The Seed

The episode features a discussion with Dr. Benjamin Slotnick, founder and CEO of Lillianah Technologies, a carbon removal startup. Dr. Slotnick speaks about his educational background in geology, which led him to invest in environmental solutions.

Discussing his company, he outlines Lilianah's approach to carbon removal through the optimisation of oceanic biological pumps and bioremediation of 'dead zones' caused by excess chemical runoff.

He discusses the challenges startups face in the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) industry, the need for Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of technologies and the importance of marine sediments as an effective carbon store.

Dr. Slotnick also expresses his belief in CDR as a crucial player in maintaining planetary stability. This is a powerful episode and one not to be missed.

Enjoy the show!

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Contact Dr Benjamin Slotnick
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Lillianah Technologies

In this episode, environmentalist and investor, Julia, opens up about her investing journey in the field of climate tech and sustainability. As the founder of 'We Have The Power', an organisation that invests in solutions and startups tackling single-use waste, Julia discusses her mission and the challenge of catalysing practical action towards a sustainable circular economy. The episode dives into the accomplishments, potential, and challenges faced by various circular economy startups that Julia supports, including Dizzy, Revolution Zero, and Clean Bus. Julia also highlights her vision for focusing on reuse over recycling, advocates for changes in consumer habits, corporate behaviour and government legislation, and shares her unique insights on striking a balance between investment appeal and socio-environmental impact.

Enjoy the show!

Contact Jake
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Contact Julie
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We Have The Power

00:01 Introduction to the Podcast
01:00 Guest Introduction: Julia Davies
02:17 Julia's Journey to Sustainability
03:10 The Role of Early Stage Startups in Impact Finance
05:08 Julia's Investment in Reuse and Circular Economy
06:24 The Challenge of Changing Consumer Habits
07:40 The Role of Corporations in the Sustainability Transition
09:58 The Potential of the Circular Economy
10:39 Innovations in the Circular Economy: Case Studies
12:09 The Challenge of Systems Change in the Circular Economy
19:08 The Role of Government Regulation in Sustainability
24:29 The Importance of Focusing on Impact in Investment
43:16 Inspiration and Advice for Sustainability Journey
46:24 Overhyped and Underhyped Trends in Sustainability
47:44 Investing in Biodiversity and Nature Conservation
48:36 Policy Reform for a Sustainable Future

Join us for today's podcast where our host Jake Wombwell-Povey interviews the two co-founders of Windscape AI, Eric Thompson (CEO) and Jason Yosinski (CTO).

Windscape combines low-cost pressure sensors and artificial intelligence to provide cleaner and more accurate data to optimise wind turbine operations. Though selling this technology to utilities is challenging due to the long, costly, and bureaucratic process, they have found early adopters and are working towards permeating the industry. 

The co-founders also express their views on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and their potential uses in sustainability and climate change. They identify some overhyped trends and discuss their preferred policy reform of a price on carbon.

Contact Jake
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Contact Windscape.ai
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Website

00:01 Introduction to the Podcast
01:01 Guest Introduction: Co-founders of Scape AI
02:29 Origins of Windscape and the Founders' Journey
08:54 Understanding the Technology Behind Windscape
09:04 The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Windscape
09:13 The Impact of Technological Advancements on Windscape's Existence
11:12 How Winscape Improves Efficiency for Wind Turbine Operators
15:55 The Distinction Between AI and Machine Learning
21:56 Challenges and Lessons from Selling Novel Technologies in the Wind Industry
24:14 Understanding Wind Farm Ownership and Operations
24:52 Building Relationships with Asset Managers
27:19 Challenges and Barriers in Wind Farm Operations
29:42 Navigating Stakeholder Mapping and Incentivization
31:33 Finding Advocates within Organizations
33:28 Targeting Early Adopters in the Wind Industry
34:07 The Impact of Windscape on Wind Farm Output
37:46 Potential Applications of AI in Power Generation
45:33 Investing in Sustainability and Climate Crisis Solutions
48:04 Enacting Policy Reforms for Climate Crisis
48:54 Contacting and Learning More About Windscape

If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe to our channel and leave a review. 

In this episode, founder and host Jake Povey discusses the philosophy behind Seven Generation Ventures, their approach to investing, focusing on early stage digital climate tech startups. He explains the unique combination of venture investing and coaching to foster maximum development and growth of the companies they back. He sheds light on the guiding principle of 'seven generations' that guides their investment ideologies, drawing from the philosophy of the Iroquois nation, looking at the long-term impact on future generations and leaving a positive legacy . He also acknowledges the daunting challenge climate change presents but emphasises the significant investment and innovation opportunities that come with attempting to solve it.

Contact Jake
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00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:15 The Purpose of the Solo Episode
00:34 The Importance of Climate Tech
02:04 The Role of Venture Capital in Climate Tech
02:38 The Focus on Digital Climate Tech
03:16 The Story Behind 7 Generation Ventures
11:04 The Power of Coaching in Venture Capital
18:03 The Philosophy Behind 7 Generation Ventures
20:45 The Urgency of Investing in Climate Change Solutions
23:05 The Future of Climate Tech Investing
25:45 Conclusion and Farewell

If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe to our channel and leave a review. 

Today we have Sameer Singh with us and he is the create of Breadcrumb VCs. Which is a coaching and investment specialists into network effects. 

Sameer is a startup advisor and early-stage investor focused on network effects. "Creator" of Breadcrumb.vc and Applied Network Effects (one of the highest rated courses on Maven) — both are globally renowned resources to learn about network effects. He is also part of the Atomico Angel Program, where he invest in early-stage startups with network effects. 

He has 14 years of experience in the technology ecosystem — distributed between technology startups and investing. For much of this time, he studied technology business models and network effects in a professional capacity and via independent projects. Previously, spent 5 years at App Annie, a Sequoia-funded, late-stage startup during its hypergrowth phase. There, he led a global, cross-functional team, working across product, marketing, and sales. Advised leading tech companies like Spotify, Shpock and Trainline. Before that, he was an early-stage investor focused on commerce businesses.

We Discuss;
 

• The Power 
• The Tripfalls 
• The Consequences 
• How Sameer got here 
• Intersection between network effects 
• What network effects means to start ups 
• The Impact on climate change 

You can find us on; 

• Twitter @Jwombwellpovey
• Instagram @venturingintosustainability and @_theconsciousleader
• Email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.
• Linkedin Jake Wombell-Povey

Episode recorded November 9, 2022

Today's show is our introduction to the Venturing into Sustainability podcast and is a discussion between your co-hosts Jake Wombwell-Povey and Max Middleton where we delve deep into the IPCC report that's just been released this week and what it means for this space.

It is unequivocal that human infrastructure has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land, widespread changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred. So began the most recent IPCC report on the state of climate change..

Max is an investment partner at Vala Capital where he has overall responsibility for the Vala Sustainability Funds. Max is an experienced VC investor with a track record of supporting businesses building a more sustainable future. Max joins Vala after several years at the Ingenious Group, where he served as Investment Manager for the Ingenious Infrastructure Ventures EIS Service, focusing on the ‘infra-tech’ (energy, mobility, built environment, resource efficiency) arena. Prior to his time at Ingenious, Max worked at EcoMachines Ventures, a specialist VC focussed on high-growth opportunities in hardware, industrial high-tech and resource efficiency. Max is a CFA charter-holder and with an MSc from the London School of Economics and a BA from Vassar College in New York.

Jake is an investment partner at Vala Capital where he leads Vala’s Sustainability efforts. He is also the founder of Attis Ventures, a specialist sustainability investor and accelerator. Prior to his work with Attis and Vala, Jake was the founder and CEO of Goji, a digital financial services platform that digitalises the asset management industry. Jake is a qualified accountant and has a BSc from the University of Manchester.

Enjoy the show!

You can find us on; 

• Twitter @Jwombwellpovey or @mhmiddle
• Instagram @venturingintosustainability and @_theconsciousleader
• Email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

Episode recorded August 13, 2021

Today's guest is David Stevenson

Today our guest is David Stevenson who is an experienced investment writer and commentator for publications such as the Financial Times where he has been writing in the adventurous investor column for a number of years, providing insight across a range of emerging trends in the investment markets typically across tech,  he has now co-founded the future food finance blog and platform which is a relatively new platform focusing on the food tech revolution.

In this episode we will cover: 

• Why our food systems are ripe for innovation

• Trends David is tracking most closely

• How food tech can drive forward the sustainability agenda.

Enjoy the show!

You can find us on;

twitter @Jwombwellpovey or @mhmiddleInstagram @venturingintosustainability and @_theconsciousleaderemail at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

This podcast is kindly sponsored by Vala Capital.

This episode was recorded on the 5th August 2021

Today's guests are Hannah Leach & Johannes Lenhard

Today as guests we have Hannah Leach from Houghton Street Ventures where she is one of the founding partners, and Johannes Lenhard from Cambridge University where he is a lecturer and researcher specialising in ESG.
 
On todays episode we've got them on as founding members of venture ESG which in a new community built around a mission to help the VC sector recognise and upskill itself as to the importance of ESG and provide the resources and guidance so that the VC community can really step into this new ESG world.

In this episode we will cover: 

• Why  Hannah and Johannes decided to start Venture ESG 

•  why data is necessary

•  Just what we mean by ESG in a venture context 

•  Why VC’s are starting to get serious about implementing ESG principles in their processes

• why you should be called out if you are not running and ESG fund

• Robert Kohn - Impact

Enjoy the show!

You can find us on;

twitter @Jwombwellpovey or @mhmiddleInstagram @venturingintosustainability and @_theconsciousleaderemail at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

This podcast is kindly sponsored by Vala Capital.

This episode was recorded on the 23rd July 2021

Today's guest is Adrien Vincent

Adrien is the Ocean Lead at SYSTEMIQ, he is in particular closely involved with the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (www.oceanpanel.org). He is one of the co-authors of the report "Towards a sustainable ocean economy", commissioned by the Panel. 

Adrien is also Programme Director for Seaweed for Europe, a new coalition that aims to accelerate the scaling of a sustainable and innovative seaweed industry in Europe. Seaweed for Europe gathers innovative seaweed start-ups, investment funds, research institutions and international organisations to achieve this goal.

SYSTEMIQ is a new kind of enterprise, created specifically to tackle system failures by mobilizing talent and capital to cultivate, incubate and scale solutions that accelerate system change and deliver improved economic, environmental and social value. We identify and originate opportunities in the energy, land use and circular economy space, deploy talent and capital to projects, de-risk investments and accelerate growth.

In this episode we will cover: 

Adrien’s journey to becoming a sustainability leader

The world of seaweed and submarine aquaculture.

Enjoy the show!

You can find us on;

twitter @Jwombwellpovey or @mhmiddleInstagram @venturingintosustainability and @_theconsciousleaderemail at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

This podcast is kindly sponsored by Vala Capital.

This episode was recorded on the 26th March 2021

Today we will be speaking to Tracy Barba who is executive director, Global stakeholder engagement and head of ESG at 500 startups.  

500 start-ups are one of the most active and prolific early-stage investors in the world with a pretty unique model when it comes to VE investment having backed over 2400 startups in 75 countries which is a phenomenal impact on the start-up space.

In today’s episode we cover:

• Journey to becoming an ESG leader, 
• What we mean by ESG in a venture context 
• How 500 start-ups are leading the industry

Enjoy the show!

You can find us on;

twitter @Jwombwellpovey or @mhmiddleInstagram @venturingintosustainability and @_theconsciousleaderemail at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.

This podcast is kindly sponsored by Vala Capital.

This episode was recorded on the 19th March 2021