Reactor Podcast

Jerome

Reactor – The Podcast for Deeptech & Climate Tech Mission-Driven Founders Reactor is where ambitious founders and industry leaders share the real stories behind scaling deeptech & climate tech impact-driven companies. Hosted by Jérôme Gilleron, this podcast dives deep into the challenges, strategies, and breakthroughs that drive profitable and cashflow-positive growth in climate tech, deeptech, and sustainability. Through candid interviews with startup founders, scale-up executives, and industry experts, we explore: ✅ How to scale mission-driven businesses without burning out✅ Fundraising, sales, and growth strategies for impact startups✅ Lessons from leaders who’ve built and scaled industry-defining companies Whether you're a founder, investor, or operator in the climate tech and deeptech space, Reactor brings you actionable insights to fuel your growth. 🎧 Subscribe now and turn your vision into reality! 👉 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platforms.

  1. How Direct Air Capture Companies Make Money - 2/3

    10/19/2025

    How Direct Air Capture Companies Make Money - 2/3

    Hello everyone! This is the second episode of series about Direct Air Capture describing Technology & Timing, Business Model & Scability (2nd post here) and finally the players (coming soon) Sponsor this newsletter or one of my LinkedIn posts.Be a guest on my podcast, book me for a conference, or something else? Work with Reactor.Listen to the podcast, watch the YouTube channel, the TikTok and the InstagramJoin the free Reactor community on WhatsApp: deep tech and climate-tech entrepreneurs, events, and discussions.Follow me on LinkedIn Capturing carbon from thin air costs $600–$1,000 per ton. So… how do direct air capture companies stay alive? In this upbeat explainer we unpack the surprisingly clever “money stack” behind DAC: corporate offtakes, U.S. tax credits (45Q), California fuel credits (LCFS), and a sprinkle of product sales. We also break down unit economics with simple math, profile the leading players, and get honest about risks (policy, power, MRV, capex). If you’ve ever wondered who actually pays for carbon removal—and why smart companies like Microsoft or Amazon sign giant contracts—this one’s for you. What you’ll learn Why DAC costs $600–$1,000/t today—and who bridges the gapThe revenue stack: corporate offtakes, 45Q tax credits, LCFS, productsQuick math: $700/t cost – $180 (45Q) = $520/t to coverThe main business archetypes (Climeworks, 1PointFive/Occidental, Heirloom, CarbonCapture)Real risks: policy swings, clean power access, MRV trust, big capexHow early buyers overpay on purpose to push costs down—like early solar & windMentioned / Resources Climeworks technology & credits → https://climeworks.com/direct-air-capture1PointFive / Occidental STRATOS overview → https://www.1pointfive.com/Heirloom mineral looping explainer → https://www.heirloomcarbon.com/CarbonCapture modular approach / Project Bison → https://www.carboncapture.com/U.S. 45Q (IRS/DOE overview) → https://carboncapturecoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/45Q-primer-Carbon-Capture-Coalition.pdfCalifornia LCFS (program info) → https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/6308#:~:text=California's%20Low%20Carbon%20Fuel%20Standard,in%20the%20state%20through%202030.Frontier advanced market commitments (Stripe coalition) → https://frontierclimate.com/Key takeaways DAC firms stack revenues (offtakes + policy + sometimes products).Early credits sell at $500–$800/t to fund learning curves.Same skeleton, different strategies: brand, integration, minerals, modular.Watch the contracts, costs, and kilowatts—that’s where winners emerge.Support the show

    10 min
  2. How Direct Air Capture Works (and Why Now)

    09/15/2025

    How Direct Air Capture Works (and Why Now)

    👋 Imagine a giant vacuum cleaner — but instead of dust, it’s pulling carbon dioxide straight out of the sky. It’s called Direct Air Capture (DAC), and it’s no longer science fiction. Real plants are running today in Iceland, Texas, and California. In this episode of Reactor, we break down: 🌬️ How Direct Air Capture actually works — step by step 🧪 The four main DAC technologies (solids, liquids, minerals, electrochemicals) ⚡ Why DAC is only possible now (cheap renewables, better materials, policy, corporate buyers) 📉 The scalability challenge — costs, energy appetite, storage, and risks 🌍 Where the first plants are already running (Climeworks, Heirloom, 1PointFive) This is Part 1 of a 3-part DAC series: 1️⃣ How DAC Works (and Why Now) ← this video 2️⃣ How DAC Companies Make Money (coming soon) 3️⃣ The DAC Field Guide: Startups & Scaleups ---  🔑 Key Takeaways DAC is industrial chemistry, not magic. It’s expensive today ($600–$1,200/ton) but scaling fast. Cheap clean energy + policy support make it viable in 2025. Corporates like Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Amazon are already buying DAC credits. ---  📚 Resources & Links 👉 Climeworks Mammoth plant: https://climeworks.com/technology 👉 Carbon Engineering explainer: [https://carbonengineering.com/our-tec...](https://carbonengineering.com/our-tec...) 👉 Heirloom DAC tech: https://heirloomcarbon.com/technology 👉 Carbfix CO₂ mineralization: [https://www.carbfix.com/how-it-works]( Support the show

    10 min

About

Reactor – The Podcast for Deeptech & Climate Tech Mission-Driven Founders Reactor is where ambitious founders and industry leaders share the real stories behind scaling deeptech & climate tech impact-driven companies. Hosted by Jérôme Gilleron, this podcast dives deep into the challenges, strategies, and breakthroughs that drive profitable and cashflow-positive growth in climate tech, deeptech, and sustainability. Through candid interviews with startup founders, scale-up executives, and industry experts, we explore: ✅ How to scale mission-driven businesses without burning out✅ Fundraising, sales, and growth strategies for impact startups✅ Lessons from leaders who’ve built and scaled industry-defining companies Whether you're a founder, investor, or operator in the climate tech and deeptech space, Reactor brings you actionable insights to fuel your growth. 🎧 Subscribe now and turn your vision into reality! 👉 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platforms.