Ag + food investments up 339%
Plus, climate tech investment could exceed $55B this year, the Innovation Hype Curve, two climate CEO interviews (Copia, Noya), and benefits from streaking.
New report: “Future of Climate Tech”
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) recently published a report that I think you’ll love:
Another key point:
It’s just 19 pages — so totally readable.
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Below are three tantalizing highlights from this SVB report, and click here to get full access.
#1.
“Agriculture & Food” see the biggest rise (339%) in climate VC investments — a savory surprise indeed.
This is pretty important given the significant, but often nonobvious, climate impacts these sectors represents. According to CarbonBrief, “Food production uses up half of the Earth’s habitable land and a 2019 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that between 21-37% of global emissions are derived from food systems. “
In contrast to the cleantech era from our last attempt to save the world through finance and startups, “Energy & Power” took a distant third place in funding growth. Another indication that climate investing is different.
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#2
Compared to last year, the number of climate tech deals could be down. But the investment amount could increase from around $35B to over $55B.
So, deals are getting bigger. Perhaps this is the beginning of a flight to quality. Or at least, the tendency to go big or go home in later stage financing.
Notes: “1) US companies; from CleanTech Group’s i3 database, including enabling technologies that serve more than the climate tech sector. 2) June 30, 2021.”
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#3
Where is your climate tech on the Innovation Hype Curve?
Whether you agree with the specifics of this graph or not, it’s helpful to consider where you think you are, and how you communicate this to investors.
Finally, the full report has lots of other awesome graphs that you’ll want to study.
Climate Tech VC Investment by Series
Months of Cash Runway by Sector
Revenue Growth Rates by Sector
Median Cash on Hand by Sector
Valuation Step-Ups Between Rounds
Revenue Multiple Range by Revenue Band
De-SPAC Landscape for Climate Tech Companies
Climate CEO interview — Josh Santos, CEO at Noya
In our recent Climate Torch podcast episode, Josh and I chatted about Noya’s tech to capture carbon dioxide via industrial and commercial cooling tower retrofits using a zero upfront cost, revenue sharing model.
We also covered his daily, weekly, and monthly productivity habits, as well as advice he would have given himself ten years ago, plus recommendations on influential podcasts and books.
Listen to the podcast, or read our summary transcript here.
Climate CEO interview — Komal Ahmad, CEO of Copia
In another recent Climate Torch podcast episode, Komal and I chatted about Copia’s software to reduce food waste — “the world’s dumbest problem” — using software to connect those with excess food to 1,100 nonprofits who need the food, providing tax benefits and cost savings in the process.
Copia is currently feeding five million people and saving businesses and nonprofits more than $21 million dollars through this platform, with big plans for expansion.
We also talked about her career path, how Copia partners with 500,000 drivers throughout the United States, and her recommendations on favorite books and podcasts.
Listen to the podcast, or read our summary transcript here.
I recommend “streaking.” (But not like that.)
Be careful if you Google this. This post is not about your birthday suit.
Instead, it’s a lesson on productivity from comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
What is one technique he used to be so funny?
Write a joke every day.
What’s the method he used to stay on track?
Get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page.
Put it on an obvious wall or bathroom mirror.
Write a red X on each day that you do your thing — e.g., meditating, making one introduction for a colleague, giving a team member a compliment, etc.
Do this every day.
Notice the “streak” of red X’s.
Don’t break it.
Sounds boring, but quantity often leads to quality.
Read more from lifehacker.
That’s all, folks.
Make it a great week, because it’s usually a choice.
— Chris
P.S. Are you merely supervising your team?
“People don’t need to be managed. They need to be unleashed.”
— Richard Florida: Professor, author, and “creative class” thought leader
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Dr. Chris Wedding
Founder and Chief Catalyst, Entrepreneurs for Impact
Climate Masterminds for CXOs, Founders, Investors, and Project Developers
(private peer groups with just 11 high achievers per cohort)
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Join the Waiting List for our next Climate Mastermind.
The next cohort will fill up by Oct. 1. (First come, first serve.) Four seats remain open.
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