Ep 33: Jim McDermott, Managing Partner at Rusheen Capital Management, LLC
Today’s guest is Jim McDermott, Managing Director of Rusheen Capital Management, LLC. Jim is a longtime cleantech investor, that is currently investing in growth-stage companies in the carbon capture and utilization, low-carbon energy and water sustainability sectors. Jim shares his thoughts on a number of important topics related to climate change, innovation, and capital, so if these are areas you care about, this one is for you. Enjoy the show!
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Show Notes
Today’s guest is Jim McDermott, Managing Director of Rusheen Capital Management, LLC.
Rusheen Capital Management is a Santa Monica, CA-based private equity firm that invests in growth-stage companies in the carbon capture and utilization, low-carbon energy and water sustainability sectors. Prior to co-founding RCM, Jim has started, invested in and run numerous companies. These include: US Renewables Group (Founder & Managing Partner), Stamps.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:STMP – Founder), Spoke Software, Inc. (Founder & CEO), Archive, Inc. (Founder & CEO – sold to Cyclone Commerce), NanoH2O, Inc. (Founder & Board Member – sold to LG Chemical), SolarReserve (Founder & Board Member), Fulcrum Bioenergy, Inc. (Founder & Board Member), Common Assets (Founder & Board Member – sold to NASDAQ:SCTY), SET Technology (Board Member) and OH Energy, Inc. (Founder & Board Member). Jim holds a BA in Philosophy from Colorado College and an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.
In this episode we discuss:
- Jim’s transition from dot com entrepreneur (back) to energy/climate
- Formation and operation of US renewables group
- Some examples of companies Jim has backed
- His views on impact capital and how it returns relative to a more mercenary approach
- Importance and necessity of carbon removal
- Role of the big hydrocarbon companies looking backward and forward
- Importance of policies like the 45Q tax credit
- The emergence of the carbon-to-value economy
- Some of the most exciting innovations to keep an eye on
- What Jim would do with $100B if he could put it to work to maximize impact in the climate fight
- Jim’s advice to people trying to find a way to help
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
- Jim McDermott Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesacmcdermott/
- US Renewables Group: https://usregroup.com/
- Fulcrum BioEnergy: http://fulcrum-bioenergy.com/
- Bret Kugelmass: https://www.myclimatejourney.co/episodes/bret-kugelmass
- 45Q tax credit: https://www.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CATF_FactSheet_45QCarbonCaptureIncentives.pdf
- Carbon Engineering: https://carbonengineering.com/
- Renewable portfolio standard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_portfolio_standard
- Oil depletion allowance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_depletion_allowance
- Low carbon fuel standard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-carbon_fuel_standard
- Electrolysis: https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-production-electrolysis
- Photocatalyst and hydrogen production: https://phys.org/news/2017-05-photocatalyst-hydrogen-production-efficient.html
You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.
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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant