This is ZERO #6
19 climate transactions. 3 climate investor profiles. 14 climate finance headlines. 7-day time audit. 5 quotes to make you go "Hmm..." (And, yes, that's a 1991 hip hop reference.)
The new “Climate Change Investment Brief” is live.
Our September issue is posted here.
Here are a few things that stood out last month in the world of climate change investing:
Agtech continues to attract bountiful capital: Cloud Agronomics ($6M), Climax ($7.5M), IronOx ($20M), Mosa ($55M), Notco ($85M).
Transportation electrification sees new sparks: Roadrunner Recycling ($10M), Vanmoof ($40M), ChargePoint ($300M), Hyliion ($560M).
Investments in ecosystem preservation need more diversity: Dendra Systems ($10M), Credit Suisse Rockefeller Ocean Engagement Fund ($212M).
Renewable energy software innovation is seeing the light of day: AMMP Technologies ($1.4M), Myst AI ($6M), Terabase Energy ($6M).
SPACs are the greatest new four-letter word: In September alone, $2.5B+ was raised or planned for climate-friendly investments via these “blank check” companies. This is part of the record-level $34B+ raised via SPACs this year, as companies find it hard to exit via traditional IPOs in this confused and scared COVID world.
And, yes, those poor puns above were (un)fortunately intentional.
Our Climate Change Investment Brief also includes links to each company, the CEO’s profile, and the investors in these recent rounds of new capital. In all, we highlight 19 deals from last month.
Plus, we cover 10 new climate funds or SPACs focused on climate/ESG, shine light on 3 climate investors (Future Positive Capital, Crosslink Capital, Norwest Venture Partners), and distill 7 climate finance headlines worth skimming.
And we love bullet points, because all of our reading lists are already too long.
Drop me a line and tell us what you’d like to see more of:
team@entrepreneursforimpact.com
Climate investment and science news worth seeing in the last two weeks.
'Uninhabitable hell': Climate change and disease threaten millions, UN warns
— Reuters
— TechCrunch
Weather and climate-related disasters could cost $20 billion annually by 2030
— The Hill
— TechCrunch
— Capgemeni invent
Elemental Excelerator welcomes ninth cohort, with 19 companies out of 800 applicants
— Pacific Business News
HSBC targets net zero emissions by 2050, earmarks $1 trillion green financing
— Reuters
Consider a 7-day time audit.
“Where attention (intention) goes energy flows.”
- James Redfield
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Most of us don’t know where our time goes, at work or at home.
It’s easy (and increasingly common) to say, “I’m just too busy.”
But it’s harder to say, “What you’re asking me to do is not a priority for me. I don’t need to do it.”
And I’m not immune to this challenge.
Most weeks, I’m balancing a Climate Mastermind for entrepreneurs and investors, a climate-focused banking and advisory practice, two board roles, four academic appointments at Duke and UNC, frequent investor education via GLG, three kids, and an acre of bounty to manage. :)
Needless to say, I am ruthless about my calendar (at work and at home), and I fail regularly. Daily. Maybe hourly.
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To optimize your time, you might find 7-day audit to be useful.
Consider getting everything put onto your calendar, both personal and professional. You can look backward or forward.
Now create an Excel (or Google Sheets) version.
In doing so, build a mirror calendar by only adding things in terms of big buckets (e.g., business development, capital raising, exercise, family time, reading, meditation, etc.).
Finally, create a set of “if, then” formulas to calculate the percent of your total time going to each bucket.
(Yes, please geek out on this.)
Do you like what you see? If not, then consider these two next steps.
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1. Make time for the URGENT and the IMPORTANT, not just the former.
We need to be doers, getting sh*t done, as well as leaders, reimagining a lower carbon, lower waste, and more just world.
To get that right, we can’t just prioritize what’s needed this week or next. We need to think in terms of quarters and years.
That takes conscious effort.
And how might you find that time?
Figure out what activities you can DELEGATE to others (internal or external), AUTOMATE, or STOP doing altogether.
As an example, create a “Not To Do” list.
If you’re not replaceable for the day-to-day activities by systems or your team, then you’ll likely find it impossible to scale your venture, make bigger contributions to climate mitigation, or sell your company.
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2. Be more productive in the time you use for either the urgent or the important activities.
For this one, I’d suggest perusing one of the three links below to get more done in the same amount of time.
21 Tips to Become the Most Productive Person You Know — Robin Sharma
Productivity Tricks for the Neurotic, Manic-Depressive, and Crazy (Like Me) — Tim Ferriss
How to Work 40 Hours in 16.7 — Chris Winfield
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OK, now take 1 deep breath (or 50), and good luck.
Just like any asset — whether it be time, capital, an organization, your domain expertise — this requires constant maintenance, investment, and optimization to get it right.
I’m in the same boat as you are — Always. Course. Correcting.
Quotes that make you go “Hmmm…”
(And yes, that was a reference the C+C Music Factory hit from 1991. If you want to reminisce about (or see for the first time) what music videos were once like, here it is. Wow.)
“Pain is just weakness leaving the body.” — Source unknown
This is a favorite quote during or after my 15-year-old’s daily routine of 100 push ups, 20 pull ups, and 4-mile bike ride. But I like it as a broader sentiment.
“Life is happening for us, not to us.” — Tony Robbins
If we don’t take full responsibility for what's happening professionally and personally, then we can't change it.
“Sometimes a setback is really a setup for a comeback.” — Willie Jolley
In the moment of change, it’s hard to say what is really good or bad. And right now, millions of us are experiencing changes we’d prefer to not have. Perhaps this is reminder to watch for silver linings, for new possibilities.
“Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.” — John Maxwell
Who are you giving power to on your team — from the executives to the interns?
“The days are long, but the years are short.” — Gretchen Rubin
If we just focus on getting through each day, well, pretty soon the days are gone. For me, this quote applies as well to parenting as it does to building world changing companies. That ticking clock we hear — towards mitigating the worst economic and health impacts of climate change, or achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals — is getting louder and closer each day.
THE TORCH - Get inspired by our Climate CEO Interview series.
If you’re looking for some uplifting stories about founders building ventures tackling climate change, check out these 9 interviews I’ve done with world changers across the country (and many more in the works).
If you’re a CEO or Founder who would like to apply to be interviewed, email us here:
team@entrepreneursforimpact.com
Cohort of only 20: Who should I invite?
As I continue to find and vet the perfect entrepreneurs and investors for my Climate Mastermind* launching in November …
My question for you is this:
If you took 3 minutes to scan your LinkedIn connections, who is the 1 person you’d suggest that I invite to apply?
If you know of such great human beings who lead growing ventures or allocate impact-focused capital, please drop me a line here:
chris@entrepreneursforimpact.com
If you happen to be one of these leaders yourself, you can schedule a time to learn more at this link:
www.chriswedding.co
* Our current members are creating $600M+ in value for a lower carbon, lower waste, and more just world. Our year-long, invite-only programs provide value through peer-to-peer sharing of best practices, investor intel, and executive coaching. Think of it as a personal board of directors. Your people. Your tribe, with each cohort capped at just 20 people.
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Have a great rest of the week. Keep on fighting that good fight.
Remember: We’re making progress on many fronts, despite the negativity bias we see in most headlines.
Cheers,
Chris
P.S. If you’re curious about where the name ZERO comes from, check it out here.
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Dr. Chris Wedding
Entrepreneurs for Impact, Founder
Executive Masterminds for entrepreneurs and investors tackling climate change
Invite-only peer groups. Executive coaching. Investor data. Leadership development.
(919) 274-7988
