Climate Cowboys

Today, we’re speaking with Sophie Purdom, Managing Partner of Planeteer Capital. 

After co-creating CTVC with Kim Zou, the climate deals and deep-dives newsletter that has become canon in climate, with 75k+ readers, Sophie announced Planeteer Capital. 

(We discussed on the pod) 

They are going full speed with their investing thesis, investing in companies at the incorporation stage. Something they have been able to do well, given the history and network that Sophie has. 

Aside from teasing the future of Planeteer and discussing their unique advantage, Sophie gave us some insights on where the market is now. 

One thing that surprised us is how, despite all the negative news, more deals are being done year over year than in years past. 

Sophie shares the 4 types of climate tech founders, what they look for picking the right team, and core things to get right when navigating the climate capital stack. 

This interview is one we’ve been chasing down for some time, so we’re glad to finally make it. We hope you enjoy the show! 

Fill out our listener survey. 

If you want to support our work, upgrade to paid today!

Topics 

**2:08 The Current State of Climate Tech
**5:31 Long-Term Impact of the Climate Boom
**8:44 [Check out ErthTech Talent for your Hiring Needs]
**9:28 Identifying Long-Term & Durable Trends
**13:04 Tracking High-Potential Niche Markets
**17:57 How Her View of Venture Investing Has Changed 
**20:20 Where Planeteer Investments
**23:15 The Value Planeteer Adds
**24:30 The Role CTVC Played In Her Ability To Run Planeteer Well
**28:00 Investing at Incorporation
**32:15 How They Support Founders & Incentive Alignment
**35:05 What to Know When Partnering with Incumbents
**39:29 Will Climate Disruptors Scale?
**43:10 The Future Vision of Planeteer Capital

Links
**Sophie Purdom | Planeteer Capital
**Discussing the Planeteer Fund Announcement
**Somil on LinkedIn |

Support the show

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• 70+ Placements
• 5+ Years (exclusively in CleanTech)
• The Lowest Fees in the Market (12-15% of first-year salary)
• 90-day placement guarantee

It's really hard to say no to that.

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We believe that Climate entrepreneurs are doing important work, and there should be a firm to help them find the best talent, without it breaking the bank.

Reach out today for a free assessment of your hiring process. [email protected]

In This Episode:

* Was this continued ClimateTech Vibe shift inevitable, or is it just Trump?

* The intersection of ClimateTech Startups and InsuranceTech startups?

* What role are insurance companies playing in the climate crisis?

Have you filled out our Subscriber Survey yet? We’ve put in thousands of hours to create this project — won’t you spare 5 min to help us make the show even better?

What’s up, everyone!

Today, we have a great episode with Grace Penders and Adam Chadroff from Equal Ventures. If you're not familiar with Equal, I recommend checking out episode 116 where we had on Rick Zullo, the Founder of Equal.

Today, we’re continuing the conversation about the climate tech vibe shift. However, our conversation with Equal is a little bit different. Equal has, from the very beginning, had a thesis broader than just climate. One of those other areas is insurance. This is an area that is increasingly intersecting with climate. This is becoming especially acute given the rise in natural disasters and the catastrophic financial impacts that follow.

Our conversation today focuses on these themes as well as what the insurance industry’s role is in helping solve the climate investing challenge. There are plenty of ways. This is playing into how governments engage.

Overall, it's an amazing episode and we're really excited to share this with you.

Sidenote, we recorded this in person in the equal offices during my recent visit to New York. So if you'd like to watch, check it out on YouTube. (Also, be sure to give us a follow on YouTube to help us grow the channel)

If you're enjoying the content, consider upgrading to become paid subscriber today.

Act fast! Because our annual subscription is going from $80 up to $100 as of May 1st.

To upgrade, click the “upgrade” button on the top right of your screen here.

📺 Watch on YouTube | 🍎 Apple Podcasts | 🎧 Spotify | 🗣️ Join the Slack Channel

📝 Show Notes:

Topics

* 00:00 Cold Open & Intro

* 03:00 The Climate Tech Vibe Shift

* 05:58 The Intersection of Climate and Insurance

* 09:01 Investment Trends in Climate Risk

* 12:05 Quantifying and Mitigating Climate Risks

* 15:03 Innovations in Climate Risk Management

* 17:55 Preventative Measures and Market Impacts

* 26:05 Understanding Market Compression and Its Impacts

* 29:50 The Role of Insurance in Value Creation

* 32:54 Government Involvement in Climate Risk

* 35:00 Navigating Innovation in Insurance and Utilities

* 40:18 Exit Opportunities in the Insurance Sector

* 44:10 The Climate Capital Summit and Future Trends

Links

* Grace Penders | Adam Chadroff | Equal Ventures

* Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn

* Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn

* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

In This Episode:

The European Electrification Opportunity

Investing in Energy Software, Not Just “Climate Tech”

Hard Conversations with Founders (and Why They Matter)

AI, Grid Resilience & The Real Infrastructure Behind Clean Energy

Why Climate Messaging Needs to Sound More Like Tesla

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

In This Episode:* What is a Solid State Transformer * How Solid State Transformers are Reshaping the Energy Industry* How They Built a $1bn Pipeline

Have you filled out our Subscriber Survey yet? We’ve put in thousands of hours to create this project — won’t you spare 5 min to help us make the show even better?

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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!)

-----

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What’s up, everyone!

Today, we have a great episode with Haroon Inam & Michael Wood III from DG Matrix. We’re talking about a simple technology that can fundamentally reshape the energy industry by transforming electricity more efficiently and with way less physical space, than what’s been done traditionally.

Take an EV charger, for example. You need to get the exact electricity flow right. Usually, that would take a few parking spaces’ worth of transformers. With DG Matrix, you can do it with a simple power stand smaller than your refrigerator.

This is still the case even if you’ve got solar, batteries, or other distributed resources all mixed in together. They can handle all the streams of electricity in and out.

It’s clear the industry is loving this too. They have over $1bn of pipeline to date.

We got Haroon and Michael, so it’s a great episode.

_____Want to access all our content? Upgrade to paid today. Act fast! Annual subscriptions increase to $100 on May 1st (currently $80).

📺 Watch on YouTube | 🍎 Apple Podcasts | 🎧 Spotify | 🗣️ Join the Slack Channel

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📝 Show Notes:Topics Free Version:03:21 The Journey to DG Matrix05:51 Understanding Solid State Transformers09:11 Market Position and Economic Impact10:00 Goodwin AD12:06 Solid State Transformer Advantages13:26 Company AD17:14 Building a Strong Advisory Network18:51 Call to Action21:10 Overcoming Challenges in Clean Tech24:54 The Future of DG Matrix and Market Fit26:29 Building from the Ground Up27:51 Transforming Energy Markets30:55 Streamlining Manufacturing and Supply Chain

Links* Haroon Inam, Michael Wood III | DG Matrix* Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn* Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn

This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Hey there! Thanks for being a paid sub! Means a lot - (code for, we like money) just kidding.

For real though, as a paid subscriber, feel free to reach out to us with questions, if you’re looking for support, or if you have suggestions on future topics.

If you’re not already in the group chat, let us know and we’ll get you in there. 😄

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts

In This Episode: * How Powin went from a family business manufacturing a wide range of products to a leading provider of BESS* Solving supply chain challenges and the future of partnership with the US and China on batteries* What the future of energy looks like and the important role that BESS plays

Take the Listeners Survey to Help Us Improve

Check Out Our Sponsors! * Goodwin: The Law Firm of Choice for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs * ErthTech Talent: Affordable CleanTech Search Firm

What’s up, everyone!

Today, we have a great episode with Danny Lu from Powin. Powin is one of the leading providers of battery energy storage systems, with 8 GWh of systems built and 9 in the pipeline. They are an absolute powerhouse.

Battery storage is a critical part of the future of a renewable energy grid. Powin is doing its part to make it possible.

As the Trump admin pushes for more drilling and a seemingly anti-clean energy policy (despite that not being the definition of abundance) we are seeing the value of battery storage. Prior to tariffs, building a speaker plant would be more expensive and take longer than building energy storage systems to manage grid flexibility issues. (It’s tbd what the situation will be with huge Chinese tariffs).

Powin has years of experience working in this space to solve supply chain issues and is always improving its business to adapt to whatever battery chemistry is most feasible and affordable for its clients.

Given all this, it was great to speak with someone who can help us understand where the market is going and what the key challenges and opportunities are that lie ahead.

Want to access all our content? Upgrade to paid today. Act fast! Annual subscriptions increase to $100 on May 1st (currently $80).

📺 Watch on YouTube | 🍎 Apple Podcasts | 🎧 Spotify | 🗣️ Join the Slack Channel

Topics Free Preview: * 00:00 Cold Open & Intro to Our Guest * 04:00 Origins & Evolutions of Powin* 08:10 What They Do * 10:00 Creating the Market and Finding Their First Customers* 12:00 Check Out Goodwin for all Your Legal Support Needs* 13:00 Stepping Into a Leadership Role Out of University * 16:55 Check out ErthTech Talent for your Hiring Needs* 18:10 From Permit to Commissioning in Months* 19:10 What an IPP/Utility Wants — Single Point of Blame* 23:00 The Evolution of Battery Chemistry for BESS vs EV * 24:30 Become a Paid Supporter of CleanTechies* 25:30 Powin’s Current Scale* 26:50 Storage Project Market Projections Considering Tariffs* 31:30 AI & Data Centers | BESS vs Peaker Plants* 39:00 Manufacturing in the US? (teaser clip & paywall)

Links* Danny Lu | Powin* Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn* Follow CleanTechies on LinkedInThis podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

In This Episode:

* Was this continued ClimateTech Vibe shift inevitable, or is it just Trump?

* The intersection of ClimateTech Startups and InsuranceTech startups?

* What role are insurance companies playing in the climate crisis?

Have you filled out our Subscriber Survey yet? We’ve put in thousands of hours to create this project — won’t you spare 5 min to help us make the show even better?

What’s up, everyone!

Today, we have a great episode with Grace Penders and Adam Chadroff from Equal Ventures. If you're not familiar with Equal, I recommend checking out episode 116 where we had on Rick Zullo, the Founder of Equal.

Today, we’re continuing the conversation about the climate tech vibe shift. However, our conversation with Equal is a little bit different. Equal has, from the very beginning, had a thesis broader than just climate. One of those other areas is insurance. This is an area that is increasingly intersecting with climate. This is becoming especially acute given the rise in natural disasters and the catastrophic financial impacts that follow.

Our conversation today focuses on these themes as well as what the insurance industry’s role is in helping solve the climate investing challenge. There are plenty of ways. This is playing into how governments engage.

Overall, it's an amazing episode and we're really excited to share this with you.

Sidenote, we recorded this in person in the equal offices during my recent visit to New York. So if you'd like to watch, check it out on YouTube. (Also, be sure to give us a follow on YouTube to help us grow the channel)

If you're enjoying the content, consider upgrading to become paid subscriber today.

Act fast! Because our annual subscription is going from $80 up to $100 as of May 1st.

To upgrade, click the “upgrade” button on the top right of your screen here.

📺 Watch on YouTube | 🍎 Apple Podcasts | 🎧 Spotify | 🗣️ Join the Slack Channel

📝 Show Notes:

Topics

* 00:00 Cold Open & Intro

* 03:00 The Climate Tech Vibe Shift

* 05:58 The Intersection of Climate and Insurance

* 09:01 Investment Trends in Climate Risk

* 12:05 Quantifying and Mitigating Climate Risks

* 15:03 Innovations in Climate Risk Management

* 17:55 Preventative Measures and Market Impacts

* 26:05 Understanding Market Compression and Its Impacts

* 29:50 The Role of Insurance in Value Creation

* 32:54 Government Involvement in Climate Risk

* 35:00 Navigating Innovation in Insurance and Utilities

* 40:18 Exit Opportunities in the Insurance Sector

* 44:10 The Climate Capital Summit and Future Trends

Links

* Grace Penders | Adam Chadroff | Equal Ventures

* Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn

* Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn

* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

In This Episode:

* How they went from tech discovery to pilot in 3 years

* Why this business model is the only way to make eFuels work for now

* The future of the E-Fuels/SAF market under Trump

SPONSORS:

* Goodwin: The Law Firm of Choice for CleanTech Companies around the world.

* ErthTech Talent: Affordable CleanTech Headhunter Helping Hire US-Based Sales & Engineering Talent.

What’s up, everyone!

Today, we have a great episode with Joe Rodden from Lydian. And we are talking all things eFuels and their story.

Lydian uses Co2, Water, and abundant Green Energy to create eFuels/SAF. And because of their flexible run method, they can do it profitably, consistently.

In the recent past there has been a huge demand for SAF that has been hard for major airlines to procure. In part because the technology was not there, but mostly because there were no plants up and operating.

SAF plants are assumed to look like chemical production facilities… ie: always on. This way the cost of the investment is paid back soon.

Lydian made sure they used inexpensive materials to create their system. And they made it to start and stop whenever there is excess electricity being produced. It’s a game changer.

On top of this, Joe has a great story.

A story that I’m sure you’ll enjoy on today’s episode. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment and giving us 5 stars on your favorite podcast app.

Topics

00:00 Understanding eFuels and Lydian's Mission

03:00 The Journey to Clean Technology

06:05 The Role of Leadership in Innovation

09:06 The Science Behind eFuels

11:57 Operational Flexibility and Economic Viability

15:01 The Future of Energy and Technology Integration

18:03 Business Models in the eFuel Industry

26:35 Building Sustainable Technology

28:01 Vision for Energy Abundance

30:47 The Accelerationist Movement in Climate Tech

32:09 Rapid Development of Pilot Projects

33:56 Current Trends in the eFuel Market

40:30 Carbon Credits and Market Demand

42:10 Traction and Interest in Sustainable Aviation Fuel

43:23 Funding Strategies for Innovation

46:51 Challenges in Building a Climate Tech Company

49:44 Finding Guidance and Mentorship

50:27 Resources for Climate Entrepreneurs

Links

Joe Rodden | Lydian

Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn

Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn

This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

In This Episode:

* Was this continued ClimateTech Vibe shift inevitable, or is it just Trump?

* The intersection of ClimateTech Startups and InsuranceTech startups?

* What role are insurance companies playing in the climate crisis?

Have you filled out our Subscriber Survey yet? We’ve put in thousands of hours to create this project — won’t you spare 5 min to help us make the show even better?

What’s up, everyone!

Today, we have a great episode with Grace Penders and Adam Chadroff from Equal Ventures. If you're not familiar with Equal, I recommend checking out episode 116 where we had on Rick Zullo, the Founder of Equal.

Today, we’re continuing the conversation about the climate tech vibe shift. However, our conversation with Equal is a little bit different. Equal has, from the very beginning, had a thesis broader than just climate. One of those other areas is insurance. This is an area that is increasingly intersecting with climate. This is becoming especially acute given the rise in natural disasters and the catastrophic financial impacts that follow.

Our conversation today focuses on these themes as well as what the insurance industry’s role is in helping solve the climate investing challenge. There are plenty of ways. This is playing into how governments engage.

Overall, it's an amazing episode and we're really excited to share this with you.

Sidenote, we recorded this in person in the equal offices during my recent visit to New York. So if you'd like to watch, check it out on YouTube. (Also, be sure to give us a follow on YouTube to help us grow the channel)

If you're enjoying the content, consider upgrading to become paid subscriber today.

Act fast! Because our annual subscription is going from $80 up to $100 as of May 1st.

To upgrade, click the “upgrade” button on the top right of your screen here.

📺 Watch on YouTube | 🍎 Apple Podcasts | 🎧 Spotify | 🗣️ Join the Slack Channel

📝 Show Notes:

Topics

* 00:00 Cold Open & Intro

* 03:00 The Climate Tech Vibe Shift

* 05:58 The Intersection of Climate and Insurance

* 09:01 Investment Trends in Climate Risk

* 12:05 Quantifying and Mitigating Climate Risks

* 15:03 Innovations in Climate Risk Management

* 17:55 Preventative Measures and Market Impacts

* 26:05 Understanding Market Compression and Its Impacts

* 29:50 The Role of Insurance in Value Creation

* 32:54 Government Involvement in Climate Risk

* 35:00 Navigating Innovation in Insurance and Utilities

* 40:18 Exit Opportunities in the Insurance Sector

* 44:10 The Climate Capital Summit and Future Trends

Links

* Grace Penders | Adam Chadroff | Equal Ventures

* Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn

* Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn

* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Today, we have a great episode with Andrew Chan from Atas Ventures.

Surprise surprise…we’re continuing the conversation about the climate tech vibe shift, climate tech 3.0, climate risk…whatever you want to call it. 

However, our conversation with Andrew Chan of Atas Ventures is a little bit different. Andrew has, from the very beginning, thought about climate investing from first principles, placing profitability and tangible impact at the core of his strategy. He refers to this next wave as "Climate 3.0," an evolution beyond traditional impact investing towards applied technologies like robotics, IoT, and advanced energy solutions.

Our conversation today focuses on these themes, including how venture capital can meaningfully intersect with antiquated industries such as mining, agriculture, and manufacturing to drive both profits and genuine environmental outcomes. Andrew also shares why the venture capital playbook may need to evolve, emphasizing smarter portfolio construction, disciplined investing, and leveraging real-world experience to build lasting companies.

Overall, it's an amazing episode and we're really excited to share this with you.

Sidenote, we recorded this remotely while Andrew was traveling—he joined us from Bangor, Maine. If you'd like to watch, check it out on YouTube. (Also, be sure to give us a follow on YouTube to help us grow the channel!)

Follow us on YouTube

If you're enjoying the content, consider upgrading to become paid subscriber today. 

Act fast! Because our annual subscription is going from $80 up to $100 as of May 1st. 

To upgrade, click the “upgrade” button on the top right of your screen here.

📝 Show Notes:

Topics 

• 06:10 Understanding Climate 3.0
• 11:53 Journey to VC
• 17:56 Investment Strategies for Antiquated Industries
• 23:45 Portfolio Construction
• 26:33 Future of Fund Management
• 30:02 Emerging Managers
• 32:49 Taking Risks in VC
• 36:46 Essential Skills
• 40:19 Trends in Deep Tech and Robotics
• 47:55 Learning and Growth

Links

• Andrew Chan
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Support the show

If you're gonna change the world, you're gonna need a world-class team. Partner with ErthTech Talent to help you do that, for less.

• 70+ Placements
• 5+ Years (exclusively in CleanTech)
• The Lowest Fees in the Market (12-15% of first-year salary)
• 90-day placement guarantee

It's really hard to say no to that.

Wait?! -- The best service is also the cheapest? Seems too good to be true, but it's the entire reason we started this company.

We believe that Climate entrepreneurs are doing important work, and there should be a firm to help them find the best talent, without it breaking the bank.

Reach out today for a free assessment of your hiring process. [email protected]

In This Episode:

* Was this continued ClimateTech Vibe shift inevitable, or is it just Trump?

* The intersection of ClimateTech Startups and InsuranceTech startups?

* What role are insurance companies playing in the climate crisis?

Have you filled out our Subscriber Survey yet? We’ve put in thousands of hours to create this project — won’t you spare 5 min to help us make the show even better?

What’s up, everyone!

Today, we have a great episode with Grace Penders and Adam Chadroff from Equal Ventures. If you're not familiar with Equal, I recommend checking out episode 116 where we had on Rick Zullo, the Founder of Equal.

Today, we’re continuing the conversation about the climate tech vibe shift. However, our conversation with Equal is a little bit different. Equal has, from the very beginning, had a thesis broader than just climate. One of those other areas is insurance. This is an area that is increasingly intersecting with climate. This is becoming especially acute given the rise in natural disasters and the catastrophic financial impacts that follow.

Our conversation today focuses on these themes as well as what the insurance industry’s role is in helping solve the climate investing challenge. There are plenty of ways. This is playing into how governments engage.

Overall, it's an amazing episode and we're really excited to share this with you.

Sidenote, we recorded this in person in the equal offices during my recent visit to New York. So if you'd like to watch, check it out on YouTube. (Also, be sure to give us a follow on YouTube to help us grow the channel)

If you're enjoying the content, consider upgrading to become paid subscriber today.

Act fast! Because our annual subscription is going from $80 up to $100 as of May 1st.

To upgrade, click the “upgrade” button on the top right of your screen here.

📺 Watch on YouTube | 🍎 Apple Podcasts | 🎧 Spotify | 🗣️ Join the Slack Channel

📝 Show Notes:

Topics

* 00:00 Cold Open & Intro

* 03:00 The Climate Tech Vibe Shift

* 05:58 The Intersection of Climate and Insurance

* 09:01 Investment Trends in Climate Risk

* 12:05 Quantifying and Mitigating Climate Risks

* 15:03 Innovations in Climate Risk Management

* 17:55 Preventative Measures and Market Impacts

* 26:05 Understanding Market Compression and Its Impacts

* 29:50 The Role of Insurance in Value Creation

* 32:54 Government Involvement in Climate Risk

* 35:00 Navigating Innovation in Insurance and Utilities

* 40:18 Exit Opportunities in the Insurance Sector

* 44:10 The Climate Capital Summit and Future Trends

Links

* Grace Penders | Adam Chadroff | Equal Ventures

* Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn

* Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn

* This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.