Episodes

  • Is Hydrogen the Fuel of the Future? (ft. Ben James, Founder of Climate Tech Guides)
    Jun 18 2024

    Ben is a leading expert in hydrogen energy and fusion technologies. With extensive experience in industrial applications of hydrogen, he is known for his insightful analysis and practical approach to energy solutions. Ben has a background in engineering and sustainable energy and he often speaks on topics related to hydrogen's role in the future of energy, carbon capture technologies, and green energy innovation.

    This episode delves into:

    • The Existing and Future Uses of Hydrogen
    • Challenges with Hydrogen Production and Transport
    • Comparison Between Hydrogen and Electric Vehicles
    • Controversy about Blue Hydrogen
    • Investment Opportunities in Hydrogen Space

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our channel!

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    (00:00) – Intro

    (02:33) - Unlocking Hydrogen: How Does It Fuel Our Future?

    (13:52) - What Breakthroughs Are Needed for Affordable Green Hydrogen?

    (15:30)- Electric vs. Hydrogen: Why Are Electric Vehicles Winning?

    (16:59) - Why Is Transporting Hydrogen So Challenging?

    (20:37) - Why Is Blue Hydrogen Controversial?

    (22:06) - Where Are the Hottest Investment Opportunities in Hydrogen?

    (23:23) – What is the Future of Hydrogen Economy

    (24:07) - Outro

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    24 mins
  • Connecting Elite Athletes with Startups (ft. Benjamin Kayser Co-founder of Teampact Ventures)
    Jun 11 2024

    On today's episode of the Climate Insiders podcast, we’re diving into an engaging conversation with Benjamin Kayser, a former French Rugby international with a 16-year long career. Today, Benjamin is a renowned commentator of international rugby games on TV, both in France and the UK, and his voice is easily recognizable by all Rugby fans.

    More relevant to this podcast, Benjamin is the Co-founder and Partner at Teampact Ventures, a Venture Capital fund that specializes in human capital. We discuss a range of important topics affecting the VC industry, focusing on their core thesis: the idea that human capital, like in sport, is a central ingredient of sustainable success.

    This episode delves into:

    - Connecting Elite Athletes with Startups: Teampact Ventures Model

    - Shared Traits of Elite Athletes and Founders: Resilience, Drive, Ambition, and a Growth Mindset

    - The Birth of Teampact Ventures: Athletes' Willingness to Overcome Barriers and Make a Positive Impact

    - Personal Branding as a Powerful Tool: Connecting on a Human Level and Differentiating in Business

    - The Olympics: Showcasing Dedication, Talent, and Diversity

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our channel!


    Want to go deeper? Invest in climate moonshots with Climate Insiders. Join 300+ members and become a shareholder of the best climate tech startups alongside us, from $1,000.


    Become a member now: https://www.climateinsiders.com

    Join the Climate Insiders newsletter, The only newsletter you need to invest in climate tech. Every Saturday I share one actionable tip to invest successfully in climate tech. Join 3,500+ investors and get access to investing tips and strategies to invest today: https://climateinsiders.substack.com/


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    (00:00) – Intro

    (01:47) - Teampact Ventures: A Platform for Athletes to Drive Social Impact

    (05:42) - Does Sports Training Prepare You for Business Leadership?

    (08:36) - Finding the Yin in Your Yang: How to Avoid Burnout in Business

    (13:05) - Can the Flame of Athletic Drive Sustain Business Success?

    (15:48) - Convincing Top Athletes to Give Back: What’s the Strategy?

    (18:47) - What CEOs Can Learn from Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer?

    (21:52) - What Are the Secrets to Balancing Talent and Team Dynamics?

    (27:23) - How Can Founders Create a Culture That Values Self-Worth?

    (29:07) - Why Is Feedback Frequency Crucial for Employee Engagement?

    (30:39) - Turning Negative Feedback into Growth Opportunities: How?

    (33:07) - Are Women the Key to Unlocking a More Empathetic Business World?

    (38:04) - Do You Measure Success by What You Earn Now, or Where You'll Be in Five Years?

    (42:08) - Salary Transparency: Does It Simplify or Complicate the Hiring Process?

    (44:05) – The role of Media: What Inspired Ben’s Podcasting Journey?

    (47:42) - Why Authenticity in Content Creation Attracts More Than Just Attention

    (50:17) - Can Allowing Personal Projects Boost Employee Engagement and Innovation?

    (54:07) - How Do Founders Balance Personal Branding with Company Identity?

    (56:19) - Are People Losing Interest in Global Sporting Events Like the Olympics?

    (59:00) - Outro

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    1 hr
  • Fixing Gender Diversity in Venture Capital (ft. Alexandra Perez Climate Tech Investor)
    Jun 4 2024

    On today's episode of the Climate Insiders podcast, we’re diving into an engaging conversation with Alexandra Perez, a seasoned investor in climate tech. We discuss a range of important topics affecting the VC industry and the role of women in investment.

    Most recently, she worked for the Climate Tech Fund: 2150.

    This episode delves into:

    - Challenges Women Face in the World of Investment

    - Finding the Balance: Vision and Realism in the VC Industry

    - Balancing Ruthlessness and Empathy in Tech and Venture Capital

    - Empowering Women in Leadership: Maintaining Authenticity for a Sustainable Culture

    - Addressing Gender Equity in Workplace Policies Regarding Parental Leave: Exploring Creative Solutions

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our channel!



    Want to go deeper?


    Invest in climate moonshots with Climate Insiders. Join 300+ members and become a shareholder of the best climate tech startups alongside us, from $1,000.


    Become a member now: https://www.climateinsiders.com


    Join the Climate Insiders newsletter, The only newsletter you need to invest in climate tech. Every Saturday I share one actionable tip to invest successfully in climate tech. Join 3,800+ investors and get access to investing tips and strategies to invest today: https://climateinsiders.substack.com/



    (00:00) Intro

    (01:45) How can we get more women to become angel investors?

    (03:00) Challenges that women face in the world of investment

    (07:04) Finding the Balance: Vision and Realism in the VC Industry

    (09:28) Balancing Ruthlessness and Empathy in Tech and VC

    (12:19) Reevaluating Hiring Practices: Slower Growth for Long-Term Retention

    (14:36) Could Female Leadership Change Industry Layoff Practices?

    (15:37) Reconciling Risk Appetite and Success in the VC Industry

    (17:13) How can we Empower Women in Leadership: Maintaining Authenticity for Sustainable Culture

    (20:36) The Impact of Genuine Check-Ins: Personal Story of Alexandra

    (25:40) Maintaining Peak Performance: The 80% Rule - Learning Lessons from Top Athletes

    (30:22) Addressing Gender Equity in Workplace Policies in context of Parental Leave: Exploring Creative Solutions

    (35:30) Outro

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    37 mins
  • Why Measuring Biodiversity is the Next Big Metric in Climate Tech (ft. Anna Alex from Nala Earth)
    Apr 30 2024

    On today's episode of the Climate Insiders podcast, we’re sitting down with Anna Alex, Co-founder of Nala Earth. Nala Earth is a nature management platform that measures, improves and reports your company’s impact on nature & biodiversity.

    Anna is a serial entrepreneur from Berlin, dedicating her life to nature and the planet. Prior to Nala Earth she founded Planetly and Outfittery. As an angel investor, Anna focuses on the big challenges of the world in climate and nature.

    Anna founded Planetly in 2019, the worldwide pioneer in Carbon Accounting SaaS. In only 3 years Anna scaled Planetly to 250 employees and over 350 customers leading the technical innovation in this space. In 2021 she sold Planetly to a US Software Company.


    This episode delves into:

    - Investor expectations and the pressures post-funding.

    - The reality of building multiple startups in the climate industry.

    - The shift towards sustainable and environmentally friendly businesses worldwide.

    - How to manage burnout as an entrepreneur and delegation.

    - The importance of building a strong culture and hiring top talent.

    - The role of venture capital in scaling climate tech solutions.

    - How to create real KPIs that make a difference like biodiversity in climate tech

    - How to have a larger impact on climate by focusing on biodiversity and nature conservation.

    - Integrating nature and biodiversity into business models through ventures like Nala Earth.


    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our channel!



    Want to go deeper?

    Invest in climate moonshots with Climate Insiders. Join 300+ members and become a shareholder of the best climate tech startups alongside us, from $1,000.

    Become a member now: https://www.climateinsiders.com


    Join the Climate Insiders newsletter, The only newsletter you need to invest in climate tech. Every Saturday I share one actionable tip to invest successfully in climate tech. Join 3,500+ investors and get access to investing tips and strategies to invest today: https://climateinsiders.substack.com/


    (00:00) Intro

    (00:47) Anna Alex's purpose

    (01:03) Avoiding burnout as an entrepreneur

    (04:17) Hiring A players vs B players

    (06:41) Building culture by hiring senior talent first

    (09:41) Bootstrapping vs raising capital

    (12:26) Being a "founding angel"

    (17:11) Structuring ownership as a founding angel

    (20:31) Lessons from Selling Planetly

    (26:14) How climate tech exits enabling more investment

    (30:30) Focusing on nature with Nala Earth

    (33:31) Making nature measurable for businesses

    (35:14) Nala's five nature indicators

    (40:57) Increasing public awareness of biodiversity

    (43:32) Nature's local risks and implications

    (45:03) Helping companies measure and manage nature

    (49:36) Reframing our relationship with nature

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    54 mins
  • Is Investing in Nature the Next Economic Revolution? (ft. Dr. Martin R. Stuchtey from The Landbanking Group)
    Apr 22 2024

    On today's episode of the Climate Insiders podcast, we’re sitting down with Prof. Dr. Martin R. Stuchtey, founder of The Landbanking Group. The Landbanking Group has the ambition to change the way we use land and reward nature globally.

    Dr. Martin R. Stuchtey is also the founder of SYSTEMIQ which is focused on transforming markets and business models in key economic systems: land use, materials, energy, finance and urban spaces.

    This episode is a deep dive into:

    - The role of nature in our economic systems.

    - Why we need to preserve nature for future generations.

    - How to shift from an extractive to a regenerative economic model.

    - The potential for nature-based assets for the next generation and the economy.

    - The importance of Nature as Wealth and including natural capital on balance sheets.

    - The problem with convincing the masses of the economic benefits of investing in nature.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our channel!

    Want to go deeper?

    Invest in climate moonshots with Climate Insiders. Join 300+ members and become a shareholder of the best climate tech startups alongside us, from $1,000.

    Become a member now: https://www.climateinsiders.com

    Join the Climate Insiders newsletter, The only newsletter you need to invest in climate tech. Every Saturday I share one actionable tip to invest successfully in climate tech. Join 3,500+ investors and get access to investing tips and strategies to invest today: https://climateinsiders.substack.com/

    Show Notes:

    (00:00) Preview and Intro

    (00:51) People Love Nature, Yet they Do Little to Protect it?

    (03:54) Why Nature Capital is as Important as Human Capital

    (08:18) Decoding The Bretton Woods Approach

    (10:49) Who is Responsible for Protecting Nature’s Capital and Bringing Economic Change?

    (12:36) Why Nature Capital is a Risky Asset Class

    (19:54) Why Modern Economic Models Might Need a Reset

    (25:04) Nature on the Balance Sheet: Will Accountants Lead the Change?

    (28:07) Importance of Educating the Masses on Nature Capital

    (31:25) The Influence of Global Narratives in Protecting Nature Capital

    (38:47) The Role of Consultants in Driving Change

    (42:45) Systemic Change in Sustainability: The Role of Established Entities vs. Newcomers

    (46:11) The Emerging Influence of the Middle East in Global Climate Strategy

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    50 mins
  • Impact Deep Dive: Key Insights from Astanor Ventures (ft. Leslie Kapin from Astanor Ventures)
    Feb 7 2024

    In today's show, I'm joined by Leslie Kapin, Director of Impact at Astanor Ventures, one of Europe's largest Impact funds.

    Whether you work for a climate or impact fund, are looking to start one, or are simply curious about what's happening in the impact world behind the scenes, you'll love this value-packed conversation.

    We cover:

    - The impact journey of Astanor: how they started from scratch five years ago and now publish one of the most useful impact reports in the industry.

    - How to measure impact, when to do it, and who should be involved in an impact team. How can venture capitalists support founders in their own impact journey?

    - When and how to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

    - Why would a fund choose to become a B Corp?

    - And what can we do as a collective space to collaborate more, reduce overlaps, and speed up the process for everyone.

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    ABOUT CLIMATE INSIDERS:

    Learn all the insights from the top Climate Tech Founders and Investors. Listen to the stories behind the startup successes, understand the drivers of investment decisions, and become a true Climate Insider.


    Check us out at: https://www.climateinsiders.co

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    ABOUT THE GUEST:


    Leslie joined Astanor in 2019 and is responsible for monitoring sustainability and impact at Astanor. She brings more than 13 years’ experience in global asset management within both the private and public sector.


    After 9 years with global asset manager Russell Investments as a research analyst and portfolio manager for the Asian equity markets in London, Paris and Sydney, Leslie joined the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel where she was responsible for the selection of all the investments for the BIS’s Pension Fund for three years.


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    SHOW NOTES:


    00:00 – Intro

    01:02 – Who is Leslie Kapin?

    01:27 – What is Astanor Ventures?

    02:50 - From Vision to Impact: Navigating Sustainability

    07:18 – Examples of enabler companies

    08:23 – Should impact funds venture into software territory?

    09:37 - How do the dynamics between hardware and software industries influence the pursuit of pure, direct impact?

    10:23 - Was the path to milestones clear in hindsight, or did it unfold gradually, step by step?

    13:15 - Collaborative Evolution in Impact Standards

    16:389 - What does B Corp certification mean in financial terms? Is it primarily a marketing strategy, or does it entail binding commitments?

    18:11 - Balancing Priorities for Early-Stage Founders: Impact, Growth, and Certification

    20:57 - Unlocking the Treasure Trove: Notion Page and the Potential for Open Source

    21:38 - Fostering Collaboration: The Call to Share and Support

    23:49 - What is a necessity in the climate tech space?

    25:32 – How many people are dedicated to impact measurement?

    26:46 - Should there be a mental threshold or a numerical benchmark for funds considering commitment to article 9?

    28:07 - Is the norm to conduct LCAs before the investment, or is there a strategy that involves assessment during divestment?

    31:30 - Summing Up the LCA Process: Internal Guidance and External Expertise

    34:12 - Impact Creation Report: Unpacking Astanor's Transparency and Inspiring Replication

    37:11 - What is the next evolution in impact measurement at the fund level?

    39:10 - Embarking on the Impact Journey: Guidance for New Entrants

    40:29 – WhatsApp groups and communities – directions how to find them

    41:29 - Navigating the Imposter Syndrome: A Candid Perspective

    42:19 – Outro


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    ABOUT THE HOST:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/yberno/

    Yoann Berno is committed to the democratization of climate tech investing, with a goal to contribute significantly to the...

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    44 mins
  • Sacrifices, Branding, Fighting Greenwashing: CEO Insights from Plan A (ft. Lubomila Jordanova)
    Jan 30 2024

    In today's show, I'm welcoming Lubomila Jordanova, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Plan A.

    We dig into a lot of personal stuff:

    -how to become a great Woman CEO, the sacrifices to make, tips to avoid burnout

    -how to build a personal brand while building an organization

    -how to face the unavoidable imposter syndrome and structure a support network that takes you out of your bubble

    And collect insights on the business side:

    -how to combat greenwashing

    -where should money go: Software vs Hardware innovation

    -how Plan A wants to scale to 1 million companies in the next 10 years

    -Whether COP28 was a success, and the role of Oil & Gas in the Climate fight

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    ABOUT CLIMATE INSIDERS:

    Learn all the insights from the top Climate Tech Founders and Investors. Listen to the stories behind the startup successes, understand the drivers of investment decisions, and become a true Climate Insider.

    Check us out at: https://www.climateinsiders.co

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    ABOUT THE GUEST:

    Lubomila Jurieva Jordanova is the co-founder and CEO of Plan A. The Berlin-based startup has developed an end-to-end platform that enables companies to measure, monitor, and reduce their environmental footprint and improve their environmental, social, and governance performance using machine learning and science.

    Plan A's carbon accounting software, which assists businesses in reducing their emissions, has been used by over 400 companies since its launch and has reduced clients’ emissions by 8 percent on average this year. Lubomila is also the co-founder of the Greentech Alliance, a community of over 1,000 startups connected to over 500 advisors from venture capital, media, and business backgrounds. She is passionate about addressing climate change and believes there is nothing more powerful than collaboration and true commitment to impact.


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    SHOW NOTES:

    00:00 – Intro

    00:54 – Who is Lubomila?

    02:38 – Journey from Berlin to Global Impact – how it all started?

    04:19 – Tips and trick on how to deal with mental health

    06:40 – Do you have to be an extrovert to succeed in the climate environment?

    07:48 - Balancing Yin and Yang: The Power of a Diverse Support Network

    09:54 – The imposter syndrome

    10:39 – Is pure authenticity sufficient?

    12:11 – How to build a personal brand on LinkedIn?

    14:00 – What is the best marketing strategy?

    15:49 – How to balance internal and external matters in climate world?

    18:03 – How to avoid burnout?

    19:13 - Balancing the Short Game with the Long Game

    21:42 - The Power of Personal Brand in VC Fundraising

    24:38 - The Future of Social Impact in VC Decision-Making – What is the best approach?

    26:20 - Streamlining Net Zero Journey Tracking for Corporations

    29:05 – How to deal with greenwashing?

    33:13 - Creating Transparency for Consumers: The Role of Green Brand Labels

    36:48 – Software vs Hardware – where should the money go?

    39:13 – Rapid fire questions; COP 28

    41:13 – The role of oil and gas

    42:42 – The issue of carbon offsets

    45:14 – What is the end game in planning at the company level?

    46:16 – Outro


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    ABOUT THE HOST:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/yberno/

    Yoann Berno is committed to the democratization of climate tech investing, with a goal to contribute significantly to the fight against global warming. Passionate about empowering individuals striving to make a difference in addressing climate change, he is renowned as the podcast host of Climate Insiders. In this role, he dedicates himself to showcasing the perspectives of...

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    48 mins
  • Carbon Removal Decoded: Markets, Tech, Prices & Oil Impact (ft. Robert Höglund, from CDR.fyi)
    Dec 5 2023

    In today's show, I'm receiving Robert Höglund, one of top experts in Carbon Dioxyde Removal (or CDR). He manages the Milkywire Climate Transformation Fund, and co-founded the CDR market overview CDR.fyi.

    This discussion is perfect for those who are just getting started or want to explore the state of CDR in more depth.

    We cover:

    -The various forms of CDR technology

    -Which one is ahead of the game today, and why that might change soon

    -The role of governments in driving this industry

    -Price predictions for the Carbon price

    -The impact of Oil & Gas, and whether they hinder progress.

    -We discuss how providing more data through platforms like CDR.fyi and spicing up the industry through competitions like the XPrize Challenge can break the glass ceiling of CDR and truly accelerate its growth.

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    ABOUT CLIMATE INSIDERS:

    Learn all the insights from the top Climate Tech Founders and Investors. Listen to the stories behind the startup successes, understand the drivers of investment decisions, and become a true Climate Insider.


    Check us out at: https://www.climateinsiders.co

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    ABOUT THE GUEST:


    Robert Höglund is an independent advisor working with carbon removal and climate policy. He manages the Milkywire climate transformation fund and sits on the board of Mistra sustainable consumption. He previously headed Oxfam Sweden's policy and communications team and took part in the Science-based Target Initiatives' Net-zero expert advisory group.


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    SHOW NOTES:


    00:00 – Intro

    00:06 – Who is Robert?

    00:37 – Why attend COP 28, and what can actually be achieved?

    02:33 – Is carbon removal distracting us from reducing emissions?

    04:32 – The difference between carbon removal and carbon capture

    05:39 - What needs to happen for DAC to turn into a real scalable solution and reach gigaton scale carbon removal?

    07:33 - Climate Solutions Debate and Anticipation of Project Surge

    09:09 – Is there a best portfolio approach? Is there one technology that stands out?

    10:25 – What makes biochar the winner?

    11:12 – Challenges in scaling up machine production

    11:49 – How can carbon be permanently trapped?

    14:00 – Potential consequences in the process of exploiting the mines

    16:05 - Climate Tech's Domino Effect and the Quest for Unlimited Energy

    18:00 – How to finance cheap energy projects? What are the prices?

    21:20 – Price predictions for the KDR market

    22:41 – Is it better to set a certain price bracket?

    23:35 – Why do politics seem so ineffective?

    25:41 - The Prolonged Horizon and the Role of Oil and Gas in Climate Initiatives

    29:21 - KDR ecosystem's vulnerability to big oil - dependencies on pricing, regulations, and permits. What can be done?

    31:11 - Strategies for Accelerating Phasing Out of Dominant Industries

    32:30 - The Complex Challenge of Behavioral Change and Fossil Fuel Dependency

    35:24 – The role of KDR – what results derived from it?

    37:15 - Turning Climate Solutions into a Competition: The Impact of X Prize Carbon Removal Challenge

    39:34 -What are Realistic Expectations for Carbon Removal Projects and Early-Stage Challenges

    40:00 – Outro


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    ABOUT THE HOST:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/yberno/

    Yoann Berno is committed to the democratization of climate tech investing, with a goal to contribute significantly to the fight against global warming. Passionate about empowering individuals striving to make a difference in addressing climate change, he is renowned as the podcast host of Climate Insiders. In this role, he dedicates himself to showcasing the perspectives of trailblazers in environmental sustainability.


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    Mentioned in the...

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    42 mins