Inevitable

Michael Thomas is making a name for himself in independent investigative climate journalism. One of his earliest pieces saw him immerse himself in dozens of Facebook groups, organized around opposing local clean energy legislation. He used that exploration to pen a series on climate misinformation, which can be found on his newsletter at distilled.earth, and has recently started creating content on YouTube. He also created Carbon Switch, a Wirecutter-like guide to help people navigate home electrification, which he donated to Rewiring America.Michael is also a co-founder of Campfire Labs, a tech-focused content marketing agency that donates 50% of its profits to climate action. This has included a significant contribution to Climate Changemakers, a climate action platform co-founded by Cody in 2020.We started by discussing Michael's motivations for starting his investigative journalism efforts and his climate journey. We then delved into the stories he's written and the investigations he's done. Michael also shared his advice for anyone feeling the itch to get started with something that they might not have prior experience in. Spoiler alert, it involves a strong willingness to embrace and learn from failure.At MCJ, none of us had prior climate experience, but we believe that as long as you're willing to dive in and do the work, there's so much impactful progress to be made in the climate space. We're seeing more and more people like Michael being called into action every day.In this episode, we cover: [03:24]: Michael's background and early journalism career[06:16]: Moments that catalyzed his climate journey[10:02]: His interest in home electrification and founding of Carbon Switch[14:14]: Investigating the alarming health impacts of gas stoves[17:35]: The origins of Campfire Labs and marketing climate tech companies[20:49]: Rewiring America's acquisition of Carbon Switch[25:09]: Takeaways from his immersion in clean energy opposition Facebook groups[32:05]: Influencers in the clean energy opposition space and their misinformation playbooks[37:52]: Clean energy misinformation in right wing cable news and links to big oil[45:19]: How anxiety about mining is weaponized against clean energy[49:11]: How collective action transformed Amsterdam into a bike-based beacon of hope[54:24]: Michael's process for finding topics and publishing his writing[57:10]: Potential legal ramifications and dealing with online harassment[58:51]: How Michael funds his work, the generosity within the climate creator space, and advice for anyone wanting to jump in[01:05:20]: The essential role of popular movements in shaping climate policyGet connected: Michael Thomas TwitterCody SimmsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on Apr 26, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Brad Hartwig is CEO and founder of Arbor, and today’s topic is BiCRS. No, not the people in black leather jackets cruising down the highway, but rather the acronym for the process of biomass carbon removal and storage, BiCRS. Arbor is developing a process that transforms organic waste from forest thinning to prevent wildfires. The company’s process converts the carbon in the waste into stored CO2, while also producing clean energy and freshwater as byproducts. Specifically, Arbor's process runs wood waste through a light thermal treatment known as torrefaction, which is somewhat akin to roasting coffee beans. They take this torrefied biomass and gasify it into syngas and then combust it with pure oxygen to produce clean water and high purity CO2, which they then run through a highly dense turbine to create carbon negative electricity while injecting the CO2 into permanent sequestration.The plants that they will build to operate this process end to end will be significantly smaller than existing biomass energy facilities. And Arbor has an audacious vision to own and operate these carbon capture plants in a distributed nature near carbon injection wells and sequestration facilities, selling the excess power that they generate back to the grid or to the facilities themselves. We start the conversation going into Brad's inspiring background, which includes time as a rocket engineer at SpaceX and nearly a decade on the USA National Swim Team, while also volunteering for Marin County Search and Rescue and the California Air National Guard. We cover how he surveyed the entire carbon dioxide removal space before landing on the idea for BiCRS and how his aerospace background seemed particularly well suited for Arbor's specific approach.In this episode, we cover: [2:51] The movement of talent from the aerospace industry into climate [6:28] Brad's volunteer work with the California Air National Guard Rescue Operations and Marin County Search and Rescue[8:37] His personal background in aerospace and work at SpaceX[15:24] The importance of meaningful service work [19:57] Brad's motivations for getting into the carbon removal space and the thesis for Arbor[25:21] Differences between BiCRS and BECCS[27:47] How and where Arbor sources materials[31:49] Arbor's process for transitioning forest materials into biocarbon[35:07] An overview of torrefaction [40:37] The "trilemma" of biomass, CO2 storage, and load demand[43:38] How the company plans to scale based on organic waste feedstock availability[45:38] Arbor's integrated carbon sequestration and power generation business model[50:49] The carbon capture side of the business [51:38] Funding to date and plans for Arbor's future capital [54:27] The challenges of processing biomass[56:52] Who Arbor wants to hear fromGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInBrad Hartwig / ArborMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on May 5, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by Jason Jacobs. This series explores a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Hampus Jakobsson is General Partner at Pale Blue Dot, a seed-stage venture capital firm that backs the most exciting climate tech startups across Europe and the United States.We were excited for this one because Hampus is a software engineer, turned founder, turned angel investor, turned VC. He also grew up working in areas of more traditional tech that didn't involve climate, and only recently pivoted to devoting all of his professional attention to building a climate investment firm, a story that's relatable to many.In this episode, we cover: [2:42] An overview of Pale Blue Dot [5:01] Hampus' feelings about the climate problem and how they've evolved [9:19] The early days of Pale Blue Dot's first fund [13:08] How Hampus balanced his time getting the first fund closed vs. planting the seed directionally with LPs [18:14] His strategy and thesis before going to market compared to where Pale Blue Dot is today[22:43] The firm's approach to the first check vs. follow on[27:50] Different areas of climate Pale Blue Dot invests in [31:02] The Pale Blue Dot founder [35:03] The firm's decision process on potential investments [43:23] Sector expertise and Pale Blue Dot's diligence process[52:57] Hampus' thoughts about impact and how Pale Blue Dot measures it[57:08] Reporting and important metrics[01:03:24] Pale Blue Dot's geographical footprint [01:06:31] The firm's mix of LPs [01:10:19] Hampus' thoughts on the role of fossil fuel companies in the energy transition [01:19:06] An overview of The Drop conferenceAdditional Resources: The Overstory by Richard PowersGet connected: Jason JacobsHampus Jakobsson / Pale Blue DotMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on April 17, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Lori Lodes is the executive director of Climate Power, a strategic communications operation focused on building the political will and public support for bold climate action. It was founded going into the 2020 US presidential election and played a key role in establishing climate as core messaging pull through for the Biden campaign and Build Back Better agenda. Before stewarding Climate Power, Lori spent a handful of years in corporate communications at Apple. She was deputy director of communications for Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016, and she spent many years working on communication initiatives for the Affordable Care Act and healthcare.gov.We were looking forward to talking with Lori to hear how she's taking her learnings from managing communications efforts at the highest levels of corporate and political initiatives, and applying them to climate. In the few short years that Climate Power has been active, it's shifted from helping place climate on the Biden campaign agenda, to supporting the passage of landmark federal climate legislation, to now highlighting stories of successful policy implementation at the state and local level. It's an ever-shifting chess board, and our chat with Lori helped us recognize just how much the conversation on climate has evolved in the national discourse in a few short years. In this episode, we cover: [02:39]: Lori's background and initial reluctance to engage with climate[05:19]: Lori's move to Apple after working on the 2016 Clinton campaign[06:55]: How her experiences in government and at Apple have informed her communication strategy[11:49]: Lori's work with John Podesta and the origins of Climate Power[16:42]: Transitioning the climate conversation to the mainstream[18:38]: Climate Power's strategy to make climate a political issue and the urgency of the 2020 election[24:52]: The rise of climate as a "kitchen table issue" during the COVID crisis in 2020[26:40]: Aligning stakeholders and messaging to create favorable conditions for climate action[29:33]: The Inflation Reduction Act and clean energy job creation, particularly in Republican districts[32:03]: The challenges of the "implementation" phase of policy, and the importance of highlighting the benefits of climate action[36:34]: Climate social media influencers at the White House and "surround sound" communications[40:16]: How to get connected with Lori and Climate PowerGet connected: Cody SimmsLori LodesClimate Power WebsiteMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on April 27, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Nathanael Johnson has spent the past 18 years as an award-winning journalist who has written features for Harper's Magazine, New York Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and produced stories for the likes of NPR and This American Life. Recently, Nathanael has switched career paths and now is training to become an electrician. In the past, we've chatted with folks on the show who've spent decades in the trades, but we wanted to hear the story of someone who's earlier in their journey in the field. More interestingly, we wanted to understand the motivations behind someone's decision to make the switch from a computer job to a skills trade job, and the joys, misconceptions, challenges and rewards that come with it.In this episode, we cover: [01:26]: How Yin and Nathanael got connected [02:37]: Nathanael's early exposure to nature and the “aesthetics of environmentalism”[05:13]: His liberal arts education and cutting through jargon in academia[07:43]: Starting his career as a newspaper reporter in rural Idaho[13:13]: Nathanael’s journey to becoming a climate reporter for Grist[15:01]: Falling out of love with journalism and discovering electrical work [17:51]: The clear and immediate impact of electrical work vs. uncertain impact of writing[21:18]: Fears about switching careers and dealing with internalized class stigma [25:29]: How we can “dewire” cultural stigmas about skilled trade careers[28:26]: The need to rebuild the educational pipeline and infrastructure for trade careers[30:33]: The issue of representation and redefining what an electrician looks like[32:20]: Nathanael’s advice on testing new career paths[35:41]: Pay, schedule, job security, and work-life balance as an electrician[41:47]: Nathanael's favorite moments as an electrician so farRecommended Resources: Scott Brown Carpentry (YouTube Channel)Get connected: Nathanael TwitterYin Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 28, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series explores a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress.Mohammad Barkeshli is the Vice President of Full Consequence Investing at Hall Capital Partners. Hall Capital Partners has a singular focus on building and managing large investment portfolios. Their clients include families, endowments, and foundations with over $40 billion under management. Mohammad focuses on the firm's impact investing efforts which they’ve coined Full Consequence Investing or FCI. He's responsible for research, identification, due diligence, and ongoing monitoring of investments across asset classes. Jason and Mohammad have a great discussion in this episode about Hall Capital's strategic approach, where it fits in the climate tech and capital stack, the criteria they use when making investment decisions, what they're hearing from their clients now, and how that's evolved.In this episode, we cover: [3:00] The benefits of increasing transparency across the capital stack and why Mohammad agreed to come on the show[4:35] An overview of Hall Capital[6:48] The firm’s approach known as Full Consequence Investing (FCI)[8:25] The average asset class for its clients[11:38] Hall Capital’s different investment vehicles[16:26] How the firm’s investing teams are divided across asset classes[21:00] Mohammad’s background[22:25] Where FCI fits into Hall Capital’s story and brand[28:06] FCI as a key diligence effort for the firm’s investment strategy[29:38] What falls within FCI and how Hall Capital evaluates opportunities across categories[34:00] The role of ESG across industries and investments[36:00] Hall Capital’s process for working with clients who are interested in building a portfolio that’s geared toward climate solutions[42:46] Balancing investments for profit, impact, and the public good[46:23] Limitations and challenges with time horizons[47:57] How Mohammad thinks about team and track record[52:55] Concessionary impact investments[1:00:57] Hall Capital’s involvement with philanthropic capital[1:04:36] Areas Mohammad would like to improve for his clients and their investments[1:06:51] Who Hall Capital would like to hear from and how people can helpGet connected: Jason JacobsMohammad Barkeshli / Hall CapitalMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on April 5, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Katrina Erwin and Glennys Navarrete are program managers at the CLEO Institute and co-hosts of the House on Fire Podcast.The CLEO Institute is a 501C3 nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, exclusively dedicated to climate education and advocacy. Founded in 2010, CLEO, which stands for Climate Leadership Engagement Opportunities, works with communities across Florida to build climate literacy and mobilize climate action.Katrina focuses on helping youth activists leverage their power most effectively in state and local political settings. And Glennys leads CLEO's efforts at schools to educate students on climate issues and be more effective advocates.We jump into a number of different topics about youth climate activism, including what climate education programs look like in schools, how parents can be most effective at supporting youth climate action, when youth activists should focus on collaboration or on resistance, the role of social media in climate action, and lastly, how to inspire kids to care about climate change in the first place.In this episode, we cover: [02:32] Glennys’s background and climate journey[06:40] Katrina's background and climate journey[12:36] The history and goals of the CLEO Institute[16:03] Integrating climate curriculum into schools in an overly-politicized environment [18:15] Avoiding "Trigger words" and misinformation [19:25] How parents can play a role in youth climate activism[25:49] Creating spaces where young people can be heard, not tokenized[30:18] Empowering young people to engage in local politics[35:25] "Power mapping" and using social media to research and contact local politicians[39:22] Katrina's and Glennys's favorite climate influencers on social media, and the role of activists on social platforms[40:44] Shifting climate conversations from “doom and gloom” to solutions-oriented, and from “polar bear” imagery to local reality[45:08] The House on Fire podcast, and how to get involved with the CLEO InstituteGet connected: Cody SimmsCLEO InstituteKatrina ErwinGlennys NavarreteMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on April 11, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Henrik Langeland is the Co-founder and CEO at Enode. Enode is building digital infrastructure to enable a coordinated, smart, and flexible energy system. In particular, Enode's software API connects over 400 smart devices like EVs, solar panels, and thermostats, so that they can work together to help a home run as efficiently as possible, both within itself and as a node in a larger energy system. The idea of energy demand response relies on the ability of each node in an energy system to be as smart as possible. And Enode is this digital glue layer between them.Cody and Henrik spend time talking about his background and the electrification progress made in Norway, where Enode is headquartered. They also talk about the role of software, climate, and energy systems, plus what Enode is and how it works. Henrik compares Enode's role in energy systems to Plaid's role in the banking world, as a service solution that creates more efficiency for all and solves a common problem that all actors in the system would otherwise need to build themselves. We're happy to be multi-time investors in Enode via our MCJ Collective Venture funds and hope you enjoy hearing from Henrik about what they're building.In this episode, we cover: [2:54] Henrik's background and early interest in energy [7:04] EV adoption in Norway and the inspiration for Enode's software solution [12:05] Enode's role in connecting and integrating different energy devices [16:58] The company's product offering [18:14] Enode's consumers including OEMs, energy retailers, etc. [23:08] Henrik's perspective on how software can make a difference in climate [26:22] Risks of deregulation of the energy system (e.g. ERCOT)[27:17] How Enode uses AI [31:51] Henrik's predictions for energy interoperability and his company's role in itGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInHenrik Langeland / EnodeMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on May 4, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series will explore a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we'll take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Will Tickle is a partner, senior investment advisor, and director of impact investing for Ballentine Partners. Ballentine Partners is a wealth management firm that prioritizes the needs of its clients while maintaining integrity and independence. The firm offers customized investment solutions and planning expertise to a wide range of clients, from individual professionals and entrepreneurs with liquid assets of $3.5 million to multi-generational families with assets worth over a billion dollars.In this episode, Jason and Will discuss his process for defining impact and which areas are important for his client’s portfolios. They also cover the balance of impact between the firm's contributions and those from the clients directly. Will shares how his clients' impact investments have evolved since the firm's first involvement in 2005. Lastly, they explore where climate and climate tech fit into all of this. Enjoy the show! In this episode, we cover: [2:49] An overview of Ballentine Partners[4:25] How the firm's clients inspired its approach to climate investing[7:09] Will's background and focus on impact[9:27] The firm's ethos to serving clients[11:58] How Ballentine Partners applies an impact lens to its existing portfolio of assets[14:10] What Ballentine is hearing from clients[17:01] Challenges of assessing impact across an entire portfolio[19:23] How Ballentine balances impact with returns[23:55] Capitalism and its role in the future of the clean energy transition ahead[29:24] Changes to inspire widespread adoption of impact investing[32:40] The role of shareholder activism[34:17] Ballentine's impact reports[37:35] Who Ballentine wants to work withGet connected: Jason JacobsWill Tickle / Ballentine PartnersMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on April 4, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Dr. Jay Taneja is an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and the director of the STIMA Lab (Systems Towards Infrastructure Measurement and Analytics) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Taneja is a world-class expert on the clean energy economy of Kenya, which is our topic for today's discussion.Kenya's story is fascinating from a clean energy and climate change perspective. The country has made remarkable progress in expanding electricity access, with renewable sources providing the majority of its electricity supply. In 1990, only one million Kenyans had access to electricity. However, in the past few decades, Kenya has made impressive strides, doubling access to electricity from 30% of households in 2013 to approximately 75% in 2022.Despite being the least responsible from a cumulative emissions perspective, the African continent is likely to be the most impacted by climate change. Currently, the Horn of Africa, where Kenya is located, is experiencing a multi-year drought. Tune in to learn more about Kenya's clean energy economy, its impressive transition, and some hurdles ahead. Enjoy the show!In this episode, we cover: [2:46] Jay's background and expertise[7:35] His work at the STIMA Lab at UMass[12:39] An overview of life and electricity usage in urban vs rural communities throughout Kenya[20:46] Challenges with solar home systems and accessibility[23:57] Kenya's new president and his sentiments toward clean energy[27:20] The realized impacts of climate change throughout the country[30:38] Geothermal expansion in Kenya[35:12] The balance of nationalized priority and commercial capital in driving the region's clean energy transition[38:24] Kenya's blueprint and lessons for other countries[40:07] How Kenya could leverage COP27's Loss and Damage Fund for vulnerable countriesGet connected: Cody SimmsJay TanejaMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 31, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series will explore a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we'll take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Today’s guest is Sarah Hinkfuss, a partner at Bain Capital Ventures. Bain Capital Ventures is a multi-stage VC firm investing across four core domains, fintech, application software, infrastructure, and commerce tech.Leveraging the unique resources of Bain Capital, they deploy targeted support at every stage of company building. For over 20 years, they've helped launch and commercialize more than 400 companies, and they also recently announced $1.9 billion in new funds.This is an insightful conversation as Bain Capital Ventures has not historically been a climate-focused investor, but they're increasingly paying attention to and getting active in this area, and Sarah's leading the charge.In this episode, we cover: [3:23] An overview of Bain Capital Ventures and Sarah's focus in the firm[5:35] BCV's exploration of climate tech and the firm's motivations[12:04] How the allocation of resources is influenced by time horizons[15:22] BCV's areas of focus through a climate lens[17:04] Sarah's climate journey from environmental justice and public service to early-stage startups and investing[23:07] Her experience leading the effort and formalizing BCV's climate approach[28:07] An example of the evolution of BCV's funds[31:37] The relevant types of expertise needed to make confident investments [35:45] BCV's insights into the role software plays in solving the climate problem [38:18] The firm's 6 areas of focus [44:48] Founder market fit and the importance of deep market strategy and commercial experience[50:00] How climate-focused investors should approach a company's more profitable opportunities in other markets[53:31] BCV's climate investments to date and other related efforts across its portfolio [57:12] The role of a changing climate in a company's evolution and BCV's approach [1:05:05] The value of authentic experiences and deep expertise[1:08:44] Founders BCV wants to hear from Get connected: Jason JacobsSarah Hinkfuss / Bain Capital VenturesMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on April 19, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series will explore a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we'll take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Today’s guest is Lucas Joppa, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Managing Director at Haveli Investments. Haveli Investments is a new and rapidly growing investment firm led by Brian Sheth, former president of Vista Equity Partners. Prior to Haveli, Lucas was the longtime Chief Environmental Officer at Microsoft where he was responsible for Microsoft's overall environmental sustainability vision, strategy, and program execution. In this episode, Jason and Lucas have an in-depth discussion about Lucas's journey to becoming aware of and caring about climate change, how his views have evolved on the nature of the problem, and the best path forward from when he first started doing this work to today. They also talk about Microsoft's journey when it started caring about sustainability and its evolution to being one of the leaders in driving net-zero ambitions for big corporations. And finally we cover Lucas's decision to switch from wildlife conservation to the private equity world, his motivations and of course, Haveli's approach.In this episode, we cover: [2:10] An overview of Haveli Investments and Lucas's role at the firm [4:29] How Lucas came to work in climate and what got him to care about the problem [11:09] His experience at Microsoft[14:08] What inspired Microsoft to address the climate problem [16:32] The company's internal process[21:51] Influencing factors that led to climate action at Microsoft [28:57] Lucas's thoughts on corporate net-zero commitments[32:52] Weighing the implications of GHG reductions on biodiversity loss[38:40] Radical transformations vs. replacing current systems with sustainable alternatives[42:09] Challenges with private equity embracing sustainability [49:17] Haveli's internal net-zero operations [50:53] How founders should evaluate Haveli's portfolio management relative to other private equity firms[53:30] Lucas' work on sustainable softwareGet connected: Jason JacobsLucas Joppa / Haveli InvestmentsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 20, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guests are John Bissell and Rich Riley, co-CEOs at Origin Materials, a carbon-negative materials company that turns carbon found in biomass into chemical outputs.John co-founded Origin Materials as an undergraduate at UC Davis in 2008. Rich became an investor in Origin in 2010, and joined as co-CEO in 2020 after a successful tech career, including most recently as the CEO of the music startup Shazam, which he sold to Apple in 2018. So what kind of opportunity brought a wunderkind chemical engineer and a seasoned software technology executive together? The way they tell it, it's the once-in-a-century opportunity to rebuild the world's material stack from one built on petrochemical inputs to one built on biomass.Recently, Origin Materials went public through a SPAC merger and is now finishing its first commercial plant, Origin One, in Canada. In this podcast episode, Cody delves into John and Rich's backgrounds, how they met, Origin's theory of change, its technical processes, the market it operates in, and the chemical outputs its customers purchase. They also discuss their vision for scaling the business. Almost everything we use in our lives is reliant on fossil fuel-based chemicals. However, Origin Materials is striving to change this by transforming the industry, as the world moves away from fossil fuels. Tune in to discover how they plan to achieve this goal.In this episode, we cover: [2:44] John's time at UC Davis and what prompted his idea for Origin Materials [6:23] Rich's story and how he got involved with the company [10:52] The decision process behind John and Rich's co-CEO structure[12:49] Original insight behind the company's focus[19:13] How Origin Materials fits into the value chain [20:26] Challenges of working with biomass and Origin Materials' process [23:52] The company's different product streams[27:22] Use cases and how Origin Materials works with partners and customers[35:09] The infrastructure side of the business[38:39] How the company raised funds for its first plant and the evolution of talent they're bringing into the company[42:43] Origin Materials' unit economics strategy and what's nextGet connected: Cody SimmsJohn Bissell / Rich RileyOrigin Materials MCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 17, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Scott Case is the CEO and Co-Founder at Recurrent, which provides EV battery reports for used EVs, helping consumers and dealers understand the residual health of the battery in a prospective purchase. Think of them as a Carfax report for EVs.New EV sales have boomed since the launch of the Tesla Model 3 in 2018. A year later, roughly 1% of new sales in the US were EVs. And in 2022, that number had increased to over 5%. The used EV market therefore logically will follow a similar trajectory, with a 3-4 year delay. In this discussion, Scott points out that a car can only be sold new one time but can be sold used many times over. Most of us have no experience buying a used EV because there just hasn’t been enough inventory. As that changes, so too will our used car buying experience. And when it comes to which factors to pay attention to, the battery's health rises to the top of the list.Scott and Cody have a great conversation about what impacts an EV battery’s health, how Recurrent gets the data to make health assessments, how Scott sees the used EV market evolving, and even what make/model EV he drives. It’s a jam-packed episode with information that’s sure to be personally relevant to many of us in the coming months and years ahead. In this episode, we cover: [3:02] Scott's background and how he got started in the used EV market[9:25] How Recurrent came to be[13:51] The early days of figuring out the company's approach and business model[17:54] An overview of the used EV market[19:97] How to determine the quality of a used EV battery[20:24] Recurrent's solution and battery assessment process[24:49] Battery issues associated with EVs and environmental factors that influence performance[30:11] Battery quality and price discrimination for used EVs[32:48] Recent volatility and future market predictions[35:19] How Recurrent's business model is adjusting and its plans for growth[40:19] The dealer's role in EV sales[44:45] Recurrent's progress to date and what's aheadGet connected:Cody SimmsScott Case / RecurrentMCJ Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on April 21, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series will explore a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we'll take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Today’s guest is Mark Robinson, Founder and Managing Director at WAVE Equity Partners, an impact investing firm that seeks to maximize returns for investors, growth for portfolio companies, and impact for all. WAVE achieves this goal by investing in sustainability innovators that tackle our greatest environmental challenges on a global scale. Jason and Mark discuss the origins of WAVE, the timing of its launch, and some of the key lessons that Mark learned from Clean Tech 1.0. They also delve into why WAVE took a contrarian bet when it started and how its approach differs from other firms. Mark explains the company's investment stage, check size, sector focus, diligence process, and value-add post-investment. The episode also covers the industrial market landscape, where WAVE spends a lot of time. Jason and Mark explore various topics such as the ecosystem of founders, the regulatory and policy landscape, and the current capital environment. In this episode, we cover: An overview of WAVE Equity PartnersThe firm's origin story and path to focusing on clean energy, food, water, waste and recyclingEarly fundraising challenges for industrial solutionsKey lessons from Clean Tech 1.0Changes in the ecosystem since WAVE got started and how the firm addressed themWhat gets Mark up every day and the underlying decision to start the firmThe firm's investor makeup and LP shifts over timeWAVE's fund structureNon-starters and the types of risk WAVE is comfortable takingThe balance of fundraising vs domain expertise when building a companyThe role of the regulatory landscape and government funding when making investment decisionsWAVE's 6-month or longer diligence processThe firm's approach to defining and measuring impactMark's thoughts on doing things cleaner vs. reforming entire systemsThe role of government supportMark's wishlist for the future of the industrials marketGet connected: Jason JacobsMark Robinson / WAVE Equity PartnersMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 7, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today’s guest on Yin Lu’s Skilled Labor Series is Alana Guzzetta, a 15-year veteran of the concrete-making business. Alana started as an intern, worked her way up to being a lab technician, and now runs the R&D lab at Vulcan Materials. She has both a bachelor's and master's of civil engineering. In this episode, Yin and Alana delve into the history of cement and how new technologies are disrupting an industry that dates back to the fourth century BC. They also discuss the environmental impact of cement, which is responsible for approximately 7% of total global CO2 emissions, a staggering number that highlights the significance of concrete as a material in the world and its carbon footprint.Alana shares her insights on the latest innovations in concrete-making, including the use of alternative materials and carbon capture technologies. She also sheds light on the crucial role that research and development play in the industry, and what her job as an R&D lab manager at Vulcan Materials entails. In this episode, we cover: [3:06] Alana's academic journey getting into the concrete industry[7:32] The difference between cement and concrete[8:57] An overview of concrete and supplementary cementitious materials[11:22] The carbon-intensive cement-making process[17:53] Alana's role managing the concrete lab at Vulcan Materials[19:30] An overview of Vulcan Materials[23:29] A few example projects Alana has worked on with architects and startups[25:00] What success looks like for Alana and her team[29:38] Her experience working with CarbonCure[32:04] A direct air capture project with Heirloom[35:54] New technology in the cement industry including zero carbon cement and utilizing waste products[41:07] Advice for people interested in working in the concrete industryGet connected: Yin Twitter / LinkedInAlana Guzzetta / Vulcan MaterialsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 8, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Jeff More, President and CEO of MineSense. MineSense provides real-time, sensor-based ore sorting and data analytics for mines. The company recently announced a $42 million Series E round led by JP Morgan's sustainable Growth Equity Group. MineSense technology platform includes a set of sensors that go into a shovel bucket, and at the moment of extraction, help identify the makeup of ore and rock with each new scoop. This helps mines reduce the amount of low-quality rock sent to milling and processing, which also helps mining operations use less power and water. Jeff and Cody dive into the state of mining today, MineSense's technology and how it's increasing efficiency. They also cover the company’s business model, and the adoption curves of software in the mining industry generally. And lastly, they talk about how mining is changing and how sustainability and climate factor into purchasing decisions around innovation. We've had a number of conversations on the pod recently about the state of metal supply chains, metal recycling, and related topics. But this is an excellent primer for how mining works generally and how MineSense is helping to drive optimizations into processes that have been in place for decades.In this episode, we cover: Jeff's backgroundThe state of mining today and its challengesSite selection and permitting processThe logistics behind setting up a new mine and long-term planWhat happens to wasteEnvironmental impact of the mining processAn overview of MineSenseThe company's hardware and softwareMineSense's focus on copper and other base metalsThe company's value proposition of increased profits and sustainabilityMineSense's business modelJeff's predictions for the future of the mining industryAdvice for founders/CEOs as they navigate their go to marketMineSense's funding to date and how the business plans to capitalize moving forwardGet connected: Cody SimmsJeff More / MineSenseMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 20, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series will explore a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we'll take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Today’s guest is Grant Mulligan, a Vice President at Alvarium Tiedemann (AlTi). AlTi is a global wealth and asset manager that's in the business of turning powerful ideas into high-performing strategies and solutions. Whether they are individuals or institutions, foundations, or family-led businesses, AlTi offers its clients a connected ecosystem of advice, solutions, and investment opportunities from across their global network. As an institutional investor, AlTi is serious about impact. And Grant focuses specifically on the firm’s net-zero strategies and nature-based solutions. This conversation takes a fascinating dive into their approach, their origin story, how they measure impact, and how they allocate capital across many different asset classes. We also discuss the types of clients who prioritize impact investing and how this landscape is evolving over the past few years and into the future. Tune in to learn more about AlTi's mission to create enduring value. In this episode, we cover: [3:00] An overview of Alvarium Tiedemann (AlTi) and where Grant sits in the firm[7:12] The role of impact in AlTi's clients' decision making [12:23] Grant's theory of change and work in wildlife biology[17:56] What inspired him to transition upstream and join AlTi's mission [20:45] A deep dive into the forthcoming wealth transfer [25:21] How AlTi structures capital allocation[29:39] AlTi's theory of change for overall climate sustainability, decarbonization tech, and nature-based solutions[33:45] The role of changing perspectives on impact and asset allocation as a result of recent market fluctuations [39:26] AlTi’s impact assessment process[44:45] How Grant balances servicing existing client demand vs generating new demand [53:34] The role of client recommendations in deploying capital[57:12] Grant's thoughts on what's missing in impact investments [1:00:37] Where philanthropic capital fits in Get connected: Jason JacobsGrant Mulligan / Alvarium TiedemannMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 8, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Lucy Piper, Director at WorkForClimate. WorkForClimate is a not-for-profit that provides individual employees with clear step-by-step playbooks to help influence and accelerate a company's decarbonization initiatives. Lucy and Cody discuss how climate change can be an intimidating topic and pushing for change inside your company can be risky. And yet it's clear that if the world's corporations don't change quickly to reduce emissions, the effects will be worse.So how do we quickly help employees feel educated and empowered to push for change? WorkForClimate solution comes from its playbooks and programs. They've identified four key areas of change that employees can impact: energy, emissions, money, and influence. Lucy and Cody chat about each of these, why they matter, and some of the steps that WorkForClimate recommends employees take to maximize their collective influence. And one thing that isn’t covered, but nonetheless important is that when we take personal agency around climate change, it inspires more people to do the same, encouraging more and more. As organizations realize that these well-informed asks aren't coming from some radical minority, but rather from a significant amount of their employee base, that's ultimately what drives change. In this episode, we cover: [4:22] Lucy's climate journey[7:39] Employees as influential stakeholders to drive climate initiatives within corporations[12:45] The power of strength in numbers despite risks[14:44] An overview of green teams[15:57] How formally organized groups and sustainability professionals factor into WorkforClimate's playbook[18:00] The areas WorkforClimate focuses on, including energy, emissions, money, and advocacy[23:04] The issue of greenwashing[25:46] An overview of WorkforClimate's playbooks[29:12] Pros and cons employees have to grapple with to inspire corporate action[33:00] WorkforClimate's emissions framework[40:05] The type of companies best suited to collaborate with WorkforClimate[47:15] The money category WorkforClimate addresses, including bank accounts, treasury, and retirement funds[54:28] The role of corporate influence on policyGet connected: Cody SimmsLucy Piper / WorkforClimateMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 22, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Trevor Best, CEO and Co-founder at Syzygy Plasmonics. Syzygy is rethinking how chemicals are produced and pioneering a new technology that energizes chemical reactions via light. Their photocatalyst technology came out of the lab at Rice University. Toward the end of 2022, the company announced a $76 million Series C financing led by Carbon Direct Capital and a number of significant strategies in the energy, oil and gas, and automotive sectors.During the episode, Trevor and Cody delve into various topics, including Trevor's background, traditional petrochemical methods of chemical production, and the fortuitous discovery that led him and his co-founder to commercialize their cutting-edge technology at Syzygy. The discussion also covers the various chemical pathways that Syzygy is currently pursuing, such as zero-emissions hydrogen, low-emissions hydrogen, syngas, and methanol.In this episode, we cover: [2:46] Trevor's background and Syzygy's origin story [7:37] The relationship between fossil fuels and the chemical industry [9:48] Other emerging alternatives in the space[11:39] Origins of Syzygy's photochemistry technology and its implications [20:59] Syzygy's decision to focus on hydrogen pathways [24:32] An overview of dry reforming [27:40] The company's business model [30:14] Sygyzy's scale-up progress and plans for the future[36:47] How Syzygy balances adding new capabilities to its reactors [42:09] Trevor's thoughts on the future and where Syzygy needs helpGet connected: Cody SimmsTrevor Best / SyzygyMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 6, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by MCJ partner, Jason Jacobs. This series will explore a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we'll take a deep dive into the world of capital and the critical role it plays in driving innovation and progress. Today’s guest is Jacqueline van den Ende, founder and CEO of Carbon Equity. Carbon Equity pools capital to provide individuals with access to world-class private equity funds, while their team of experts handle the research, management, and investment work. Their approach allows investors to build a diversified portfolio of climate startups and scaleups. In this episode, Jacqueline and Jason delve into Carbon Equity's origin story, their unique approach, and what sets them apart in the industry. They discuss the firm's journey so far, the challenges they've encountered, and the exciting trends that they believe will drive progress in the field. They also examine how Carbon Equity fits into the broader climate capital stack, as more funds and limited partners enter the space.In this episode, we cover: [2:20] An overview of Carbon Equity [4:41] How Jacqueline's original idea for climate investing came about [9:19] Carbon Equity's focus on the mass affluent market today [13:55] How they raised early funds and who they targeted [17:50] Differences between US vs Europe investor limitations [21:27] Carbon Equity's diligence process [28:12] The firm as a diversification provider [30:57] Jacqueline's thoughts on sector expertise and mission alignment [35:25] Carbon Equity's milestones since January 2021 [39:59] The firm's plans for thematic funds [46:02] Some of Jacqueline's key learnings from her journey and the difficult questions she's asking[50:31] An overview of MCJ's journey and funding progress to date[53:22] Who Jacqueline wants to work with and her parting words, including job opportunities with Carbon EquityRecommended Resources:The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth KolbertGet connected: Jason JacobsJacqueline van den EndeMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 23, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Will Steger, an educator, activist, photographer, and polar explorer. Will is a prominent spokesperson for the preservation and understanding of the Arctic and is the creator of the Will Steger Foundation, which exists to educate and empower people to engage in solutions to climate change.Will was the fourth person ever to have reached both Earth's poles. He led the first confirmed dogsled journey to the North Pole in 1986. In 1989 and 1990, he led the first dogsled traverse of Antarctica, a 3,471-mile journey, to raise awareness of the need for international cooperation to ban mining and oil exploration in Antarctica. This journey became a worldwide media phenomenon, leading to meetings with multiple global heads of state.Will and Cody talk about how he built and leveraged his platform, the current priorities of his foundation, his childhood, how he started exploring, and how he's seen the world change in his lifetime, both physically and in terms of the understanding of and support for climate action. Lastly, they talk about survival, how Will manages to do it in the bleakest moments of an expedition, and how he thinks humans will do it in the face of climate change. In this episode, we cover: [2:15] Will's early expedition to Antarctica which gained global recognition in 1986[7:45] An overview of the Antarctic Treaty and Will's experience with diplomacy and building awareness and cooperation among global leaders[10:15] Reflections on his first trip to the Antarctic and landing on the Larsen A Ice Shelf[12:40] An overview of the Will Steger Foundation[15:58] His work to bring climate into school curriculums and the shifting youth attitudes toward the topic[20:58] Will's upbringing and early interest in exploration[26:40] How he got involved with dogsledding and an overview of working with dogs[29:30] Will's first journey to the North Pole in 1986[33:16] An overview of Will's new Steger Center for Innovation and Leadership[34:28] Observations that have been most effective in helping people understand the implications of climate change[42:14] How to follow Will's travels at https://stegercenter.org/Get connected: Cody SimmsWill StegerMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 13, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today's guest is Dylan Welch, Plant Manager at AMP Robotics. Dylan grew up in the foothills of California and Arizona, before going to school in Colorado. He’s had quite a non-linear career path. Dylan started his career building custom motorcycles out of his garage and then became a carpenter and subcontractor, before joining the team at AMP Robotics, where he oversees facility operations. AMP Robotics develops and deploys AI and robotics technology that enables a recycling facility to drive efficiencies across its sorting process, lower the cost of its operations, and produce higher-value commodities. As proud investors of AMP Robotics via our MCJ venture funds, we’ve excited to share yet another perspective from the company and learn about Dylan’s personal journey. In this episode, we learn a lot from Dylan the recycling industry, and how Dylan applied his interest towards a career addressing the waste problem.In this episode, we cover: Dylan's early interest in machinery and his professional backgroundHis career path as a carpenter, contractor, and running a recycling plantAn overview of AMP Robotics and how Dylan landed his current role A deep dive into recycling and its shortcomings Dylan's day-to-day experience running a secondary MRF (materials recovery facility)How he interacts with folks outside of the plant Dylan's perspectives on how automation can close the staffing gap in the recycling industryHow Dylan combined his personal interests with his role at AMP Robotics Advice for people interested in learning how systems work but aren’t sure where to startGet connected: Yin Twitter / LinkedInAMP RoboticsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 11, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is John Kinney, Founder, CEO and Managing Partner at CleanFund. CleanFund specializes in PACE financing, an innovative way for property owners to finance public good improvements to their buildings, including clean energy, efficiency, and resiliency through their property taxes. CleanFund got its start in Berkeley, California in 2009 and initiated the first privately funded PACE transaction focused on solar power. Since then, PACE financing options have taken hold in dozens of states across the USA, and CleanFund serves as an enabling mechanism in all of them. CleanFund specifically focuses on C-PACE or Commercial PACE, which means that it's wholly focused on commercial buildings. C-PACE can be applied to new construction or building retrofit projects, and the types of projects that qualify for C-PACE vary by state or locality. It's going to take new ways of thinking about things for us to drive the decarbonization of our economy as fast as possible. With CleanFund, John is focusing on the huge emissions footprint of the built environment and is helping property managers and lenders unlock new tools to finance needed clean energy upgrades. In this episode, we cover: John's transition from fitness into climateAn overview of PACE or “Property Assessed Clean Energy”Difference between residential and commercial PACEImpacts of building regulations and penaltiesNew Hyatt construction example in Salt Lake CityAn overview of CleanFund and its role in PACEWho's on the capital side of PACE productsHow CleanFund interacts with green banks at the state levelForecasting the future of energy efficiency in the built environmentInnovative approaches to addressing emissions in the spaceThe challenges of working in commercial real estateHow to engage with CleanFund and learn more about PACE at CleanFun.comCleanFund's plans for expandingGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInCleanFundMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on February 24, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest on the My Climate Journey Startup Series is Jack Morrison, Co-founder and CEO at Scythe. Scythe recently announced a $42M Series B round of financing led by Energy Impact Partners to grow and scale their product line of autonomous electric commercial lawnmowers. When discussing the need to electrify everything, we tend to focus on electric vehicles and home efficiency. But over the next 5-10 years most of us will be surprised by just how many things in our daily lives will move from loud, smelly, gasoline-powered engines to quiet, odorless electric motors. This podcast has featured electric solutions for pleasure craft boating, motorcycles, passenger buses, semi trucks, and even cargo shipping. And in most cases, the business models of the electric versions of these things are innovative in some way or another too.The Scythe team is pioneering a new usage-based model for their mowers and the company believes it offers a more sustainable way for landscaping companies to manage their cashflows and help their employees get the job done. In this episode, we cover: [2:00] Jack's background in programming and robots [4:00] His transition from 3D scanning to landscaping [6:48] Climate impact of the landscaping business and Scythe's role in helping curb the emissions footprint[11:03] Scythe's M.52 mower product [13:17] Why Scythe chose an electric and autonomous solution [18:16] The safety side of the company's tech[22:36] Impacts on landscapers' day to day [27:45] Technology barriers for incumbent mowing companies [30:18] Scythe's early traction, progress to date, and market shareGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInJack Morrison / ScytheMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on March 7, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Robert Piconi, CEO and co-founder at Energy Vault, which develops and deploys utility-scale energy storage solutions. The company's offerings include proprietary gravity, battery, and green hydrogen energy storage hardware technologies supported by a technology-agnostic energy management system software layer. They can deliver short- and long-duration energy storage with the goal of helping carbon-free energy be as cost-effective as possible at all times of the day and night. Robert and Cody have a great conversation about why energy storage matters, the different types of energy storage today, and some unique insights from Bill Gross at Idealab that led to the earliest version of Energy Vault. They talk about the rapid iterations Energy Vault has done on its gravity storage model, and how they've raised capital. Energy Vault went public via SPAC one year and one day before Rob and Cody had this conversation. It's incredible to see such an infrastructure-heavy company grow and iterate so quickly. Enjoy the show! In this episode, we cover: [2:41] Robert's background and interest in the energy sector [6:55] Challenges of energy storage[10:19] Energy Vault's history as a company and exponential growth [15:16] The energy storage space broadly and its shortcomings [19:09] How Energy Vault landed on its solution and a description of its tech[26:17] Feedback from customers and the evolution of the company's tech [29:04] An overview of the company's EVX platform [30:55] Differences between long vs short storage [34:36] Energy Vault's latest project announcements [42:25] Tailwinds from the Inflation Reduction Act [45:45] The 24/7 carbon-free energy market [49:40] Talent and partner opportunities with Energy VaultGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInRobert Piconi / Energy VaultMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on February 15, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Heidi Kujawa, founder and CEO at ByFusion. ByFusion is solving the global plastic waste crisis by turning unrecyclable plastics into building materials.Plastics are lightweight, durable, strong, low-cost, and built to last. Those qualities are fantastic in reducing the cost and weight of shipping and packaging items. And those qualities are equally terrible when it comes to waste. Not to mention, virgin plastics come from fossil fuels and are providing an increasing amount of the value of a barrel of oil. ByFusion is looking to take advantage of plastic's positives while obviating its negatives by turning waste plastic into durable building blocks.Heidi and Cody have a great conversation about her background, the different types of plastics, and what's recyclable and what's not (side note: we can all probably do better when it comes to recycling). They also talk about how ByFusion works with municipalities and waste management companies to source materials, what the company’s ByBlocks look like, who is building with ByFusion and what they are building, the evolution of plastic waste credits (which are similar to carbon credits) and how Heidi is financing the company and its product development. This is a jam-packed episode and we hope you enjoy it! In this episode, we cover: [2:09] Heidi's background and how it fed her experience building ByFusion [4:31] How she decided to focus on plastic waste[6:58] An overview of ByFusion and the company's ByBlock product [9:44] Recyclable vs non-recyclable plastics [13:34] Different use cases for ByFusion's construction materials [17:14] ByFusion's municipalities customers, unit economics, and who's paying [21:36] The company's business model [23:51] The plastic diversion/credit market [25:43] ByFusion's upcoming projects [28:34] State and country-wide policies around plastic and their implications [30:50] The company's financing to date [34:37] Where ByFusion needs help todayGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInHeidi Kujawa / ByFusionMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 18, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Martin Wainstein, Founder and Executive Director of OpenEarth Foundation, a California-based nonprofit that creates and supports the deployment of open-source software at the intergovernmental level to further climate understanding and action.When we think of blockchain, our brains are mostly wired to think of cryptocurrencies and for-profit schemes. OpenEarth Foundation, however, is applying blockchain principles to United Nations-scale carbon accounting efforts to aid in the understanding of and deployment of software that can support an open and accountable data layer for critical carbon accounting. As carbon offsets are retired, as renewable energy credits are traded, and as compliance and voluntary carbon markets grow in prominence, how do we ensure that these systems can understand each other across borders, governments, and methodologies?After all, a ton of CO2 should be a ton of CO2, and yet orchestrating agreement and dialogue across major stakeholders including governments, markets, and corporations, is never an easy task. Martin and Cody have a great conversation about his journey into the climate space and the origins of OpenEarth Foundation, which was inspired in part by his time at Yale Open Lab and his work on digital currencies at MIT Media Lab. We also cover the state of carbon accounting at the nation-state level today, the innovative ways that OpenEarth Foundation has raised money to date, and some of the big ideas that they're thinking about for the future. In this episode, we cover: [3:01] Martin's climate journey [9:38] An overview of the OpenEarth Foundation[14:25] Leveraging technology for the common good [17:32] Carbon accounting and where the data comes from today [24:10] Openclimate.network and other digital tools [29:48] Transparency challenges on the national and subnational levels[34:25] How OpenEarth is helping large global entities with consensus building [40:44] OpenEarth's initial funding via NFTs and plans moving forward [49:38] Some of OpenEarth's current projects [55:07] Where OpenEarth needs helpGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInMartin Wainstein / OpenEarth FoundationMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on February 2, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Megan O'Connor, CEO and Co-Founder of Nth Cycle. Nth Cycle uses a metals processing technology that allows battery manufacturers to convert lower-grade critical metals into EV-battery grade on-site. The company’s approach obviates large portions of cumbersome and dirty metal supply chains for crucial EV battery metals like nickel. Megan claims that Nth Cycle's technology can be applied to existing batteries just as it can be to newly mined ore, thus accelerating circularity for the lithium-ion battery and battery recycling.One significant component of the Inflation Reduction Act is the formalization of US EV tax credits, and a qualification requirement that automakers must source at least 40% of their EV battery components - by value - in the United States or countries with which the US has a free trade agreement starting this year, with escalation to 100% by 2029.With this change in the backdrop, Megan and Cody have a great conversation about the state of EV battery metal supply chains and battery recycling today, how Megan started working on this problem in the first place, how Nth Cycle works, and what her plans are for the company. We have focused quite a bit recently on EV batteries and the underlying metals that power them on the podcast. If you want to learn more about the topic, check out past episodes with Simon Moores, Jigar Shah and Ajay Kochhar, and Impossible Metals. Enjoy the show!In this episode, we cover: [2:18] How a molecule of metal turns into a battery [7:18] The embodied carbon in an EV [10:03] Different refining mechanisms, their limitations and environmental justice concerns[17:55] The origin of Nth Cycle [23:21] How Megan gained the confidence to change her PhD and focus on battery metals[27:23] Megan's entrepreneurial journey as a grad student [29:36] An overview of Nth Cycle's solution [33:12] A description of the company's system [35:20] How the Inflation Reduction Act is changing the supply chain for nickel and where Nth Cycle fits in [37:35] How the technology can be applied to all critical metals [41:56] The company's capital history [43:40] Job opportunities with Nth Cycle [46:14] Megan's predictions for the futureGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInMegan O’Connor / Nth CycleMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 23, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today is Zach Gallant, Head of Maritime Operations at Fleetzero. Zach grew up in Maine and attended the Maine Maritime Academy after high school. He spent 15 years on board ships of all types and sizes. His career started on freighters carrying bulk cargo such as iron ore in the Great Lakes. Then Zach worked at Transocean, the world's largest offshore drilling contractor, for over a decade. He recently transitioned to Fleetzero, a startup building a fleet of electric ships to help address and reduce the carbon emissions from the shipping industry, which accounts for about 3% of total global emissions. As investors in Fleetzero via the MCJ Collective venture funds, we’ve also spoken to co-founders, Steven Hendersen and Mike Carter, in a previous Startup Series episode (listen here). In this episode, we cover: [2:00] Zach's background and experience as a marine engineer[7:42] A career working on the deck side of ships vs the engineering side [11:13] Different types of maritime ships and propulsion systems [15:33] Zach's firsthand experience witnessing the impacts of climate change[18:41] The process of setting up an exploratory drill well [24:33] Zach's decision to transition out of oil and gas into a climate tech maritime company [27:51] Technological shifts in the maritime industry[30:05] Shortage of maritime workers and how to encourage more people to get involved[32:23] What keeps Zach optimistic Get connected: Yin Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on December 21, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Harry Tannenbaum, Co-founder and President at Mill. Mill developed a household bin that not only collects uneaten food but also shrinks and deodorizes it. The company’s solution aims to keep food in the system and prevent it from ending up in landfills or waste systems, which would otherwise generate significant emissions. Mill recently exited stealth and we're proud to be multi-time backers of the company through our MCJ Collective venture funds alongside other leading climate tech funds such as Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lower Carbon Capital, Prelude Ventures, Energy Impact Partners, and John Doerr. In this episode, Cody and Harry delve into the issue of food waste and what inspired him to tackle it. They discuss the qualities of a successful consumer product and how Harry and his co-founder, Matt Rogers, applied the lessons they learned at Nest to their work at Mill. Additionally, they examine Mill's product and logistics framework, and the intersection between consumer behavior change and systems change. They also explore the network effect that Mill hopes to create between the two. Finally, the conversation covers the pros and cons of building a company in stealth, as Mill did during the product development process.In this episode, we cover: [2:42] An overview of the food waste problem[6:04] The life cycle of food waste and the role of city municipalities[11:15] Harry's journey and experience with Nest[14:13] How he met his co-founder and decided to focus on waste[20:00] The genesis for Mill's hardware solution and how it evolved[25:28] Critical team members and how the company's final produce came to be[29:47] Mill as a systems change company[30:35] An overview of the Mill bin and membership experience[37:07] Where chickens fit in[45:19] The theoretical debate of systems change vs. personal responsibility[54:00] The company's partnership with the city of Tacoma, Washington[57:27] Where the company is looking to hire talent[59:06] Pros and cons of building in stealthGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInHarry Tannenbaum / MillMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on February 10, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's topic is ERCOT (The Electric Reliability Council of Texas), and we have two guests. Eric Goff is President at Goff Policy, an infrastructure consulting firm focusing on ERCOT market energy transition issues. Eric serves as the sole representative for residential consumers in the ERCOT stakeholder process. Jaden Crawford is director of policy at David Energy, a modern energy retailer that operates in multiple markets, including Texas. David Energy is also an MCJ Collective portfolio company. From an electrons perspective, the Texas energy grid is unique because it's relatively isolated from the rest of North America. It's also a deregulated market, which means that energy retail or selling power to end consumers is separate from energy generation or the act of creating power. Therefore, there's a robust B2B market between retailers and generators in addition to a direct-to-consumer retailer market. All of this has created a vibrant entrepreneurial energy ecosystem in Texas.Companies in Texas are relatively free to experiment with new models and technologies, and the open market rules the day. But when Texas suffered wide-scale energy outages after Winter Storm Uri in 2021, the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, declared that ERCOT reform would be an emergency priority for the state legislature. In late January of this year, news about some of the ERCOT reform proposals brought Eric and Jaden to our attention, and we’re so grateful for their time in shedding light on this topic. Enjoy! In this episode, we cover: Eric's background in ERCOTJaden's experience and transition to focusing on energyAn overview of ERCOT and its membersHow it fits into the broader energy and electricity picture in the U.S.How Texas deregulated its energy marketDeregulation's influence on driving the adoption of renewables, entrepreneurialism, and innovationEnergy failures during Winter Storm Uri and changes that are being madePricing caps and market dynamicsAn overview of the Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) and ancillary servicesThe role of gentailorsDoes Texas need more energy generation?How people living in Texas can get involvedGet connected:Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInEric GoffJaden CrawfordMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on February 17, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today, we have two guests, Sonia Kastner, Founder and CEO at Pano, and Bill Clerico, Founder and Managing Partner at Convective Capital. Both Sonia and Bill are keynotes in the emerging category of fire tech and in the subcategory of climate tech that's referred to as adaptation solutions, technologies that can help deliver resiliency in the face of an increasingly unstable planet. At Pano, Sonia is developing technology that creates actionable intelligence for wildfire management. They're deploying a network of high-definition cameras across our forests to help generate faster and more informed fire response.At Convective Capital, Bill is investing in technology startups that are solving the problem of extreme wildfires, including Pano. Cody, Sonia, and Bill dive into the issue of wildfires, how and why they've grown in severity, the traditional response mechanisms that fire agencies have used and how that's changing, what types of technologies are being developed to support their efforts, and of course, some details about Pano's product offering. We also touch on the talent that's flowing into fire tech and how critical it is for us to continue to fund and develop new ways to adapt to a changing planet, try as we might in parallel to reign in the emissions and trapped heat that are causing climate change. In this episode, we cover: [3:00] Sonia's background and catalyst for working in climate adaptation at Pano [5:05] Bill's background in FinTech and inspiration to start Convective Capital [7:33] The mega wildfire crisis today and trends over the last two decades [11:54] Universal factors contributing to wildfires across different geographies [14:28] Solutions to wildfires including Pano's technology[16:49] An overview of firefighting today, early detection, and rapid initial attack [21:09] How suppression efforts could change based on fire characteristics and the need for collaboration [24:58] Challenges of building a tech company in the wilderness[27:37] How Pano is leveraging Starlink to create solutions for their customers[29:14] An overview of the company's physical product and buyers [31:52] How Convective Capital approaches companies like Pano who sell primarily to fire agencies [34:27] How organizations like CAL FIRE are changing their approach to work with tech companies [36:19] Skills needed and where talent is coming from [38:40] What's next for Pano and Convective CapitalGet connected:Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInSonia Kastner / PanoBill Clerico / Convective CapitalMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 12, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guests are Ajay Kochhar, President, CEO, and co-founder at Li-Cycle, and Jigar Shah, Director of the Loan Programs Office at the United States Department of Energy. Jigar is a multi-time guest on the show and a friend of the pod, and he reached out to us to see if we'd want to record an episode discussing Li-Cycle's experience in applying for and receiving a conditional commitment from the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office for a loan of approximately $375 million to help Li-Cycle scale up their work with a production facility in Greece, New York near Rochester. We cover a lot of ground today. We reintroduce Jigar and the Loan Programs Office. For those of you who want to go deeper, you can visit the My Climate Journey pod archive for other episodes featuring Jigar, including one from a year ago with him and Rob Hansen of Monolith Materials. We also introduce Ajay and the business he's building with Li-Cycle to recover and recycle critical lithium-ion battery metals. Then we spend most of the conversation talking about how the Loan Programs Office works with prospective applicants as well as what Li-Cycle's experience was as an applicant. We learn how the LPO helps companies define and lay out their plans across a wide array of considerations, including, of course, financial and technical, but also their plans for community involvement, workforce development, environmental impact, permitting, and so much more. The LPO provides a unique role in the funding landscape for climate tech. Venture funding can help a company grow, and it can help a company navigate initial market risk. But for us to make a real dent in the climate problem, it's going to take moving atoms at scale. For infrastructure-heavy businesses, there's a need for sizable capital to put steel in the ground and build a production facility. It’s possible for a startup to leverage a small pilot facility to prove that its technology can work, but to provide a commercial solution at a fully deployed scale, it may need to invest tens or hundreds of millions of dollars into infrastructure and facilities, and oftentimes, the venture debt markets are reticent to fund large, first of its kind build-outs. This is where the LPO plays a key role. A major takeaway from Ajay and Jigar's discussion is the significant partnership between the LPO and a company during the application process as they collectively uncover and work through assumptions and hypotheses together. In this episode, we cover: [4:43] Introduction to the Loan Programs Office [9:20] An overview of Li-Cycle and the company's success[14:14] $375 million loan from LPO to help scale Li-Cycle's hub and spoke approach [16:43] Importance of community engagement [20:28] An inside look at Li-Cycle's processing facilities and attention to safety[25:52] How the DOE evaluates projects and determines where investments are needed [29:12] Li-Cycle's first commercial facility in Rochester[31:09] How and why Li-Cycle decided to partner with the LPO [36:07] The application process for working with the LPO [42:42] The government's role in the diligence side [47:37] Ajay's thoughts on how the LPO terms may differ from future commercial loans [50:51] How Jigar has streamlined the LPO's process [54:23] Tips for companies seeking a loan from the U.S. DOEGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInAjay Kochhar Twitter / LinkedInLi-CycleJigar Shah Twitter / LinkedInLoan Programs Office MCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on February 15, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Carlos Araque, co-founder and CEO of Quaise Energy. Quaise is seeking to unlock the power of geothermal energy by drilling into deeper and hotter parts of the earth than ever, using microwave-based technology rather than traditional mechanical drill bits.Carlos has a fascinating background; he grew up in Medellin, Colombia, during the turbulent 1980s and 1990s, matriculated to MIT, and then found himself working in oil and gas for a while before transitioning to geothermal and Quaise. In this episode, Carlos walks us through how geothermal energy is harnessed today and what has held it back from a scale perspective. He also offers a unique futurist point of view that there are only three forms of energy that have the potential to offer abundant clean energy to humanity at scale on a multi-decade or century-scale timeframe: fission, fusion, and deep geothermal. From his perspective, the energy density profiles of wind and solar relative to their land use requirements will eventually cause them to hit limitations.If you’re curious about geothermal but need a primer on how it works, this one eases into the topic by going into the state of geothermal today, then spending some time on Quaise's tech solution and business model. We conclude by getting Carlos' take on the future of energy. Enjoy the show! In this episode, we cover: [2:50] Carlos' background and serendipitous path to starting Quaise[9:22] How Carlos became interested in geothermal and his thoughts on the three solutions for deploying clean energy at scale[14:25] An overview of geothermal[18:04] Different use cases and geothermal's potential[21:37] Tthe different types of geothermal, including hydrothermal and EGS systems[23:32] What's holding geothermal back today[25:40] Quaise's approach[29:55] How Quaise repurposes oil and gas capabilities to deploy their different technology[35:28] Core assumptions the company is working towards in the lab[38:37] Challenges associated with scaling[40:58] The role of regulation[45:37] Quaise's business model[48:37] How Carlos evaluates risks associated with his business[52:44] Geographic footprint required for other forms of renewable energy[55:01] Where new skills are needed from a talent perspective[57:01] What's next for Quaise and where they need helpGet connected:Cody Twitter / LinkedInCarlos LinkedIn / QuaiseMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 6, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

*This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today's guest is James Sedlak, who leads Operations and Community Engagement at Kodama Systems, a startup developing automated ways of thinning overcrowded forests and utilizing low-value biomass, which we'll learn more about in the episode. From 2019 to 2021, James was a wildland firefighter for three seasons working on fire suppression and mitigation in the El Dorado National Forest. He has also worked on climate resilience projects for local and state agencies in California, such as the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, and the Tahoe Conservancy. In this episode, we get into the nitty-gritty of the day of the life of a wildland firefighter and learn about the future of firefighting and what the space will entail. After hearing about the dedication and dangers associated with wildland firefighting, you’ll walk away with a much deeper appreciation and gratitude for the work being done around the mitigation and suppression of fires. And lastly, we at MCJ Collective are proud to be investors in Kodama via our venture capital funds. Enjoy the show!In this episode, we cover: [2:00] James' background and how he landed his current role at Kodama [5:43] An overview of the El Dorado National Forest and James' work in wildland fire [7:04] Different types of firefighting and how to get started[10:31] Courses and the interview process [12:02] Career progression for working in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS)[17:51] An overview of hotshots [19:27] What it's like to be a firefighter and the typical experience during a fire season [22:41] The importance of pre-season training and supporting mental health programs for firefighters[26:43] Challenges with retention in the federal wildland firefighting workforce [28:21] An overview of mitigation suppression to prevent wildfires [30:27] Wildfire trends from out on the frontlines and within the workforce [32:49] James' work at Kodama [38:01] Implications of recent flooding on the fire season for this year and years to come James’ Earth Refuge interviewGet connected:Yin’s Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 13, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Our guests today are, Diego Saez-Gil of Pachama and Sam Gill of Sylvera, and we're talking about forestry carbon offsets.Forestry carbon offsets were designed as a financial tool to provide an economic incentive for landowners to make alternative decisions, to pay landowners to keep their forests intact in the case of deforestation avoidance credits or to reforest previously damaged land in the case of reforestation credits. The money for this economic incentive comes from large actors who can then take "credit" for their action and apply it against the carbon footprint of their own organization. This is a carbon offset. In the simplest terms, if part of a company cannot decarbonize quickly, but still aims to achieve net-zero emissions, they can pay a forest landowner to preserve their forest and take an agreed upon amount of carbon off their balance sheet accordingly. And it’s a relatively new thing. Forestry carbon offsets have become a popular product over the last decade, and like any maturing industry, it has challenges.Diego and Sam are here to walk us through why forests matter, the history of offsets and how they work, some of the challenges highlighted recently, and what they think the path forward looks like. Regardless of what you think of carbon offsets, this is a crucial problem to solve. Without an economic incentive to maintain and regrow the world's forests, any thought of avoiding the worst effects of climate change is out the window. In this episode, we cover: Diego's background and intro to PachamaSam's experience and an overview of SylveraForests in the world today and why they matter for climateRisk of deforestation and the Amazon becoming a self-reinforcing negative feedback loopHow the story of biodiversity has changed from a forestry perspectiveEconomic levers at play with regard to forests, including reforestation and afforestationThe link between forest credits, offsets, and carbon marketsProblems associated with deforestation credits and managing illegal activityThe voluntary market for deforestation credits, who's buying and whyHow deforestation credits are measured now and historicallyMeasuring reforestation and afforestation projectsDiego and Sam's thoughts on a recent article in The Guardian claiming that most forest carbon offsets are worthlessHow Sylvera assesses forest projects and its reaction to The Guardian articlePachama's approach to creating synthetic baselines and validating the uncertainty of predictionsOvercoming challenges through collaborationPredictions for the future of forest carbon marketsGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInDiego Twitter / LinkedInSam Twitter / LinkedIn MCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 31, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Oliver Gunasekara, co-founder and CEO at Impossible Metals. If we're to electrify everything, we need an order of magnitude more batteries and wiring. All of this requires metals including nickel, cobalt, lithium, manganese, and copper. More metals mean… you guessed it, more mining. Today's land-based mining practices are fraught with externalities that vary by material, but often include deforestation and land degradation, incredible amounts of water use, pollution via mine tailings, giant diesel trucks, and in some cases even child labor. And what's more, the supply chains for many of these resources often flow to China, which has made massive investments in securing access for China-based battery companies. And yet, in certain expanses of our deep ocean, there are seabeds full of golf ball-sized nodules of metal like nickel and cobalt that have naturally formed over millennia. Impossible Metals is helping us realize an electrified future by developing underwater autonomous robots that mine metals for EV batteries in the deep sea. The company is developing an audacious moonshot-like technology to sustainably harvest trillions of dollars of undersea metals and disrupt the EV battery supply chain in the process. Buckle up, this discussion is rich and complex. In this episode, we cover:The state of mining todayAn overview of key battery metals, including nickel cobalt manganese (NCM), cobalt, manganese, and lithiumShortfalls in fulfilling the supply chainOliver's journey in startups and how he transitioned to climate techAn overview of deep sea minerals and their significanceThe process for mining materials including regulationsWhere we are today in terms of commercial mining of deep-sea mineralsScientific exploration required to do the workA description of Impossible Metals' autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)How robotics help the AUV search for metals while minimizing the impact on sea lifeWhere the company is today and its goals for reducing the need for new minesCosts associated with Impossible Metals' solution compared to dredging and new minesImpacts on the supply chain for batteriesRole of the Inflation Reduction Act in funding manufacturing and productionFinal steps for refining and manufacturing materials into batteriesHow Oliver approaches company formulation with the mission of doing goodWhere the company is today and why the work is importantGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInOliver Gunasekara / LinkedInImpossible Metals / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 10, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Alex Blumberg, who is most recently the co-host of the climate change-focused podcast, How to Save a Planet. Alex was co-founder and CEO of Gimlet Media, which was acquired by Spotify in 2019. Alex has a history of unpacking incredibly complex systemic issues and making them digestible for mass audiences. Prior to Gimlet, he was co-host of the podcast Planet Money, which had its origins in unpacking the intricacies of the financial crisis of 2008 and the role of the housing market, therein.Planet Money went on to do investigative work on a myriad of economic and financial stories. And then Gimlet Media emerged with a similar focus on broader cultural topics. On this pod, we've talked to a few different entrepreneurs who've tackled the challenging problem of climate communications, from Climate Town's comedy, to Pique Action’s positivity, to The Cool Down’s attempts to hook new audiences into caring about climate via individual choices. How to Save a Planet, focused on helping people find their personal agency on the Venn diagram of the intersection of "What brings you joy, what you are good at, and what work needs doing."Alex and Cody have a conversation about how his own Venn diagram has changed as his skills have shifted from being good at podcasting to being experienced a company building. And they talk about how the broader narrative on climate change has changed over the last few years and why. They also cover the intersection of money and climate and the role of policy and politics therein. This discussion has great takeaways for those who are thinking about plugging themselves into climate-related efforts while leveraging their own skill, and for those working on communicating complex climate issues.In this episode, we cover: [3:11] Overarching thoughts about the housing crisis and the climate crisis[8:41] Public opinion and general awareness of climate change and the issues[13:10] The action side of climate communications and how Alex approached it on How to Save a Planet[17:10] Listener stories inspired by the podcast[19:00] Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson's Climate Action Venn Diagram [22:39] How Alex used his skills in podcasting to drive climate action[24:57] His background in radio and narrative storytelling[32:44] How Gimlet Media came to be and an overview of Startup Podcast[38:28] Learnings from Alex's journey starting Gimlet through its acquisition by Spotify in 2019[43:45] How to harness personal agency while building a company[47:11] Situations where using climate change or climate benefits actually hurts business[51:39] Alex's thoughts on ESG and corporate action[57:26] What's next for AlexGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInAlex Blumberg TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on December 13, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Peter Reinhardt, co-founder and CEO of Charm Industrial. This conversation was recorded as a live session during Climate Career Week, a series of talks, local meetups, and office hours designed to help people make the transition into climate-oriented work. Climate Career Week was organized by Climate Draft, Terra.do, Work on Climate, and MCJ Collective. Given the nature of the audience, today's conversation focuses heavily on Peter's own journey into founding one of the most prominent companies in the climate tech space today. Peter also offers his thoughts on how certain key job functions may slightly differ in a climate tech company as opposed to a software tech company. And he would know. As Peter was working on Charm Industrial he was also the active co-founder and CEO of Segment, a software business in customer data management, which he eventually sold to Twilio in 2020 for $3.2 billion. In fact, Charm Industrial operated for multiple years while Peter was running Segment as his primary full-time role.In addition to the career path discussions, we cover what Charm Industrial is and does and why it matters. We also talk about how he imagines the business expanding in the coming years to take on adjacent problems in the emission space. And lastly, we at MCJ Collective are proud to be multiple-time investors in Charm Industrial via our venture capital funds. With that, we hope you enjoyed this conversation.In this episode, we cover: [2:12] Peter's background and path into tech[3:53] His motivations for dropping out of MIT and starting a software company [6:11] How Peter discovered the problem for Segment's software solution[7:35] Learnings from becoming a CEO [9:55] Peter's motivations for working on the climate problem and how Charm Industrial came to be[18:01] An overview of Charm Industrial[22:01] An overview of pyrolysis and Charm's process [25:07] How Peter views the company's core innovation [28:58] Biggest risks and challenges with putting bio-oil underground [31:14] Customer side of carbon sequestration[34:24] How Peter sees Charm evolving [40:21] Key job function differences between a climate tech company vs a software tech company [45:10] Biggest lessons learned in transitioning from leading a software company to a carbon removal company [46:16] How Peter approaches permitting including exploring jurisdictions and finding consultants [47:31] Biggest choking point today and where MRV fits inGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInPeter Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 27, 2023. Watch the video here. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Simon Moores, CEO of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the world’s leading Price Reporting Agency (PRA) for the lithium-ion battery to the electric vehicle supply chain and a data and intelligence provider for the space.Simon and Cody have a great conversation about the state of the EV battery supply chain and lithium in particular – where it comes from, how it's processed, what drives its price, the geopolitical considerations of its mining and production, and what to expect in the coming years and decades. In this episode, we cover: [1:50] Simon's background in batteries, mining, and journey to starting Benchmark Mineral Intelligence[3:30] The role of EV batteries in driving the lithium market[6:45] Primary method of lithium mining today and challenges for scaling long term[12:44] Driving forces behind energy storage volumes today[13:37] Supply chain for lithium today and current challenges[19:36] Production of lithium in China[22:10] Environmental impact of processing metals into chemicals for batteries[25:25] The US plan for domestic lithium-ion battery processing and impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act[30:00] Joint ventures and other key players building gigafactories[33:24] Status of EV consumer market in China[36:30] An overview of Benchmark Minerals[41:11] Simon's short and long-term market outlook for lithiumGet connected: Cody SimmsSimon Moores / Benchmark Mineral IntelligenceMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 17, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Dr. Evan Thomas, CEO and Founder of Virridy, and Director of the Mortensen Center in Global Engineering & Resilience and the Climate Innovation Collaboratory at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Evan is also a tenured Associate Professor in the CU Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Department. So, he’s a busy guy. Virridy’ s water sensors monitor and measure groundwater pumping for more than 4 million people in the East African countries of Kenya and Ethiopia and the American West. The company’s partners include the National Science Foundation (NSF), USAID, The World Bank, NASA, the Millennium Water Alliance, Swarm Technologies, The Freshwater Trust, Wexus Technologies and the Kenyan government.We’ve had a few conversations on the pod recently at the intersection of water and climate change. Jason spoke with Felicia Marcus of Stanford’s Water in the West program, and Cody talked to David Wallace of CODA Farm Tech. It’s worth noting some of the key learnings up to this point. For starters, conversations about water are nuanced. Droughts, floods, sea level rise, irrigation, stormwater systems, clean drinking water, etc… all have water as a common thread, but are each enormously separate topics on their own. And while most of the problems and challenges with water existed before climate change, they have accelerated faster than anyone anticipated. Evan is pursuing two different business models in East Africa and the U.S., albeit with the same tech stack. In the former, he primarily seeks to earn avoided emissions carbon credits by monitoring the activity of groundwater pumps and the cleanliness of the water they produce, and ensuring access to clean drinking water without the need to burn fuels to heat and purify it. In the American West, he is participating in the demand response economy, helping water utilities shut down their groundwater pumps and conserve electricity during times of peak grid demand.Evan and Cody have a fantastically nuanced conversation, tackling subjects as diverse as the outcomes of COP27 as it relates to climate justice, his background at NASA and how it informed his approach to earth science, how he runs a company while also being a university professor, how carbon credit financing works, and of course the differences in how climate change is accelerating droughts in East Africa and the American West, and what that means for the water systems in each geography. Get ready to dive in a learn a ton! In this episode, we cover: [4:12] Evan's background in water systems in space and rural communities[8:28] Applying carbon credits to clean drinking water[10:50] Evan's partnership with Life Straw and academic and entrepreneurial experience[12:20] Similarities and differences between the American West and East Africa in terms of climate change and water[18:36] Groundwater in East Africa vs. California and purification requirements[24:10] Virridy's solution and technology[26:22] The company's carbon credit methodologies in Africa[28:31] Financial incentives and carbon offset endorsements from COP27 in Egypt[32:11] Virridy's different business model in the U.S.[37:48] How Evan manages Virridy's different markets[42:59] Applying Virridy's tech to soil carbon[46:23] The company's funding to date and an overview of pre-selling carbon creditsGet connected: Cody's TwitterDr. Evan Thomas / VirridyMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on November 28, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Our next guest is Tonya Hicks, President and CEO of Power Solutions and Managing Principle of Women Do Everything, LLC. Tonya is a serial entrepreneur, a single mom of two boys, and a wireman electrician in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). She became the first woman to attain the status of inside journeyman wireman in the IBEW Local 917 in her hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, and the first African American woman to become an IBEW journeyman electrician in the State of Mississippi.Tonya’s primary electrician job started in industrial environments, working in paper mills, steel mills, and car plants. She then specialized in robotics and high-voltage equipment installation and repair. In 2000 at age 28, Tonya founded Power Solutions, Inc. an electrical contracting company. Tonya is also the founder of Women Do Everything, which supports women in blue-collar, male-dominated industries to help them grow, connect, and thrive.In this episode, Tonya shares her background in mathematics and switch to electrical work. We also learn how she started her company, its international footprint, and her challenges as a black woman in a male-dominated industry. Yin and Tonya cover different types of electricians plus the union vs. non-union experience for people interested in the space. Finally, they talk about the electrician shortage, the impacts of the IRA on electrical work, and Tonya’s other inspiring endeavors. In this episode, we cover: [2:18] Tonya's background in electrical work[6:35] The education path to becoming an electrician[8:46] Gender and racial disparities in the trades and electrical work specifically[12:37] How Tonya started her own company called Power Solutions and grew her business[21:44] Power Solutions' footprint in Georgia and internationally[23:41] Different types of electricians and the union vs. non-union experience[27:07] The electrician shortage[27:54] An overview of Tonya's Women Do Everything organization[31:32] The first Women's Summit and Career Expo on March 28-29 in Atlanta, Georgia[35:45] Impacts of the IRA on electrical work[38:28] Tonya's SHE EV companyGet connected:Yin Twitter / LinkedInTonya Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on December 5, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Sam D'Amico, Founder and CEO at Impulse. Impulse is helping to electrify homes with sleek-looking all-electric appliances, starting with an induction cooktop.Regardless of whether or not you pay close attention to the climate space, you've probably seen some commentary in the last few weeks about gas stoves. The gas stovetop has become one of the latest culture war topics in American political discourse. Recent remarks from an official with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission about health risks associated with gas stoves in the home have prompted a wave of conservative voices to speak out in support of gas stoves, with one prominent House Republican tweeting a picture of a lit gas stovetop and the caption QUOTE "you'll have to pry it from my COLD DEAD HANDS!"Sam and Cody have a great conversation about the news from the last few weeks, the emissions profile of gas stoves, recent data on health risks associated with gas stoves in the home, the history of how gas stoves came into homes in the first place, some of the city and state level regulation that has recently been enacted around gas hookups in new construction, and then all about induction stoves and what Impulse is building. Since this topic is likely to cross over and come up in conversation with folks you might not expect, we hope you find it informative and helpful. In this episode, we cover: [3:38] The culture war around gas stoves [5:25] Growth of gas usage in homes [9:57] Emissions and human health concerns of using gas stoves[17:57] Regulations around gas hookups[22:27] Utility incentives and influencer campaigns for gas appliances [27:11] Legacy electric stove tops [31:14] An overview of induction stoves [5:45] Installation process for induction stoves [40:04] Impulse's suite of appliances[45:30] Sam's background and how he transitioned to working on appliances[47:55] Future plans for Impulse [50:49] Challenges and changes needed to help people understand induction stoves Get connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInSam D’Amico / ImpulseMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 19, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today, we have two guests, Peter Minor, Director of Science and Innovation at Carbon180; and Jack Andreasen, Policy Manager for Carbon Management at Breakthrough Energy. Peter and Jack are two of the world’s foremost experts in the world on carbon dioxide removal, or CDR as it's called in climate circles. They and their respective organizations influence public policy, support critical technology research and development, and offer various other forms of support for the burgeoning field of CDR.In this conversation, we're focused almost exclusively on ambient carbon dioxide removal and not on point source carbon capture, which is a separate but related technology focused on directly capturing emissions from hard-to-abate industrial applications like concrete, steel, and fossil fuel extraction. Ambient carbon dioxide removal (CDR) instead seeks to remove diffuse CO2 from the atmosphere directly via multiple methodologies, of which the most widely pictured method is direct air capture, or DAC, which looks like oversized fans that extract CO2 from the air. In addition, we also touch on a few biology-related CDR technologies like biochar that seek to lock biologically produced carbon up before it can become atmospheric.There's so much to unpack in this one. Cody, Peter and Jack talk about policy tailwinds for CDR, the categories and methodologies, commercial adoption progress and challenges, how and why buyers approach the space today, and some of the speed bumps CDR will undoubtedly encounter as it scales, including but not limited to fraud and false claims. Challenges aside, it's an exciting time in this space. CDR is still very nascent and very wide open, but it also feels light years further along than just a few years ago. In this episode, we cover: [3:08] An overview of Carbon180 and Peter's work[5:07] Breakthrough Energy and Jack's background [7:48] Policy tailwinds of the IRA[12:59] Why DAC became a policy winner and other investments in the IRA [14:36] Hybrid approaches to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere [18:30] An overview of direct air capture (DAC) and mineralization [25:03] Enhanced rock weathering [27:46] Measuring CDR and uncertainty with open and closed systems [32:54] Variety of ocean methods compared to terrestrial [35:11] Biochar as a scaled solution, why it's a less prominent method, and Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) [40:53] Analysis for selecting and purchasing CDR credits [43:00] The role of consulting firms for companies purchasing CDR credits [52:13] Reasons why companies are buying CDR [55:17] Biggest risks of fraud and different levels [1:03:03] Guardrails for preventing fraud and the role of government [1:06:25] Innovation needs for CDRResources mentioned in this episode: Buying Carbon Removal, Explained by ShopifyCarbon180 ResourcesCDR.fyi 2022 Year in ReviewGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on January 4, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Allison Dring, CEO and co-founder of Made of Air, which makes carbon-negative materials using biochar for the built environment and consumer goods.Biochar is a carbon-rich material from burning biomass such as wood or crop residue. We’ve loosely covered this topic with startups like Climate Robotics, but Made of Air is taking a different approach. The company uses biochar powder mixed with bioplastics to create a moldable, functional material embedded with captured carbon. Made of Air is helping to drive the net-zero economy by using its material in various products, including fashion accessories, brand facades, and building materials. The way we approach seemingly routine aspects of building design, such as accent textures on walls, is shifting as we become more aware of the environmental impact of embodied carbon. Allison and Made of Air are leading examples of this transformation in the industry.In this episode, Allison and Cody have an interesting conversation about current building materials and how the built environment is thinking about decarbonization. They also discuss how carbon-negative materials can complement other emissions reduction practices in buildings. Finally, they delve into the end-of-life process for these buildings and what materials would need to look like to ensure that carbon stays sequestered.In this episode, we cover:[2:11] Systemic failures in the built environment[4:31] Why we should be paying attention to embodied carbon right now[6:22] New regulations in Europe for building emissions[8:45] Allison's background as a trained architect and how she met her co-founder[14:10] Allison's approach from a climate perspective with carbon capture at the forefront[18:10] An overview of Made of Air's process[21:27] Use cases for Made of Air's material, including fashion and the built environment[25:17] The company's role in customers' manufacturing process and impact on Scope 3 Emissions[29:19] The green premium question[32:40] Made of Air's production footprint and plans to scale[36:00] Biochar's end-of-life and permanent sequestration[39:15] The financial side of the business[42:10] Who Allison wants to hear from and how to work with Made of AirGet connected: Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInAllison Dring / Made of AirMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on November 7, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Dr. David Kirtley, Founder and CEO at Helion, which is building the world's first fusion generator and enabling a future of unlimited clean electricity. Nuclear fusion has the potential to revolutionize the way we produce energy. As the driving force behind every star in our galaxy, fusion has long been hailed as the "holy grail" of clean energy, offering a limitless and fossil-free source of power. But the idea of harnessing fusion on Earth has seemed like a dream that’s perpetually 30 years away. However, with a recent influx of venture capital and the emergence of fusion startups, unlimited clean energy may finally be within reach. This episode was initially recorded as a fireside chat at the SOSV Climate Tech Summit on October 25-26, 2022 (video here). Jason and David talk about Helion, the company’s origin story, approach, and progress. They also cover some of the barriers holding them back, and what it will take to get to true commercial adoption. The discussion also touches on fusion in general, why the joke has been that fusion is 30 years away and always will be, and how close we are to the exciting promise of fusion technology.In this episode, we cover: [2:20] An overview of Helion [2:50] How David came to work on fusion and its possibilities [5:04] Status of nuclear fusion[7:25] David's thoughts on the fusion landscape, including different players and types [10:23] Company origin story [12:26] How Helion pieced together their solution set [14:20] Funding milestones to date [15:17] Early stages and current risks [17:54] Helion's plans for commercialization and the company's business model [18:53] The pitch for initial customers [20:18] Supply chain concerns [21:04] Who David wants to hear from and open positions at HelionGet connected: Jason Jacobs Twitter / LinkedIn\David Kirtley / HelionMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 25, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Manik Suri, CEO and Founder of Therma. The cold chain is a massive part of modern society that doesn't get much attention. It stores a huge amount of goods, allowing us to keep food fresh, medicines effective, and current internet infrastructure. Yes, even data centers are part of the cold chain.Therma is turning commercial and industrial refrigeration systems into virtual power plants and helping to reduce emissions across three vectors: food waste, energy, and refrigerant gases. Manik took a lean startup approach to Therma with a thesis that he could monitor refrigeration to help companies avoid spoilage. That idea led him to uncover related customer problems such as controlling temperature, optimizing power consumption, and detecting potential equipment failures that could lead to leaks. Collectively these problems add up to nearly 10% of global emissions. As refrigeration and cooling spread across a warming world, this footprint is expected to grow. The story of unchecked cooling is one of the self-reinforcing negative feedback loops where warmer weather requires more cooling, which uses more power and leaks more refrigerant, causing warmer weather… on repeat.In this episode, Cody Simms chatted with Manik to hear the details of our collective refrigeration and cold chain problem, how his solution at Therma came to be, and what's next for this side of the cooling world. In this episode, we cover: [2:19] An overview of the cold chain[5:10] Regulations and rules from a temperature management standpoint[8:09] Major sources of waste and inefficiency in the cooling sector and cold chain[10:02] Role of refrigerant leaks during a machine's lifespan and end-of-life[14:49] An overview of the cold chain emissions footprint[18:07] Origins of Therma and the company's solution[23:12] Manik's journey and how he landed in refrigeration[27:36] Therma's hardware, software, and analytical platform[31:00] The company's subscription model and how it came to be during the pandemic[33:16] How Therma predicts manufacturing timeframes and balances risk[35:06] The company's early adopters at a national level and plans to scale[38:13] Job opportunitiesGet connected:Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedInManik Suri Twitter / LinkedInTherma Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on November 21, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today's guest is Brittany Heller, Director of Program Management at HeatSpring. Last year, we kicked off this series by hearing from a field technician working on the installation side of the solar industry. And while there are many facets to the PV space, we couldn’t just end there. Today’s guest is a fascinating follow-up from that initial episode because Brittany’s background and experience as a female in a male-dominated field highlight a different side of the spectrum. From doing door-to-door to back office sales, solar construction, and most recently workforce development and democratizing training access to get more people working in the solar industry, she has a wealth of knowledge for women who are looking to make the switch and are not sure where to start. We met Brit through the Greenwork platform, and naturally invited our friend Sam Steyer to co-host the conversation. We find out how Brit felt a calling to work on something more meaningful in life and applied for a solar job on a whim, how solar policy shifts uprooted her and her now husband from Louisiana to Colorado, what it's like to transition from doing sales to doing solar construction projects, and the empathy she's built seeing both sides of the house, and ways to create a more inclusive future workforce in the skills trade arena. Enjoy! In this episode, we cover: [3:12] Britt's background and how she found her way into the solar industry[6:47] Her experience with door-to-door sales [8:06] Differences between outside vs inside sales [10:23] The role of policy in Britt's career at Grid Alternatives [14:24] Her experience working in construction [17:00] An overview of Grid Alternatives and the org's revenue model [20:02] Construction skills Britt gained that changed her life [22:00] Learnings from working in both the sales and construction sides [25:48] Inspiring stories from Britt's workforce development chapter at Grid[29:01] Tips for deciding on where people can focus in the skills trade side of climate [30:37] The role of gender and diversity representation in the trades [36:40] How Britt sees her career evolving in the futureGet connected:Yin Twitter / LinkedInBrittany / HeatspringMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 5, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Dr. Leah Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Sublime Systems, which is using electrochemistry to make cement and in doing so claims to have a pathway to reduce the emissions footprint of cement production by 60-90%.Cement is the most abundant man-made material on earth, with billions of tons produced yearly. So far the primary pathway to reducing its emissions footprint is via point source carbon capture otherwise defined as collecting the greenhouse gasses that are emitted as part of the process of breaking down limestone to make cement. But those gasses are diffuse and mixed in with a bunch of other stuff which makes capturing pure greenhouse gas streams hard and expensive. C mmMJ Heating the limestone up to the point of it breaking down requires extremely high temperatures and coal. Dr. Ellis and Sublime took a totally different approach to the problem. Instead of heating up the limestone, the company figured out ways to use chemistry to break it down, even if that requires a lot of electricity. Leah and her co-founder used their backgrounds in EV battery chemistry and have invented a method that essentially turns a cement plant into an electric-distributed energy resource.This conversation with Cody and Leah is an eye-opener as they spent a bunch of time digging into how climate solutions can be tackled by outsiders who apply cross-functional learnings to big problems. Leah is incredibly knowledgeable and her unique experience in the "electrify everything" movement highlights what that might mean at an industrial scale. Enjoy!In this episode, we cover: [3:14] An overview of cement and associated GHG emissions [9:52] The role of coal in making cement [11:44] Relevant terminology [14:22] Different types of cement [16:12] Leah's background in EV batteries and electrochemistry [18:52] Her co-founder Yet-Ming Chiang [22:36] How the idea of electrochemical cement came together[27:01] An overview of Sublime Systems [30:41] The company's inputs and outputs [33:18] Legacy cement manufacturers and their path to net zero commitments [38:12] Alternative feedstocks to limestone [40:41] The big catalyst for Sublime Systems [44:23] How Leah is talking to legacy cement companies and Sublime's potential business models[47:31] How companies can pay for green premiums [49:15] Need for external measurements for carbon reduction and LCAs[51:43] Sublime's production today, their future roadmap, and open positionsGet connected: Cody Simms LinkedIn / TwitterLeah Ellis / Sublime SystemsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 21, 2022 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant