CC Pod

Climate Capital
  • 4.7 (14)
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Our weekly podcast where we interview founders who are solving the most difficult and important decarbonization problems in the world. Climate Capital, across our funds and our syndicate, is one of the most active funders of early stage climate tech in the world.  climatecap.substack.com

  1. 8H AGO

    Unlocking Climate Investing to 401(k) Retirement Plans (with Alex Wright-Gladstein of Sphere)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack; manage. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Sphere is a portfolio company at Climate Capital, where Sundeep Ahuja is the Founder and General Partner. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. But first: Network Fund & Climate Angels →Invest in the Network Fund. Large fund access with micro-fund minimums.→Join Climate Angels. Sessions w/ top investors, discounted carry, community & more. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! Retirement savings represent one of the largest pools of capital in the world, yet they are rarely discussed in the context of climate impact. In this conversation, CC Pod host Sundeep Ahuja speaks with Alex Wright-Gladstein, founder and CEO of Sphere, about how the $45 trillion of retirement savings could become a powerful lever for climate-aligned investing. Sphere helps advisors and employers demonstrate their commitment to fiduciary duty with a high-quality product at reasonable fees while also satisfying a deeply personal desire of clients, without having to choose between the two. Building on this, the company’s flagship strategy, the Sphere 500 Fossil-Free Index, tracks the 500 largest US companies by market capitalization while excluding fossil fuel exposure to reduce stranded asset risk. It also directs shareholder voting toward climate-aligned outcomes rather than maintaining the status quo, embedding climate considerations directly into capital allocation. The conversation traces Alex’s path into building Sphere, which began far outside finance. She previously founded Ayar Labs, an MIT spin-out valued at roughly $3.75–4 billion that uses photonic interconnects to move data between chips using light, significantly improving energy efficiency and performance in AI computing systems. Despite working on frontier hardware innovation, her eventual pivot into retirement investing came from a very personal operational challenge inside her own company. While leading Ayar Labs, Alex attempted to add a climate-aligned option to the company’s 401(k) plan. What initially seemed like a simple internal change turned into a multi-year effort that revealed deeper structural constraints in the retirement industry. Even employees at climate-focused companies were often defaulted into funds with fossil fuel exposure, not because of lack of demand, but due to fiduciary risk frameworks, fee sensitivity, and the absence of compliant index-based climate alternatives. That friction became the foundation for Sphere. The company’s insight was that the barrier to climate-aligned retirement investing was not investor intent, but product structure. Instead of relying on higher-cost, actively managed ESG strategies, Sphere designed passive index funds that mirror standard benchmarks while excluding fossil fuel companies, allowing them to meet fiduciary standards on fees, tracking error, and legal defensibility. Sphere has since focused on embedding its funds directly into major 401(k) platforms, making it possible for employers to add climate-aligned options without switching providers or redesigning their retirement plans. This plug-in model removes operational friction for HR teams and plan advisors, which has historically been one of the biggest blockers to adoption. Beyond product design, Sphere also operates as a systems-change platform. It highlights long-term market data showing that fossil fuel-heavy sectors have underperformed broader indices over time, reframing climate alignment as both a values-driven and financially competitive choice. The company also supports employee-led advocacy, where individuals push HR departments and 401(k) advisors to introduce climate-aligned options, creating change from within large organizations. The episode further explores how Sphere has partnered with broader public awareness efforts, including campaigns led by cultural figures and pension participants, to highlight the scale of fossil fuel exposure in retirement funds. These efforts have helped bring visibility to an issue that most savers are unaware of, despite its significant climate implications. Today, Sphere is expanding its product suite beyond its initial index fund, building a broader range of climate-aligned retirement options designed to replicate standard 401(k) allocations across asset classes. The company’s long-term goal is to make climate-aligned investing a default feature of workplace retirement plans, rather than a niche or optional add-on. To learn more about Sphere, visit https://www.oursphere.org/. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    20 min

  2. MAY 5

    EV Battery Repurposing for Grid Resilience (with Edward Chiang of Moment Energy)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Moment Energy is a portfolio company at Climate Capital. Our host is Noah Margo-Dermer, General Manager of Climate Capital’s Climate Angels program. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. But first: Network Fund & Climate Angels →Invest in the Network Fund. Large fund access with micro-fund minimums. →Join Climate Angels. Sessions w/ top investors, discounted carry, community & more. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! In the most recent episode of the CC Pod, Noah Margo-Dermer sits down with Edward Chiang, co-founder and CEO of Moment Energy, a company redefining how we think about battery life cycles and grid resilience. Moment Energy is a cleantech company building sustainable energy storage systems from repurposed electric vehicle batteries. The company’s mission is to keep people’s lights on while preventing usable batteries from ending up in landfills. Founded by four engineers and entrepreneurs, Edward Chiang, alongside co-founders Sumreen Rattan (COO), Gabriel Soares (CTO), and Gurmesh Sidhu (CPO), Moment Energy is focused on expanding global access to clean, reliable, and affordable power. The company also works with major automakers, including Nissan North America and Mercedes-Benz Energy, to give EV batteries a second life. The company is tackling a growing but underappreciated problem: what happens to electric vehicle batteries when they are no longer suitable for driving. While most assume these batteries are recycled, the reality is more complex and costly. Moment Energy takes a different approach, upcycling these “end-of-life” EV batteries into stationary energy storage systems that can power critical infrastructure for another 15 to 20 years. At the core of the company’s innovation is a highly sophisticated repurposing process. EV batteries are rarely fully degraded at retirement, often retaining 80 to 95 percent of their original capacity. Moment Energy disassembles battery packs, identifies and removes underperforming cells, and reconfigures the remaining modules into new storage systems. This approach extends material lifespan while significantly reducing costs compared to manufacturing new batteries. This process is technically complex due to the variability across EV batteries. Different automakers, chemistries, and usage patterns mean no two battery packs are identical. To address this, Moment Energy has built an advanced battery management system powered by machine learning. By collecting real-world performance data across deployments, the system continuously improves optimization, safety, and longevity across diverse operating conditions. Safety and certification are key differentiators. Moment Energy is the first company in North America to achieve full certification for second-life battery systems, enabling deployment in dense, on-grid environments such as hospitals, data centers, and urban infrastructure. This milestone is critical in an industry where many alternative approaches lack the regulatory rigor required for widespread adoption. The broader impact becomes even more important as electricity demand accelerates from electrification, AI infrastructure, and aging grid systems. Moment Energy’s modular storage units can be deployed directly at the point of need, storing energy during off-peak hours and discharging during peak demand. This reduces strain on the grid, avoids costly infrastructure upgrades, and lowers energy costs. Their systems also support off-grid and remote applications, reducing diesel consumption and enabling cleaner energy access, while providing backup power and peak shaving for commercial and industrial customers. Ultimately, Moment Energy sits at the intersection of energy storage, supply chain resilience, and the circular economy. By transforming retired EV batteries into reliable, scalable infrastructure, the company is extending the life of critical materials while helping build a more flexible and resilient energy system. To learn more about Moment Energy, visit https://www.momentenergy.com/. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    53 min

  3. MAR 4

    Recycling Critical Minerals from Electronics (with Alexander Olesen, Bradley Herrup, Grayson Shor, Nick Kumleben of Buckstop)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Buckstop is a portfolio company at Climate Capital where Nick van Osdol works as a Venture Partner. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! In the latest CC Pod, Nick van Osdol speaks with Alexander Olesen, Grayson Shor, Brad Herrup, and Nick Kumleben, founders of Buckstop, a platform that uses AI to unlock the “urban mine” of critical minerals embedded in end-of-life electronics. Buckstop is addressing a major bottleneck in the energy transition: the widening gap between the minerals required for clean energy and the sources available to supply them. In the United States, electronics recycling rates remain below 22 percent, far behind the 80 to 90 percent rates seen in parts of Asia. The team saw a clear opportunity in discarded solar panels, batteries, and data center equipment, all of which contain valuable materials that could be recovered and redeployed if properly identified, valued, and aggregated. At the heart of the platform is what the company calls an “Algorithmic Assay”. These AI models break down finished goods and assign value based on their underlying metal and mineral content. The current e-waste market is fragmented, with no shared pricing standards or consistent language across asset types. By introducing transparency and standardized valuation, Buckstop enables asset owners to understand residual value, recyclers to access aggregated supply at scale, and insurers to better assess decommissioning risk and bonding requirements. Buckstop is currently in private beta with 14 large industrial and energy companies,has evaluated over 453 MW of real-world customer solar assets, and completed close to 500 customer discovery conversations globally. Early validation has been strong, with interest from underwriters, utilities, recyclers, and manufacturers. The company has also attracted major investors, including one of the world’s largest utilities and corporations in the United States. With more than 162,000 solar assets and batteries already in its system and data center equipment next on the roadmap, Buckstop aims to become a core data infrastructure layer for the circular energy economy. To learn more about Buckstop, visit www.buckstop.com. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    46 min

  4. JAN 8

    Scaling Carbon Materials for the Grid (with Bryan Guido Hassin of DexMat)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, DexMat is a portfolio company at Climate Capital. Our guest host, Dimitry Gershenson, is the co-founder and CEO of one of our portcos, Enduring Planet. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. But first: Network Fund & Climate Angels →Invest in the Network Fund. Next-decade energy, infrastructure, and resilience. Q1 2026 fund now open; last quarter invested in 9 companies alongside Transition VC, Propeller, SOSV, and more. →Join Climate Angels. Sessions w/ top investors, discounted CC Syndicate carry, community & more. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! The latest episode of CC Pod features Bryan Guido Hassin, CEO of DexMat, joins host Dimitry Gershenson to discuss the "materials transition" necessary to power the global shift toward clean energy. DexMat’s flagship innovation, Galvorn, is a carbon-based conductive material designed to replace copper and steel. By stripping carbon from greenhouse gases like methane, DexMat creates a material that is as conductive as copper, 15 times stronger than steel, and lighter than aluminum. This “super-material” serves as a circular alternative to traditional metals, providing a way to scale the energy transition without the environmental devastation associated with conventional mining. The company addresses a looming “copper crisis” driven by the massive demand from EVs, renewable energy, and AI data centers. Unlike copper production, which is thermodynamically inefficient and ecologically damaging, Galvorn is manufactured using a zero-loss recycling process and a cost trajectory that is outperforming even solar and batteries. Currently at cost parity with specialty aerospace metals, DexMat is on a path to undercut commodity copper prices within years. DexMat has evolved from a broad "moonshot" startup to a commercially focused leader in the $300 billion conductive wire market. Hassin shares hard-won lessons on founder-investor alignment and the necessity of strategic focus in deep tech. Proudly made in America and shipped globally, Galvorn is enabling industries to do more with less while laying the foundation for a stronger, more efficient, and sustainable world. To learn more about DexMat, visit https://dexmat.com/. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    29 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    Predictive Maintenance for a Smarter, More Resilient Grid (with Joseph Kao of Magnefy)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. If you’d like to manage your Climate Capital Substack subscription, click here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Magnefy is a portfolio company at Climate Capital. Our guest host, Dimitry Gershenson, is the co-founder and CEO of one of our portcos, Enduring Planet. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. But first: Network Fund & Climate Angels →Invest in the Network Fund. Large fund access with micro-fund minimums. Q4 fund now open; the Q3 fund (closed) invested in 11 companies alongside Prelude, At One, Voyager, and more. →Join Climate Angels. Sessions w/ top investors, discounted CC Syndicate carry, community & more. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! CC Pod’s latest episode features Joseph Kao, founder and CEO of Magnefy, a Stanford spinout transforming how predictive maintenance is done across the power grid, in conversation with guest host Dimitry Gershenson. Magnefy’s technology uses non-invasive high-frequency magnetic sensing paired with edge AI to detect early-stage failures in transformers, switchgear, and generators months or even years before they occur. The company’s solution helps utilities and mission-critical operators prevent costly outages and reduce maintenance expenses by up to 70%. Magnefy draws from deep expertise in materials science, resource efficiency, and circularity to tackle the challenge of aging power infrastructure. With 65% of transformers now over 35 years old, their innovation comes at a crucial time as grids face increasing pressure from electrification and data center demand. Magnefy’s sensors can be easily clamped to cables without de-energizing equipment, acting like an ECG for transformers by capturing high-resolution data to uncover hidden risks. Beyond hardware, the company has evolved into a software-first platform, integrating AI-driven analytics, digital twins, and a maintenance copilot to turn raw sensor data into actionable insights. Their mission is clear: to make the power grid smarter, safer, and ready for the energy transition ahead. To learn more about Magnefy, visit https://magnefy.com/. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    24 min

  6. 08/12/2025

    Unlocking the Capital Stack: The Role of Debt in Climate Startups (with Dimitry Gershenson and Austin Badger)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. Upgrade to CC+ for insider access & community or manage your subscription here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Dimitry Gershenson is the CEO of Enduring Planet, and Austin Badger is a Managing Director at HSBC, and Sherrie works as a General Manager at Climate Angels. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! But first: CC Network Fund, CC Syndicate, Climate Angels → Back CC Network Fund. Large fund access with micro-fund minimums. In Q2, the fund invested in 18 companies, including Alta & LGND.→ Back CC Syndicate. SPVs with investment minimums starting at $1k.→ Join Climate Angels. Sessions w/ top investors, discounted CC Syndicate carry, community & more. In the latest CC Pod, we are featuring the most recent Climate Angels webinar, where Sherrie Totoki hosts Dimitry Gershenson, CEO of Enduring Planet, and Austin Badger, Managing Director at HSBC, to explore the often overlooked role of debt in the capital stack for early-stage climate startups. This conversation was originally part of a Climate Angels session, and we’re sharing it here as a special edition of our podcast. While equity typically dominates conversations around startup financing, this episode highlights how debt can be a powerful and strategic tool to fuel growth, manage cash flow, and avoid unnecessary dilution when used wisely. They walk through different types of debt available to founders, including cash flow financing (such as receivable and contract financing) and asset-backed financing (such as equipment loans or sale-leasebacks). They emphasize that understanding when and how to raise debt, before you're in a cash crunch, is critical to maintaining flexibility and negotiating favorable terms. The conversation also touches on investor perspectives, with insights on why lenders are becoming more open to working with early-stage climate companies and what founders should know about aligning their financing strategy with both board expectations and long-term goals. They share real-world lessons, including how one company successfully used debt to finance multiple U.S. military contracts, bridging long reimbursement cycles without giving up equity. Debt is not just for later stages. It is a valuable part of the capital stack if you know how to use it. Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    31 min

  7. 07/03/2025

    Women Backing Climate Investing (with Kirthika Padmanabhan and Katie Durham)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. Upgrade to CC+ for insider access & community or manage your subscription here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Kirthika and Katie are both Syndicate Partners at Climate Capital, where Sherrie works as a General Manager at Climate Angels. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! Before we dive in: Climate Angels, CC Network Fund, & CC Syndicate Whether you’re new to climate investing or a veteran, three opportunities for you: → Back the CC Network Fund. Large fund access with micro-fund minimums. So far in Q2 the fund has invested in 13 companies including Alta & LGND. → Back the CC Syndicate. SPVs with investment minimums starting at $1k. → Join Climate Angels. Three top tier sessions/month with veteran investors & angel peers; apply by July 7 for 10% off. In the latest episode of the CC Pod, Sherrie Totoki hosts Kirthika Padmanabhan and Katie Durham, both syndicate partners at Climate Capital and seasoned angel investors, focusing on enhancing female representation in investing, particularly within the climate technology sector. Increasing the number of female investors is crucial due to female investors often achieving stronger returns and tending to diversify portfolios by backing female founders. The episode challenges the notion that deep financial expertise is a prerequisite for investing and encourages others to recognize that the skills needed can be learned, especially through accessible resources and supportive communities like Climate Angels. Building a supportive network and seeking mentorship in the investment landscape is important and doable, even for newcomers to the space. They share practical advice for expanding your network, suggesting starting in areas where you already have knowledge and can lean on your existing connections to uncover opportunities and insights. They also explore the dynamic landscape of climate technology and continued excitement for innovations that directly address environmental challenges. This is a call to action for women to step into the world of climate tech investing, where diverse pathways await and your participation can drive meaningful, industry-wide change. The future of climate innovation needs more voices, perspectives, and leadership, and there’s no better time to get involved. — References: https://www.ubs.com/global/en/wealthmanagement/who-we-serve/women-wealth/insights/2022/female-founders.html https://www.fool.com/research/women-in-investing-statistics/ https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/the-new-face-of-wealth-the-rise-of-the-female-investor 🧭 Capital Conversations We’ve got two powerhouse sessions lined up exploring how capital is shaping the future of climate innovation: 🔹 Investing in Nuclear Innovation | July 8 @ 10-11 am PTNishant Mani (Climate Capital) and Mike Mettler (Roadrunner Capital, Climate Capital) take us inside the evolving landscape of nuclear investment. Learn what makes this sector unique and where early-stage capital can make a difference. Register Here 🔹 How Early-Stage Startups Use Debt | July 17 @ 10-11 am PTJoin Dimitry Gershenson (Enduring Planet) and Austin Badger (HSBC) as they break down how tools like venture debt and equipment financing can fit into a startup’s capital stack—and what investors need to know to underwrite both impact and returns. Register Here Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    24 min

  8. 06/25/2025

    Revolutionizing Lithium-Ion Batteries with Nano-Silicon (with Andre Zeitoun @ Ionic Mineral Technologies)

    This is CC Pod - the Climate Capital Podcast. You are receiving this because you have subscribed to our Substack. Manage your CC Substack subscription here. Disclaimer: For full disclosure, Ionic Mineral Technologies is a portfolio company at Climate Capital where Katie Durham works as a Venture Partner. CC Pod is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any investment decision. Don’t miss an episode from Climate Capital! Before we dive in: Climate Angels, CC Network Fund, & CC Syndicate Whether you’re new to climate investing or a veteran, three opportunities for you: → Back the CC Network Fund. Large fund access with micro-fund minimums. So far in Q2 the fund has invested in 13 companies including Alta & LGND. → Back the CC Syndicate. SPVs with investment minimums starting at $1k. → Join Climate Angels. Three top tier sessions/month with veteran investors & angel peers; apply by July 7 for 10% off. In the latest episode of the Climate Capital podcast, host Katie Durham interviews Andre Zeitoun, the founder and CEO of Ionic Mineral Technologies. The discussion revolves around the innovative work being done at Ionic Mineral Technologies, particularly in the realm of battery materials and sustainable energy solutions. Ionic MT is pioneering the commercialization of a unique mineral called halloysite, which has the potential to revolutionize battery technology. Halloysite is a naturally occurring clay mineral that can be transformed into nano-silicon, significantly enhancing battery performance. This transformation is crucial as the demand for more efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions continues to grow, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs) and consumer electronics. One of the standout features of Ionic MT’s approach is its environmentally friendly production process. The company has developed a silane-free method to produce nano silicon, which not only minimizes waste but also results in one of the lowest carbon footprints among competing battery material companies. Additionally, the process generates boehmite alumina as a byproduct, further contributing to a sustainable production model. Andre emphasizes the importance of domestic production of battery materials, particularly in light of the U.S.'s heavy reliance on imported materials, predominantly from China. By producing high-quality silicon that can rival Chinese imports without the need for subsidies or tariffs, Ionic Mineral Technologies positions itself as a key player in the push for energy independence. Looking ahead, Andre shares his vision for the future, where advancements in battery technology could lead to electric vehicles charging in under ten minutes and lighter, more efficient military drones. With recent developments, including the designation of silicon and alumina as critical minerals by the U.S. government, Ionic MT is poised for significant growth and innovation. To learn more about Ionic Mineral Technologies, visit https://ionicmt.com/. 🧭 Capital Conversations We’ve got two powerhouse sessions lined up exploring how capital is shaping the future of climate innovation: 🔹 Investing in Nuclear InnovationNishant Mani (Climate Capital) and Mike Mettler (Roadrunner Capital, Climate Capital) take us inside the evolving landscape of nuclear investment. Learn what makes this sector unique and where early-stage capital can make a difference. Register Here 🔹 How Early-Stage Startups Use DebtJoin Dimitry Gershenson (Enduring Planet) and Austin Badger (HSBC) as they break down how tools like venture debt and equipment financing can fit into a startup’s capital stack—and what investors need to know to underwrite both impact and returns. Register Here Get full access to Climate Capital at climatecap.substack.com/subscribe

    18 min
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4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Our weekly podcast where we interview founders who are solving the most difficult and important decarbonization problems in the world. Climate Capital, across our funds and our syndicate, is one of the most active funders of early stage climate tech in the world.  climatecap.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Climate Capital
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Climate Capital
  • Show Website
    CC Pod

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