Conscious Tech

Sera Tajima

Where deep tech meets capital in pursuit of planetary abundance. Each episode features the investors and founders solving the hardest problems in climate, energy, industry, materials, and the built world. Host Sera Tajima, angel investor, explores how solutions get funded from pre-seed to scale, how the tech works, and how we leverage technology to consciously solve humanity's most pressing challenges.

Episodes

  1. APR 7

    Why 2150 Bet on Blue Frontier to Solve the Cooling Crisis

    By 2035, cooling will consume more electricity than every data center on the planet combined. Yet, it remains one of the most underfunded problems in climate tech. In this episode, I sit down with Christian Hernandez, partner at 2150, one of Europe's leading urban tech funds, and Dr. Daniel Betts, founder of Blue Frontier, who spun his breakthrough cooling technology out of the National Renewable Energy Lab. Get weekly deep tech intel at conscioustech.co [00:00] Christian's origin story: from Microsoft & Google to climate VC [02:15] The contrarian bet: 50% of emissions, 11% of capital [03:53] Why cooling? From comfort problem to survivability problem [06:21] Daniel's story: from power generation to AC [09:32] The technology was too good not to bring to market [11:18] What actually happens to the grid during a heat wave [13:50] What is a GigaCorn? Christian explains [16:52] How Blue Frontier's technology works & liquid desiccant explained [22:15] The refrigerant problem: 2,000x worse than CO2 [24:48] Why batteries aren't the answer: the California grid case study [28:51] Cooling as a Service: Blue Frontier's business model [31:56] What deep tech founders struggle with most [37:11] "Ship what's on the truck," the no shiny things rule [38:09] US vs. Europe: how 2150's pipeline has shifted [39:36] Lessons from Fund 1: never underwrite subsidies [40:36] Defense tech, dual use, and Article 9 [42:55] The unlock that would 10x the pace [46:49] Lightning round [48:04] Ichigo Ichie: the encounter that changed everything Reach founders, VCs, and operators: sponsors@conscioustech.vc

    50 min
  2. Why Vinci & BMW Are Betting on 3D Wood Composites to Replace Steel

    11/05/2025

    Why Vinci & BMW Are Betting on 3D Wood Composites to Replace Steel

    Andres Mitnik is the CEO of Strong by Form, a deep tech startup revolutionizing sustainable construction materials. With a background in civil engineering and advanced degrees from Harvard and NYU, Andres is tackling industrial decarbonization—responsible for 30% of global carbon emissions. Strong by Form has developed Wood Flow, a next-generation timber composite that replaces steel, concrete, and aluminum at a fraction of the weight and, critically, at a price point competitive with traditional materials. After seven years of development and over €5 million raised, the company has secured partnerships with industry giants including BMW, Deutsche Bahn, and Vinci. Now preparing for their Series A, Strong by Form is proving that climate tech can compete on both performance and cost in the $16 trillion construction industry. Get weekly deep tech intel at conscioustech.co Chapters 📖 [00:00:00] Industrial Decarbonization & the Green Premium Challenge [00:02:06] Why Hardware Matters: Beyond Software Solutions [00:05:49] From Real Estate Consulting to Climate Tech [00:08:11] Wood Flow Technology: 3D Wood Composites Explained [00:11:21] Shape Optimization & Fiber Alignment Innovation [00:13:44] Three Seasoned Founders: Dividing Technical & Business Roles [00:17:16] Global Expansion: From Chile to Europe [00:18:37] BMW Partnership & Mobility Applications [00:19:25] The Holy Grail: Price Competitive with Concrete [00:21:18] Finding Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech [00:24:31] Building Visibility: Marketing a Physical Product [00:27:27] Going to Market: Architecture, Mobility & Construction [00:31:38] Product-Market Fit Research Insights [00:36:41] The Catalog Strategy: Balancing Bespoke & Standardization [00:38:34] Regulations, Durability & Fire Resistance [00:42:18] Sustainable Wood Sourcing & Certification [00:46:02] Cost vs. Sustainability: The Reality Check [00:47:57] Seed Round to Series A: The Fundraising Journey [00:51:38] Investor Milestones: Unit Economics & Production Costs [00:54:01] Racing Through Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) [00:56:23] Success, Challenges & Founder Lessons sponsor@conscioustechventures.com

    1h 2m
  3. Carbon Equity Democratizes Climate Tech Investing for Private Markets

    09/17/2025

    Carbon Equity Democratizes Climate Tech Investing for Private Markets

    Jacquelyn van den Ende and Liza Rubenstein reveal how they're providing never before seen access to exclusive private markets for climate investing. The Carbon Equity co-founders expose why trading ESG stocks creates zero real-world impact, how they overcame two years of European regulatory battles, and why 80% of new electricity is now solar purely on economics. From €100K minimums down to €20K access, discover the fund-of-funds strategy redirecting billions toward geothermal breakthroughs, EV manufacturing, and grid infrastructure—plus what Trump's policies actually mean for climate tech's unstoppable transition.⁠ Get weekly intel at ⁠conscioustech.co⁠ Chapters 📖 [00:00:00] Introduction and Climate Urgency [00:02:07] Meet the Co-founders: Backgrounds and Motivations [00:03:25] The Climate Awakening: From "An Inconvenient Truth" to "The Sixth Extinction" [00:05:08] The Power of Capital: Money as the Ultimate Allocator [00:06:21] Private Markets vs Public Markets: Where Real Impact Happens [00:07:04] Democratizing Access: Breaking Down Barriers to Climate Investing [00:09:23] Building Carbon Equity: Regulatory Hurdles and the Tesla Model Approach [00:11:26] Europe vs US: Climate Awareness and Policy Differences [00:14:30] Trump Administration Impact on Climate Investment Strategy [00:16:44] The Economics of Renewables: Why the Transition is Inevitable [00:21:50] Due Diligence and Fund Selection Process [00:24:37] Investment Strategies: Technology vs Infrastructure Funds [00:27:58] Portfolio Management and Impact Methodology [00:30:57] Promising Technologies: Geothermal, EVs, and Battery Innovation [00:33:42] Red Flags and Investment Timelines in Climate Tech [00:35:49] Carbon Equity's Future: Expanding Asset Classes and Global Reach [00:37:02] Accessing Carbon Equity: Current Markets and US Expansion Plans sponsor@conscioustechventures.com

    39 min

Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Where deep tech meets capital in pursuit of planetary abundance. Each episode features the investors and founders solving the hardest problems in climate, energy, industry, materials, and the built world. Host Sera Tajima, angel investor, explores how solutions get funded from pre-seed to scale, how the tech works, and how we leverage technology to consciously solve humanity's most pressing challenges.