185 episodes
Entrepreneurs for Impact Dr. Chris Wedding
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- Business
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5.0 • 44 Ratings
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Interviews with climate tech CEOs and investors: Business strategy, capital raising, investment criteria, lessons learned, book recommendations, productivity habits, and career advice. Hosted by Dr. Chris Wedding: serial founder, investor, professor, and occasional monk. www.entrepreneursforimpact.com (Nothing herein is investment advice.)
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#184: Pavle Jeremić, CEO of Aether — $49M Raised for Lithium Extraction. Machine Learning Searches Trillions of Enzymes. Almost Dropping Out of College. Nondilutive Funding. Prophets and Wizards.
Aether is a molecular assembler platform that can extract lithium from previously inaccessible reserves. It uses robots and machine learning to search among trillions of enzymes for the right fit.
Pavle is a first-time founder and almost college dropout (there’s a story to that!) who’s spent almost seven years building Aether and raising $49M along the way.
In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more.
How he hopes to make the US the lithium capital of the world
Which revenue models he’s pursuing with mining partners
How he’ll use nondilutive funding to scale tech deployment
Why “I don’t know” is a powerful phrase to build trust
🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS:
Aether - https://www.aetherbio.com
Pavle - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlejeremic
Noahpinions (newsletter) - https://substack.com/@noahpinion
The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World - https://shorturl.at/inj
📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP:
Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 75+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com
📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER:
Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com
✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW:
To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: https://shorturl.at/ouS19
🤔 PODCAST HOST:
Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).
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#183: Disney Petit, Founder and CEO of LiquiDonate — VC-Backed Software to Solve $800B Waste Problem in Retail. Being Queer in VC. Algorithm for Tax Credits. Track Your Personal Successes Like This.
LiquiDonate is a VC-backed software platform that matches and moves reclaimable items (such as online returns and unsold inventory) into the hands of nonprofits who need them, thereby saving retailers millions of dollars and keeping tons of waste out of landfills.
Disney is a social impact innovator who started as employee number 15 at PostMates. She helped grow the company's customer service and Civic Labs divisions and won awards from TIME Magazine and FAST company. She’s also a feminist, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and an animal rights activist working to be a better-practicing ally for marginalized communities.
In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more.
How online returns and excess inventory cost retailers $800B per year in losses
Why you should create a Google Doc that tracks your hundreds of small and big wins in career and life
What it’s like being a queer women CEO raising VC investment capital
How they designed their product matching algorithm and logistics systems to optimize donations, tax credits, and low operating costs
🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS:
LiquidDonate - https://liquidonate.com
Disney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/disneypetit
The Leading 100 (recognition for LiquiDonate) - https://the-lead.co/the-leading-100
Fast Company (recognition for LiquiDonate) - https://shorturl.at/9EOy7
Ezra Klein podcast - https://shorturl.at/hWJDa
If Books Could Kill podcast - https://shorturl.at/3R5SO
📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP:
Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 75+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com
📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER:
Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com
✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW:
To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: https://shorturl.at/ouS19
🤔 PODCAST HOST:
Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/entrepreneurs-for-impact/message -
#182: John de Souza, President of Ample — $270M of Investment for EV Battery Swapping. 15% Cheaper Than Gas. Five Minutes to Charge. 5x Cheaper Than Fast Charging. Deployed in a City in Weeks.
Ample is a new energy delivery solution for electric vehicles. It uses Modular Battery Swapping to deliver 100% charge to any EV in a few minutes. They’re supported with $270M of investment from Shell, Moore Strategic Ventures, and strategic partners in Singapore and Thailand.
John is a serial founder and executive in health, tech, and energy with multiple exits to Fortune 500 companies.
In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more.
How to get to “yes” with customers by converting a harder capital expense to an easier operating expense
Why their EV battery solution can be deployed in a whole city within a few weeks at far lower costs than EV fast chargers
The benefits of saying yes more than no to grow from uncomfortable experiences
Which two books keep him grounded and mindful as a leader
📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP:
Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 75+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com
📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER:
Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com
✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW:
To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: https://shorturl.at/ouS19
🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS:
John de Souza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndesouza1
Ample - https://ample.com
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals - https://shorturl.at/negpn
The Abundance of Less: Lessons in Simple Living from Rural Japan - https://shorturl.at/nBK7W
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World - https://shorturl.at/EStK5 Beginner’s mind ("shoshin" in Japanese) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin
🤔 PODCAST HOST:
Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/entrepreneurs-for-impact/message -
#181: Top 100 CDR Companies (Carbon Removal). Jim Collins & Climate Change (Stockdale Paradox). 26 Climate Communities to Join. Wise Words from a Christian Mystic.
📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP:
Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 75+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com
📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER:
Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com
✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW:
To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: https://shorturl.at/ouS19
🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS:
JFK’s 1962 speech on choosing to do hard things - https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/rice-university-19620912
26 online climate startup communities to join - https://www.climatefinance.xyz/climate-slack-communities
Top 100 CDR startups (from XPRIZE) - https://shorturl.at/5UaZu
Mooji (a Jamaican-born street artist, Christian mystic, and chai shop owner who became a teacher of the wisdom of India’s sages - https://mooji.org
🤔 PODCAST HOST:
Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/entrepreneurs-for-impact/message -
#180: Mark Bruinooge, CIO of 2040 Fund — Climate Adaptation and Resilience. Spending 100% of Family Office Capital by 2040. New Flood Mapping. Slow Productivity. The Billionaire Who Wasn't.
The 2040 Fund manages philanthropic capital for the 2040 Foundation and its founder, Jay Faison. Investments include private and publicly listed securities focused on climate adaptation and resilience. The 2040 Fund The Fund focuses on water systems and technology, the future of food, and energy transition. They plan to spend down all of its assets by the year 2040 maximizing impact in the near term.
Mark is also a board member at PosiGen, investment committe member at Upwell Water, and former SVP at Bank of America.
📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP:
Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 75+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com
📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER:
Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com
✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW:
To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: https://shorturl.at/ouS19
🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS:
Mark - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markbruinooge
Upwell Water - https://www.water.llc
Congruent Ventures - https://www.congruentvc.com
First Street Foundation - https://firststreet.org
Elemental Excelerator - https://elementalexcelerator.com
Trellis Climate - https://www.primecoalition.org/programs/trellis-climate
Slow Productivity - https://calnewport.com/my-new-book-slow-productivity
Sloww - https://www.sloww.co
The Billionaire Who Wasn't - https://shorturl.at/efhn7
Hydrow - https://hydrow.com
🤔 PODCAST HOST:
Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/entrepreneurs-for-impact/message -
#179: Omeed Badkoobeh, CEO of Yotta Energy — $36M for Commercial Batteries and Microinverters. Spirituality in Entrepreneurship. Lessons Learned from Working at Tesla.
Yotta Energy is a VC-backed distributed energy company based in Austin, Texas. They provide solar panel-level energy storage and microinverters for the commercial and industrial sectors. Yotta https://www.yottaenergy.com
Prior to Yotta, Omeed worked in sales and business development for Tesla, Evoke Electric Motorcycles, and Build NATiVE. Other fun experiences include organizing Lego robotics competitions for budding STEM youth in China. https://www.linkedin.com/in/omeed-badkoobeh
📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP:
Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 75+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com
📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER:
Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com
✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW:
To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: https://shorturl.at/ouS19
🤔 PODCAST HOST:
Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, ax-throwing champ, Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/entrepreneurs-for-impact/message
Customer Reviews
Found a tribe for impact
I happened to come across this podcast when I saw a LinkedIn post featuring Amit Gupta, a colleague I met when I worked in corporate. I oversaw an Aeroseal project many years ago and wanted to hear about the progress of his company.
His insights was very comforting to learn that regardless of what stage we’re at in business the pattern is similar. As entrepreneurs who are out to make an impact we just have to keep focusing on and remembering WHY we set out to do what we do.
Great show for impact ents.
Really great show - Dr. Chris Wedding has amazing insight from his experience.
Really enjoy the show.
Cleantech - It’s all in the details!
Great, experienced perspective. Love getting his hot takes and benefitting from the network he taps to bring on the show!