☀️ 3 new climate tech funds + how to fund your climate startup
Your 3-minute summary of climate tech, startups, better habits, and deep work.
Good morning, folks.
In today’s 3-minute read, we’ll cover these juicy nuggets:
🌳 💰 I see your money. But what’s your impact?
😲 What the F**K! Report on FOAK financing.
💸 🦸♀️ Three new climate tech funds to know.
👔 How to get a job in climate.
🎥 700 million downloads. 37 documentaries.
📝 25 million TED views: Free “habits” course.
💪 🌎 P.S. “Fund Your Climate Tech Startup”
Enjoy.
Chris
🌳 💰 I see your money. But what’s your impact?
ESG is hot. Like “33% of all global assets by 2025” hot.
Ditto for impact investing — which also happens to have a sense of humor.
Of note:
Two leading impact investing organizations are called GIIN (Global Impact Investing Network) and Toniic. 🥴
I kid you not, dear friend.
Why am I writing this?
Because more investors in the climate space are producing impact reports to highlight the positive non-financial benefits of their work.
Sweet.
Here are three to read, with links to their impact or LP investor reports.
For more on this topic, check out the work of the Impact Capital Managers — a membership association that includes 85+ funds representing more than $21B in impact-focused capital.
😲 What the F**K! Report on FOAK financing.
Yeah, I went there.
The temptation of the sirens was too strong.
Alas, FOAK = First Of A Kind financing.
AKA, how do you take well-funded climate tech financed with expensive capital and convert that to low-cost project finance with big boy (or girl) dollars?
Think $100 million for the first plant.
Well, New Energy Risk has a cheat sheet that may be worth your time.
Read it here.
💸 🦸♀️ Three new climate tech funds to know.
#1 Voyager Ventures: $100M
A super first-time fund.
And one led by two women with almost 30 years of combined experience.
Joy.
As they note:
The Decade of Decarbonization
Many billion-dollar climate technology companies will be founded this decade, creating new markets and swiftly overtaking incumbents across the modern economic system.
Kudos to Managing Partners Sierra Peterson and Sarah Sclarsic.
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#2 - Wireframe Ventures: $77M
This is the second fund from Paul Straub and Harsh Patel, plus new partner Lily Bernicker.
The focus is pre-seed and seed investments “supporting founders on a mission to improve the health of people & planet.”
Check out their rad portfolio companies.
Read more here about how their founders have raised over $1.2B in follow-on capital from incredible investors including Fifth Wall, Insight, Lux, Arctern, Mayfield, Capricorn, TRUE, Prelude, Wellington, Venrock, Foresight, and Redmile.
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#3 - Lowercarbon Capital: $350M
If you need a refresher on their refreshing mission, here you go:
This is the newest fund from Chris Sacca’s climate investment company. Its focus is entirely on carbon removal startups.
In further visual eloquence, he states:
“Removal means removal. It means mopping up the 170 years of extractive sludge milk we’ve already spilled.”
“Removal means we grab carbon dioxide pollution already out there and sock it away permanently.”
“As it has been described quite eloquently by others: When you only have one swimming pool, you gotta fish out the turds already floating around while simultaneously convincing people to stop dropping new turds.”
Preach, brother.
Read more from CNBC on recent carbon removal investments.
👔 How to get a job in climate.
Check out this free webinar from Climate People.
And thanks to Founder Brendan Andersen for organizing it.
🎥 700 million downloads. 37 documentaries.
If your definition of a fun movie is a documentary, then you’re probably like me.
And also a bit of a party pooper on Friday movie night. (“But we could learn so much cool stuff tonight!”)
My boy Tim Ferriss has recommended 37 documentaries here.
—
And with 700 million downloads of his podcast, people kind of like his curation. 👏
With titles like these, how can you resist?
Guardians of the Amazon
Let Things Rot
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
📝25 million TED views: Free “habits” course.
Yesterday, I was brainstorming with Dan Ariely about an upcoming live cast we’re doing on the intersection of behavioral science and climate change — especially the many irrational decisions being made by consumers, businesses, and governments.
And I also found something useful for you all.
Three free courses he’s co-created:
“Hacking Human Nature for Good”
“How to Live Healthier, Using Behavioral Science”
“Understanding Humans Like A Behavioral Scientist”
Get the courses here.
—
Why should you trust his insights on these topics?
He’s received over 25M combined views via his TED talks and has written multiple best-selling books. 🙌🏽
That’s all, y’all.
Make it a great week, because it’s usually a choice.
Chris
—
Dr. Chris Wedding
Founder and Chief Catalyst, Entrepreneurs for Impact
”The only peer group for growth-stage climate CEOs, founders, and investors”
💪 🌎 P.S. How to “Finance Your Climate Tech Startup”
Do you want to take a two-week course with me?
I’m launching a live, cohort-based, online course on May 30.
If you’re interested, click below.
Seats are limited. Utility is not. 🙃
Thank you, Professor. This article is really useful.
Bahareh Bagheri