Rayyan Islam

Cost-effective geothermal energy has the ability to fully transition and decarbonize our grids and industrial systems - in the near term! We believe the team and technology at XGS Energy will realize this vision and we couldn't be happier to be working with them on a geothermal-powered reality.

24

That feeling when you watch the macro forces that undergird your Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology investment thesis at ⁦‪REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund unfolding every single day: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions; The Climate Crisis & Severe Weather; Consumer Behavior & Demographics. At most venture capital firms, Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology is a tiny, emerging “area of interest” . . . At REFASHIOND Ventures, it’s our entire world. Join us. #IndustrialTransformation #SupplyChain #Innovation #Technology #Startups #VentureCapital

5

Partnering with startups can help companies to "solve a product problem, create a new avenue for revenue, accelerate R&D, or accelerate time to market for a specific product," according to Otilia Barbuta, principal at HP Tech Ventures, the venture capital arm of HP. She was talking at a breakout session at Circularity 2024. "There are solutions in the market created by startups and in this circularity realm, I think it's more important than ever to partner with [them]." #climatetech #startups #climateVC

5

What if mining for valuable minerals could be done in space with a smaller environmental impact and at a lower cost? 🚀 Matthew Gialich, CEO of AstroForge, believes it's possible. In our latest episode of The Lobster Talks, Matt shares how AstroForge is revolutionizing the mining industry by extracting precious metals from asteroids. Key takeaways from our conversation: - The inspiration behind AstroForge: Learn about Matt's journey from Bird Rides and the Jet Propulsion Lab to founding a company with the goal of mining asteroids. - Y Combinator's impact: Discover how the support and guidance from YC helped shape AstroForge's vision and accelerate their progress. - The upcoming launch: Get an exclusive look at AstroForge's groundbreaking mission to identify a metallic asteroid this November, a major step towards sustainable space resource utilization. - Low-cost and sustainable mining: Understand how AstroForge's innovative technology is making asteroid mining more affordable and environmentally friendly than traditional methods. If you're interested in the future of mining, space exploration, or groundbreaking technology, this episode is a must-listen! 🎧 Check out the full episode here - https://lnkd.in/e6-49bZ9 #AsteroidMining #SpaceResources #SustainableMining #AstroForge #TheLobsterTalks #YCombinator #Podcast

3

Incredibly excited to announce Equal Ventures investment into Texture Texture provides the critical data and API infrastructure for one of the most significant digital transformations the world will undertake, turning the grid into the internet The growth of distributed energy resources (DERs) represents a tremendous shift in how the gird operates, moving from an industrial assembly line of power to one where consumers and producers interact with each other in real time. The growth of DERs is outpacing that of users on the internet in the early days. Unlike humans, DERs are getting smarter, cheaper and are not bound to population constraints. This is THE internet moment for energy Were quickly moving to a future where billions of energy devices will be coordinating in real-time. Unlike in other industries, energy companies lack centralized data and API infrastructure for collecting, managing and acting upon this flood of information. Texture (according to TechCrunch) is building the “go to platform for the energy transition” Helmed by Sanjiv Sanghavi, Nicholas Alan Brown and Victor Quinn, the Texture team has achieved dizzying progress over the last year, building the widest network of device integrations available and computing capability that was previously unattainable. By unifying customers under a single network, texture is enabling and amplifying the a new digital future for DERs. Congrats to the team on the latest milestone of raising a dramatically oversubscribed $7.5m seed round from Equal Ventures Lerer Hippeau Abstract Ventures Day One Ventures and climate pioneers like Kiran Bhatraju Michael Ruehlman Christopher Kemper

139

12 Comments

Stop this removal-only obsession in the carbon markets. What kind of hare-brained approach is that? We need avoidance even more than we need removals. This article reminds me of the analogy I made a few months ago about a sinking boat. No amount of bailing water with buckets will save you if the hole in the hull is getting bigger. Remember, if deforestation was a country, it would be the world's third largest emitter. And no, you cannot just demand/legislate that poor rural people stop deforesting without providing alternative income. That is why forest carbon exists. It takes some form of totalitarian mindset (and/or total lack of understanding of rural economies)to think one can just ban things they do not like. https://lnkd.in/eCddBRwt

49

5 Comments

🧬 This week's Austin Bio & Health Roundup covers new funding, insightful data, expanding footprints, local innovators' thoughts, recognitions, & booming developments across the Texas Bio Triangle. 🧬 💰 Funding Thoughtful AI has raised a $20M Series led by Drive Capital led by Nick Solaro. With that funding Thoughtful launched AI agents focused on claims processing, patient eligibility verification, and other healthcare back office functions. Congratulations to Alex Zekoff and the entire team! Drive Capital's investment in Thoughtful parallels their expansion into Austin putting feet on the ground with new Seed General Manager Anish Zuté. I expect we'll be hearing about more investments from them soon. Modicus Prime raised $3.5M to prevent drug product quality failures in biomanufacturing. A great example of Austin funding Austin as Silverton Partners led the round. Congrats to Taylor Chartier and team! A reminder: You may have seen some media covering SEC filings and trying to scoop startups on their funding announcements. I only announce funding when the companies do as I am not a “journalist” and I'm here to catalyze & support the builders 📊 Data Peter Walker released new Carta data breaking down the sector diversity of funding since 2022 in top. In Austin, Healthtech ranked number 3 at 13%, behind SaaS at 42% and Fintech at 13% (likely a decimal difference). Note that Carta breaks Bio & Health into three subcategories (Healthtech, Pharma/Biotech, and Med Device). Where would the sector rank when combined? Peter, any comment? 🚀 Launches, Expansions, and Milestones Neuralink, the brain computer interface company founded by Elon Musk, is expanding its presence in Texas with a new 100,000+ facility, further solidifying our region's position as a key neurotech hub. Given the recent news about the relocations of X to Austin and SpaceX to Starbase, Texas; might we see an even larger presence (maybe even HQ) for Neuralink in the future? 💡 Insights from Local Builders and Innovators Jaleh Daie, PhD shared her thoughts in SynBioBeta on building a durable bioeconomy and what it will take to get there. 🏆 Recognition Kerry Rupp, partner at True Wealth Ventures, has been appointed to the @Ascension Seton Foundation Board. Having VCs on the hospital boards (including the Foundation) will help further connect them to the innovation ecosystem. 🚩 Texas Bio Triangle Houston-based Octagos Health | The Future of Digital Health raised a $43 million Series B to advance AI-driven cardiac device monitoring. Congrats to Shanti Bansal, M.D. and the whole team! MD Anderson and Rice University are joining forces to launch a cancer bioengineering collaborative, focused on speeding up the movement of innovations from the lab to the market. What’s Next?

42

13 Comments

3D printing is having a breakout moment, turning its long held promise into a reality that is arriving at pace and at scale. Over the next 5 years: - Consumers will expect customized products at scale - Computers will surpass human creativity and skill in product design - New infrastructure is needed to protect IP if anything can be printed anywhere  - Global supply chains will be meaningfully dismantled as products get printed at their point of sale I sat down with Philip DeSimone, Co-founder of Carbon, the most advanced 3D printing company already operating at scale serving customers in 17 countries ranging from Adidas to Ford. With over 300 patents filed, Carbon has raised $680M from the likes of Sequoia, Temasek, and Google. Check out 5YF Episode #14: 3D printing breakthroughs, AI designed products, mass customization, spare body parts, dismantling global trade, IP piracy, and the future of production w/ Carbon Co-founder Philip DeSimone https://pod.fo/e/234185 #3Dprinting

9

3 Comments

Don't let the spaceship launch without you! 🚀 Whether it's through investment opportunities, utilizing space tech in key sectors like agriculture and mining, or forging partnerships with innovative space companies, there's a universe of possibilities when it comes to the space race. And remember, it's not just about reaching for the stars. It's about the tangible impacts on Earth. What area of the space economy excites you the most: satellite technology, space tourism, or perhaps something else? 🤔 Let me know in the comments 👇 #Technology #Innovation #SpaceEconomy #Investment

33

7 Comments

Cloover is building the fintech backbone for the energy transition in Europe. We just led their $5.5M seed round here at Lowercarbon Capital, which is also attached to a monster $100M+ debt raise to power their embedded loans product. I've joined the board alongside our friends at 9900 and QED Investors. Rooftop solar is a money-saving, no-brainer upgrade for homeowners, and Cloover’s software and financing firepower gives installers the fastest possible path to profitably solarize Europe's 200M rooftops - a win for climate, jobs, and security. I can't wait to roll up my sleeves with Jodok Betschart, Peder Broms, and Valentin Gönczy - outlier founders operating at a velocity that you almost never see. If you're in Europe (particularly Berlin) and want to join the Cloover mafia at the ground floor, please get in touch or tag someone in this thread. We're particularly looking for our founding senior leadership in engineering and growth. Shoot me a note at shawn@lowercarboncapital.com. #startups #entrepreneurship #tech #climatetech #fintech #energy #energytransition #solar #electrification #europe

166

6 Comments

Congrats to our portfolio companies — Heirloom, Charm Industrial, Vycarb, and Vaulted Deep who all made the DOE's short list of Phase 1 semifinalists! Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Carbon Dioxide Removal Purchase Pilot Prize allows companies to compete for the opportunity to deliver carbon dioxide removal credits directly to DOE. This is such an important initiative to ensure carbon credits are of a high quality, and will ultimately help restore trust in carbon markets. https://lnkd.in/drEkPd4p

44

Many founders and CEOs fail to spend enough time with their product and customers in the field. Bear Givhan at Earthview Corporation is different. This has allowed for faster product iteration and better customer satisfaction. Because of this day-in, day-out dogged effort, major operators are starting to realize that Earthview is the best solution in emissions monitoring and mitigation.

19

2 Comments

Yesterday, we joined investors, innovators, and policy makers at The White House to revisit the Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy. 🎯The Takeaway: the Fusion Race is on The world is ready to take the next step to accelerate #fusion energy but it will take a Space Race-like effort to ensure we fully seize the opportunity. Fusion will redefine the very basics of how we live and build for centuries to come. We’re excited to get to work. Read more: https://ow.ly/koZy50SbTV4

40

Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) illustrates the current "readiness" of #ClimateTechs + their potential impact on carbon reduction. As shown, many techs are at an early stage of being able to have a material impact. Concerningly, some tech funds recently returned capital back to investors recently + closed their funds - citing inability to fund capital intensive techs, found in areas like ClimateTech. This in part may be contributing to the $2 trillion shortfall in ClimateTech, that Deloitte estimates. What this may mean for the future? - The migration of LPs to global, super VC funds within ClimateTech, given the large capital pools needed to fund tech development - Greater specialization from smaller funds, energizing more niche elements of the ClimateTech market - but also altering their / LP's risk profile - A greater role to be played by debt financing in funding growth entities at an earlier stage - impacting cashflow dynamics Will be an interesting space to watch moving forward. We at The Proptech Connection are constantly working with all parts of the Proptech ecosystem. From the leading LPs, funds, techs and adopters in market, providing an independent view. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help. #InvestorTrends #Strategy #Global Ivo van Breukelen Stuart Daun Kiki C. Ethan Ward

9

2 Comments

$25m more to fuel Molten Industries in their mission to decarbonize the world’s chemical and heavy industries. When we first met the founders in 2021 they had built a white-hot chemical reactor in a literal garage at Stanford. Soon after Fifty Years led the seed round with our friends at Union Square Ventures. Molten is building the future of 🇺🇸 made sustainable graphite. Why does it matter? America has a supply chain issue. 97% of battery grade graphite currently comes from China. With increasing geopolitical tensions, they've been restricting exports. This puts the supply chain for Li-ion batteries at risk. And tensions go both ways. To promote supply chain resiliency, the Biden administration is eliminating the $7500 tax credit on EVs if they source graphite from China. Enter Molten, who built a reactor that cracks methane at extremely hot temperatures into hydrogen and graphite using renewable electricity. They turn natural gas and renewable power into battery grade graphite. With amazing technoeconomics. The best part? Molten's cost structure beats natural graphite (the cheapest on market) with higher performance than synthetic graphite (the best & most expensive on market). Lowest cost, highest performance, sustainable domestic process -- a dream come true! Kevin Bush, Caleb Boyd, and the rest of Molten are a wildly talented team on a mission to decarbonize the world’s chemical and heavy industries. And they're hiring!

260

6 Comments

Climate change often focuses on reducing carbon emissions, but what about methane? Unlike carbon, which is a waste captured for disposal, methane holds untapped potential as energy that can be repurposed. Startup Windfall Bio’s solution intrigued me: Methane-eating microbes that convert emissions into fertilizer. They supply them to industries like agriculture, oil and gas, and landfills, where companies have the option to either use the fertilizer themselves or sell it for additional revenue. This not only offers a low-cost alternative to traditional carbon capture methods but also creates a near-term revenue stream for companies. While carbon reduction has long been the focus, methane's shorter lifespan (10-12 years) and potential for repurposing make it a promising avenue for immediate impact. Founder: Josh Silverman “It was a long road getting here, lots of years of zero traction.. Now that the traction is there and there aren’t very many people working in this area, there aren’t that many competitors. We are the best of the very few options. As I’ve said, ‘in my land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.’” #Climate #Innovation #Methane

16

5 Comments

Renewables+Storage WILL become the dominant technologies towards the "electrification of everything". Kingsmill Bond, Sam Butler-Sloss and Daan Walter at RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute) lay out the case clearly in https://lnkd.in/d3EHJDKM. #RenewableEnergy #ElectrificationOfEverything

4

HLC Inc is not just talking about changing the world, they're actively doing it! Negotiating with two companies to reduce landfill waste by 85% is just the beginning. Turning solid waste into valuable commodities worth a fair amount of capital is a game-changer. In addition, Public-Private Partnerships are underway to provide housing, a new railway system, and a canal with eco-friendly properties to a country. Renewable green energy projects are also in the works to provide power to several African countries. All of these impressive projects have been/ are currently being vetted personally by the HLC team. Stay tuned for more updates on how HLC Inc is changing the world! #HLCInc #sustainability #greenenergy #publicprivatepartnerships

7