CLIMB by VSC

Free A.I. Models Were Never Free | EP 101 Deedy Das

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:23:55 +0000

Thanks to our partners at Bright Data and the Web Data Loft for hosting this conversation in San Francisco.

Everyone says open source models are the cheap option. I asked Deedy Das to actually price it, and the answer was not the one I wanted.

Deedy is a partner at Menlo Ventures, where he co-runs the Anthology Fund. Before that he was on the founding team at Glean, and before that Google and Meta. He is also one of the very few investors I know who will sit down and walk you through the chip company he passed on that Nvidia went and bought for $20 billion.

We spent most of this conversation arguing. KIMI K3 against Opus on price. Whether frontier costs have really come down. Whether an enterprise should ever walk away from the best model and start hosting weights itself. I pushed back on most of his answers and he pushed back harder on mine.

Free models were never free. That is roughly where we landed.

In this episode we discuss:

Why "I could vibe code that in 10 minutes" is not the threat founders think it is
The one product metric he underwrites multiples on, and why he barely looks at ARR
How most VCs never open the product they are funding
Whether Anthropic and OpenRouter are a hedge against each other
The maintenance headache at Glean that turned into OpenRouter
What leaving frontier actually costs: a 3 to 5 year compute lock-in with 30% down
KIMI K3 at roughly $15 per million output tokens against Opus at roughly $25
Why frontier prices have stayed flat while everything else got cheaper
The biggest compute crunch of all time, and who is locked out of it
What happens when you add a million engineers worth of tokens and the top line does not move
Rapid fire on Suno, Wispr Flow, Mercor, Goodfire and Skild: headwind or tailwind
Pangram, AI slop, and why he will not read something an LLM wrote for you
The chip company he passed on that Nvidia bought for $20 billion
Why the Anthropic entry made no sense on the financials at the time
What he tells a 19 year old deciding whether to still study computer science

Chapters:

0:00 Cold Open
1:09 Intro
2:23 Building a 10 Year Thesis When the Ground Moves
4:59 Why "I Could Vibe Code That" Misses the Point
6:36 Most VCs Never Try the Product
7:57 We Changed the Definition of ARR
8:24 The One Product Metric He Underwrites On
9:35 Anthropic and OpenRouter: Hedge or Coexist
12:15 The Glean Story That Became OpenRouter
15:58 Should Enterprises Just Run Open Weights
19:20 What KIMI K3 Actually Costs
19:47 Free Until They Can Charge for It
22:18 Frontier Prices Have Not Fallen
23:33 The Biggest Compute Crunch of All Time
24:18 Engineers Plus Tokens, Minus the ROI
27:21 Rapid Fire on the Portfolio
33:36 Pangram and the AI Slop Problem
39:01 The Groq Miss
41:19 The Anthropic Bet That Made No Sense
44:14 Should a 19 Year Old Still Study CS
48:06 The Company He Wants Walking Through the Door

Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuEgH6MLuxk

We Call All of It Venture Capital. That's No Longer True | EP 099 Emily Melton

Jay Kapoor — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:22:21 +0000

We call all of it venture capital. After 26 years investing through three full market cycles, Emily Melton says that is no longer true.

Emily Melton is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Threshold Ventures, where she has invested through the dot-com crash, the financial crisis, and the 2021 bubble. She has raised five funds at roughly the same $350 million size while firms around her scaled into the tens of billions, and she sits on 10-plus boards across healthcare and enterprise software. She is a former NVCA Board Chair and a co-founder of All Raise.

In this episode we discuss:
- Why "venture capital" now describes two different businesses, not one
- The 83% concentration: how venture dollars pile into a handful of names
- Why she has never raised a bigger fund, and the case for $350M discipline
- The founder traits she underwrites for, and the one she can't coach
- What changes on a board when a mega-fund writes a check 10x yours
- What it actually takes to deploy diagnostic AI inside a hospital
- Why so many "AI" healthcare companies are really services businesses
- The fund-timing mismatch nobody in venture wants to address
- Whether venture in five years looks more like Threshold or Andreessen

Chapters:
0:00 Cold Open: Scarcity Drives Innovation
0:54 Intro: 26 Years Through Every Venture Cycle
1:54 83% of Venture Went to Three Companies
6:37 How Price Changes the Way You Win at Seed
8:59 The Founder Traits She Underwrites For
13:11 Enabling vs Challenging Founders From the Board Seat
17:11 Raising the Right Capital at the Right Time
24:31 Why Healthcare Is Drawing Investors Again
27:21 Healthcare AI Has Its Moment
29:17 The Services-Model Problem for AI Founders
33:34 A Trillion Dollars Trapped in Private Companies
35:24 All VCs Are Not the Same: Different Products, Different Timelines
40:22 Staying Disciplined While Others Raised Bigger
44:38 What Threshold Looks Like in Five Years

Watch the full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gscbB5KvK9c

Subscribe to CLIMB for more conversations with the founders, operators, and investors building the future with AI.

Retain Top Talent with the Science of Motivation | EP 075 Lindsay McGregor

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 14:06:48 +0000

Worried about retaining your best employees?

Our guest on this episode is helping you do just that.

Lindsay McGregor is the CEO and Co-Founder of Factor.ai and co-author of the bestselling book "Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation."

Lindsay has one of the best track records of working with fast-growing startups like Slack, Grab, and Flexport byhelping them build a high-performance team culture.

Previously, Lindsay led impactful projects at McKinsey, partnering with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, universities, and school systems.

She earned her B.A. from Princeton and her MBA from Harvard Business School.

In Episode 075 of CLIMB by VSC, Lindsay discusses why the 'fun' culture in entrepreneurship isn't working, the importance of measuring your team’s motivation, and why autonomy could be killing your startup.

Lindsay McGregor— https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaymcgregor/
Jay Kapoor— https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykapoor/
VSC Ventures— https://www.linkedin.com/company/vsc-ventures/

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:47 Meet Lindsay McGregor
00:02:01 3 Frameworks Every Founder Needs to Know
00:03:36 Tactical and Adaptive Balance in Startups
00:08:53 The 6 Key Motivators for Your Startup
00:16:00 The 'Fun' Culture in Entrepreneurship isn't Working
00:23:43 Are You Measuring Your Team’s Motivation?
00:31:05 Strategy is Ignoring Great Ideas: Slack Founder
00:31:57 Autonomy is Killing Your Startup
00:36:02 No Velocity? Your Startups is Doomed to Fail
00:39:32 Factor.ai is Simplifying Management
00:42:38 Great founders Aren’t the Most Charismatic
00:48:28 You Needs this Pit Stop Strategy to build a Great Company
00:53:03 Where can people learn more about Factor.ai?

Water Technology is a $4 Trillion Opportunity | EP 074 Peter Yolles

Jay Kapoor — Fri, 24 May 2024 09:29:22 +0000

The value of water to water security is $4 trillion today and is likely to triple in the next 10 years. [Source: Global Water Intelligence] To put that $12 trillion into perspective, it is higher than the GDP of every other country other than the US and China. Meet Peter Yolles, General Partner at Echo River Capital, a seasoned entrepreneur and strategic investor in early-stage water technology companies. Peter founded WaterSmart Software (acquired by Vertex One), serving 200 water utility customers and reaching over 20 million people. With a joint MBA and MES from Yale and a BA from the University of Colorado, he authored the CREO Syndicate report on water impact investment. Peter continues to advise founders with his deep domain and operational expertise. In Episode 074 of CLIMB by VSC, Peter and host Jay Kapoor analyze the water value chain, the three Ds VCs need to know when investing in water technology, carbon capture, portfolio companies & more. Connect with us on LinkedIn: 1. Peter Yolles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolles/ 2. Jay Kapoor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykapoor/

00:00:00 Trailer 00:00:51 Introduction 00:03:23 How your daily water use impacts the global economy 00:08:57 The true cost of water mismanagement 00:10:29 You're paying 400x more for dangerous water 00:15:18 Methane: A hidden climate threat 00:18:32 Why are nature-based solutions slower in decarbonization 00:23:19 Experience vs Mindset: What makes a successful founder? 00:25:15 What signals a growth mindset in founders? 00:26:47 How do you evaluate a founder’s grit? 00:32:09 Can investors save tribal water rights? 00:35:17 Why curiosity beats fear in business 00:37:39 Recruitment mistakes are costing startups

How The Best Founders Find Product Market Fit | EP 073 Zach Coelius

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 15 May 2024 14:09:58 +0000

As many have attested, there's nothing romantic about being a founder. It's about doing what has to be done. And that’s what makes entrepreneurship difficult. In Episode 073 of CLIMB, Zach Coelius, Managing Partner at Coelius Capital, maintains that being a founder is 10x harder than being a VC. Talking about an investor’s MO, Zach equates being in the stands, drinking a beer, with the same as being a VC and deciding which companies will survive, and which will die. Zach is known for his investments in Angel List, HelloSign, Mercury, and more, but what is lesser known about him is that before investing, Zach sold an ad-tech business to Facebook (now Meta). As if this isn't impressive enough, he also raised $33M for Coelius Capital’s Fund II, that too in a record 3 weeks! In the latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, Zach and host Jay Kapoor discuss their views on: • repeat founders versus first-time founders • how Zach sold his company • the journey as an entrepreneur & more. Tune in to the full episode now. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Zach Coelius: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachcoelius/ Jay Kapoor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykapoor/ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer 00:47 Zach Coelius Introduction 02:07 What does it feel like being an investor? 06:00 The three stages of being a founder 09:30 What are the common mistakes most founders make? 11:11 How do early founders navigate challenges? 12:52 It’s hard for founders to find an authentic circle 13:40 How do you evaluate someone with the right mix of learning and conviction? 15:31 Which three networks stand out to Zach? 17:00 What is it about vertical software that excites you? 20:56 What gets you excited about AI? 23:10 What is the process of securing a hit deal? 24:20 You can’t change your pitch every time you change a business. 27:48 How to get comfortable with uncertain opportunities? 29:25 Are there commonalities across industries? 33:21 What are the most common mistakes boards you've worked with make? 41:05 It’s all about timing. 42:14 What’s the flipside of being a general partner? 45:45 What’s a piece of advice you give to founders that isn't taken well enough? 51:10 Episode Outro

Watch the full video on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/U4NFkF7jCmg

How AI Unlocks Billion Dollar Category Creation | EP 072 Ann Bordetsky

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 01 May 2024 14:51:24 +0000

Ann Bordetsky, partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), joins us in this episode to discuss how AI is creating new business categories and transforming the tech industry. Ann shares her journey through the tech world, her role in supporting startups, and the keys to building successful businesses today. She highlights the importance of understanding market trends and customer needs to innovate and stay ahead. Listen to Ann's unique experiences and get valuable advice for entrepreneurs and investors keen on navigating the evolving landscape of tech with AI. This episode is ideal for anyone curious about technology, startups, and innovation in business. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency, VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem. Chapters: 1. 0:00 - Introduction and Overview of Category Creation 2. 6:09 - The Role of First Movers in Market Evolution 3. 12:15 - Attributes of a Successful Category-Creating Founder 4. 18:25 - Depth and Vision in Pitching Ideas 5. 24:50 - Validating New Categories 6. 30:55 - The Impact of AI on Small and Medium Businesses 7. 37:05 - Lessons from Mobile Era and Patience in Investing 8. 43:43 - Democratizing Creative Tooling with AI 9. 49:46 - Supporting Female Founders 10. 56:13 - Final Thoughts and Advice for Founders Pitching to Investors

Are Venture Capitalists Helping or Hurting Your Startup? | EP 071 Jason Shuman

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 17:06:42 +0000

Join us in this episode as we talk with Jason Shuman, a General Partner at Primary Ventures. Jason shares his journey from selling shoes to becoming a big name in venture capital and we dive deep into how venture capitalists like him support and grow startups. Jason talks about his early days of starting his own business, his experiences, and how he moved into the world of investing. He explains what startups need to do to succeed and how investors can really help them grow. You’ll hear stories from Jason’s own life, like how driving for Uber helped him make important business connections. He also gives us a peek into his strategies for picking and supporting new companies. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned investors, and anyone interested in the transformative power of venture capital. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency, VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

Chapters -

0:00 - Intro: Value and Impact of Venture Capital 5:05 - The Growth and Influence of New York's Tech Ecosystem 10:17 - Leveraging the "X for Y" Investment Framework 15:10 - The Strategic Use of AI for Enhancing Small Businesses 20:04 - Understanding the Dynamics of SMB Customer Acquisition 25:00 - The Role and Impact of Expert Networks in Venture Capital 30:44 - Discussing the Distinct Approach of Primary’s Investment Team 35:42 - Insights into the Scale and Incentives in Venture Capital 40:16 - The Significance of Being Present and Engaged in Investments 45:21 - Practical Advice for Founders on Learning and Networking 50:02 - Closing Remarks and Reflections on Venture Capital Practices

Navigating Innovation in Transportation and Electrification | EP 070 Sunil Paul

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we welcome Sunil Paul, a pioneer in ride-sharing and a significant figure in sustainable transportation. Paul, who started Sidecar and influenced the early stages of Getaround, dives into his newest venture, Spring Free EV. With his extensive experience, including his early work as a NASA contractor and AOL's first internet product manager, Paul brings a rich history of innovation and policy analysis. Join us as Sunil Paul shares his journey from a technology policy analyst in Washington D.C. to becoming a cornerstone in the evolution of ride-sharing and electric vehicles. The discussion unpacks the origins and future of Spring Free EV, emphasizing its role in transitioning fleet vehicles from gas to electric through innovative financing models. Paul elaborates on the challenges and potential of electric vehicles in solving the climate crisis, reflecting on how electrification can aid in managing renewable energy sources like solar and wind due to battery storage capabilities. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

What Makes a Startup Transform the World | EP 069 Peter Relan

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0000

We welcome Peter Relan, a seasoned Silicon Valley veteran with a rich 40-year history of entrepreneurship and investment. Renowned for founding the YouWeb Incubator, Relan has been instrumental in the early stages of companies that have become household names, such as Discord. His early engagement with VSC Ventures has been invaluable, and his participation promises a wealth of knowledge and experience. Relan shares the compelling story behind Discord's success, emphasizing the importance of a strong founding team, innovative thinking, and the right investor support. The conversation also turns to Relan's unique approach with YouWeb, where he opts for a deeply involved, personalized mentoring method, distinguishing his work from more conventional, larger-scale incubators. His ability to foresee and act on emerging trends, from digital entertainment to the latest advancements in climate technology, highlights his forward-thinking approach. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

Secrets to Spotting the Next Big Thing the Baukunst Way | EP 068

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:10:00 -0100

This week, we host Kate McAndrew, founding partner of Baukunst. We discuss the ‘art of building’ successful startups and VC firms as well as the philosophy and practices that have driven Kate to find and invest in groundbreaking technologies over her venture career. From building and leading a $100 million Fund I to championing innovative business models, Kate shares her journey and insights on taking risks, the importance of art and design in technology, and how to be the perfect board member for transformative companies. If you're curious about what it takes to build the future and create category-defining companies that matter, this conversation is for you. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem. Chapters 00:00:00 Trailer 00:00:44 Introduction 00:07:21 What's the secret to leading pre-seed rounds successfully 00:11:33 How do founders find the right Venture Capital fit 00:20:57 Focusing solely on the end goal can lead to failure 00:23:29 How do founders stay motivated for goals YEARS AWAY 00:33:26 Resume Versus Real Experience: What Matters Most? 00:35:40 How an Airbnb executive created a baby formula brand 00:41:36 Why some founders succeed without deep industry experience 00:45:54 How do Venture Capital Teams handle competition 00:49:50 Being too hard on yourself can doom your startup 00:53:19 Technology isn't the only answer to climate change

When Technology Transcends Screens with Sunil Nagaraj | EP 067

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 13:00:00 -0100

We're honored to host Sunil Nagaraj, a visionary investor in the intersection of deep tech and climate innovation, and founding partner of Ubiquity Ventures. Nagaraj's unique perspective on "software beyond the screen" and his commitment to supporting early-stage, tech-driven startups are at the forefront of our discussion. We dive into the essence of nurturing technologies with disciplined financing and the strategic scaling of startups to mitigate climate change.

Our conversation spans a variety of topics, from the complexities of venture capital in the climate tech space to the pivotal role of startups in driving substantial change. Sunil shares insights on the importance of focusing on high-impact areas and the potential pitfalls in the startup ecosystem, particularly emphasizing the significance of avoiding the "moonshot culture" that often hinders the progress of deep tech ventures.

About VSC Ventures:

VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC.

Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds.

Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

Links discussed in this episode:

Moonshot Culture is Strangling Deeptech article: https://www.ubqt.vc/p/moonshot-culture-is-strangling-deeptech

Ubiquity University: https://university.ubiquity.vc/

Special from Consensus in Conversation: Matt Rogers of Mill Industries on Food Waste, Impactful Product Design, and Innovation

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:31:59 -0100

This week, we have the privilege of presenting a discussion from "Consensus in Conversation," hosted by Conor Gaughan, featuring Matt Rogers, CEO of Mill Mills. This episode dives into Matt's impressive journey from his formative years at Apple, where he contributed to the design of groundbreaking products like the iPhone and iPod, to co-founding Nest, and now leading the charge at Mill with a mission to combat food waste through innovative consumer hardware. Matt shares his thoughts on the power of intelligent product design not only to create impactful consumer products but also to address significant environmental challenges. The conversation is a rich exploration of design thinking, sustainability, and making a meaningful impact through entrepreneurship. It's a compelling listen for anyone interested in how thoughtful engineering can contribute to a better world. You’ll gain valuable insights from Matt's experience in building a complete product experience, the critical role of perseverance in entrepreneurship, and the balance between driving purpose and profit. Be sure to tune in next week as CLIMB returns to its regular programming, continuing to explore stories of innovation, resilience, and the journey towards a more sustainable world.

Taking a Systems-Based Approach to Surviving Climate Change | EP 065 Ian Samuels

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:00:00 -0100

We are joined by Ian Samuels, founder and managing partner of New System Ventures, a climate tech investment firm dedicated to fostering transformative climate solutions. With a rich background in climate finance, policy, and technology, Ian offers deep insights into the intersection of climate innovation and investment. Our discussion dives into the role of policy in climate tech, the nuances of climate-focused investing, the challenges and opportunities in decarbonizing sectors like transportation, as well as the growth of The conversation also touches on the importance of capital efficiency in climate tech startups and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on the climate technology landscape. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

Athletes in the Boardroom | EP 064 Eric Rosenblum

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 13:27:00 -0100

We have the pleasure of hosting Eric Rosenblum, the Managing Partner at Foothill Ventures. Eric shares his compelling journey from his humble beginnings in a small Ohio town to making significant strides in the tech world, including his time at Google where he embraced the fast-paced culture and learned valuable lessons in building scalable solutions. We dive into Eric's expertise in guiding startups through the complex landscape of deep tech and climate technology, drawing on his vast experiences from Google to launching successful ventures in Shanghai. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

Pouring the Foundations for Artificial Intelligence in Concrete | EP 063 Alex Hall

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:00:00 -0100

We are excited to welcome Alex Hall, co-founder and CEO of Concrete AI, a trailblazer in the construction industry's shift towards sustainability. With an innovative generative AI platform, Concrete AI revolutionizes the concrete mix formulation process, significantly reducing time, costs, and carbon emissions for manufacturers and the construction sector. Our discussion with Alex will explore how generative AI is transforming traditional practices and the broader implications for sustainability in construction. We'll also touch on the challenges and opportunities in adopting new technologies within this age-old industry. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

What VCs Talk About Behind Closed Doors | EP 062 Rishi Taparia

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 13:00:00 -0100

We're excited to have Rishi Taparia, Twitter friend turned real-life companion and the founder and managing partner of Garuda Ventures. With the recent close of their first institutional fund at $31 million, Garuda Ventures is taking the early-stage startup world by storm, offering not just capital, but invaluable advice and support to entrepreneurs. Rishi shares his journey from banking to venture capital, and then as an operator in growing companies, before making his way back to venture, emphasizing the importance of resilience, relationship-building, and the nuanced understanding of market needs. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

Why Metrics Shouldn’t Matter, and Funds Shouldn’t Bloat | EP 061 Graham Brown

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:22:25 -0100

We sit down with Graham Brown, Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau Ventures. Brown brings his venture capital expertise to the table, focusing on climate tech innovation. Lerer Hippeau has been the earliest investor in some of the most iconic consumer brands of the last decade, including Casper, Oscar, Buzzfeed, Mirror, Axios, and more. In late 2022, they announced $230M across two new funds. More recently, the fund has been an active investor in the kinds of climate and industrial automation companies we love to discuss on CLIMB. Our conversation covers the detrimental impact of large fund sizes on the early-stage founders they back, the evolving venture scene in New York over the past decade, and what makes climate tech startups succeed in 2024. Brown is now at the helm of one of the most iconic seed funds in our business and this interview had key insights for entrepreneurs and investors navigating the venture market in 2024. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

The Truth Behind Fifth Wall's Climate Tech Revolution | EP 060 Francesca Whitehead

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:00:00 -0100

We are excited to welcome Francesca Whitehead. As a Vice President at Fifth Wall, Francesca brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on the intersection of property technology (prop tech) and climate innovation. Fifth Wall, known for being the largest venture fund in real estate and prop tech, plays a pivotal role in decarbonizing the built environment, aligning perfectly with Francesca’s passion for impactful climate investing. Francesca shares her journey from growing up in Hong Kong and Vietnam, where the impacts of climate change were a daily reality, to her roles at Goldman Sachs and KKR, where she honed her investment skills with a focus on climate-related projects. She dives into her time at G2VP, a climate tech-focused fund, and discusses her current role at Fifth Wall, highlighting her strategic moves in the climate tech space, especially in Europe. We dive into the significance of heat pumps in reducing home emissions, the challenges and opportunities in carbon accounting, and the evolving landscape of climate tech investing. Francesca's insights into the complexities of the built environment, from materials to construction and building management, shed light on the potential for significant climate impact. This episode is brought to you by VSC Ventures, a leader in supporting and promoting climate startups. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

The Silent Killer of Startups Decoded by Nate Williams | EP 059

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:49:00 -0100

We sit down with Nate Williams, the founding partner of Union Labs Ventures. This episode dives into the complexities of startup success and the role of sales in ensuring a startup's longevity and growth. Nate Williams begins by discussing common pitfalls in startups, particularly the tendency to over-feature products, which can hinder finding a true Minimum Viable Product (MVP). He emphasizes the importance of focusing on one customer segment and use case, and securing payment for it as a foundation for success. We then explore the problem Union Labs aimed to solve in the venture capital industry. Nate, drawing on his experience as an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at Kleiner Perkins and a veteran in running successful startups, shares insights into the evolution of venture capital, particularly in deep tech. Union Labs was conceived to assist entrepreneurs from day zero, focusing on two key aspects: de-risking the product-market fit and addressing the crux of product development in deep tech. Closing the episode, Nate offers insights into the broader implications of deep tech investment for venture capital funds and Limited Partners (LPs). He stresses the importance of understanding the unique nature of deep tech, which often involves a higher level of technical risk and requires specialized knowledge and approach from investors. This episode is brought to you by VSC Ventures, a leader in supporting and promoting climate and technology startups. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

The New Era of Climate Technology | 058 Micah Kotch

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:43:16 -0100

We're joined by Micah Kotch, an influential figure in the climate investment arena and a partner at Blackhorn Ventures. Kotch's expertise lies in investing in companies that revolutionize the way we use resources, emphasizing the integration of digital infrastructure to accelerate the energy transition. On this episode, Micah shares his experiences and insights on leveraging artificial intelligence in the fight against climate change. We explore how AI is reshaping various sectors, from energy to construction, and its pivotal role in designing efficient and sustainable solutions. Kotch discusses the importance of foundational data assets and how startups can leverage them for operational improvements and supply chain resilience. He also sheds light on the evolving landscape of micromobility, focusing on how it aligns with urban electrification and its potential to reshape cityscapes. We discuss the challenges and opportunities in this sector, including the emergence of new business models and the impact of regulatory environments on the growth of micromobility solutions. This episode is proudly presented by VSC Ventures, a trailblazer in supporting and promoting climate startups. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

How Streamline helps startups unlock $100B in climate grant funding | EP 057 with Helena Merk

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 16:48:54 -0100

We're joined by Helena Merk, CEO of Streamline Climate. Helena, who started as a coder, now leads the charge in helping startups navigate the tricky world of climate tech funding. What led her from coding to this niche? How do startups succeed in this complex world? Helena shares insights into different grant programs, the importance of building relationships with grant issuers, and the challenges startups face in the grant landscape. Helena also emphasizes Streamline's role in aiding companies to find and apply for appropriate grants. About Streamline Climate: Streamline Climate is an innovative platform designed to assist climate companies in the fast and efficient drafting of proposals, particularly for grants, RFPs, permits, accelerator applications, and awards. The service is geared towards teams looking to maximize their impact in the climate sector, providing a streamlined process for generating and managing documents. Streamline Climate offers a variety of features including templates, AI-driven suggestions for key points in proposals, and tools for building a compelling narrative, all aimed at saving time and enhancing the quality of submissions. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

NYC's Plan to Outrun Climate Apocalypse – But Could It Backfire? | EP 056 Sander Dolder

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 20:05:15 -0100

Sander Dolder, Senior Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), dives into their unique structure and goals. NYCEDC was established in the 1990s to repurpose federal properties turned over to the city, including transforming Times Square and repurposing industrial sites. Dolder discusses NYCEDC's efforts to diversify New York City's economy post-2008 recession, particularly focusing on climate transition and sustainable industries. He shares his journey from management consulting to his current role, driven by a passion for merging environmental justice work with the private sector. The discussion also touches on the challenges and opportunities in public-private partnerships, particularly in the climate technology sector, where local government interaction is crucial. Dolder emphasizes the importance of bridging gaps in ecosystem, workforce development, and infrastructure to facilitate the adoption of sustainable practices and technologies in New York City. This episode is brought to you by VSC Ventures. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

Are Politicians Killing Our Effort Towards Climate Change? | EP 055 Susan Schofer

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 21:17:25 -0100

Susan Schofer, Partner at SOSV and Chief Science Officer at HAX provides a fascinating look at how scientists transition into entrepreneurs, identifying key traits that contribute to the success of scientific founders in the startup world. We dive into the concept of "Industrial Independence" and its global impact, alongside insights into the US-China trade war's effect on tech startups. Susan discusses the unique challenges of a Chief Science Officer in driving hard tech innovations and the journey from scientific discovery to entrepreneurship.

The conversation also highlights the transformative potential of synthetic biology and the obstacles in scaling new materials. Susan offers her perspective on the evolving climate technology landscape, emphasizing the significance of localized production and innovation. Whether you're a professional in the tech industry, a budding entrepreneur, or simply a curious mind passionate about sustainability, this episode is packed with thought-provoking discussions and insights. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

What Makes Consumers Actually Care About the Climate Crisis | EP 054 Alejandro de la Garza

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 22:21:25 -0100

Alejandro de la Garza, a reporter for Time, takes us on a journey through the complex world of climate and energy. From the latest advancements in sustainable technology to the challenges posed by global climate change, we dive into a conversation that's not just about understanding the problems but also about exploring viable solutions and innovations. - What are the latest trends in renewable energy? - How is technology shaping our response to climate change? - What does the future hold in the realm of climate and energy synergy? Alejandro brings his expertise and experience to answer these vital questions.

Find Alejandro’s articles here:⁠ - The Cruise Industry Is On a Course For Climate Disaster⁠

⁠- The Ocean is the Next Frontier for the Carbon Removal Industry⁠

⁠⁠⁠- The ‘Hurricane Tax’ Hitting Florida Alongside Idalia⁠

- ⁠How Offshore Wind Can Supply 25% of U.S. Electricity by 2050⁠

- ⁠Alejandro's TIME page ⁠ About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

Timestamps: 00:00:00 Trailer 00:00:59 Introduction 00:06:16 How do journalists select climate stories 00:10:43 The consumer responsibility in a climate-conscious world 00:13:23 The climate dilemma of cruise vacations 00:17:04 The economic hurdles of green cruising 00:19:09 Can the Tesla model work for other eco-friendly products? 00:21:11 The IMO's struggle to set global maritime emission standards 00:27:36 The media gap in climate change advocacy 00:32:00 How companies blame consumers for climate crisis 00:42:44 Our last resort for climate change 00:46:25 Can we still count on Elon Musk as a climate leader? 00:51:50 Finding hope amidst climate doom

How Climate Change is Making Our Food Expensive | EP 053 Shayna Harris

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 18:32:43 -0100

Shayna Harris, Co-Founder of Supply Change Capital digs deep into the critical world of food sustainability. Shayna's journey from an activist to a trailblazer in sustainable food systems offers invaluable insights into the ever-evolving landscape of our food supply chain. Under Shayna's guidance, Supply Change Capital is making significant strides in sustainable agriculture, shedding light on the impact of climate change on food production and the vital role of venture capital in driving innovation in the food sector. This episode describes the challenges and triumphs of creating a sustainable food future. From alternative proteins to the intersection of technology and food sustainability, Shayna shares her expertise and predictions for a healthier planet and a more sustainable food ecosystem. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

Why Revel’s Risky Bet with New York City Paid Off for Urban Mobility | Ep. 052 Frank Reig

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:53:25 -0100

Frank Reig, the CEO of Revel, gives us the inside scoop on how he turned his vision into reality, from convincing Texas lawmakers to embrace his ideas to launching a fleet of electric vehicles in the heart of NYC.

We're diving into ⁠Revel⁠ – a dynamic startup that's revolutionizing how we move around cities. Starting with their iconic electric mopeds in New York, Revel has grown into a powerhouse, tackling urban electrification head-on.

But Revel's story is more than just cool blue Teslas and mopeds whizzing through city streets. Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of building a climate impact company, the evolution from shared mobility to electrification, and the bold bets that paid off. Revel's journey is a story of innovation, persistence, and a deep commitment to a greener future. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

Fred Lalonde’s Vision for Reversing the Collapse of the Carbon Cycle | EP. 051

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 22:29:17 -0100

Frederic Lalonde is a trailblazer in the tech and climate sectors. As the co-founder of Deep Sky, Lalonde is at the forefront of combating climate change through innovative carbon capture technology.

Deep Sky, a state-backed venture, is dedicated to removing gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere at an unprecedented rate, embodying the belief that with the right people and resources, we can make a lasting impact on our planet.

Before his work with Deep Sky, Lalonde co-founded Hopper, a travel app that has transformed the way we plan and book travel, selling $7 billion of travel and travel financial services per year. His journey in the tech world began with Newtrade Technologies, which was acquired by Expedia in 2002, marking the start of a remarkable career that blends technology with a deep commitment to sustainability.

In this episode, Lalonde shares his insights on the urgent need for carbon capture solutions. Join us as we explore Frederic Lalonde's inspiring journey from tech entrepreneur to climate innovator.

About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

Jay Kapoor & Vijay Chattha: Why Climate Startups Fail at Storytelling & More Reflections from 50 Episodes of CLIMB

Jay Kapoor — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 14:10:00 +0000

Jay Kapoor & Vijay Chattha are the founders and general partners of VSC Ventures, a $21M Seed fund focused on industrial automation and climate adaptation startups.

In their 50th episode of CLIMB, the duo discuss lessons from the past 49 episodes, which guests surprised them, what advice founders should never ignore as well as sectors and trends that are over and under-hyped in 2023 and beyond.

Lior Susan: Bringing Full-Stack Innovation to Legacy Industries For a Sustainable Future | EP. 049

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Lior is an investor, entrepreneur, and the Founder and Managing Partner of Eclipse Ventures, a Palo Alto-based venture firm that recently raised $1.2 billion across two new funds. Eclipse is a team of operators and investors building companies that are disrupting old-line industries.

Lior Susan began his journey on a kibbutz and served in the Israeli Special Forces. In 2008, he co-developed Intucell, a software-defined networking solution, leading to its acquisition by Cisco in four years. Prior to launching Eclipse, Lior was Founder and General Partner at LabIX, the hardware investment platform of Flextronics. At LabIX, Lior led investments in companies across: energy storage, wireless/infrastructure, 3-D optics, additive manufacturing, and robotics.

Lior founded Eclipse Ventures in 2014 to meet the unique and unmet needs of entrepreneurs building full-stack start-ups. He is particularly excited to work with founders who want to bring the full-stack approach to legacy industries and build digital bridges to the physical world.

About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

Shane Dyer: Revolutionizing Water Efficiency with Irrigreen Tech | EP. 048

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Shane Dyer is the CEO of Irrigreen. Irrigreen designs and manufactures an all-digital sprinkler system that uses software-controlled precision sprinkler heads to deliver water uniformly across your landscape and reduce unnecessary water usage.

Shane has an extensive background in technology, especially in IoT development. Before Irrigreen, he was the founder and CEO of Arrayent, an IoT platform used by top brands like Whirlpool and Pentair. He also co-founded Propellerhead Studios, which collaborated with giants like Mattel and Hasbro, and established ActivePhoto Inc., connecting digital cameras to phones and serving clients like Allstate.

He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Systems Engineering from Stanford University.

About VSC Ventures:

VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in industrial automation and climate adaptation startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem

Shaun Abrahamson: Diving Deep into Hardware, Risk, and a Post-Climate Change World | EP. 047

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Shaun Abrahamson co-founded Third Sphere, dedicated to shaping a post-climate change world through venture investments and founder support.

Before Third Sphere, Shaun was an active angel investor, investing in more than 20 firms and 3 unicorns between 2007 and 2013 including ZocDoc, Public, Trialpay, Refinery29, Skycatch, and Tonx. During this time, Shaun also led multiple sustainability-focused projects like Life Edited to design ultra-low GHG apartments in New York City as well as Betacup to cut paper cup waste for Starbucks.

Shaun began venture building at companies like MediaSentry, Starmedia Network, govWorks, and Oculus, with a foundation in climate work from MIT CADLab in 1997.

Shaun has an MBA from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership and a BSc from the University of Cape Town.

About VSC Ventures:

Sarah Applebaum: Leading Climate Innovation Through Hard-Tech Innovation | EP. 046

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Sarah Applebaum serves as a Partner at Pangaea Ventures. Pangaea Ventures is an unparalleled hard-tech investor that invests in firms utilizing the latest breakthroughs in materials science, chemistry and biology to solve many of society's most pressing issues

Sarah brings almost a decade of venture capital and company building experience to the team. Sarah has cultivated expertise in building entrepreneurial teams, scaling early stage ventures, and venture financing. Sarah is an active mentor to early-stage entrepreneurs and a startup community activator and advocate.

Sarah led Pangaea’s investments into pH7, PolySpectra and Correlia Biosystems. Sarah holds a Bsc. From Dalhousie University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.

About VSC Ventures:

For 20 years, our award-winning ⁠⁠PR agency VSC⁠⁠ has worked with innovative startups on positioning, messaging, and awareness and we are bringing that same expertise to help climate startups with storytelling and narrative building. Last year, general partners Vijay Chattha and Jay Kapoor raised a $21M fund to co-invest in the most promising startups alongside leading climate funds.

Through the conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share what we're doing at VSC and VSC Ventures on climate innovation with companies like ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Vibrant Planet⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Zume⁠⁠ among many others.

Valerie Shen: Catalyzing Climate Tech's Next Wave with G2 Venture Partners | EP. 045

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:00:22 +0000

Valerie Shen is Partner and Chief Operating Officer at G2 Venture Partners, where she oversees all operational aspects of the firm and fund including fundraising /LP relations, recruiting / HR, fund administration, impact reporting, legal, compliance, and marketing.

Prior to business school, Valerie was an analyst at Kleiner Perkins’ $1B Green Growth Fund, where she helped the team found G2. Before that she was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where she worked across four continents, primarily on energy projects.

She has also held positions at the U.S. Senate, X (Google’s “moonshot factory”), Goldman Sachs, Jane Street Capital, and The Wilderness Society.

Valerie holds a B.A. degree summa cum laude in Environmental Science & Public Policy and Earth & Planetary Sciences from Harvard University. She holds an M.B.A. and M.S. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University, where she was a Siebel Scholar and an Arjay Miller Scholar.

About VSC Ventures:

Molly Wood: Pioneering Climate Solutions from the Newsroom to the Boardroom | EP. 044

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Molly is the Founder and CEO of Molly Wood Media, an independent journalism and investing firm focused on climate solutions. She is also an angel investor and scout for the climate investment firm Amasia, and was previously a managing director at LAUNCH, where she also co-hosted the podcast This Week in Startups.

Molly Wood is a veteran of national media (Marketplace on National Public Radio, the New York Times, and CBS Interactive) and began covering climate tech in 2018. At Marketplace, she created and launched a reporting series and documentary podcast called How We Survive, looking at the business opportunities and technologies aimed at combating climate change.

At Molly Wood Media, Molly is combining both career paths into one company. Her new podcast, Everybody in the Pool, is accompanied by a newsletter of the same name.

About VSC Ventures:

Vaughn Blake: Bridging Policy and Tech for a Sustainable Future | EP. 043

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Vaughn Blake is a partner at Blue Bear Capital with a focus on the renewal energy industry. He is specifically focused on themes and opportunities where policy and technology catalysts interconnect.

Prior to Blue Bear, Vaughn managed a portfolio of emerging and esoteric hedge fund and venture capital fund strategies at a Southern California-based Family Office.

He is the founder and managing director of Autochrome Ventures, an early-stage venture firm investing in frontier technologies applied at industrial and enterprise scale.

He currently holds board positions at Emerge, Transect, Mira, and First Resonance.

Vaughn received his Bachelor of Arts from Colorado College.

About VSC Ventures:

For 20 years, our award-winning ⁠PR agency VSC⁠ has worked with innovative startups on positioning, messaging, and awareness and we are bringing that same expertise to help climate startups with storytelling and narrative building. Last year, general partners Vijay Chattha and Jay Kapoor raised a $21M fund to co-invest in the most promising startups alongside leading climate funds.

Through the conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share what we're doing at VSC and VSC Ventures on climate innovation with companies like ⁠Ample⁠, ⁠Actual⁠, ⁠Sesame Solar⁠, ⁠Synop⁠, ⁠Vibrant Planet⁠, and ⁠Zume⁠ among many others.

Tommy Stadlen: Shaping a Better World through Tech, Sustainability, and Global Leadership | EP. 042

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Tommy Stadlen is a technology entrepreneur and bestselling author. He is the Co-Founder of Giant Ventures.

Giant builds and backs purpose-driven technology companies solving the world’s biggest challenges. They champion entrepreneurs in creating a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient planet. Giant is a multi-stage, thesis-driven firm based in London, LA, and Copenhagen.

Previous to Giant Ventures, he was the Co-Founder of Swing Technologies, which exited to Microsoft in November 2017.

Tommy is a former McKinsey consultant with global experience advising companies and governments. He previously worked for President Obama.

Tommy is also the co-author of the international bestseller ‘Connect: How Companies Succeed by Engaging Radically With Society’, written with former BP CEO Lord Browne. He appears regularly in the media and at conferences as a commentator on business, technology, and sustainability.

Tommy graduated with First Class honors from Oxford and holds an MSc (Distinction) from the London School of Economics. He is an advisor to NYU Stern School of Business and a One Young World Ambassador.

Tommy has been recognized by the Financial Times as one of the top 50 Global Ally Executives and by Entrepreneur magazine's Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America awards.

About VSC Ventures:

Shomik Dutta: Pioneering Climate Tech Through Policy, Investment, and Innovation | EP. 041

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Shomik Dutta is a dynamic force in the climate investment landscape. As the Co-Founder and General Partner of Higher Ground Labs venture fund, he brings a unique blend of experience and expertise to the table. With a background in private equity renewable energy,

Shomik has a deep understanding of sustainable solutions. His journey has been nothing short of remarkable, having served as an Obama White House aide and contributing his skills to the Obama ‘08 & ‘12 campaigns. Shomik's advisory role to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski further underscores his commitment to meaningful change. Prior to his impactful roles in climate advocacy, he honed his financial acumen through his work at Morgan Stanley investment banking. With a trailblazing career spanning multiple arenas, Shomik is a driving force behind the intersection of innovation, policy, and investment in the pursuit of a greener future.

About VSC Ventures:

Abe Murray: Pioneering the Future of Robotics in the Age of Climate Innovation | EP. 040

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Abe Murray is a visionary founder, accomplished builder, and distinguished product engineering lead with a remarkable track record in the tech industry. Currently serving as a General Partner at AlleyCorp Robotics, Abe leverages his expertise to drive innovation and excellence in the field of robotics and technology.

Abe was previously a product and engineering leader at Alphabet. He launched Play Books and Magazines at Android, delivered $XXXM in business while building the Verily Life Science product teams and Boston office, and shipped AI /ML/computer vision across Google while building the Google Research product team. Before Google, he built a Web 2.0 startup and worked on UAVs in the defense industry.

Abe has some shiny degrees (HBS MBA, WPI MS EE, URI BS Comp Eng) but says he learned the most when he dropped out of high school to run fishing boats and factory lines in the family aquaculture business.

In his free time, Abe enjoys being a parent and partner, building all kinds of things with his kids, and staying as healthy as he's able.

About VSC Ventures:

Ryan Gembala: Revolutionizing Climate Solutions with A.I. and Robotics | EP. 039

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Ryan Gembala is a pre-seed and seed-stage technology investor & founder of Pathbreaker Ventures. As founder of one of the first deep tech funds in Silicon Valley, he is focused on solving complex global problems through novel hardware-software systems. In 2023, Ryan was named one of the Top 100 Seed Investors by Business Insider.

Prior to starting Pathbreaker, Ryan was a deal lead on the corporate development team at Facebook where he worked with product and engineering teams to landscape technology ecosystems and execute acquisitions in pursuit of Facebook's mission. Acquisitions worked on include Oculus, PrivateCore, LiveRail, Teehan Lax, and NimbleVR. Emerging areas of technology were his focus, including AI/ML, deep learning, computer vision, virtual reality, applied hardware, and infrastructure technologies across security, video, messaging, and product design.

Prior to Facebook, Ryan worked in both investing and operating roles at Azure Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm with $750 million under management. In addition to series A & B investing, he worked within portfolio companies as VP of Business Development & Partnerships at Telly, the video discovery & content network, and at Convercent, the SAAS leader in employee governance, risk, and compliance.

Ryan is the co-founder of H.E.R.O. for Children, the first non-profit focused on quality of life care for children affected by HIV/AIDS. Ryan built HERO to $1 million in revenue and 2,000 volunteers. In 2019, HERO celebrated its 16th Anniversary, and Ryan continues to serve on the Board.

Ryan earned his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where he focused on finance, entrepreneurship, and early stage technology investing. While in business school, he and his team won the International Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) out of 56 MBA programs.

Ryan speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian and loves exploring new topics, countries, and foods.

About VSC Ventures:

Michael DeLucia: Insights from a Trillion-Dollar Climate Investor | EP. 038

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Michael DeLucia is the Sector Lead for Climate Investing at Wellington, an investment management firm with over $1 trillion assets under management.

Before joining Wellington Management in 2021, Mike was a founding partner at ⁠Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners⁠ (SIP), where he led all aspects of the investment process for companies and projects in the infrastructure technology space, focusing.

Prior to joining Wellington Management in 2021, Mike was a founding partner at Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), where he led all aspects of the investment process for companies and projects in the infrastructure technology space, with a focus on investments in the energy transition and the built environment. SIP is a spin-off of Alphabet’s cities-of-the-future arm, Sidewalk Labs, where he worked as associate director, of investments.

He was also previously a vice president in the Energy Markets Division of Macquarie Group, investing directly in the energy and power sectors. Mike began financing energy companies as a project finance analyst at HSH Nordbank, then as an investment associate at Nereus Capital.

Mike holds a B.A. in philosophy and economics from Brown University.

About VSC Ventures:

For 20 years, our award-winning ⁠⁠PR agency VSC⁠⁠ has worked with innovative startups on positioning, messaging, and awareness. We are bringing that expertise to help climate startups with storytelling and narrative building. Last year, general partners Vijay Chattha and Jay Kapoor raised a $21M fund to co-invest in the most promising startups alongside leading climate funds.

David McColl: Navigating the Intersections of Climate, Community and Innovation | EP. 037

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000

David McColl is currently the Executive Director of Stanford Climate Ventures and is a Graduate Research Fellow at the Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy & Finance. He is also a Partner at Echelon, an early-stage venture capital firm, and its affiliate Shoreline Capital.

David received a B.S. in Management Science & Engineering and an M.S. in Energy Resources Engineering from Stanford University. He is a nationally-ranked beach volleyball player.
About VSC Ventures: For 20 years, our award-winning ⁠⁠PR agency VSC⁠⁠ has worked with innovative startups on positioning, messaging, and awareness. We are bringing that expertise to help climate startups with storytelling and narrative building. Last year, general partners Vijay Chattha and Jay Kapoor raised a $21M fund to co-invest in the most promising startups alongside leading climate funds. Through the conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share what we're doing at VSC and VSC Ventures on climate innovation with companies like ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Vibrant Planet⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Zume⁠⁠ among many others.

Nazlican Goksu: Unleashing the Power of Design in Climate Action | EP. 036

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Nazlican Goksu is a Design Director at IDEO, the design studio behind breakout products like Apple’s first usable mouse, the Simplisafe Security System, and Ford’s next-gen vehicles. She has collaborated and supported the launch of IDEO's Climate Portfolio, where she leads a team of designers in building products, services, and ventures that help advance climate goals. Sustainability, climate action, and circular design are all passion areas for her, and she believes design can play a critical role in addressing today’s global challenges.

Before joining IDEO, she co-founded her own design studio in New York which she successfully ran for four years. Her background in Design Research and Industrial Design has helped her develop a deep understanding of the design process and the importance of human-centered design.

She earned her B.A. in Product Design from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London and Post Baccalaureate Program in Human Sciences at Columbia University.

About VSC Ventures:

Shawn Xu: On Venture Investing & Decoding the Journey from Zero to One in Climate Tech | EP. 035

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Shawn Xu is a venture capitalist and current Chief of Staff at Lowercarbon Capital. Shawn believes in audacious founders and bold solutions to the climate crisis and we wanted to have him on CLIMB because he's not just an investor; he's also a relentless builder helping to expand Lowercarbon's platform and founder products.

Shawn has personally partnered with ~50 companies to date and brings with him a wealth of knowledge on helping founders go zero to one, from ideation to product-market fit. As a Partner at On Deck's venture fund and accelerator, he successfully backed companies in over 20 countries, earning a perfect founder NPS of 100. Prior stints at Floodgate and First Round Capital's Dorm Room Fund propelled him into Forbes' 30 Under 30 for Venture Capital.

Before his investing career, Shawn was a startup executive leading international expansion for companies like Square. His commitment to social impact led him to serve as a tech policy advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

A Silicon Valley native, Shawn earned his MBA/MA in International Affairs from Wharton and the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania after completing his undergraduate studies at UC San Diego.

About VSC Ventures:

Sophie Purdom: Transforming Earth's Future with Planeteer Capital and Climate Tech VC | EP. 034

Jay Kapoor — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 14:52:54 +0000

Sophie Purdom is a leading climate venture capitalist at Planeteer Capital, specializing in early-stage climate tech startups. Sophie's passion for climate and innovation is also expressed through her highly popular newsletter, Climate Tech VC. With a community of over 50,000 subscribers, she explores cutting-edge advancements in climate technology and sustainable innovation.

Her diverse experience includes launching an ESG fund, strategy development at Bain & Co., publishing a book on sustainable investing, and co-founding a successful agricultural tech company that raised more than $65 million.

About VSC Ventures:

Rachel Beals: Climate Frontlines - Investments, Insights, and Actions for a Sustainable Future | EP. 033

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:00:57 +0000

Rachel Beals is a seasoned writer and editor with over two decades of expertise. She is currently the Assistant Managing Editor and Lead Climate Writer at MarketWatch.

Over a 25-year career, Rachel has covered traditional commodities markets, alternative energy and the major global conferences on emissions and biodiversity. She's also written on a range of investing and personal finance topics. Rachel originated two columns at MarketWatch aimed at helping investors, retirees and homeowners plan for global warming and a more sustainable future: Living With Climate Change and The Upcycler.

As she continues to analyze and articulate the pressing climate issues of our time, Rachel's insights have become an indispensable resource for her readers at MarketWatch and beyond.

About VSC Ventures:

Arvind Gupta: Pioneering Biotech Frontiers - Redefining Health, Planet, and Profit | EP. 032

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 14:00:31 +0000

Arvind Gupta co-leads Mayfield’s engineering biology practice and is Founder and Venture Advisor at IndieBio. He was the first investor in breakout bio companies such as Geltor, Synthex, Prime Roots, NotCo, Prellis, New Culture, DNA Lite and Memphis Meats.

As Founder of IndieBio, Arvind redefined the pace and possibilities of early stage biotech, investing in over 136 companies in five years, defining human and planetary health, and growing the IndieBio portfolio into billions of dollars in value. Prior to founding IndieBio, Arvind was Design Director at IDEO in Shanghai where he earned numerous international design awards.

He is also a co-author of Decoding the World: A Roadmap for the Questioner, and a frequent speaker at TechCrunch Disrupt, Slush, TedX and Future FoodTech. He received his B.S. in Genetic Engineering from UCSB. He holds 8 patents.

About VSC Ventures:

Ian Rountree: Investing at the Edge of Tomorrow - Unleashing Frontier Tech for Global Change | EP. 031

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 31 May 2023 13:01:44 +0000

Ian Rountree is the Founder & General Partner of Cantos Ventures, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm with $90M under management dedicated to backing deeply technical founders at inception across climate tech, computational biology, aerospace, and next-generation computing.

Ian started making angel investments in 2012 while on the early teams at SoFi Bank and then Invisible Technologies. He founded Cantos in 2016 to continue backing world-positive startups at pre-seed & seed stage.

In September 2022 they raised $50M for their third fund to invest in “near frontier” startups, which have the potential to mitigate climate change, disease, armed conflict, poverty, and existential risk on a global scale.

About VSC Ventures:

Jonathan Shieber⁠ & Manuel Waenke: How FootPrint Coalition is Shaping a Sustainable Future Through Climate Investing & Storytelling | EP. 030

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 24 May 2023 14:00:01 +0000

FootPrint Coalition invests in high-growth, sustainability-focused companies. They make charitable grants to non-profits that advance the adoption of environmental technology and entertain, inform, and mobilize the public with original and curated content. They are a coalition of investors, donors, and storytellers committed to scaling technologies to restore our planet.

Jonathan Shieber is the chief editor and a venture partner at FootPrint Coalition. He previously worked as Climate Editor, Contributors Editor, and a Senior Editor and writer at TechCrunch. Before TC he was a reporter covering venture capital and private equity investment in the U.S. and China at Dow Jones & Co. with work published in Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

Manuel Waenke, Director at FootPrint Coalition, is an experienced leader in the sustainability and climate tech industry. He previously served as the Head of Corporate Strategy & Development at an agriculture biotech startup. Starting his career at McKinsey in Austria, Manuel later moved to the US after earning his MBA at Stanford. His focus is on leading diligence and investment activities at FootPrint Coalition.

About VSC Ventures:

Tim De Chant: Covering Eco-Innovation & Reporting at the Intersection of Tech, Climate, and Conscious Consumerism | EP. 029

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 17 May 2023 13:00:12 +0000

Tim De Chant is a Senior Climate Reporter at TechCrunch and Founder and Editor at Future Proof, a publication covering climate and energy. Future Proof helps you make eco-friendly decisions when it comes to the stuff you buy with the goal of helping you to reduce your carbon footprint, one purchase at a time.

He is a lecturer in MIT's Graduate Program in Science Writing and has written for Wired, the Chicago Tribune, and NOVA Next, among others.

About VSC Ventures:

Mike Jackson: Harnessing Clean Energy Innovation & Investing in Startups Solving the Toughest Climate Challenges | EP. 028

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 10 May 2023 14:05:16 +0000

Mike Jackson is the Managing Director at Earthshot Ventures, where he invests in entrepreneurs solving the toughest climate challenges. He has built an impressive career as an investor, entrepreneur, board member, and advisor in sectors such as clean energy, food & agriculture, buildings, mobility, and public safety. Drawing from his extensive experience across all stages of startup growth, Mike is dedicated to helping climate startups scale.

Previously, Mike was a partner at the Westly Group, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm with over $400m under management in the clean energy sector. Starting as an intern, he quickly rose to partner in under five years. At the Westly Group, Mike's 10 deals raised over $1.1 billion in follow-on funding, with three successful acquisitions, one IPO, and five active, growing companies in the portfolio.

Before the Westly Group, Mike co-founded and led Village Green Energy, a renewable energy provider. He also served as the Indian Program Research Coordinator at Stanford University's Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, focusing on the impact of global energy market changes on developing economies.

About VSC Ventures:

Allison Agsten: The Future of Climate Storytelling & Shifting Perceptions on a Changing Planet | EP. 027

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 03 May 2023 13:00:05 +0000

Allison Agsten is the inaugural director of USC Annenberg’s Center for Climate Journalism and Communication. In her role, she conceptualizes programs, develops partnerships, and collaborates with faculty and students to shift public perception and response to climate change.

Previously, she has worked in journalism, communications, and public engagement capacities including as a producer at CNN, Director of Communications at LACMA, and Curator of Public Engagement at the Hammer Museum.

In addition to her appointment at the Annenberg School, Agsten serves as the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies’ first curator. In that position, she organizes exhibitions and other arts programs that focus on climate change.

Allison holds a BA from UCLA and an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.

About VSC Ventures:

For 20 years, our award-winning PR agency VSC has worked with innovative startups on positioning, messaging, and awareness and we are bringing that same expertise to help climate startups with storytelling and narrative building. Last year, general partners Vijay Chattha and Jay Kapoor raised a $21M fund to co-invest in the most promising startups alongside leading climate funds.

Through the conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share what we're doing at VSC and VSC Ventures on climate innovation with companies like Ample, Actual, Sesame Solar, Synop, Vibrant Planet, and Zume among many others.

Amy Francetic: Fueling Digital Climate Solutions & Building Bridges for Women in Venture | EP. 026

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 14:04:23 +0000

Amy Francetic is the founder of Buoyant Ventures, a new woman-owned venture fund in Chicago that invests in digital climate solutions. Her journey began at Evergreen Climate Innovations, where she co-founded and led the company as CEO, before moving on to Energize Ventures, a $165 million venture fund that propelled cutting-edge digital technologies to optimize energy equipment and infrastructure.

As a member of the Advisory Board for the WISER Institute at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Amy's influence extends beyond her ventures, shaping the future of sustainable solutions. Her remarkable contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, such as "20 Most Inspiring Chicagoans," Crain's Chicago "Tech 50 Leader," and the "Leading Woman in Technology" from the Illinois Technology Association.

She has a BA from Stanford University, and has over 25 years experience in the energy and high technology sectors, including the founding of two companies.

About VSC Ventures:

David Roberts: Exploring the Transition to Carbon-Free Energy: A Meta Story of Tech, Politics, and Community | EP. 025

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:31:47 +0000

For over 15 years, David Roberts has been exploring and writing about a variety of topics related to news and culture. From 2015 to 2020, he was with Vox, a news and culture publication for which he still occasionally writes and contributes. Previously, he was with Grist, a publication focused on environmental news, and has also written for Outside.

He has appeared on TV shows, radio programs, and podcasts such as All In with Chris Hayes, On the Media, Pod Save America, and Why Is This Happening? His work has been cited by numerous people, from Al Gore to US senators to pundits and media analysts, to name a few.

In 2020 David left Vox to start a newsletter/podcast called Volts about clean energy & politics. Rather than the broad-and-shallow view offered by most publications, he sifts through the flotsam for what matters and then goes deep on it. The goal is not quantity of information but quality of understanding.

About VSC Ventures:

Catherine Boudreau: Empowering the Planet Through Sustainability Reporting | EP. 024

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:23:12 +0000

Catherine Boudreau is senior sustainability reporter at Insider.

She previously spent six years at POLITICO, first covering food and agriculture policy and then helping launch the company's first sustainability beat focused on corporate accountability on environmental and social issues. She started her journalism career at Bloomberg BNA.

Her reporting has also been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek and on WAMU's 1A and WBUR's On Point.

About VSC Ventures:

Tom Chi: From Astrophysics to Self-Driving Cars & Fueling Deep Tech for a Greener Planet | EP. 023

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:27:59 +0000

Tom Chi is the Founding Partner at At One Ventures based in San Francisco. At One Ventures focuses on backing early-stage startups that use deep technology to reduce planetary footprint.

Tom has worked in a wide range of roles from astrophysical researcher to designer to corporate executive developing new hardware/software products and services. He's played a significant role in established projects with global reach (Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo Search, Google), and scaled new projects from conception to significance.

Tom spent several successful years at Google X as Head of Product Experience, where he and his team developed Google Glass and Google’s self-driving car. Before Google, Tom was Senior Director of Product and User Experience at Yahoo and was instrumental in scaling Yahoo Answers from 0 to 90 million users.

Tom holds a Master's of Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and is currently utilizing his passion for climate to mentor social entrepreneurs and help the next generation of climate tech startups scale.

About VSC Ventures:

Alex Brown: How Alga Biosciences is Curbing Methane Emissions & Solving the Climate Crisis One Cow Burp at a Time | EP. 022

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:54:24 +0000

Alex Brown started his career in the tech world and served as a Chief Engineer before turning his attention to science. He is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Alga Biosciences, which has set its sights on transforming the agricultural industry.

With a mission to eliminate methane produced by enteric fermentation, Alga has created a model to stop cattle from burping methane and make a dramatic impact on global methane emissions.

Through collaborations with cattle-owners, ranchers, and scientists, Alga is working to bring their model to the world in the fastest, cheapest, and most scalable way possible.

About VSC Ventures:

Leo Banchik: Engineering for a Sustainable Future, An In-Depth Conversation about Climate Tech Investing | EP. 021

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 13:31:14 -0100

Leo Banchik is a Partner at Global Founders Capital, leading their early-stage climate tech venture fund. He has a strong passion for sustainable technology and a unique combination of engineering and sustainability consulting experience.

A mechanical engineer by background and graduate of the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Leo has conducted research at two US National Labs and holds a MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on thermofluids. Before Global Founders Capital, Leo was a product manager at an early-stage desalination startup and spent 5 years in a global consultancy's sustainability practice.

About VSC Ventures:

Heather Clancy: Understanding Transformative Technology & the Role of Business Model Innovation for a Clean, Inclusive and Regenerative Economy | EP. 020

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 12:56:27 -0100

Heather Clancy is an award-winning journalist specializing in transformative technology and innovation. She started her reporting career on the business news desk of United Press International, and her articles have appeared in Entrepreneur, Fortune, The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times.

Heather was the launch editor for the Fortune Data Sheet, the magazine's newsletter dedicated to the business of technology, and she co-authored the Amazon best-seller for entrepreneurs, "Niche Down, How to Become Legendary By Being Different."

In her role at GreenBiz, Heather chronicles the role of business model innovation and technology in enabling corporate climate action and transitioning to a clean, inclusive and regenerative economy.

About VSC Ventures:

Dylan Welch: From TV Producer to Sustainability Pioneer & The Journey to a Greener Future | EP. 019

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:00:20 -0100

Dylan Welch is the Founder & CEO of Green.Org and Dylan Welch Media. He has a long history in television production and business development, having produced over 1,000 TV shows with ABC, NBC, CBS, and Amazon, before starting his own company with a focus on clean technology, renewable energy, and sustainability. Since then, Dylan has interviewed hundreds of scientists, CEOs, and experts in the renewable energy space, and has shared their stories to millions of people.

Dylan’s big picture goal is to build a media and communications company that leads the way to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future. By providing high quality, entertaining, and educational content, Green.Org will pave the way for future generations to live more sustainably.

About VSC Ventures:

Laurie Menoud: A Dive Into Deep Tech & Uncovering the Remarkable Opportunities in Planet-Positive Industries | EP. 018

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 14:14:41 -0100

Laurie Menoud is a Partner at At One Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on investing in a world where humanity becomes a net positive to nature.

A biotechnologist by training, Laurie’s played roles in the chemical industry, she’s built a dozen ventures out of DoD research programs, and she’s currently focused on finding, funding, and growing teams that catalyze planet-positive industries.

Some of At One Venture’s funded companies include robotic indoor farming company Iron Ox, earth digestible foam packaging company Cruz Foam and zero water textile dyeing company Alchemie Technology.

About VSC Ventures:

Michael Grunwald: A Glimpse Into the Future of Food & Fighting to Feed the World Without Frying the World | EP. 017

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 12:25:47 -0100

Michael Grunwald is a Miami-based journalist who fled the mainstream media after three decades with the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, Time Magazine & Politico Magazine. He wrote books for Simon & Schuster called The Swamp (about the Everglades and Florida) and The New New Deal (about the Obama administration), and now is working on another one about how to feed the world without frying the world.

He has won the George Polk Award for national reporting, the Worth Bingham Prize for investigative reporting, and the Society of Environmental Journalists award for in-depth reporting.

Currently, Michael is a columnist at Canary Media and Co-host of the Climavores podcast, a show about eating on a changing planet.

About VSC Ventures:

Areeb Malik: From Facebook to Climate Tech & Building Robots to Revolutionize the Recycling Industry | EP. 016

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:16:53 -0100

Areeb Malik is the Co-Founder of Glacier, a company using AI & Robotics to fight climate change and extract value from the $123B worth of recyclables that fill landfills and oceans. Before founding Glacier, Areeb worked as a Software Engineer at Facebook.

This episode centers around the complexities of the recycling industry, why it's such an intriguing yet technically challenging space for robotics, and the staggering global waste management market which was valued at USD 989.20 billion in 2021, and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2022 to 2030.

About VSC Ventures:

Stonly Baptiste Blue: On Climate Tech Investing & Accelerating the Transformation of Global Systems to Better Serve Humanity and the Planet | EP. 015

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:00:27 -0100

Stonly Baptiste Blue is a founding Partner of Third Sphere, a venture platform that works for founders accelerating the transformation of global systems to better serve humanity and the planet now and into the future. At Third Sphere he and his team invest in pre-seed tech for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Stonly previously founded Veddio Cloud Solutions, an enterprise software company, which was acquired after a year of self-funded growth. He is a serial entrepreneur, having built five ventures spanning different sectors from technology to real estate and international markets, including Brazil and Canada. He has also taught at University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and lectured at Harvard Business School and UC Berkeley.

About VSC Ventures:

Andrew Beebe: Moving the Planet Forward By Investing in World Positive Entrepreneurs & Sustainable Systems | EP. 014

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 14:00:10 -0100

Andrew Beebe is the Managing Director at Obvious Ventures, a venture capital firm with over $1 billion AUM that invests in early-stage, purpose-driven entrepreneurs reimagining trillion-dollar industries. Andrew joined Obvious Ventures at the firm’s inception to lead investments in climate tech and clean energy solutions, and his investment thesis has led the company to invest in companies, like Proterra (an electric bus company, $PTRA), Lilium, (an electric flight company, $LILM), and Amply (an electric fleet management company).

Prior to Obvious, Andrew was an entrepreneur and built companies around sustainable systems for nearly two decades; first in the Internet 1.0 days in the late 90s and later in the first clean tech wave of the early 2000s.

His excitement about solar in the early 2000s led him to co-founding Energy Innovation, which he grew into a major solar developer serving customers like Google, Disney, and Sony Pictures.

About VSC Ventures:

Gagan Dhillon: How Synop Is Helping Businesses Transition To Commercial Electric Vehicle (EV) Fleets | EP. 013

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:00:42 -0100

Gagan Dhillon is the CEO & Co-Founder of Synop, creators of an end to end fleet and energy management platform that automates EV operations by helping businesses handle tracking, billing, reporting, and cost management under one unified, data-centric platform.

Prior to co-founding Synop, Gagan witnessed first-hand the challenges that businesses face when transitioning to commercial electric vehicles. Previously at REIN, an InsurTech startup, he worked with major commercial OEMs and global insurance carriers on solutions for the commercial auto space. During that time, he got a first-hand look at the challenges of the commercial EV space and was inspired to develop the software needed to support the industry’s transition to electric-powered commercial vehicles.

Compatible with all EV types and charging stations, Synop’s AI-powered platform is designed specifically for commercial fleets and OEMs to modernize performance and meet sustainability commitments.

About VSC Ventures:

Janelle Kellman: On Building Coastal Resilience & Sustaining Ocean Health through a New Blue Economy | EP. 012

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:00:14 -0100

Janelle has held numerous leadership positions as a startup CEO and Founder, Mayor of Sausalito, and trusted advisor to startups across a range of technologies. Janelle’s current work focuses on innovation, public service, and climate change leadership.

Her organization, The Center for Sea Rise Solutions (CSRS), is a global nonprofit focused on empowering local decision makers to take action around sea level rise and coastal resilience.

She is currently bringing opportunities around the new blue economy to Sausalito with a focus on decarbonization through the electrification of transportation. She leads Sausalito's sea level rise task force, and is championing a proactive approach to coastal resilience through infrastructure planning and nature-based solutions.

About VSC Ventures:

Lauren Flanagan: How Sesame Solar is Reshaping Emergency Response with the World's First 100% Renewably-Powered Mobile Nanogrids | EP. 011

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:00:33 -0100

Lauren is a lifelong entrepreneur, strategic advisor and angel investor, and Co-founder & CEO of Sesame Solar. Sesame Solar manufactures the world’s first 100% renewably powered Mobile Nanogrids, which can be set up in 15 minutes with minimal training by one person. Easily transported by a variety of means, the Nanogrids are used in essential services and emergency response around the world by the US Air Force, telcos, and emergency services.

Made in Michigan by a multicultural team, Sesame Solar has won various awards, including Defense TechConnect Innovation Awards for 2019-21, Girl Geek's 30 Women Led Climate- Tech Moonshots, Insider's Climate Action 30, Jupiter Research's 2022 Carbon Reduction Innovation of the Year award, and the 2022 National Infrastructure Challenge.

About VSC Ventures:

Nick Halla: How Impossible Foods Disrupted the Food Industry & Created a Plant-Based Protein Revolution | EP. 010

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 14:00:04 -0100

For the past 10 years, Nick Halla has helped build Impossible Foods from the ground up, forming an amazing team and developing and commercializing delicious, sustainable plant-based foods to address many global food production issues - efficiency, scalability, safety, health, food security, and more. Nick was Impossible’s very first employee, and would go on to lead their international strategy, helping to expand Impossible’s global presence and impact.

Impossible Foods is a food technology company that creates plant-based replacements for animal-based protein sources like beef and pork. The company uses a variety of ingredients to recreate the taste and texture of real meat in its products, which are offered in restaurants and markets across the globe.

Nick currently sits on the board of pioneering food startups like Kite Hill and InnerPlant, and is working on something new in the sustainable food space.

About VSC Ventures:

Harsh Patel: Investing in Health, People and Planet, & Why Decarbonizing the Global Economy is the Most Investable Theme We Will See in our Lifetimes | EP. 009

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 14:00:18 -0100

Harsh Patel is the Managing Partner and Co-founder at Wireframe Ventures, where he invests in seed & early-stage startups aiming to improve human health and the planet.

He was an early investor in companies like Palantir, Mammoth Biosciences and Goat. Before that he was Co-founder and CTO of Orbit Commerce, a company that was eventually acquired by Digital River.

Harsh is passionate about empowering startups to grow and scale with the right funding, mentorship and strategic advice. He is committed to helping drive innovation within the ClimateTech space, as he believes that decarbonizing the global economy is the most investable theme we will see in our lifetime.

About VSC Ventures:

Levi Tillemann: On the future of electric transportation & the importance of government policy in spurring innovation | EP. 008

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 14:57:22 -0100

In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, we speak with Levi Tillemann, an American entrepreneur, author, and policy expert. He is the founder and CEO of Valence Strategic, an advisory firm specializing in clean energy, and the author of the book The Great Race: The Global Quest for the Car of the Future.

Levi was appointed as a Distinguished Fellow to the U.S. Secretary of Energy in 2013, and has held positions in the White House and Department of Energy. He has served as a policy advisor to U.S. Senate and House of Representatives members, and has been featured in prominent media outlets such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Currently, Levi serves as Vice President for Policy & International Outreach at Ample, an innovative platform for electric vehicle battery swapping. We speak with Levi about all things electric vehicles, and get his predictions on the future of clean energy and mobility.

About VSC Ventures:

Meera Clark: On her journey into climate investing & the role of consumer choice in addressing the climate crisis | EP. 007

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:00:22 -0100

In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, we speak with Meera Clark. Meera is an investor at Redpoint Ventures, a firm that has invested in some of the world’s leading technology companies over the past 20 years. Investments include names like Draftkings, Hims, Netflix, Ramp, Snowflake, Stripe, thredUp and many more.

Meera recently joined Redpoint from Obvious Ventures, where she invested in startups through a world positive lens. She also writes a wonderful newsletter called the Conscious Consumer.

Jay speaks with Meera about her journey into climate investing, and the role consumer choice plays in addressing the climate crisis.

About VSC Ventures:

Tommy Leep — Helping Founders Get Access to the People and Resources They Need to Create a Thriving Planet at Jetstream | EP. 006

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0100

Listen to this episode from CLIMB by VSC on Spotify. In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, we speak with Tommy Leep, founding partner of Jetstream, where he invests in pre-seed climate sustainability and biodiversity startups. Tommy previously worked at AngelList, Haystack and Floodgate, and invested in startups like Robinhood, Patreon, Clubhouse and Mercury.

In 2019 Tommy read The Uninhabitable Earth and realized that he needed to do something about climate change. He shifted his investing to focus on founders who were conscious of our society’s impact on the planet and working toward a better future. Through Jetstream, he helps these founders get access to the people and resources they need to create a thriving planet.

About VSC Ventures:

Allison Wolff — CEO of Vibrant Planet on Building Climate Resilience by Empowering Public Agencies with Data | EP. 005

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:17:07 -0100

In our latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, I’m thrilled to be joined by our friend Allison Wolff, co-founder and CEO of Vibrant Planet, a startup that leverages data-driven science and cloud technology to help make communities and ecosystems more resilient in the face of climate change.

Allison brings to Vibrant Planet over 20 years in Silicon Valley across corporate strategy, product strategy, customer experience design, and marketing. I’m excited to dig into how she’s applying that expertise on the important challenge of climate change and building climate resilience.

About VSC Ventures:

Sundeep Ahuja — Identifying Founder-Market Fit and Creating Value as an Investor in Climate Startups | EP. 004

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 11:47:34 +0000

Our guest this week on CLIMB by VSC, is Sundeep Ahuja, who is an investor and syndicate lead of Climate Capital and Duro Ventures. As an investor, Sundeep has invested in businesses ranging from Good Eggs, Substack, and Notable Labs and more recently has back leading climate companies including Mosaic, NCX, Arcadia and many more.

We love talking about scaling challenges for climate startups on this show so I’m excited to dig into Sundeep’s experience as an operator and how it informs the kinds of founders he likes to invest in as an investor. Sundeep is also an author and content creator so there is a lot for us to dig in on for this episode of Climb.

About VSC Ventures:

Raj Kapoor — Identifying Breakout Startups That Enable Enterprises to Achieve Net-Zero Targets | EP. 003

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 14:01:17 +0000

Our guest this week on CLIMB by VSC, is Raj Kapoor, a VC investor and founding partner of the venture capital firm Climactic. Prior to becoming a founding partner alongside Josh Felser, Raj has a depth of experience as both an operator — Raj as CSO at Lyft and previously CEO of Snapfish and Fitmob before that — in addition to his experience as an investor at Mayfield Fund. At Climactic, Raj is focused on helping companies that help enterprises achieve their net-zero goals.

About VSC Ventures:

Katelin Holloway — Essential People Practices For Building and Scaling Climate Tech Startups | EP. 002

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 11:31:00 +0000

Our latest guest on CLIMB by VSC, is Katelin Holloway, an investor and founding partner of the venture capital firm Seven Seven Six. Prior to becoming a founding partner alongside Alexis Ohanian, Katelin was the former head of people and culture at Reddit, and an investor at Initialized Capital. At Seven Seven Six, Katelin is focused on helping her companies build inclusive company cultures, working with founders to make that a part of each startup from day one. In this episode we discuss:

(0:01) Introduction to Katelin Holloway and her experience spanning companies like Pixar and Reddit before founding Seven Seven Six

(5:32) How did Seven Seven Six decide upon their areas or categories of investment interest?

(8:23) What kind of ClimateTech companies or categories is Katelin and Seven Seven Six is drawn to invest in?

(12:05) Can consumers have an impact on climate change? Are consumer-centric solutions investable within climate innovation?

(15:14) Katelin shares what excited her about DroneSeed, her climate investment

(18:06) Key differences when building in climate tech startups vs. those in general tech

(22:46) What CEOs and founders can do to make sure their companies don't have a clashes between 'climate' and 'tech' within their company

(25:46) What are some pitfalls or mistakes Katelin sees from founders building in Climate Tech?

(29:06) What stands out to Katelin about a climate tech founder? What makes a successful climate tech founder?

(32:38) What Katelin thinks about VCs hesitance to back companies that work with governments (or with long sales cycles)?

(36:11) Katelin shares the story behind Seven Seven Six Fellowship and the climate initiative led by Elizabeth Garvin

(38:35) Advice to young people and young professionals who are interested in climate innovation?

(41:05) Final thoughts & key takeaways from our episode today

About VSC Ventures:

Rob Leclerc — Why Food & AgTech Startups Can't Be Ignored in Climate Innovation | EP. 001

Jay Kapoor — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 12:48:39 +0000

We are thrilled to kick off our new show on scaling climate innovation: CLIMB by VSC with an engaging conversation with Rob Leclerc, managing partner of AgFunder. Founded in 2013 and based in Silicon Valley, AgFunder is one of the world’s most active FoodTech and AgTech investors today. In this episode, we discuss:

(00:01) Intro to AgFunder & Rob Leclerc's background as well as what led him to becoming a co-founder of AgFunder

(04:22) key risks to the future of food and agriculture?

(07:23) and where does Venture Capital play in food & ag, plus what AgFunder like to invest in across the value chain.

(09:29) What are the over-hyped or over-funded segments within Food & Ag,

(13:23) What's been the catalyst that has moved people to more climate-conscious agriculture practices?

(15:04) What role does government play in making an impact on climate innovation? How do you price that risk within Food & AgTech?

(19:11) What are the criteria that matter most to Rob and AgFunder when they look to invest in a startup?

(21:17) What is the interplay between AgFunder News and the venture fund? What are the benefits of having a media entity relationship?

(27:38) What do founders overlook or underestimate when building a business in FoodTech or AgTech?

(31:07) How does building in the world of "Atoms vs. Bits" change fund structure and time horizons for investment?

(35:17) What makes for a good lead for a FoodTech & AgTech investment?

(39:21) What is some advice Rob would wish he could give his younger self?

(40:24) Key lessons from this episode and final thoughts

About VSC Ventures: