Invested In Climate
Jason Rissman
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Top 10 Invested In Climate Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Invested In Climate episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Invested In Climate for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Invested In Climate episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Climate positive cities and air conditioning with 2150.vc and Blue Frontier, Ep #17
Invested In Climate
08/23/22 • 43 min
In this week’s episode, we’re focusing on the opportunity to invest in buildings, cities, infrastructure and air conditioning. Why? Well, for one thing, 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the built environment, and according to the Climate Group, those emissions are set to double by 2050 if they’re left unchecked. Why else? Because it's been crazy hot this summer and the record heat waves we’ve experienced are unfortunately just the beginning.
I was thrilled to talk with Christian Hernandez Gallardo, Co-Founder and Partner of venture firm 2150 that’s investing in making cities more efficient, sustainable and resilient. And also Daniel Betts, founder of Blue Frontier, a startup that is set to positively disrupt the air conditioning market.
As investment in urban infrastructure begins to take off, a real transformation is possible and companies like Blue Frontier offer a glimpse of what the future can hold. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Let’s dive in.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:33] What is 2150 and the investment thesis that’s driving their work
- [4:37] Why focus on cities and city infrastructure AKA the built environment
- [7:03] Personal motivations behind investing in climate founders
- [10:36] Finding optimism through climate work
- [11:48] The importance of cooling
- [14:46] What is Blue Frontier and what problem is it aiming to solve
- [17:15] What climate impacts can Blue Frontier’s technology create
- [20:02] Replacing refrigerants in air conditioners with other materials
- [21:20] What will it take for Blue Frontier technology to reach scale
- [27:01] Commercial and municipal challenges in replacing legacy infrastructure
- [31:20] Where is there a lack of built environment innovation and investment
- [35:37] How to support the transition to more climate-positive built environments
- [40:25] Tips on how folks can start investing
- [41:29] Calls to action from 2150 and Blue Frontier
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Christian Hernandez Gallardo and Daniel Betts
Connect With Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
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Supporting founders with Lowercarbon Capital and the Climate Tech Bootcamp, Ep #18
Invested In Climate
08/30/22 • 49 min
Hi folks, tackling climate change will take entrepreneurial efforts of all shapes and sizes. There’s already been unprecedented growth in the number of startups focusing on climate over the past few years, but I believe it's just the beginning. Decarbonizing the global economy, adapting to climate impacts, and introducing new products and services for a decarbonized world will require millions of people with an entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to climate.
So where will all these entrepreneurs come from and how will they be supported? That’s just one of the questions I discussed with Mia Diawara and Jamil Wyne. Mia is a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital, one of the most ambitious and well-respected climate tech venture funds. Jamil is an advisor and educator working with climate entrepreneurs and investors around the world. Jamil and Mia are collaborating on a new bootcamp for climate entrepreneurs, and our conversation about climate entrepreneurship was truly energizing for me. I hope you enjoy.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:24] Why Mia chose to focus on climate and how she ended up at Lowercarbon Capital
- [7:43] Jamil’s climate work journey and support for investors and entrepreneurs
- [11:30] The most exciting spaces in climate investing right now
- [18:35] Customer acquisition for adoption of built environment technologies
- [23:28] Opportunities for climate tech startups right now
- [27:43] What is the bootcamp and who does it aim to support
- [32:48] Mia as a bootcamp instructor and what participants can expect
- [35:50] The future of climate entrepreneurship and how entrepreneurial ecosystems must evolve to help founders succeed
- [44:08] Advice for prospective climate tech founders
Resources Mentioned
- Lowercarbon Capital
- Climate Tech Bootcamp
- Axios: Map of U.S. counties expected to experience heat indices above 125°F by 2053
Connect with Mia Diawara and Jamil Wyne
Connect With Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
1 Listener
Rewiring America, systems change & electrifying everything, Ep #28
Invested In Climate
11/08/22 • 47 min
Have you come across the idea yet that we need to electrify everything? It's the concept that we need to replace gas appliances with electric ones and power those with renewable energy. It's a simply idea really, and yet it's crucial to eliminating pollution, protecting the environment, saving a whole lot of money and eliminating the illnesses caused by burning fossil fuels. The benefits are massive – but so is the complexity of decarbonizing billions upon billions of buildings.
At the forefront of the movement to electrify everything is Rewiring America, an ambitious organization focused on the systemic change needed to make clean, electric appliances the default. For this episode, I spoke with Rewiring America’s CEO Ari Matusiak. We spoke about the organization's approach to systems change, the implications of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), their work to aggregate demand for electrification and much more. I learned a ton and am excited to share this episode as there are many ways we can all help make the mantra “electrify everything” a reality. Enjoy.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:36] What is Rewiring America & the problem they’re aiming to solve
- [5:05] The criticality of electrifying buildings in the United States
- [7:17] The scale of change that Rewiring America is working towards
- [9:50] User experience considerations & opportunities for electrification
- [13:50] Thinking about systems change to address the magnitude of scale
- [18:12] How to aggregate local demand in a systematic way
- [22:43] Signs of increasing local demand & progress
- [25:04] What the IRA means for individual consumers
- [27:41] The national level impacts of the IRA
- [31:02] The follow on effects of the IRA
- [33:14] The flywheel for electrification & systems change
- [37:01] Advocating for local policy change & accelerating electrification beyond homes
- [41:45] Raising awareness & urgency to decarbonize the built environment
- [44:56] What next year holds for Rewiring America & how listeners can help
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Ari Matusiak
- Connect with Ari
Connect With Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
1 Listener
Investing for a Net Positive Civilization with Tom Chi, Ep #20
Invested In Climate
09/13/22 • 57 min
This week’s episode was a lot of fun. Tom Chi is one of the biggest thinkers I’ve encountered in the climate space. He was one of the founding members of GoogleX, leading teams that developed self-driving cars, Google Glass, high altitude balloons that broadcast the internet and much, much more. He also helped build Microsoft Outlook and Yahoo Answers. Tom now teaches and coaches entrepreneurs and is the founder of At One Ventures. Tom’s investment thesis is truly visionary, aspiring to not just reduce carbon emissions, but to create a net positive civilization where humans do more good than harm to nature. This conversation is quite philosophical and we cover a lot of ground, but I’m already finding some practical applications for Tom’s ideas. I hope you find this as provocative and useful as I did. So let’s dive in.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:23] The future of life on Earth & making the switch from optimism to efficacy
- [6:39] Tom’s medium for creating masterpieces
- [12:40] The different styles of cognition used for approaching climate change
- [16:05] How At One Ventures aspires to create a net positive civilization
- [19:44] Contributing to the health of the planet through new businesses and startups
- [25:15] What is an invention catalyst & how do At One’s investments fit the bill
- [30:00] Investing in biopolymers: Cruz Foam & Simplifyber
- [38:03] What can we do to accelerate a consciousness shift around climate
- [48:02] What if we were to compost late-stage capitalism
- [49:31] The empowerment formula for everyday listeners
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Tom Chi
Connect With Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
1 Listener
Regenerative Ag with Biodel’s Ben Cloud & Dr. Paul Zorner, Ep #35
Invested In Climate
01/17/23 • 46 min
Welcome to an episode on agtech, soil health and regenerative agriculture. Here’s some context: one of the big mysteries we’re facing today is how we’re possibly going to feed 10 billion people while transforming agricultural practices that are truly unsustainable. Modern farming is a technological marvel that has dramatically reduced hunger over the last century, but it relies heavily on synthetic fertilizer, which is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, and intensive farming practices that have degraded soil’s ability to grow food.
To understand this issue better and learn about some potential solutions, I sat down with agricultural biologist Dr. Paul Zorner and Biodel Ag CEO Ben Cloud. They both bring decades of experience in agriculture and see great potential in regenerative ag practices and innovative agtech technology, including a new product called Sequester. I learned a lot from this conversation and think you’ll enjoy it. Here we go.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:00] What is happening to soil today & why it matters
- [7:22] The role of synthetic fertilizers in the future
- [11:18] Soil health & soil biology
- [13:30] What is regenerative agriculture & its state in the world today
- [15:27] The barriers to adopting regenerative practices
- [19:10] Biodel Ag, their work & Ben’s background
- [22:56] Biodel’s customers & the value proposition of Sequester
- [27:40] Paul’s background & how he came across Ben and his team
- [29:09] Sequester’s potential & opportunities for impact
- [31:02] The next couple of years at Biodel
- [33:14] The agtech market today, its potential for contributing to climate solutions & other opportunity areas
- [37:57] The innovation gaps & areas where greater attention is needed
- [40:23] The agtech market over the next decade
Resources Mentioned
- Biodel Ag
- Sequester
- Soil Health Institute
- Dr. Jay Golden at Syracuse University & the Dynamic Sustainability Lab
- “The Next Fintech Revolution: Agriculture Finance” by Nik Milanovich in Forbes
- The Wizard and the Prophet by Charles Mann
- Alternative Fuels and Chemicals Coalition
Connect with Ben Cloud & Dr. Paul Zorner
Connect with Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
ESG investing insights with Baron Capital's James Stone, Ep #38
Invested In Climate
02/07/23 • 41 min
Today’s episode focuses on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. What began as a fringe interest in socially responsible investing grew at an astonishing rate and is now completely mainstream, considering the ESG performance of companies. According to a PWC report from last November, ESG investing will grow over the next three years to reach over $30 trillion dollars. That’d be over 20% of all assets under management and a real force influencing how well companies act on climate change, amongst many other issues.
But ESG can be messy and confusing. To learn more about what it actually is, how it's distinguished from impact investing, why it became politically controversial in the US last year, how it’s performed for investors, and how it's likely to change in the future, I sat down with James Stone, VP of ESG Research at Baron Capital. Jamie offered a really clear overview and I learned a ton. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:23] James' background & his experience with ESG investing
- [5:23] Baron Capital & what they specialize in
- [6:33] The ESG market today & trends
- [9:53] Overall interest in ESG investing & how it's been changing in recent years
- [11:03] Who is actually interested in ESG investing
- [14:44] Baron’s ESG commentary & the World Economic Forum study on top global risks
- [20:26] The positive feedback loop due to growing ESG investors & capital deployed
- [25:09] The impact of policy developments related to climate investing within ESG
- [27:49] The political backlash & controversy of ESG
- [31:22] The impacts of ESG investing on companies
- [33:46] The SEC climate disclosure rule change
- [35:17] Policy developments that Jamie is watching for this year
- [35:41] Thoughts on ESG investing opportunities this year & longer-term
- [36:45] Things for climate-focused investors to consider
- [38:40] How listeners can get involved
Resources Mentioned
Connect with James Stone
- Connect with James on LinkedIn
Connect with Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
If you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, please get in touch!
The Future of Cars with Bloomberg’s Kyle Stock & EVgo’s Cathy Zoi, Ep #32
Invested In Climate
12/06/22 • 41 min
The future is electric - especially when it comes to cars. Demand for electric vehicles is far outpacing supply, and automakers are rolling out more or more EV models as governments around the world set clear timelines for when new gas-powered cars will no longer be allowed.
The transition to EV is good news for our climate. Transportation creates over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, and about 40% of that comes from cars.
This episode focuses on where we’re at in the EV transition and I’m joined by two true experts. Kyle Stock is a Senior Writer for Bloomberg Green. He writes about cars and has his finger on the pulse of EV trends. Cathy Zoi is the CEO of EVgo, the largest public EV charging network in the United States. Cathy has extensive experience in the energy sector and is building the infrastructure we need for the switch to electric vehicles. We talk about the current state of the EV market, which cars are hot and who’s buying them, the impact of recent legislation, our evolving user experience with cars and much more. I learned a lot and am sure you will too. Enjoy.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:13] The state of the EV market today
- [7:09] The hottest EVs in the US right now & what’s driving the demand
- [9:15] Kyle’s personal favorite EV
- [11:38] Cathy’s personal favorite EV
- [12:28] Who’s actually buying EVs today
- [14:20] Things you should consider if you’re looking for an EV or new car in general
- [16:00] How does the cost of EVs compare & tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act
- [19:28] What is EVgo & the problem they’re aiming to solve
- [23:10] EVgo’s geographic footprint & the current user experience of EV charging
- [27:33] The most significant barriers to the EV transition
- [33:44] The possibility of charging while you drive
- [37:55] The future of the EV user experience
Resources Mentioned
- Bloomberg Green
- EVgo
- S&P Global Mobility
- National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program
- Tesla
- Ford Electric
- Hyundai Electric
- Kia EV6
- Subaru Electric
- Volkswagen Electric
- GMC Hummer Electric
- Toyota Electric
- Chevy Electric
- Uber Electric
- Lyft Electric
Connect with Kyle Stock & Cathy Zoi
Connect With Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
Off-grid power anywhere with YouSolar & Inergy, Ep #41
Invested In Climate
02/28/23 • 47 min
When you think of residential solar, you probably think of solar installations that are tied to the grid. These installations have many benefits. You can rely on the grid when you need to, you don’t need to store all the energy you generate in batteries, and you can sell energy back to utilities. But on-grid solar isn’t for everyone, and our future surely requires some mix of on- and off-grid technology.
To learn about the use case and business opportunity of distributed off-grid solar, I sat down with the founders of two growing, off-grid solar companies. Arnold Leitner is the CEO of YouSolar, and Sean Luangrath is the CEO of Inergy Solar. Both Arnold and Sean have been in the industry for a long time and helped clarify why off-grid solar matters, who it's for, where the industry is, and where its likely to go. Their two companies offer really different products and understanding their differences really helped me comprehend some of the different applications for off-grid solar. And, as it happens, YouSolar is actually in the final stretch of an equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine, which you might want to check out if you really like what you hear.
Ok, here we go!
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:02] Arnold’s CEO journey
- [6:11] Sean’s CEO journey
- [9:11] Inergy’s product lineup & target customers
- [11:32] The power of a 26-pound electricity system
- [13:01] YouSolar’s progress toward commercialization
- [13:53] YouSolar’s current & future products
- [17:59] YouSolar’s history
- [18:53] The importance of off-grid solar
- [25:11] The difference between YouSolar, Inergy & big solar companies
- [29:36] The future of balancing on-grid & off-grid power
- [36:46] Key barriers to scaling
- [40:52] Experiences with crowdfunding
- [45:45] How listeners learn more about distributed off-grid solar
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Arnold Leitner & Sean Luangrath
Connect with Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate If you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, please get in touch!
US Department of Energy's Chris Castro on helping communities access the IRA and more, Ep #50
Invested In Climate
05/02/23 • 44 min
The US Department of Energy (DOE) plays a key role in the rollout of climate funding and policies, so I was thrilled to chat with Chris Castro. Chris is the Chief of Staff of the Office of State and Community Energy Programs at the DOE. Chris brings entrepreneurial instincts and experience, along with clear passion to his role. We talk about Chris’ journey, the implementation of policies you’ve heard of like the IRA, as well as dozens of lesser-known initiatives managed by the DOE that are helping communities across the country decarbonize. There’s lots to learn in this one – enjoy.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [2:57] Chris’ journey in environmental policy, how it started & the different roles he played before being appointed by President Biden
- [8:23] Chris’s current role & what he’s trying to accomplish at the DOE
- [15:42] The Chips and Science Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law & the IRA
- [21:54] Realizing climate opportunities equitably for communities
- [24:34] The biggest barrier to these laws not creating their intended impact
- [26:51] Signs the IRA will spark other investments in decarbonization, electrification & energy efficiency retrofits
- [29:07] The path to decarbonizing building
- [33:37] The umbrella of grant programs available
- [38:08] What else needs to happen to address climate change
- [41:05] Advice for listeners & entrepreneurs/intrapreneurs looking to get started
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Chris Castro
- Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Connect with Jason Rissman
Keep up with Invested In Climate
- Sign up for our Newsletter
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events, or partnerships?
Supporting 100,000 climate founders with New Energy Nexus & Third Derivative, Ep #40
Invested In Climate
02/21/23 • 47 min
Given the enormity of climate change and the unprecedented opportunity for innovation that comes with decarbonization, I love learning about ambitious efforts that really take seriously the speed and scale at which we need to invest in change. I’ve long been a fan of New Energy Nexus – an organization that aims to make clean energy accessible to everyone by supporting 100,000 climate entrepreneurs. They take an ecosystem approach, recognizing that entrepreneurs need not just cash, but supportive networks to succeed, and they’ve been building up ecosystems all over the world to support diverse entrepreneurs.
I was thrilled to learn more about New Energy Nexus and one of their best-known accelerators Third Derivative, which is a partnership with RMI. In this episode, you’ll hear from Nexus’ founder and CEO, Danny Kenedy, and Third Derivative co-founder and CMO, Elaine Hsieh. We talk about their backgrounds, the work that Nexus and Third Derivative are doing, their approach to ecosystem building, the importance of justice, equity, and inclusion in climate investing, underhyped and overhyped spaces in climate tech, and much more. Third Derivative is currently accepting applications through March 21 for its next two cohorts - so if you’re a startup founder, consider putting in an application. For everyone else, hope you enjoy.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:43] Third Derivative & Elaine’s role
- [4:31] New Energy Nexus & Danny’s role
- [5:07] Danny’s path to starting New Energy Nexus
- [8:15] Elaine’s path to starting Third Derivative
- [11:28] Nexus’ large-scale approach
- [14:48] Nexus’ country-level programs in practice
- [18:41] Challenges & learnings from setting up programs in other countries
- [20:41] What makes Third Derivative different & important
- [25:53] Underhyped & overhyped spaces in climate tech
- [31:54] The climate justice lens that informs Nexus’ & Third Derivative’s work
- [37:10] Recent growth & continued interest in climate investments
- [41:07] What needs to change to address today’s climate crisis
- [44:10] How listeners can get involved with New Energy Nexus & Third Derivative
Resources Mentioned
- New Energy Nexus
- Third Derivative’s (D3) startup accelerator application
- Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
- BloombergNEF’s Energy Transition Investment Trends report
Connect with Danny Kennedy & Elaine Hsieh
Connect with Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate
If you have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events or partnerships, please get in touch!
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FAQ
How many episodes does Invested In Climate have?
Invested In Climate currently has 105 episodes available.
What topics does Invested In Climate cover?
The podcast is about Entrepreneurship, Investing, Podcasts and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Invested In Climate?
The episode title 'Supporting founders with Lowercarbon Capital and the Climate Tech Bootcamp, Ep #18' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Invested In Climate?
The average episode length on Invested In Climate is 40 minutes.
How often are episodes of Invested In Climate released?
Episodes of Invested In Climate are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Invested In Climate?
The first episode of Invested In Climate was released on Apr 25, 2022.
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