was back then, I quickly realized that founder-market fit is crucial for success. While I’m not there yet, I started my own recruitment firm to gain the freedom and impact I wanted in a field with a huge need for affordable services.

Maybe one day, I’ll follow in Ben’s footsteps. But for now, this conversation with Benjamin, who co-founded Ouishare in France and has been building companies ever since, was incredibly fulfilling. We dive deep into his latest venture, Marble, discussing what they do, how their business model works, and how they’re funded. We also explore how to find the right co-founder and the role of policy in advancing ClimateTech.

There’s so much more to uncover, and I’m excited to have him back on one day. Enjoy the show!

---
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---

🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies
📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube
🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey
📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox
🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack Community

Topics 

• Intro 
• Ben's Background
• What They Do
• Fundraising for Marble
• Challenges of Building in Climate
• Finding a Co-Founder

—(end of free preview)—

• Policy and Regulation in Climate Tech
• Key Opportunity Areas in Climate Tech

Links

• Benjamin Tincq | Marble
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

We don’t always have climate philanthropic-learning orgs on, but when we do, it’s always a banger 💥

We're sitting down with Karl Burkart, the Co-Founder and Deputy Director of One Earth. One Earth funds advanced scientific research and technology applications to address the climate crisis at scale across three pillars: 

• Renewable energy transition
• Nature conservation
• Regenerative agriculture

Karl's journey is nothing short of fascinating, starting from his early days as an architect focused on sustainable design in the Bay Area and is now leading One Earth.

This episode explores an issue that doesn’t get enough love in climate tech — biodiversity and nature. Right now, the issues are in how biodiversity is measured, valued, and integrated into markets. Karl breaks down how and why biodiversity is becoming an investable space, particularly through monitoring and verifying the health of ecosystems. It’s so promising that Fortune 500s get into this space 💰.

---
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---

🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies
📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube
🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey
📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox
🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack Community

Topics 

• 01:03 Background
• 04:22 From Architecture to Sustainability to Climate Change
• 08:16 Transition to LA
• 10:34 The Role of Media and Content Creation in Climate Change
• 16:09 One Earth and its Three Pillars
• 21:55 The Need for More Funding and Support in Climate Solutions
• 24:22 The Potential Impact of a Change in Administration on Climate Philanthropy
• 27:33 The Role of Philanthropy and Impact Investing in Climate Solutions

—(end of free preview)—

• 29:29 Nature Tech x AI
• 37:15 Biodiversity in Climate Solutions
• (get the full episode by becoming a paid subscriber on our Substack today! https://cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe 

Links

• Karl Burkart | One Earth
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

This is a special breakdown of Ample’s strategic playbook and how you can apply it to your hardware climate startup. The full version of this episode is only available to our paid subscribers — soo… if you’re looking for a reason to become a paid sub… here is your chance 😉

Become a paid subscriber today by clicking here: 👇 https://cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

Links

• John de Souza | Ample Inc.
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

Today, our guest is John de Souza. Co-founder of Ample Inc. A startup betting that battery swapping is the future.

If you're at all like me, you're thinking that sounds bat shit crazy. Well, listen to today's episode, and you'll realize it's the opposite. It's the only logical conclusion to EVs.

We can't gloss over this -- John is special. This is his 4th major startup endeavor, and it's clear that it is because he brings a level of maturity and wisdom that very few founders do. He could have ridden off into the sunset, but he decided to stay in the arena because it's what he does.

I guarantee you will learn a lot from John today. I'm not even going to thank you for tuning in today because you're doing yourself a favor by listening to this episode.   

---
🌎 Want the full PodLetter? Go to our substack to see the written content that supplements the audio interview.  
---

🌴 https://linktr.ee/cleantechies
📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube
🗣️ Take the Listeners Survey
📫 Get Written Summaries of Each Episode in Your Inbox
🌐 Become a paid Subscriber to get access to the Slack Community

Topics 

(free preview time stamps are slightly different) 

• 03:26 John's Career & Entrepreneurial Origins
• 05:20 The Inspiration for Ample
• 09:06 Battery Swapping
• 13:51 OEM Partnerships
• 16:15 A Universal Battery Module
• 18:38 Integration w/ OEMs & Production Lines
• 22:54 Deployment & Scale
• 23:22 Business Model & Global Expansion
• 24:47 Ample's GTM Strategy: (Partnering with Uber and Commercial Fleets)
• 28:07 Efficiency & Cost Control: In-House Battery & Swapping Station Production
  —(end of free preview)—
• (get the full episode by becoming a paid subscriber on our Substack today! https://cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe 

Links

• John de Souza | Ample Inc.
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Forget Fan Mail, Fan Text Us! 💬

Drew D’Alelio is an Investor at Connecticut Innovations, the government investing arm of the state of Connecticut, who helps manage and co-founded the state’s $100M climate tech fund. He plays a pivotal role in managing their $100M Climate Tech fund with a triple bottom line of returns, climate mitigation and adaptation, and CT jobs.

His passion for sustainability was sparked by witnessing the impacts of climate change firsthand in Florida, where his family is from. Over the years, he has developed a deep expertise in mobilizing capital for climate solutions, including structuring investments for solar projects at the U.S. Development Finance Corporation.

At Connecticut Innovations, they focus on leveraging the state’s strengths in manufacturing, materials science, and engineering to support early-stage companies that align with Connecticut’s decarbonization goals. Drew’s unique approach to venture capital combines financial acumen with a deep commitment to public service, ensuring that each investment not only generates returns but also fosters innovation and job creation within the state.

We talk about:
**How they manage their triple bottom line: creating jobs, making money, and having a positive impact on the planet
**The complexities in evaluating climate tech investments in infrastructure and second-order effects
**Connecticut's strengths in manufacturing and a tight-knit ecosystem that facilitates quick connections
**Their close collaboration with Yale and UConn to support early-stage climate tech innovation and commercialization

TOPICS:
**03:01 Connecticut's Climate Tech Fund
**07:46 The Triple Bottom Line
**14:35 Facilitating Partnerships
**23:24 University Collaborations
--In the full episode--
**Connecticut's Strengths and Industries
**Engaging with Universities and Startups
**Exciting Sectors: Sustainable Fuels and Carbon Sequestration
**Aviation and Synthetic Hydrocarbons
**Skepticism and Second Order Effects
**42:21 Why Move to Connecticut

LINKS:
**Drew D’Alelio | Connecticut Innovations
**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X 

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽

Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)