The Impact Venture

The Impact Venture Podcast
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Welcome to our podcast, with The Impact Venture, featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends in our community. The Impact Venture (www.theimpactventure.com/) invests via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary AI Due Diligence Copilot - where AI meets VC. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience. Thanks for the support from Net Impact at UC Berkeley.

  1. [Full Episode] Scaling Impact in the future of EdTech - with Amit Patel, Managing Director @ Owl Ventures

    TRAILER

    [Full Episode] Scaling Impact in the future of EdTech - with Amit Patel, Managing Director @ Owl Ventures

    Welcome to The Impact Venture Podcast, where we explore the intersection of innovation, investment, and impact. This special episode is part of our New Venture Finance course, taught by Maura O’Neill, our much-admired instructor at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, joined by my classmate, Anirudh at EWMBA 27. In this episode, we sit down with Amit Patel, Managing Director at Owl Ventures, the world’s largest edtech-focused venture fund. Amit shares insights from the frontlines of education investment — from how venture capital evaluates early-stage startups to the metrics that matter most in scaling impact. We discuss why education technology is one of the fastest-growing sectors globally, yet still largely under-digitized. Amit also reflects on what makes founders stand out, the role of team dynamics and market understanding, and how lifelong learning will redefine both education and work in the years ahead.

    26 min
  2. [FULL EPISODE] Scaling Impact as One of the Most Active Venture Funds in Energy Transition – with Joshua Posamentier of Congruent Ventures

    06/15/2025

    [FULL EPISODE] Scaling Impact as One of the Most Active Venture Funds in Energy Transition – with Joshua Posamentier of Congruent Ventures

    Welcome to our podcast with The Impact Venture, featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, and faculty members at UC Berkeley. Today’s guest is Joshua Posamentier, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Congruent Ventures. He recently closed their third fund, with consistently growing assets under management over the last 10 years. They are actively investing in energy transition, smart cities and mobility, food and agriculture, and sustainable consumption and production. In our conversation, Josh shares his journey from a corporate executive to an entrepreneur and an investor. He also shared three essential qualities he looks for in a startup: a compelling idea with a sizable market, a team with either deep expertise or the ability to get smart and move quickly in a new domain, and a valid market channel strategy. Whether you are already an entrepreneur building in cleantech or an MBA student exploring startups, this episode is packed with insights. The Impact Venture invests in cleantech, sustainability, and renewable energy projects via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary AI Due Diligence Copilot - where AI meets VC. We also designed a Cleantech Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience.

    28 min
  3. [SCHEDULED] From Zero to One: Charles Hudson on Backing First-Time Founders

    06/11/2025

    [SCHEDULED] From Zero to One: Charles Hudson on Backing First-Time Founders

    Welcome to our podcast with The Impact Venture , featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends, focusing on impact investing, cleantech venture capital and project finance.   In this episode, we're joined by Charles Hudson, Founder & Managing Partner of Precursor Ventures, a trailblazing early-stage firm known for backing nearly 500 startups led by first-time and underrepresented founders. Charles explains why he built Precursor to fund ambitious entrepreneurs at the idea stage—people who may lack credentials but possess clarity, courage, and a willingness to take risks. We explore how Charles evaluates founder-market fit, the importance of lived experience over polished resumes, and why co-founder dynamics, resilience, and risk-taking are critical signals of success. This episode is packed with insights for founders, fund managers, and anyone passionate about building an inclusive and imaginative venture ecosystem from the ground up. The Impact Venture invests in climate tech and renewable energy projects via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary Due Diligence AI Copilot - where AI meets investors. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience.

    1 min
  4. [SCHEDULED] Corporate VC Beyond the Engine with Raymond Zheng at Honda Xcelerator Ventures

    06/11/2025

    [SCHEDULED] Corporate VC Beyond the Engine with Raymond Zheng at Honda Xcelerator Ventures

    Welcome to our podcast with The Impact Venture , featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends, focusing on impact investing, cleantech venture capital and project finance. In this episode, we’re joined by Raymond Zheng, Sr. Managing Director of Honda Xcelerator Ventures, where he leads corporate venturing and open innovation initiatives. With a career spanning engineering, M&A, and startup collaboration—from Cisco to Honda—Raymond shares how corporate venture capital drives impact across safety, mobility, and sustainability. We explore Honda’s investment thesis around carbon neutrality and zero-fatality vehicles, his approach to deep tech due diligence, and how startups can build meaningful, strategic partnerships with corporates. A valuable listen for founders and investors focused on cross-border collaboration and strategic synergy.  The Impact Venture invests in climate tech and renewable energy projects via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary Due Diligence AI Copilot - where AI meets investors. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience.

    1 min
  5. [FULL EPISODE] Unlocking Liquidity: The Power of Secondaries with Justin Burden at Industry Ventures

    06/09/2025

    [FULL EPISODE] Unlocking Liquidity: The Power of Secondaries with Justin Burden at Industry Ventures

    Welcome to our podcast with The Impact Venture , featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends, focusing on impact investing, cleantech venture capital and project finance. Today, we're joined by Justin Burden, a seasoned investor and Managing Director at Industry Ventures, one of the most prominent firms in the venture capital ecosystem. Since joining Industry Ventures in its early days, Justin has been instrumental in building and shaping the firm's pioneering approach to secondary direct investments and secondary limited partnership interests, primary venture fund commitments, direct venture rounds, and technology buyout funds. With over two decades of experience in venture capital, Justin brings a unique perspective on market cycles, fund structures, and the evolving role of secondary markets in fueling the liquidity of capital. Justin holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. We’re excited to have Justin here to share his insights on unlocking the liquidity of venture capital, the art of secondary and primary investing. The Impact Venture invests in climate tech and renewable energy projects via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary Due Diligence AI Copilot - where AI meets investors. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience.

    17 min
  6. [SCHEDULED] Cross-Border Innovation & Non-Dilutive Capital with Andrew Chang at New Energy Nexus

    06/04/2025

    [SCHEDULED] Cross-Border Innovation & Non-Dilutive Capital with Andrew Chang at New Energy Nexus

    Welcome to our podcast with The Impact Venture , featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends, focusing on impact investing, cleantech venture capital and project finance. In this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Chang, Chief Growth Officer at New Energy Nexus, one of the world’s leading ecosystem builders for clean energy entrepreneurs. Andrew drives growth and business development by leading a cross-border team and expanding into emerging climate ecosystems and new markets. He previously spearheaded the organization’s expansion into Asia—including China, Thailand, and Indonesia—and launched innovation programs with LG Energy Solutions, Hyundai, Kia, and Hub71 in Abu Dhabi. We explore how New Energy Nexus supports early- and growth-stage startups through non-dilutive funding, testbed access, and global collaboration—and why cross-border innovation is essential to accelerating climate solutions at scale. The Impact Venture invests in climate tech and renewable energy projects via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary Due Diligence AI Copilot - where AI meets investors. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience.

    1 min
  7. [FULL EPISODE] Built by Berkeley with Xan Wood at Canvas Ventures

    06/01/2025

    [FULL EPISODE] Built by Berkeley with Xan Wood at Canvas Ventures

    Welcome to our podcast with The Impact Venture , featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends, focusing on impact investing, cleantech venture capital and project finance. Today on the show, we're joined by Xan Wood, investor at Canvas Prime, where he focuses on Seed to Series B investments. A strong supporter of UC Berkeley’s innovation ecosystem, Xan brings a sharp eye for transformative technologies and a track record of backing ambitious founders early. He also curates the newsletter "Built-by-Berkeley," which highlights exceptional founders emerging from the UC Berkeley community. The Impact Venture invests in climate tech and renewable energy projects via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary Due Diligence AI Copilot - where AI meets investors. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience.

    17 min
  8. [FULL EPISODE] From Campus to Cap Table: David Bloom at The House Fund

    05/23/2025

    [FULL EPISODE] From Campus to Cap Table: David Bloom at The House Fund

    Welcome to our podcast with The Impact Venture , featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends, focusing on impact investing, cleantech venture capital and project finance. Today on the show, we’re joined by David Bloom, Principal at The House Fund—Berkeley’s flagship pre-seed and seed-stage venture capital fund backing startups founded by students, faculty, and alumni. A community builder at heart, David brings a sharp eye for innovation and a deep commitment to empowering builders from day one. In this episode, we dive into the evolving role of co-founders in the GenAI era—where non-technical founders can now rapidly build MVPs and validate ideas faster than ever. We also explore how to plug into The House Fund’s vibrant ecosystem through events designed to connect builders, founders, and creators. The House Fund Event Calender⁠. If you’re thinking about starting something, this conversation is a must-listen. The Impact Venture invests in climate tech and renewable energy projects via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary Due Diligence AI Copilot - where AI meets investors. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience.

    22 min
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About

Welcome to our podcast, with The Impact Venture, featuring in-depth interviews with LP-GP institutional investors, angel investors, faculty members at UC Berkeley, and all of our friends in our community. The Impact Venture (www.theimpactventure.com/) invests via venture capital and project finance, leveraging our proprietary AI Due Diligence Copilot - where AI meets VC. We also designed a VC Deal Fellowship Training Program for fellows to gain deal experience. Thanks for the support from Net Impact at UC Berkeley.

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  • Creator
    The Impact Venture Podcast
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
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    © The Impact Venture Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Impact Venture