Techstars Climate Tech Podcast

Until recently, startups and VCs in the climate technology space haven’t had a lot of resources or reach. Government has been particularly hostile toward innovative startups, crippling funding and opportunities -- but the NVCA (National Venture Capital Association) is working with the federal government to change that.

A record amount of capital is streaming in, bills are passing robustly, and the NVCA is committed to making sure the best technologies win big and do well. This unified front promises to organize and coordinate voices so entrepreneurs in fields like carbon capture can feel more confident, impactful and profitable.

Connect with our guest:

Justin Field, NCVA: https://nvca.org/about-us/staff/justin-field/

NCVA on social: https://twitter.com/nvca

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People want their capital to be used for good, and whether it’s clean energy or sustainable agriculture, there is ample economic opportunity in efforts to decarbonize the planet. In this special podcast crossover episode, Techstars’ own David Cohen and Cody Simms discuss how the entrepreneurial ecosystem is rallying around climate change.

Also, stay tuned for Season 2 of Techstars Climate Tech podcast, coming this fall!

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Renewable energy startups — and the entrepreneurs who found them — are crucial to the fight against climate change. These founders are smart, driven, and agile enough to see the opportunities in energy right now, and dive in. This is a fascinating time in energy, as renewable sources become cheaper and easier to democratize, reaching a more racially and economically diverse set of users, and big utility companies are also starting to see the need to get on board with sustainable initiatives.

It wasn’t long ago that climate tech was unpopular. We’re grateful to see that changing. But here are some words of wisdom from Yoav to other entrepreneurs who are doing the right thing, even when no one else believes in their mission: “Don't be afraid to do the unpopular thing, because the rest of the world is just going to catch up.”

Listen to learn about community solar, energy savings at home, learning to work with utility companies, the importance of infrastructure, and more.

Follow Solstice on Twitter @solarforgood

Follow Yoav on Twitter @yoavlurie

Techstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast.

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From food and the agricultural supply chain to shipping and transport, fossil fuels are embedded in our economy. But that’s changing, as we shift toward being more and more powered by renewable energy sources. How will industries change as we move to #ElectrifyEverything?

Andrew Beebe, Managing Director at Obvious Ventures, explains how market trends are driving renewables and electrification adoption right now. The name “Obvious Ventures” refers to technologies that we’re going to look back on in the future and think, ‘wow, that’s obvious.’ And Andrew believes that electrification is in that category.

Listen for insights into what Andrew anticipates will go electric, probably sooner than you think, and what impact that will have on startups — and on all of us.

Techstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, about 1% of the world’s land mass is an “extremely inhospitable zone,” like the Sahara desert. Over the next 50 years, with climate change, that could expand to 20% of our planet’s surface, with far-reaching effects, including mass migration.

Tenzin Seldon, Cofounder and Chief Executive at The Plant, estimates that hundreds of millions of people — even up to a billion people — will become climate refugees over the next 40 to 50 years.

Listen for Tenzin’s take on why climate change is a civil rights issue, the human cost of climate change, and how entrepreneurs and startups can best get involved. Engineers and software developers, she’s looking at you to help people spread and scale the great solutions they’re already producing for their communities around the world.

And listen for inspiring stories of people who are making a difference. Because while this problem is enormous, Tenzin believes we can find solutions.

Techstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.