Synthetic bio investing with Exponential Impact, Ep #11

Climate tech is a $90 trillion opportunity and synthetic biology is projected to be a $30 trillion opportunity. Both sectors are expected to grow by 100x in the next decade, and we know that more than 60% of the dirty inputs to the global economy can be replaced by inputs made by biology which are more efficient, cleaner and cost effective. So we invest in the intersection of these two markets, both of which are at inflection points.

When it comes to a rapidly decarbonizing world, there's many things we take for granted that we shouldn't. For example, it's easy to assume that coffee and chocolate should always come from beans that grow on trees. Maybe that's the case. Or maybe we'll rely on new tech that's enabling us to create synthetic alternatives that are actually better for the planet. Welcome to the world of synthetic biology. I've been fascinated by the possibility of dramatically reducing emissions across many different sectors through biology. So I sat down with Michael Luciani and Jenny Kan, who are investing in synthetic bio as they build a new fund called Exponential Impact. I learned a ton in this conversation and hope you do too.

In Today’s Episode, we cover:

• [3:21] What led Jenny and Michael to climate investing
• [9:32] What is syndicate investing and how it works
• [12:36] What is a rolling fund and what type of investors are a good fit
• [15:15] The investment thesis behind Exponential Impact 
• [16:56] The market case for climate tech and biotech investing
• [19:47] How synthetic bio is creating an opportunity for addressing climate change
• [21:34] Examples of investment opportunities available 
• [27:27] How do synthetically made products compare
• [29:06] The economical and ethical critiques of the synthetic bio space
• [32:22] Exponential Impact’s advantages as a firm
• [33:49] Exponential Impact’s ideal investor and minimum investment
• [35:31] Principles for supporting climate tech startups
• [37:30] Community and attitude considerations for climate impact

Resources & People Mentioned

• Exponential Impact
• AngelList
• JoinC3.co

Connect with Michael Luciani and Jenny Kan

• Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn

Connect With Jason Rissman

• https://InvestedInClimate.com 
• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter

Subscribe to Invested In Climate