Inevitable

Today's guest is Maricel Saenz, Founder & CEO of Compound Foods.Maricel Saenz is the founder and CEO of Compound Foods, a food-tech startup recreating coffee without coffee beans. Maricel and Compound aim to create a sustainable coffee that reduces the negative environmental impact on the planet and ensures we have coffee for the foreseeable future. Maricel is a Costa Rica native, passionate about sustainability and coffee. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of British Columbia and attended Singularity University's Global Solutions Program in 2017. Maricel has a background in finance and previously co-founded Nextbiotics, a synthetic biology startup addressing antibiotic resistance. She worked in international development in South Africa, with local entrepreneurs, and in Cambodia with Hellen Keller International to empower women. She also worked with Monitor Deloitte in corporate strategy and innovation consultancies. In addition, Maricel was named on the 2022 Forbes' 30 under 30 list.In this episode, Maricel walks me through her career path leading up to Compound Foods, why coffee is so important to her, and the company's approach to beanless coffee. We also discuss the impacts of climate change in the coffee industry, the startup's most recent raise, and how sustainability has shaped Compound Foods. This is a great episode for those interested in the intersection of food and climate change.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 23rd, 2022To learn more about Compound Food, visit: https://www.compound-foods.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/compound-foods 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 Sean O'Sullivan, Managing Partner & Founder of SOSV.SOSV is a venture capital firm with more than $1.2B in assets under management. SOSV pioneers & runs world-leading startup development programs. Sean O'Sullivan is Managing Partner & Founder of SOSV, a venture capital firm with over $1 Billion in assets under management. SOSV specializes in programs for very early stage, deep-tech startups and is one of the most active venture investors in the world, with more than 1,000 companies in its portfolio. O'Sullivan's first company, MapInfo, popularized street mapping on computers. Credited with co-creating the term "cloud computing," Sean's first internet company, NetCentric, developed many concepts in internet computing. In addition, he founded JumpStart International, a leading humanitarian organization in conflict zones. Sean received his Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Masters of Fine Arts in Film Production from University of Southern California. He is on the board of Khan Academy, Sun Genomics, the Tyndall Institute, the Autism Impact Fund, the Brain Foundation, and several private companies.I was looking forward to this discussion with Sean and taking a deeper dive into SOSV. Sean explains the company's founding story, his transition from cloud and internet technology to deep tech, bio, and hardware, and what makes a meaningful climate investment to SOSV. We also discuss the commonalities across the development programs, why SOSV doesn't have a specific climate pillar, and advice Sean has for investors interested in focusing on climate. Sean is a seasoned investor and a fantastic guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 15th, 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 Greg Constantine, Co-Founder & CEO of Air Company.Air Company is a technology, engineering, and design company. The startup has invented a patented carbon conversion technology that transforms carbon dioxide (CO2) into impurity-free, carbon-negative alcohols, fuels, and perfumes. Air Company seeks to demonstrate to the world the limitless potential of carbon technology solutions.Greg is recognized as a world-leading entrepreneur in business and marketing with a spirit of innovation, landing him on the Forbes' 2017 30 Under 30 list. Leading all company strategy, operations, and innovation, including marketing and product design, Constantine has accelerated Air Company from an early-stage startup concept into one of the world's most innovative companies. He has led the startup to adopt numerous profitable applications of its technology, including fragrances, spirits, and rocket and aviation fuels. Greg brings expertise in the arts with an undergraduate degree from The University of Sydney and a wealth of business acumen from the Executive program at Harvard Business School.In this episode, Greg and I explore Air Company's proprietary technology, Greg's career path leading up to Air Company, and the startup's products, from Vodka to perfume. We also discuss the future marketplace for carbon-converted products, the direct air capture ecosystem, and why all CO2 is not created equal. Greg is a great guest, and it was exciting to learn more about Air Company.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 17th, 2022To learn more about Air Company, visit: https://aircompany.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/air-company 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 Nicole Systrom, Chief Impact Officer at Galvanize Climate Solutions.Galvanize Climate Solutions, launched in September 2021 by Tom Steyer and Katie Hall, is a mission-driven investment platform that will provide capital, expertise, and partnerships necessary to produce and scale vital and urgent climate solutions. Galvanize is purpose-built to accelerate decarbonization efforts by integrating climate-focused investment with global activism.Nicole Systrom has spent her entire career partnering with investors, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists to accelerate high-impact climate and clean technology solutions. Before Galvanize, Nicole founded Sutro Energy Group to counsel impact investors, philanthropists, and nonprofits on how to direct mission-oriented resources toward innovative clean technologies. With an extensive background in environmental science and a passion for helping entrepreneurs scale breakthrough technologies, nonprofits, foundations, and family offices frequently tap Nicole for her counsel on climate-positive programs. In addition, she is a published thought leader on climate innovation topics ranging from identifying gaps in the cleantech ecosystem, building philanthropic tools for investing in climate solutions, and enabling better state energy policy.I was eager to have Nicole on the podcast because she has dedicated her entire career to climate. We cover several important topics in this episode, including Nicole's role at Galvanize, the company's theory of change as an investment firm, and Nicole's experience balancing belief systems and passions throughout her career. We also dive into the evolution of Nicole's views on the best climate solutions, key levers for unlocking faster innovation, and the climate solutions that dominate the airtime but are not the most valuable. This is a fantastic episode, especially for those interested in understanding climate solutions better.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 10th, 2022To learn more about Galvanize Climate Solutions, visit: https://galvanizeclimatesolutions.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/nicole-systrom 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 Apoorv Bhargava, Co-Founder & CEO of WeaveGrid.Apoorv Bhargava is the co-founder and CEO of WeaveGrid. The startup uses machine learning to help utilities predict and manage large spikes in power demand from electric vehicle charging to balance renewable energy production and reduce the need for costly upgrades to the grid. Apoorv has always been passionate about climate and energy his whole career. He previously worked at Opower and The Boston Consulting Group. Before that, Apoorv spent time at NRG Energy, Joby Aviation, and The Capricorn Investment Group. He holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an MS in Energy & Resources from Stanford University. Additionally, Apoorv was featured on this year's GreenBiz and Forbes' 30 Under 30 lists.In this episode, Apoorv explains what motivated him to found WeaveGrid and the problems he observed with transport electrification and renewables' rise in the power sector. We also dive into a lively discussion on WeaveGrid's scalability and business model, how the startup navigates the complex utility ecosystem in the US, and roadblocks to successful grid electrification. Apoorv is a great guest. This is a fantastic episode for those interested in grid electrification and the energy transition.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 16th, 2022To learn more about WeaveGrid, visit: https://www.weavegrid.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/weavegrid 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 Rob Hanson, CEO & Co-Founder of Monolith, and Jigar Shah, Director of the Loan Programs Office, at U.S. Department of Energy.Rob is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Monolith, where he leads the development of next-generation technology for producing low cost, low emission hydrogen and carbon black, an important raw material used in the manufacture of rubber and plastic. Prior to Monolith, Hanson served as the global director of product management for AREVA Solar, the solar division of the world's largest nuclear company. He has a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford, and has been a guest lecturer at Stanford, UNL, Foothill College and the University of Saskatchewan on topics ranging from thermodynamics to entrepreneurship.Jigar was most recently co-founder and President at Generate Capital, where he focused on helping entrepreneurs accelerate decarbonization solutions through the use of low-cost infrastructure-as-a service financing. Prior to Generate Capital, Shah founded SunEdison, a company that pioneered "pay as you save" solar financing. After SunEdison, Shah served as the founding CEO of the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit founded by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite to help entrepreneurs address climate change. Originally from Illinois, Shah holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois-UC and an MBA from the University of Maryland College Park.I was eager for Rob and Jigar to come back on the show to discuss Monolith's recent $1B loan from the DOE's Loan Programs Office. Rob provides us with an overview of Monolith, key phases of the company thus far, and the motivations for seeking public funding. Jigar explains his role at the LPO, why traditional VCs aren't built for early-stage climatetech, and how the private and public sectors can address climate change. We also discuss the government's role in the carbon-free future, how to re-align incentives for traditional funders, and advice Rob and Jigar have for entrepreneurs in the climate space. This is a great episode and a must-listen for anyone at the intersection of climate and finance. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 7th, 2022To learn more about Monolith, visit: https://monolith-corp.com/To learn more about the US DOE's Loan Programs Office, visit: https://www.energy.gov/lpo/loan-programs-officeTo learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/hanson-shah 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 Edward Chiang, Co-Founder & CEO of Moment Energy.Eddy co-founded Moment Energy in 2019. He was a member of NEXT 36, a cohort of NEXT Canada, a non-profit that develops exceptional talent to create world-class ventures and propel technology adoption. Eddy holds a BASc in Mechatronics Systems Engineering from Simon Fraser University.Moment Energy provides affordable, performant, and reliable energy storage by repurposing retired electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The company is working with major automotive companies, including Nissan and various utilities, to take advantage of the 80% remaining capacity in retired EV batteries to provide cost-advantaged and robust grid storage solutions for facilities located in major markets.In this episode, Eddy walks me through how he and his co-founded started Moment Energy, Moment's progress to date, and how he first came to care about the problem of EV battery recycling. We also dive into the existing policy around end-of-life care of batteries, what motivates EV manufacturers to work with Moment, and where safety, ethics, and sustainability fit into the customer decision-making process. Eddy is a great guest, and the Moment Energy story is fantastic for MCJ listeners. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded January 31st, 2022To learn more about Moment Energy, visit: https://www.momentenergy.ca/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/moment-energy 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 Jules Kortenhorst, CEO of RMI.Since 1982, RMI has advanced market-based solutions that transform global energy use to secure a clean, prosperous net-zero future for all. An independent, nonprofit think-and-do tank, RMI engages with businesses, communities, and institutions to accelerate and scale replicable solutions that drive the cost-effective shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables.Before RMI, Jules was the founding CEO of the European Climate Foundation, the largest philanthropic organization dedicated to policy development and advocacy on climate change in Europe. Before launching ECF, he served as a member of the Dutch parliament for the Christian Democratic Party. During the first 20 years of his career, Jules worked in the business world. He was the CEO for International Operations of ClientLogic Corporation, a global leader in outsourced CRM solutions. Jules spent almost ten years at Royal Dutch/Shell, including managing director of Shell Bulgaria. He began his career as an analyst at McKinsey & Co. Jules currently serves as chair of the WEF Global Future Council on Net Zero Transition. In addition, he is a founding member of the global Energy Transitions Commission, a member of the New Energy advisory board of Shell, and a non-executive board member of the Energy Web Foundation and MiQ.I was eager to interview Jules because the role of NGOs in the clean future is vitally important. Jules walks me through his career path from the business sector to RMI, RMI's approach as a 'think-and-do-tank", and Jules' current position as CEO. We also dive into the role of fossil fuel companies in decarbonizing the future, lessons learned from cleantech 1.0, and advice Jules has for leaders balancing funding and climate commitments. This is a great episode for those interested in NGOs and decarbonizing the future.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded January 21st, 2022To learn more about RMI, visit: https://rmi.org/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/jules-kortenhorst 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 Jose Galindo, Co-Founder & CEO, and Nico Wertheimer, Co-Founder & Chief Sustainability Officer, of Waterplan.Waterplan is a Software as a Service platform to help companies use water in their production process to quantify and mitigate water risk financially. The platform combines companies' operational data with local water satellite imagery to provide a real-time financial assessment of water risk. Based on that, it offers tailored mitigation and adaptation opportunities, from conventional infrastructure to nature-based solutions.Nico and Jose met while working at the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum. Nico is a medical doctor. He started treating waterborne diseases and brought safe water access to more than 300k people worldwide. Jose's background is in B2B SaaS. After Jose's SaaS company got acquired, Nico and Jose decided to join forces to merge their tech and water expertise and create a tech company to help accelerate the transition to a water-secure world.In this episode, Jose and Nico explain the current state of water security, why corporate water stewardship is essential, and the water risk assessment landscape. The co-founders also dive into how adjacent markets benefit from water risk assessment, how the startup tracks and collects data from its customers, and the existing policy around water. Lastly, we explore future priorities for the company and where Waterplan sits in the market. This is a fantastic episode for listeners interested in climate change's effects on our water systems. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded January 25th, 2022To learn more about Waterplan, visit: https://www.waterplan.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/waterplan 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 Rama Variankaval, Managing Director & Global Head of Center for Carbon Transition and Corporate Finance Advisory at J.P. Morgan.Rama leads J.P. Morgan's Center for Carbon Transition since the group's formation in 2020. In this role, Rama is responsible for setting the strategy and implementing the firm's Climate & ESG goals as it relates to its client businesses. CCT also actively engages with existing and prospective clients to provide advisory services on their business transition related to various ESG factors.Rama has been part of J.P. Morgan's Corporate Finance Advisory team since the group was formed in 2005 and has been leading the team on a global basis since 2017. The CFA team advises corporate clients on various topics, including capital structure, risk management, activism defense, and structured transactions. Rama was part of J.P. Morgan's internal risk management team for two years before joining the Corporate Finance Advisory group. Rama holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, India; an MS in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, and an MS in Statistics and Operations Research from New York University.I was looking forward to this discussion as JP Morgan and financial institutions play a massive role in the carbon-free future. We cover various topics, including the Center for Carbon Transition's mandate, Rama's stake in addressing climate change, and how ESG ties into decarbonization. We also discuss how externalities should be prices, our dependency on fossil fuels, and trusting corporate climate commitments. This is a must-listen episode for anyone focused on climate change and decarbonizing the future.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded January 14th, 2022For more information about JP Morgan's Center for Carbon Transition, visit: https://www.jpmorgan.com/solutions/cib/investment-banking/center-for-carbon-transitionFor more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/rama-variankaval 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 Kimberlie Le, CEO & Co-Founder of Prime Roots.Kimberlie a scientist-entrepreneur-foodie and life-long learner determined to make positive changes in our global food system. Kim has been working in management within the food industry (retail, food service, investing) for over ten years and is determined to bring delicious, sustainable, and nutritious foods to the masses and increase accessibility and equity in our food system. She's a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.Prime Roots is a plant-based meat and seafood company creating better products for you and better for the world. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, Prime Roots is committed to positively influencing our food culture and reducing the hefty environmental impact of meat. Their delicious plant-based meat and seafood products are made using proprietary methods that combine cutting-edge technology with ancient techniques - resulting in better tasting and naturally textured market alternatives that avoid using hyper-processing techniques used by other meat alternative companies. In this episode, Kim and I explore her path from her PhD to founding a startup, key priorities for Prime Roots over the next 12 months, and the barriers to creating and marketing a product heavily influenced by taste. We also discuss the various alternative meat bases, advice Kim has for founders and entrepreneurs looking to follow a similar path in sustainable food, and the startup's sources of capital to date. Kim is a great guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded January 24th, 2022To learn more about Prime Roots, visit: https://www.primeroots.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/prime-roots 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 Phil Graves, Former Head of Tinshed Ventures at Patagonia.Phil is an executive and board member with over 15 years of experience in M&A, corporate finance, private equity, and venture capital. He has served as the President of The Johnny Morris Foundation & Chief Sustainability Officer at Bass Pro Shops. Before that, he served as Vice President of Corporate Development at Patagonia. At Patagonia, Phil launched and oversaw Tin Shed Ventures, a $79 million investment fund, Worn Wear, a multi-million dollar eCommerce business, Innovation Works, a breakthrough R&D team, and Regenerative Organic Certification, a holistic standard for food and fiber. Prior to joining the company in 2014, Phil spent a decade at Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In addition, he provided financial advisory and investment-related services to clients such as KKR & Co, TPG Capital, Lone Star Investment Advisors, Nike, Walmart, Southwest Airlines, and SunPower. Phil's perch in the climate industry is unique, and I was looking forward to sitting down with him this week. Phil walks me through his career path, his most recent role as Chief Sustainability Officer at Bass Pro Shops, and his time at Tinshed Ventures. We also discuss the breaking unsustainable consumer patterns, the dirty underbelly of the apparel industry, and the role of policy in a clean future. Phil is a great guest, and this is a must-listen episode for those interested in the intersection of climate and apparel.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded live January 13th, 2022For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/phil-graves 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 Andrew Ponec, Co-Founder & CEO of Antora Energy.Antora Energy's technology stores electricity as heat in extremely inexpensive raw materials and uses a novel thermophotovoltaic heat engine to convert that heat back to electricity when consumers need it, hours, days, or weeks later. The startup's technological breakthrough opens up numerous other applications ranging from industrial waste heat recovery to flexible carbon capture, utilization, and storage.Andrew co-founded Antora in 2018 and has been CEO since then. Before Antora, Andrew was a vising scholar at Stanford University. He was co-founder & CEO at Dragonfly Systems and an Engineer at SunPower Corporation after SunPower acquired DragonFly Systems. He holds a BS in Energy Systems Engineering from Stanford Energy. He also was named Forbes 30 under 30 in 2014.In this episode, Andrew walks me through Antora Energy's approach and vision for long-duration storage, how thermal energy storage works, and scaling the startup's solution. We also discuss bringing a solution from the lab to the private sector, how Antora is bridging the intermittency gap, and how far into a clean future we can get without long-duration storage. This is a great episode if you're interested in understanding how we successfully move towards clean and sustainable energy sources.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded November 12th, 2021To learn more about Antora Energy, visit: https://www.antoraenergy.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/antora-energy 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 Elizabeth Lewis, Managing Director and Deputy Head of ESG at Blackstone.Blackstone is an investment firm that invests for the long term because building successful, resilient businesses can lead to better returns, stronger communities, and economic growth that works for everyone. As Managing Director and Deputy Head of ESG, Elizabeth supports Blackstone's corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts. Before joining Blackstone, Elizabeth led engagement with investors, NGOs, governments, and other stakeholders on climate change and diversity for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector part of the World Bank Group. Elizabeth was also a Partner and Director of Strategy and Business Development for Terra Alpha Investments. In addition, she established World Resources Institute's Sustainable Investing Program and served as Head of Sustainable Investing. Earlier in her career, Elizabeth was a Principal at Global Environment Fund, a private equity fund focused on clean energy and sustainable forestry, and an advisor at Booz Allen Hamilton.I was excited to sit down with Elizabeth. She explained her role at Blackstone, the mission and approach Blackstone has regarding ESG, and Elizabeth's theory of change around climate. We also dive into a discussion on time-horizon impact climate commitments, if ESG and climate are synonymous, and if capitalism will get us to a clean future. Elizabeth is a well-versed guest, and this episode is a must-listen for those focused on investing and ESG.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded live January 11th, 2022For more information about Blackstone, visit: https://www.blackstone.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/elizabeth-lewis 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 Neha Palmer, CEO of TeraWatt Infrastructure.TeraWatt Infrastructure is building tomorrow's permanent EV charging infrastructure through a robust combination of property assets, financing vehicles, and deep energy expertise. The company designs, operates and owns on-site distributed energy systems that take the cost and complexity out of EV charging infrastructure while providing market protection and upside opportunities through capital backing and ownership. Neha brings two decades of leadership experience in the energy industry to her role at TeraWatt. Most recently, she led energy strategy for Google's global data centers. As the first hire focused on data center energy, Neha built out and led the team developing electric infrastructure and electricity procurement for the global fleet, covering dozens of sites over four continents. Before Google, Neha held leadership roles at Pacific Gas & Electric and worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. She holds an MBA in Finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BS in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.In this episode, Neha shares what led her to focus on energy, her role as CEO at TeraWatt, and the startup's business model and customer base. We also compare the progress between transportation fleets and passenger vehicles, how Neha thinks about private v public EV charging infrastructure, and the way government can accelerate the EV revolution. This is a must-listen episode for those interested in understanding more about the future of electrifying transportation.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded January 10th, 2022To learn more about TeraWatt Infrastructure, visit: https://terawattinfrastructure.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/terawatt-infrastructure 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 Caroline Spears, Founder & Executive Director of Climate Cabinet.Climate Cabinet makes local climate change data and policy solutions actionable for policymakers on the frontlines of the climate crisis. The organization ensures critical local climate opportunities are on the map and that key players are equipped to immediately advance bold climate action. Born in Houston, Texas, Caroline studied climate science and clean energy at Stanford University, graduating with her B.S. and M.S. in Atmosphere and Energy Engineering. Previously, she worked in solar energy. Caroline has received the 2021 "Grist Fixer" award, won a Henry Arnold Fellowship, and recently joined the Fast Forward Accelerator class of 2021.I was looking forward to catching up with Caroline because local elections are essential to addressing the climate crisis. We discuss Caroline's upbringing in an oil & gas Texas family, how she became climate motivated, and Climate Cabinet's important role. Caroline also explains why candidates and races need customizable approaches to climate policy, the Climate Cabinet Score, and how the team determines which races are their top priorities. Caroline is a fantastic guest, and this episode is a must-listen for those interested in making significant impacts at the polls.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded live January 4th, 2022For more information about Climate Cabinet, visit: https://www.climatecabinetaction.org/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/caroline-spears 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 Fred Fournier, Co-Founder & CEO, and Michael Kelly, Co-Founder & CPO of Open Forest Protocol. Open Forest Protocol (OFP) is on a mission to accelerate the global response to climate change via nature-based solutions. The startup is building a product that will allow reforestation and afforestation projects, conservation organizations, and forest managers to easily measure, report, and verify environmental data from their land. The current MRV landscape is expensive and inaccessible, inhibiting the establishment of a global carbon economy. Open Forest Protocol has built a system for accessible and transparent forest MRV, laying the foundation for an accelerated response to humanity's greatest existential threat. Before OFP, Fred co-founded ON A MISSION, a non-profit organization enabling businesses and individuals to invest in local, sustainable reforestation projects to compensate for carbon emissions. Fred and his team at ON A MISSION discovered that measuring, recording, and verifying (MRV) reforestation was difficult. At the same time, Michael was focusing on designing a protocol to track and verify things like tress using blockchain technology. So in October 2020, Fred and Michael co-founded Open Forest Protocol and continued their work to decarbonize and reforest the planet.In this episode, I'm joined by Michael and Fred of OFP. We dive into Open Forest Protocol's approach, why marrying blockchain and reforestation will bring us into the clean future, and how Fred and Michael co-founded OFP. We also talk about the existing carbon verification and certification landscape, OFP's community fund, and an overview of NEAR. This is a great episode if you're interested in learning more about web3 and climate change.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded January 4th, 2022To learn more about Open Forest Protocol, visit: https://www.openforestprotocol.org/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/open-forest-protocol 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 Jason Jacobs, Founder & Host of My Climate Journey.Three years ago, Jason started having conversations with folks in the climate space to better understand the crisis and how someone without a climate background could make a difference. Almost 250 episodes later, My Climate Journey has blossomed into a three-show podcast, weekly newsletter, and nearly 2,000-person member community. In late 2020, MCJ announced MCJ Collective, an early-stage climate tech fund investing in over 40 startups worldwide, tackling some of the most challenging climate problems. This week we flipped the script and put me (Jason) in the guest seat. I was interviewed by our very own, Cody Simms, who most recently served as Senior Vice President of Climate & Sustainability at Techstars before joining the MCJ team as a Partner in late 2021. Cody and I have a lively conversation about my evolution from Runkeeper to MCJ, where my optimism comes from, and my advice to first-time entrepreneurs. We also talk about the biggest surprises thus far on my climate journey, how to scale climatetech investing, and the importance of inspiring folks to focus on climate. It was exciting to reflect on how far MCJ has come and what the future might bring for us. Special thanks to Cody for taking over the host job this week and all those who participated live.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded live January 5th, 2022For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/jason-jacobs-returns 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 Leanne Kemp, Founder & CEO of Everledger. Leanne is a serial founder and spent 20 plus years in the tech sector, from RFID to Supply Chain to AdTech. After successfully exiting four companies, Leanne served as a Blockchain expert and Entrepreneur advisor for private, public, and educational boards and committees, including IBM, Queensland University of Technology, and The World Trade Symposium. In addition to her current role as CEO, Leanne is also a member of The University of Queensland's Entrepreneurship Advisory Panel, a Fellow at Blockchain Australia, a member of Nation Brand Advisory Council, on the Board of Stewards for Accelerating Sustainable Production at the World Economic Forum, and a BlockChain, Trade, & Circular Economy Policy advisor at OECD-OCDE. Leanne is an internationally recognized, award-winning innovator and leader.Everledger is an independent technology company that helps businesses surface and converge asset information using a wide array of secure technologies, including blockchain, AI, IoT, and more. By digitally streamlining compliance processes, Everledger can help customers share the history of an asset more efficiently and accurately. As a technology partner, the startup up also helps to build resilience and sustainability. Everledger's premiere platform brings additional transparency to various industries by highlighting critical characteristics of assets on their platform: quality, origin, sustainability footprint, and compliance standards. In this episode, Leanne walks me through her climate journey, the motivations for founding Everledger, and her obsession with where our products come from. We also discuss Everledger's customer base and funding, the company's goals over the next two years, and how Everledger fits in the carbon accounting landscape. In addition, Leanne explains the importance of critical minerals, transparency in the supply chain, and blockchain in a sustainable future. Leanne is a great guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded December 20th, 2021To learn more about Everledger, visit: https://everledger.io/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/everledger 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 Jake Levine, Chief Climate Officer at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is America's development bank. DFC partners with the private sector to finance energy, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and technology solutions. DFC also provides financing for small businesses and women entrepreneurs to create jobs in emerging markets.Most recently, Jake was an Associate and Policy Advisor at Covington & Burling, advising clients on a broad range of policy, regulatory, litigation, and commercial matters related to climate, clean energy, and clean air. Before Covington, he worked as Senior Counsel and Principal Consultant to California State Senator Fran Pavley and Chief of Staff to the President of Opower. Jake also served in the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change. He developed innovative energy policies, including the most stringent fuel economy standards and the first-ever greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks. Jake holds a B.A. and J.D. from Harvard.In this episode, Jake and I dive into the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)'s mission, why 95% of our projected global emissions will come from outside the U.S., and his role as Chief Climate Officer. Jake also explains DFC's process and approach to investing, the kind of capital they deploy, and their relationship with local governments. Finally, we end the discussion by exploring breakthrough tech versus deployment of proven tech and where DFC needs help. Jake is a great guest with a wealth of knowledge about international climate investing.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded December 15th, 2021For more information about DFC, visit: https://www.dfc.gov/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/jake-levine 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 Marion Verles, Co-Founder & CEO of SustainCERT.SustainCERT is the leading global carbon emissions accounting and verification platform for carbon markets and corporate value chains. Using technology to simplify processes, SustainCERT helps project developers and corporates quantify and verify carbon emissions accurately. The company also certifies carbon credits and corporate claims, confirming they align with leading international frameworks such as Gold Standard for the Global Goals, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Before founding SustainCERT, Marion served as CEO of the Gold Standard Foundation. During her tenure at Gold Standard, she led the development of a groundbreaking climate + sustainable development impact standard: Gold Standard for the Global Goals. Earlier in her career, Marion was a founding team member of the Climate Ledger Initiative, founded and helmed Nexus for development, and served as a civil society observer to the Climate Investment Fund managed by the World Bank. I was eager to sit down with Marion because standardizing, verifying, and certifying carbon offsets is vital when thinking about decarbonizing our world. We dive into SustainCERT's focus areas, the Gold Standard certification process, and Marion's motivations for founding the startup. Marion also explains downstream versus upstream paths for carbon credits, the existing carbon market, and why certifying offsets is complex. We cover many essential topics in this episode, and Marion is an excellent guest. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded December 14th, 2021To learn more about SustainCERT, visit: https://www.sustain-cert.com/SustainCERT is hiring! Check out open positions here: https://www.sustain-cert.com/about/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/sustaincert 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 Kentaro Kawamori, Co-Founder & CEO of Persefoni.Persefoni is the leading Climate Management & Accounting Platform (CMAP). The company's Software-as-a-Service solutions enable enterprises and financial institutions to meet stakeholder and regulatory climate disclosure requirements with the highest degrees of trust, transparency, and ease. As the ERP of Carbon, the Persefoni platform provides users a single source of carbon truth across their organization, enabling them to manage their carbon transactions and inventory with the same rigor and confidence as their financial transactions. Before founding Persefoni, Kentaro was the youngest Chief Digital Officer ever at a Fortune 500 company. As Chief Digital Officer, Kentaro led the digital operations and CIO It strategy function for Chesapeake Energy. His career has focused on the software space. It includes time spent as a Cloud strategy consultant at Accenture, a Venture Partner at Rice Investment Group, and a board member at Umbrage, a digital product studio. In 2020, Forbes named Kentaro on its 30 Under 30 list. He also holds an MBA from Arizona State University.In this episode, Kentaro explains Persefoni's unique solution, what led him to build a carbon accounting company, and when he first became engaged in the climate space. We talk about the existing carbon accounting landscape, the role offsets play in the clean future, and the accuracy of carbon accounting. We cover many topics in this episode, and Kentaro is a fantastic guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded December 17th, 2021For more information about Persefoni, visit: https://persefoni.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/kentaro-kawamori 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 Tessa Clarke, Co-Founder & CEO of OLIO.OLIO is a free app that exists to tackle the enormous problem of waste in our homes & local communities. OLIO works to connect neighbors so that surplus food and other household items can be given away, not thrown away. So that everyday things can be lent & borrowed, instead of bought. In addition, the OLIO app redistributes unsold food t to the community, enabling those businesses to achieve zero food waste locations. Its impact has been widely recognized, most notably by the United Nations, who highlighted OLIO as a "beacon" for the world, and Vivatech, who awarded it OLIO "Next European Unicorn". Before OLIO, Tessa had a 15-year corporate career as a digital Managing Director in the media, retail, and financial services sectors. She met her co-founder Saasha while studying for their MBAs at Stanford University. Tessa is passionate about the sharing economy as a solution for a sustainable world and about 'profit with purpose' as the next business paradigm. In this episode, Tessa outlines why food waste is a critical climate topic, what motivated her to co-found OLIO, and how the company addresses food waste. We also dive into why Tessa distinguishes between mission alignment and mission obsession, how OLIO incentivizes households and stores to donate excess food, and what sets the startup apart from its competitors. Tessa is a great guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded December 16th, 2021To learn more about OLIO, visit: https://olioex.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/olio 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 Laskey, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Rewiring America.Rewiring America's mission is two-fold: 1) demonstrating that rapid electrification of all aspects of the American economy is the key to combating climate change, and 2) designing and promoting practical policies to accomplish it.Before Rewiring America, Alex was the President and Founder of Opower, the global leader in cloud-based software for the utility industry. Under his leadership, Opower grew from a two-person startup to a publicly-traded company whose software is used by more than half of the largest electric and gas utilities in the world. Today, Opower is a division of Oracle and delivers more than 6 TWh of energy savings per year to help homeowners save more than $1B per year on their energy bills. Alex is a Board member of Arcadia and a longtime Director of the Conservation Lands Foundation. In addition, he was a founding Commissioner on the Energy Transitions Commission and a board member of Advanced Energy Economy.I was excited to sit down with Alex and learn more about his climate journey. We discuss Rewiring America, the goals of the non-profit, and why energy grids and renewable power are vital to the clean energy future. Alex also walks me through his time at Opower, the unique idea that utilities can be customers, and Alex's career as a climate entrepreneur. Alex is an excellent guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded December 10th, 2021For more information about Rewiring America, visit: https://www.rewiringamerica.org/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/alex-laskey 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 Belizaire, CEO of Soluna.Soluna is the leading developer of green data centers for batchable computing, powered by wasted renewable energy. Soluna's scalable, on-demand data centers buy every excess megawatt from renewable energy projects, increasing project revenue while eliminating wasted energy. Implementing Soluna data centers is a low-risk, low-friction process due to the company's four pillars of expertise: Project development, energy markets, project finance, and computing technology. Soluna has molded this unique expertise into a proven project finance structure and revenue-generating solution.John is a versatile CEO and serial entrepreneur who has successfully founded and scaled multiple technology companies over a 20-year career. Before Soluna, John was the founder and CEO of FirstBest, a transformative insurance software company acquired by Guidewire Software, and Theory Center, an e-commerce software company acquired by BEA Systems. In this episode, John explains Soluna's mission, approach, and the problem the startup is setting out to solve. He outlines why renewable energy can be inaccessible and the future of a connected energy grid in the clean future. We also dive into Soluna's competitors, customer base, and recent acquisition. It was great to sit down with John and learn more about Soluna. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded November 30th, 2021To learn more about Soluna, visit: https://www.solunacomputing.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/soluna 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 Katie Auth, Policy Director at Energy for Growth Hub.The Energy for Growth Hub is a global solutions connector, matching policymakers with evidence-based pathways to a high-energy future for everyone.Katie leads the Hub's work to strengthen international energy policy and investment by bilateral and multilateral development funders. Previously, she served as Senior Development Finance Advisor at the USAID and was a member of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Africa Policy Accelerator. Before that, she was Acting Deputy Coordinator of the US Government's Power Africa initiative, working to catalyze public and private investment in sub-Saharan Africa's energy sector. Before joining Power Africa, Katie served as a Senior Analyst for Climate and Energy at Worldwatch Institute. She analyzed power sector reform and investment in the Caribbean and West Africa. Katie is also a co-host of the Hub's podcast series High Energy Planet with Research Director Rose Mutiso.I was eager to sit down with Katie because her work at the Energy for Growth Hub is important in the climate fight. Katie explains why energy poverty is a climate problem, the hub's work to address policy, and how she got into her role. We also dive into making climate a non-political issue, Sustainable Development Goals, and key initiatives the US must adopt in the future. This is a must-listen episode.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded November 29th, 2021For more information about Energy for Growth Hub, visit: https://www.energyforgrowth.org/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/katie-auth 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 Raphaël Haupt, Co-Founder & CEO, and James Farrell, Co-Founder & CTO, of Toucan Protocol.Toucan aims to build a regenerative financial system — one that nurtures the beauty of the Earth rather than exploiting it. They are leading the way in discovering how the open internet can help tackle climate change. Earlier this year, Raphaël and James rebranded and launched Toucan Protocol, public infrastructure for carbon markets running on open blockchains. While the co-creators plan to start with carbon markets, their vision is much bigger: they intend to kickstart a regenerative finance ecosystem based on Web3 technologies and values to make DeFi work for the planet (DeFi stands for “decentralized finance”, it’s a new global financial ecosystem running on public blockchains like Ethereum). In February 2020, Raphaël and James hacked together CO2ken, a prototype carbon offsetting system for Ethereum. Since then they joined the Blockchain For Social Impact incubator and were awarded a grant by Polygon to deploy the Toucan Protocol on the network.In the episode, Raphaël and James explain what ReFi is, the origination of Toucan, and a brief overview of Web3. We also dive into why they are applying ReFi's key principles to carbon markets, the existing carbon market and the problems associated with it, and the role Toucan plays in addressing the climate crisis. Raphaël and James are excellent guests with a wealth of knowledge about Web3 and ReFi.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded December 1st, 2021To learn more about Toucan, visit: https://toucan.earth/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/toucan 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 Ryan Panchadsaram, Technical Advisor to John Doerr, Chair of Kleiner Perkins, & Co-Author of Speed & Scale.Speed & Scale is a new book that offers an unprecedented global plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions before it's too late.Ryan joined Kleiner Perkins in 2016 to focus on venture-stage companies across the firm and serves as technical advisor to John Doerr, Chair of Kleiner Perkins. During the Obama Presidency, Ryan was the Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the United States. At the White House, Ryan helped shape how federal agencies can use an $80 billion budget to deliver on their missions in a more effective, design-centric, and data-driven way. Before working in the public sector, he co-founded Pipette, a digital health startup acquired by Ginger.io, an MIT Media Lab spin-off using big data and machine learning to improve the world's health. In addition, Ryan worked at Microsoft and Salesforce.com in product and engineering roles. He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley.I was looking forward to sitting down with Ryan because he's been on MCJ's guest wishlist for some time. First, Ryan and I dive into his new book, Speed & Scale, that he co-authored with John Doerr, his role as John's technical advisor, and how he assesses potential investments for Kleiner Perkins. We also explore the misconception that climate investors have to sacrifice returns for impact, the importance of policy and innovation, and why social justice and the climate crisis are interwoven. This is a fantastic episode, and Ryan is a great guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded November 15th, 2021For more information about Kleiner Perkins, visit: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/For more information on Speed & Scale, visit: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/688191/speed-and-scale-by-john-doerr/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/ryan-panchadsaram 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 Tadeau Carneiro, Chairman & CEO of Boston Metal.This episode was part of the SOSV Climate Tech Summit. The SOSV Climate Tech Summit aims to convene the climate tech startup ecosystem of founders, investors, technologists, corporates, policymakers, and media to discuss the extreme challenges ahead. This year, the summit was held virtually on October 20th & 21st.Spun-out of MIT in 2012, Boston Metal has invented a coal-free, emissions-free, modular method of industrial steel production based on the use of electricity. The company's molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) provides the metals industry with a greener solution for producing several metals and alloys from a wide variety of feedstocks. Earlier this year, Boston Metal raised $50 million in a Series B led by Piva Capital and Fidelity Investments. Tadeu joined the company in 2017 as its CEO, bringing with him more than 40 years of metal industry leadership and technology experience.In this episode, Tadeau walks me through Boston Metal, the company's founding, and capital raise to date. We also discuss why steel is hard to decarbonize and why it poses a climate threat. Lastly, Tadeau weighs in on the importance of mission alignment for investors and advice for future entrepreneurs.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 8th, 2021To learn more about Boston Metal: https://www.bostonmetal.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/boston-metal 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 Scott Jacobs, Co-Founder & CEO of Generate Capital.Generate is a leading sustainable infrastructure platform delivering affordable, reliable resource solutions to companies, communities, and cities.In 2007, Scott joined McKinsey & Company to co-found its global Clean Technologies Practice, advising companies, institutional investors, NGOs, and governments worldwide on the economic imperatives of resource productivity and climate solutions. Before that, Scott spent over a decade in technology and venture capital, helping start and grow several companies. In 2014, Scott co-founded Generate Capital and has served as CEO since. In addition, he is a regular writer, keynote speaker, and conference panelist on thematic investing and risk management, climate- and resource-related innovation, and building values-based and people-centric businesses. Scott earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and BA from Dartmouth College.I was looking forward to sitting down with Scott and learning more about Generate Capital. Scott walks me through what led him to co-found Generate, the problem Generate is setting out to fix, and what sets the firm apart from its competitors. We also dive into how impact factors into Generate's mission, the types of entities that invest in Generate, and how the firm deploys capital. In addition, we cover carbon offsets, the future of fossil fuels, and a lack of political leadership around climate change. Scott is a fantastic guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded November 1st, 2021For more information about Generate Capital, visit: https://generatecapital.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/scott-jacobs 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 Dave Snydacker, Founder and CEO of Lilac Solutions.Lilac Solutions is a lithium extraction technology company based in Oakland, California. Lilac has developed a patented ion exchange technology that facilitates lithium production from brine resources with high efficiency, minimal cost, and ultra-low environmental footprint. Lilac's mission is to scale global lithium production to support the electric vehicle industry and energy transition.Dave founded Lilac in 2016. He is a materials engineer and an expert in battery technology, with experience spanning multiple battery startups developing next-generation materials and manufacturing processes. Dave holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University and a BA from Wesleyan University.I was eager to sit down with Dave and learn more about Lilac Solutions. Dave and I explore his path to founding Lilac Solutions, the process of commercializing his research, and the early stages of funding for the startup. We also discuss why lithium is critical to batteries and Electric Vehicles, how to scale ion exchange technology, and the importance of government incentives and policy to a successful EV transition.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 21st, 2021For more information about Lilac Solutions, visit: https://lilacsolutions.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/dave-snydacker 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 Lindsey Hoell, Co-Founder & CEO, and Maia Tekle, Co-Founder & Head of Sales and Partnerships, at Dispatch Goods.After noticing microplastics littering beaches while living in Hawaii, Lindsey, and her partner, Maia, founded Dispatch Goods in 2019. The startup provides reusable metal containers for restaurants to use for takeout service rather than single-use options. Initially, Dispatch Goods partnered with restaurants near office buildings so employee lunch orders could come in reusable containers. Employees dropped off the containers in return bins on each floor, and Dispatch Goods collected them, cleaned them, and redistributed them to restaurants. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dispatch Goods quickly rebranded and expanded to pick up their containers at customers' homes. Dispatch Goods is on a mission to make reuse easy and delightful for everyone. In the episode, Lindsey and Maia walk me through their motivations for starting Dispatch Goods, the gap in the market the startup is filling, and how the process of ordering takeout works. We also dive into a conversation about how to scale their operation, how COVID-19 affected the Dispatch Goods, and what the startup has planned for the next 12 months. Lindsey and Maia are great guests, and I enjoyed learning more about Dispatch Goods.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded November 1st, 2021To learn more about Dispatch Goods, visit: https://dispatchgoods.com/homeTo learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/dispatch-goods 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 Nancy Pfund, Founder and Managing Partner at DBL Partners.DBL Partners is a venture capital firm whose goal is to combine top-tier financial returns with meaningful social, economic, and environmental returns in the regions and sectors in which it invests. The firm focuses on cleantech, information technology, sustainability products and services, and healthcare.Nancy is the Founder and Managing Partner at DBL Partners. Before founding DBL, Nancy was a Managing Director in Venture Capital at JPMorgan. She started her investment career at Hambrecht & Quist in 1984. Nancy has also worked at Intel Corporation, the State of California, Stanford University, and the Sierra Club. She sponsors or sits on the board of directors of several companies, including Farmers Business Network, Andela, The Muse, Zola Electric, Bellwether Coffee, Spatial, and, before their public offerings, Tesla and Pandora. In September 2020, Nancy was named to the FORBES 2020 Impact 50 List of the most notable impact investors, was featured in the 2014 FORTUNE Inaugural World's Top 25 Eco-Innovators, and appeared on Fast Company's 2016 List of Most Creative People in Business. I was looking forward to sitting down with Nancy. She explains DBL Partners, why the "double bottom line" is vital to the firm's success, and what led her to focus on climate change. Nancy also shares what she learned from cleantech 1.0, how climate investing has evolved over the past two decades, and the sectors DBL focuses on. In addition, we have a lively discussion on carbon removal, nuclear energy, and the role fossil fuels play in the clean future. Nancy is a fantastic guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 20th, 2021For more information about DBL Partners, visit: https://www.dbl.vc/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/nancy-pfund 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 Cody Finke, Co-Founder and CEO of Brimstone Energy.Brimstone Energy's vision is to make ordinary portland cement without carbon dioxide emissions for a lower cost than conventionally produced cement. Brimstone Energy is a venture-backed R&D company with the ambition to reduce global CO2 emissions by a couple of percentage points. The cement/concrete industry is a $1T market opportunity responsible for 5.5% of GHG or approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions, the same emissions as cars. They have developed a process capable of producing carbon-neutral Portland cement and supplementary cementitious materials, regardless of the energy source. Brimstone Energy was founded in 2019 at Caltech and since then moved to the Bay Area thanks to Cyclotron Road and other federal and private grants. Cody holds his Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering under Prof. Michael Hoffmann at Caltech. During Cody's Ph.D., he specialized in electrochemistry and techno-economic modeling, where he attempted to find economically efficient ways to reduce carbon dioxide process emissions.In this episode, Cody explains how Brimstone was founded, why Portland cement is carbon-emitting, and why it's hard to decarbonize cement. We also dive into the pilot plant the company is working on, what sets it apart, and how to scale its technology. Cody is a great guest, and we have a fascinating discussion.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 28th, 2021To learn more about Brimstone Energy, visit: https://www.brimstone.energy/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/brimstone-energy 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. Shuchi Talati, Chief of Staff, Office of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management at the U.S. Department of Energy.The mission of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management is to minimize the environmental impacts of fossil fuels while working towards net-zero emissions.Dr. Talati joined the DOE at the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration. Before assuming her current role, Shuchi worked as the Deputy Director of Policy at Carbon180, where she focused on policies to build sustainable and equitable carbon removal at scale. In addition, Dr. Talati was a Scholar in Residence at American University and she worked at the Union of Concerned Scientists, where she led efforts to guide sound governance around solar geoengineering and carbon removal approaches to limit global warming. Dr. Talati was the 2017-2018 AAAS/AIP Congressional Science Fellow in the U.S. Senate and served at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Obama Administration. Dr. Talati holds a B.S. in environmental engineering from Northwestern University, an M.A. in climate and society from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in engineering and public policy.I was excited to sit down with Dr. Talati because of her role and expertise in the energy policy sector. Dr. Talati explains her position at the Department of Energy and why she dedicated her career to CDR (Carbon Dioxide Removal). We dive into the role of fossil fuels, carbon removal, nuclear energy, and offsets as climate solutions. We also have a lively conversation about the role of policy and government in the energy transition and why understanding energy poverty is critical to a successful clean energy transition. Dr. Talati is an incredible guest, and this is a must-listen episode.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 13th, 2021For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/shuchi-talati 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 Iggy Bassi, Founder & CEO of Cervest.Cervest offers cloud-based Climate Intelligence (CI) to enable organizations to manage and adapt to climate risk at an asset level. Its on-demand, AI-powered platform delivers a standardized, science-based view of climate risk – simultaneously analyzing millions of global assets across multiple time horizons and risk categories. EarthScan, the first product on the platform, helps enterprises and governments baseline, monitor, and forecast climate risk. Through its open-access platform, Cervest incentivizes everyone to share and integrate Climate Intelligence into everyday decisions – protecting the world's critical assets – including our greatest asset, the planet. Cervest is a Certified B Corporation.Iggy is a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in both emerged and emerging markets. Driven by a relentless passion for world-changing innovations that tackle global challenges, he's the Founder/CEO, and driving force behind Cervest. He has advised Fortune 500, sovereigns, and entrepreneurs on competitiveness, sustainability, and resource security.In this episode, Iggy explains Cervest and his motivations for founding the startup. He outlines how climate risk is defined and the existing landscape for climate risk platforms. We also dive into a discussion about balancing a quality product and scalability, why Cervest is working to democratize climate risk data, and the company's approach for various sectors across the climate industry. Iggy is a great guest, and it was exciting to learn more about Cervest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 7th, 2021To learn more about Cervest, visit: https://cervest.earth/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/cervest 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 Collin McLelland, Co-Founder & CEO of Digital Wildcatters.Digital Wildcatters is a multimedia platform that offers podcasts, videos, and in-depth blogs detailing ideas to make the oil & gas and energy sectors cleaner and more efficient.Digital Wildcatters was founded in March 2020. Through Collin's podcast "Oil and Gas Startups", a show that started as a hobby, he has built a go-to platform for oil & gas tech and cultivated a community that wanted to disrupt the status quo. Collin grew up in the Permian Basin in West Texas, the largest oil and gas field in the contiguous 48 states. After graduating high school during the 2008 Recession, he worked as a wireline operator drilling oil wells and a project manager at Enventure Global Technologies where he managed the expandable casing installations on drilling and completions projects across the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Most recently, Collin co-founded Stealth Startup a funded fintech company in the oil & gas sector. While Collin’s background may not be that of MCJ's typical guest, I believe our purpose is to create bridges to tackle the massive problem of climate change. I was looking forward to speaking with Collin because of his experience in the oil & gas industry. Collin walks me through Digital Wildcatters, what the media company is working on, and why oil & gas needs to evolve. We also have a lively discussion on how climate impacts Collin's work, what role the government should play in the energy transition, and why Collin believes transitioning off of fossil fuels can create energy poverty. Collin is a great guest and we have a fascinating conversation.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 30th, 2021For more about Digital Wildcatters or to listen to Collin's podcast, visit: https://www.digitalwildcatters.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/collin-mclelland 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 Dr. Etosha Cave, Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer, Dr. Kendra Kuhl, Co-Founder & CTO, and Nicholas Flanders, Co-Founder & CEO.Twelve is the carbon transformation company, a new kind of chemical company built for the climate era. They make essential products from air, not oil. Twelve's groundbreaking technology eliminates emissions by transforming CO2 into critical chemicals, materials, and fuels currently made from fossil fuels. The startup calls it carbon transformation, and it fundamentally changes how we can address climate change, reduce emissions and reverse the carbon imbalance. Reinventing what it means to be a chemical company, we're on a mission to create a positive climate world and a fossil-free future through the power of chemistry. Founded in 2016, Twelve was part of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's first Cyclotron Road cohort, an incubator program that aids in the creation of environmentally beneficial companies.In this episode, the founders walk me through their roles at Twelve, the company's mission, and the process of bringing technology from the lab to the market. We also explored their recent capital raise, customer base, and why carbon transformation is essential in the clean and carbon-free future. Etosha, Kendra, and Nicholas are fantastic guests, and it was exciting to learn more about Twelve.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 14th, 2021 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 Ross Koningstein, Director Emeritus at Google.Today's guest is Ross Koningstein. Ross is currently Director Emeritus at Google and works in the tech giant's Climate and Energy R&D group. He has led a number of efforts during his time at Google. Before joining Google in 2001 as its first Director of Engineering, he was a founder at Costa del Sol Systems and CriSys Ltd. He is co-author of the IEEE article "What would it really take to reverse climate change" and presented the talk "Why Incremental Advances are Inadequate to Solving Climate Change" at the 2015 MIT Low-Carbon Energy Workshop. Ross has contributed to Google's RE I was looking forward to sitting down with Ross because of his perch at Google and the climate sector. We cover so much in this episode, from nuclear energy as a climate solution to carbon offsets and the role of the oil & gas industry in the clean energy future to mobilizing folks to care about climate. We also explore Ross's role at Google and why he is a techno-optimist. Ross is a great guest, and this is a must-listen episode.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 28th, 2021Ross's article: What It Would Really Take To Reverse Climate ChangeFor more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/ross-koningstein 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 Zach Stein, Co-Founder & CEO of Carbon Collective.Carbon Collective is a sustainable investing platform that provides low-fee, diversified portfolios built for solving climate change. Zach and his co-founder, James, saw a gap in the climate investing market. There were avenues for wealthy people to invest in climate startups directly. Still, the existing paths don't have a climate impact for the average American who wants to invest their 401K, IRA, or general savings. That's where Carbon Collective comes in. Carbon Collective is not an ESG fund. Instead, the startup focuses on divesting from the sectors dependent on fossil fuels, reinvesting that share in companies building solutions, and vote and pressuring the remaining parts of the stock market to decarbonize as quickly as possible. And make it an attractive investment by making it cost the same and with a similar diversity as generic options.Zach is a serial founder. Before co-founding Carbon Collective, he spent seven years as the CEO and co-founder of Osmo Systems, a company using novel sensing technology to help fish and shrimp farms be less wasteful. He was also the founder and retail director for Urban Worm, a worm farm in the Bay Area. Zach holds a BA in psychology from Hamilton College.In this episode, Zach walks me through Carbon Collective, how the company was founded, and what sets the startup apart from its competitors. We also have a lively discussion about ESG investing, why it is falling short for the climate, and why divesting in fossil fuels is the future. Zach is a wonderful guest, and it was great to learn more about Carbon Collective.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded October 4th, 2021To learn more about Carbon Collective, visit: https://www.carboncollective.co/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/carbon-collective 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 Brian Janous, General Manager of Energy and Renewables at Microsoft.Brian is responsible for leading the development and execution of Microsoft's global data center energy strategy, including oversight of all energy supply agreements, renewable energy purchasing, distributed generation, and strategic partnerships to ensure a power supply that is reliable and sustainable. Brian joined Microsoft in 2011 after 12 years in the energy industry, where he worked as a Sr. Consultant at Brubaker & Associates, assisting Fortune 500 companies with energy procurement, policy, and sustainability matters. Brian holds an MBA from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Missouri, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Missouri.I was very excited for this episode because Brian is at the forefront of corporate sustainability and the energy transition. Brian walks me through his role at Microsoft, how the tech giant began making climate commitments, and advice he has for those looking to advocate for climate action within their companies. We also dive into the role of policy, the problem with intermittency regarding renewable energy, and the Microsoft carbon tax. This is a fantastic episode, and Brian is a knowledgeable and engaging guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 30th, 2021For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/brian-janous 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 Henrietta Moon, Co-Founder and CEO of Carbo Culture.Carbo Culture makes functional biocarbons and Biographite from waste to keep CO2 out of the atmosphere. They're working with green and blue infrastructure and carbon-negative materials developers to start a new era of Carbon Culturing. The startup describes its process as an "ultra-rapid conversion" where woody residues are turned into functional biocarbons at an extremely high temperature. The process then "locks" the carbon into a sort of charcoal that won't degrade for 1,000 years. Before Co-Founding Carbo Culture, Henriette was in the Spring 2019 StartX Cohort, ​​Stanford's prestigious founder community and supported by serial entrepreneurs. She also was a board member at Yleiselektroniikka (YE International) and a Helsinki Hub member in the Global Shapers Community, a World Economic Forum initiative.In this episode, Henrietta and I deep dive into biochar, its impacts on climate, and why the climate community has been apprehensive about embracing it. Henrietta explains what motivated her to co-found Carbo Culture, the startup's mission, and why decarbonization is essential to addressing climate change. It was great to understand more about Carbo Culture's solution, and Henrietta is a fantastic guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 29th, 2021To learn more about Carbo Culture, visit: https://www.carboculture.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/carbo-culture 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 Chase Lochmiller, Co-Founder and CEO of Crusoe Energy.Crusoe is on a mission to eliminate routine flaring of natural gas and reduce the cost of cloud computing. The startup repurposes otherwise wasted energy to fuel the growing demand for computational power in the expanding digital economy.Chase is an avid tech enthusiast passionate about enabling new technologies like AI and blockchain to impact people's lives positively. Before founding Crusoe, Chase was a General Partner at Polychain Capital, a $1 billion fund investing in blockchain technologies, digital assets, and energy-intensive computing applications. Chase was previously a quantitative researcher and trader at Jump Trading and GETCO, where he developed and managed a portfolio of algorithmic trading strategies. Chase holds undergraduate degrees in math and physics from MIT and a master's degree in computer science from Stanford, specializing in artificial intelligence. I was looking forward to this episode because cryptocurrency is a controversial topic in the climate space. Chase walks me through the problem of flaring for oil and gas companies and how Crusoe Energy came to be. We also have a lively discussion about the biggest blockers for cryptocurrency related to energy consumption, how the fossil fuels companies will exist in the clean energy future, and why powering data centers is a climate issue. This episode is a must-listen, and Chase is a fantastic guest.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 20th, 2021For more information about Crusoe Energy: https://www.crusoeenergy.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/chase-lochmiller 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 Kate Steel, Co-Founder and CEO of Nithio.Nithio is an energy financing platform powered by a proprietary AI-enabled risk analytics engine. Nithio developed its innovative approach to standardize credit risk assessments to unlock and scale energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nithio advances energy financing at scale through its Financial Intermediary, Nithio FI B.V., which offers receivables-backed funding to off-grid energy providers in Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya. Driven by the Risk Analytics Engine, Nithio FI's innovative approach expands access to off-grid clean energy for households, micro-businesses, and smallholder farmers. Kate co-founded Nithio in 2018. Before Nithio, she had a long career in the off-grid power sector, most recently as Energy Director for Power Africa. In addition, Kate was on the Energy Access and Investments team at Google and the World Bank-IFC Lighting Africa initiative manager.In this episode, Kate takes me through Nithio's approach and what led her to co-found the company. She explains why energy access is a climate problem and policy's role in the equity and clean energy transition. We also discuss the existing funding tools available to startups across Africa, the importance of integrating impact into the startup's mission, and what holds lenders back from investing in energy access startups. Kate is a great guest, and it was exciting to learn more about the important work Nithio is doing.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 27th, 2021To learn more about Nithio, visit: https://www.nithio.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/nithio 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 Stuart Landesberg, Co-Founder and CEO of Grove Collaborative.Grove Collaborative is a certified B Corp and e-commerce company providing eco-friendly sustainable consumer products focusing on home cleaning, personal and sexual wellness, and baby and child care. The company offers over 150 sustainable brands whose products are non-toxic, effective, sustainable, and cruelty-free.Grove Collaborative was founded by three friends in San Francisco and sought to answer the question: what if it was easy to find healthier home essentials? Since then, Grove has become a billion-dollar company. In 2019 alone, the company saved over 1 million pounds of plastic and funded the planting of more than 100,000 trees. Before co-founding and serving as CEO of Grove, Stuart was an Investment Professional at Toro Investment Partners, an Analyst at TPG Growth, a Financial Analyst at Vincraft Group, and an Investment Banking Analyst at Lehman Brothers. Throughout his time in finance, he focused on global technology and retail investments. Stuart also holds a BA in economics from Amherst College. In this episode, Stuart and I have a lively discussion about Grove Collaborative, the company's business model, and its core customer base. Stuart explains why the consumer product market is broken, the definition of a "sustainable product", and how to balance government mandates in a voluntary market. We also dive into the role offsets play for Grove, how the company tracks and measures success, and the myth about plastic recycling. Stuart is a great guest with a wealth of knowledge. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 17th, 2021For more information about Grove (and open positions at the company), visit: https://www.grove.co/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/stuart-landesberg 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. Michael Dorsey, Global Energy, Environmental, Finance, and Sustainability Expert.Dr. Dorsey is a serial organization builder and leader in for-profit, non-profit, scholarly, and governmental realms. Dr. Dorsey is an active investor, and co-founder and principal of Around the Corner Capital. Through Around the Corner, Dr. Dorsey maintains active relationships and agreements in the U.S. and beyond with various partners from Barrett Capital, to the ​California Clean Energy Fund​, to Silverleaf Partners, the ​ Royal Bafokeng Holdings (South Africa), Univergy (Japan/Spain), the World Bank and many other institutions and high net-worth individuals driving the global renewable revolution. In non-profit realms, Dr. Dorsey helped to co-create the northern California headquartered Center for Environmental Health. In 2013,​ Dr. Dorsey and two former student collaborators co-created the predecessor to the Sunrise Movement​. Beyond this, Dr. Dorsey sits on several non-profit boards. In academia, Dr. Dorsey was a professor in the environmental studies program at Dartmouth College.Dr. Dorsey's significant government engagement began in 1992 as a member of the U.S. State Department Delegation to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, "The Earth Summit." Dorsey was a task force member of President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development, a member of Senator Barack Obama's energy and environment Presidential campaign team, and was appointed to the EPA's National Advisory Committee. I was excited about this discussion because Dr. Dorsey is a profound climate activist, environmental investor, and public advocate. In this episode, Dr. Dorsey explains his theory of change and what motivated him to focus on climate. We also dive into a discussion on single-solution rhetoric, why our leadership is failing, and how to create a more sustainable and just future. Dr. Dorsey is an incredible guest. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 16th, 2021For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/dr-dorsey 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 Joe Zhou, CEO of Quidnet Energy.Quidnet Energy is transforming the power sector towards renewable energy through the deployment of low-cost energy storage solutions. Quidnet's innovative technology repurposes existing resources to quickly implement solutions to our most pressing energy and climate challenges. Attracting significant investment, including Bill Gates's Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Quidnet's solution is a potential game-changer in balancing the grid as intermittent renewable resources are added to the power generation system. In 2017, Joe assumed the role of CEO. Before Quidnet Energy, Joe was the Director of Business Development at Green Charge Networks, which ENGIE North America Inc. acquired in 2016. Joe also served as an associate at McKinsey & Company and a Process Engineer at ExxonMobil. Joe holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta and an MBA from Harvard.In this episode, Joe explains Quidnet Energy's unique solution, his motivations to work in climate, and how he ended up heading Quidnet. We also dive into the viability of battery storage, the role venture capital should play in accelerating climatetech solutions, and the future of Quidnet. Joe is a compelling guest, and I was excited to learn more about the startup.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 9th, 2021To learn more about Quidnet Energy, visit: https://www.quidnetenergy.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/quidnet-energy 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 Gaurab Chakrabarti, Co-Founder & CEO, and Sean Hunt, Co-Founder & CTO of Solugen.Solugen is a venture-backed biotech startup that produces high-performance chemicals from plant-derived substitutes. Our award-winning hydrogen peroxide technology was developed in-house by a team of doctors, scientists, and engineers from MIT.Before Solugen, Gaurab, who holds an M.D./Ph.D., researched the role of chemicals in cancer progression in medical school when he found an enzyme that turned sugar into hydrogen peroxide. Meanwhile, Sean, a graduate of MIT with a degree in chemical engineering, focused his research on improving traditional chemical manufacturing. Gaurab and Sean met playing poker at the University of Texas Southwestern, and in 2016, submitted their idea for Solugen to an MIT pitch competition. In 2017, Gaurab and Sean were named Forbes' 30 under 30 and joined the Y Combinator accelerator program, one of the rare startups outside software to get in. In September 2021, Solugen closed a series C round. I was looking forward to sitting down with Gaurab and Sean because I don't know much about the symbio world. Gaurab and Sean explain how Solugen started, the impact traditional chemical manufacturing has on climate, and what motivated them to focus on climate change. We also dive into Solugen's experience with Y Combinator, a discussion on a green premium, and how policy shapes the company's future. Gaurab and Sean are fantastic guests.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 10th, 2021For more information about Solugen, visit: https://www.solugen.bio/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/chakrabarti-hunt 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 Lee Hoffman, Co-Founder & COO of Runwise.Lee Hoffman is the Co-Founder and COO of Runwise. Over the past 18 years, Lee has co-founded and managed technology for companies as diverse as Time Warner, Razorfish Studios, and Terabolic, Inc. Most recently, Lee co-founded and served as CEO of Veri, a venture-backed NY mobile startup that in 2018 was acquired by The Knot.Runwise is the first end-to-end boiler and heating system management platform. Founded in 2010, the company combines a proprietary heat computer and sensor network, machine learning systems, and a team of trained boiler experts to reduce fuel consumption by an average of 20-25% across over 2000 buildings in New York City. Runwise's customers include some of the smallest owners, all the way up to the biggest, including Lefrak, Related, Fairstead, Columbia University, and Lemle & Wolff. Heat Watch's platform is the only end-to-end boiler monitoring and management system that saves owners money, increases tenant comfort, and radically lowers carbon output across New York City.In this episode, Lee walks me through Runwise's charter, the problem they are tackling, and how commercial buildings impact the climate. We also dive into Runwise's solution, how the company supports its customers, and how policy and government mandates affect its success. For those interested in the intersection of infrastructure and climate, this is a must-listen.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded August 19th, 2021To learn more about Heat Watch, visit: https://www.runwise.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/runwise 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 Ion Yadigaroglu, Partner & Member of the Investment Committee of Capricorn Investment Group.Capricorn Investment Group seeks to deliver extraordinary investment results by leveraging market forces to scale solutions to global problems. One of the largest mission-aligned investment firms around the world, Capricorn has grown to manage more than $8 billion in multi-asset class portfolios for families, foundations, and institutional investors.Ion is a Partner and member of the Investment Committee of Capricorn Investment Group and a Managing Director of Capricorn's Technology Impact Fund. Prior to Capricorn, he was a Director of Business Development with Koch Industries, executing a range of acquisitions and investments. Before Koch Industries, Ion was a founder and Chief Executive Officer at Bivio, a software startup in Colorado, and an Analyst for Olsen & Associates, a foreign exchange analytics company. He was a research fellow at Columbia University and holds a Masters in Physics from Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich in Switzerland and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from Stanford University. Ion is also an early investor in iconic technology companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, Planet, QuantumScape, and Saildrone.I was looking forward to sitting down with Ion and learning more about his work at Capricorn Investment Group. Ion walks me through his climate journey, what motivated him to focus on climate, and an overview of Capricorn and the Technology Impact Fund. We also dive into capitalism's effect on the planet, the role policy plays in a sustainable future, and the Technology Impact Fund's investing strategy. This is a great episode for investors and founders alike.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded September 7th, 2021For more information about Capricorn Investment Group, visit: https://capricornllc.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/ion-yadigaroglu 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