New Wave.

#109 - Dan Brunner - Commonwealth Fusion - Is fusion still 20 years away? Oct 6, 2026 3152 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****New Wave is supported by:Evertrace: the leading founder detection engine for VCs. It traces signals across the digital landscape to uncover emerging founders earlier than anyone else, so you meet tomorrow’s founders today.I use it myself to source more deals at Climate Club, and I LOVE it. See what Evertrace can do for you here, or as

#108 - Josh Western - Space Forge - Growing materials in space Oct 1, 2026 2333 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Manufacturing in SpaceWhy the next generation of advanced materials might be made 500 km above Earth.We’re joined by Josh Western, co-founder and CEO of Space Forge, a UK company building spacecraft to manufacture advanced materials in space — and bring them back to Earth.The idea sounds almost absurd at first.Why launch something i

#107 - Julia Padberg - SET Ventures - "The energy transition is not a technology challenge" Sep 22, 2026 3075 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****New Wave is supported by:Evertrace: the leading founder detection engine for VCs. It traces signals across the digital landscape to uncover emerging founders earlier than anyone else, so you meet tomorrow’s founders today.I use it myself to source more deals at Climate Club, and I LOVE it. See what Evertrace can do for you here, or as

#106 - Dinesh Ganesan - Arctern - Climate Investing in the Age of Compute Sep 10, 2026 3293 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Financing the Hardware EraWhy climate founders need to stop treating equity as the default way to pay for CapEx.We’re joined by William Godfrey of Tangible, who has spent the past few years developing a thesis around how climate and hardtech founders should combine equity, debt, equipment finance, asset-backed lending, project finan

#105 - Steve Kloos - Burnt Island Ventures - “It's All One Water” Sep 9, 2026 2614 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Water’s Mispriced OpportunityWhy one of the world’s most essential markets may also be one of venture capital’s most overlooked.Ahead of The Drop in Malmö, we’re joined by Steve Kloos, Partner at Burnt Island Ventures, a venture firm dedicated exclusively to investing in water technologies.Water is foundational to life, and to the e

#104 - William Godfrey - Tangible - CapEx Financing 101 Sep 8, 2026 3053 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Financing the Hardware EraWhy climate founders need to stop treating equity as the default way to pay for CapEx.We’re joined by William Godfrey of Tangible, who has spent the past few years developing a thesis around how climate and hardtech founders should combine equity, debt, equipment finance, asset-backed lending, project finan

#103 - EDF, HTGF, Tetmet - Can Startups Reindustrialise Europe? Jul 21, 2026 3085 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Brought to you by:EDF: partnering with New Wave on this mini-series to explore how cleaner energy, industrial innovation, and ambitious startups can rebuild Europe’s productive edge. Discover EDF’s work with industrial and climate innovators here.****👉 Europe cannot rebuild the pastReindustrialisation does not mean bringing back the f

#102 - Marco Bertone - Syntetica - Nylon's dirty secret Jul 16, 2026 3482 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Can Fashion Break Free From Fossil Fuels?How Syntetica plans to turn the textile industry’s most complex waste into a scalable source of new materials.We’re joined by Marco Bertone, CEO and co-founder of Syntetica, a circular chemistry company building technology to recycle blended nylon waste.Fresh off a $30 million funding round,

#101 - Juan Nieto - Zacua VC - "Cement is the world's 3rd largest emitter" Jul 14, 2026 3266 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Supported by:Leonard: The innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group, to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing VINCI’s businesses: the digital revolution, the accelerating pace of innovation, and the environmental transition.****🌊 The Next Climate Wave Is Built, Not CodedWhy decarbonizing the physical world requires b

#100 - Driss Laraqui - Fenix Energy - Using Iron as a Fuel to Replace Natural Gas Jul 6, 2026 2985 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Supported by:Leonard: The innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group, to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing VINCI’s businesses: the digital revolution, the accelerating pace of innovation, and the environmental transition.****🌊 Can Iron Replace Natural Gas?How a rechargeable metal fuel could reshape high-temperatur

#99 - Clara Ricard - Transition - "Hardware can scale as fast as software, China proved it" Jun 30, 2026 2456 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Building Deep Tech at Software SpeedWhat separates the best hardware founders, and why conviction matters more than consensus.We’re joined by Clara Ricard, investor at Transition, focused on hardware and industrial deep tech, to explore what it really takes to build and back the next generation of climate and frontier technologies.H

#98 - Andreas Saari - Paebbl - The cement that stores carbon - (live recording) Jun 23, 2026 1474 Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Building Concrete That Stores CarbonCan the world’s most essential building materi

#97 - Beau-Anne Chilla - FORWARD.one - "Technology without commercialization is just expensive science" Jun 16, 2026 2497 Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Turning Deep Tech Into Industrial ChampionsWhy commercialization is the real bottl

#96 - Assia Kasdi - Milvus Advanced - "Can we create metals like we create shampoos?" Jun 9, 2026 2522 Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 The New Alchemy of Clean EnergyWhy the future of climate-tech may depend on replac

#95 - Maximilian Schwarz - Nucleus - "It needs to feel uncomfortable sitting with them" Jun 2, 2026 3133 Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Building Conviction Before the World Sees ItWhat it takes to back scientific found

#94 - Renaud Visage - SlateVC - The CTO behind Eventbrite is now chasing Europe's climate unicorns May 26, 2026 3221 Brought to you by:Heights: a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Building Europe’s Climate Growth EngineWhy the next generation of climate champion

#93 - Patrik Möller - CorPower Ocean - "Wave energy could surpass global nuclear capacity." May 19, 2026 2316 Brought to you by Heights:A design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Riding the Next Energy WaveWhy wave energy might become the missing piece of the 24

#92 - Timothée Parrique - "You can’t save the climate with capitalism" May 12, 2026 3704 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Can Capitalism Survive the Planetary Boundaries?We’re joined by Timothée Parrique (website), researcher in ecological economics at the University of Lausanne and one of the leading voices challenging the idea that endless economic growth can coexist with a finite planet.In this episode, we dive into the uncomfortable tension between

#91 - Ahmed Ismail - Dunia - Where AI meets material discovery May 5, 2026 4839 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 When AI hits the atomWhy the future of materials discovery won’t be built on simulations alone.We’re joined by Ahmed Ismail, Co-founder & COO of Dunia, a Berlin-based deeptech company building AI- and robotics-powered systems to accelerate the discovery and scale-up of industrial breakthrough materials.In this episode, we dive into

#90 - Carl-Magnus Norden - Decade Energy - Powering the next generation of trucks Apr 28, 2026 3232 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Charging the TransitionWhy electric trucks won’t scale without rethinking energy infrastructureWe’re joined by a Carl-Magnus Norden, a veteran entrepreneur and founder of Decade Energy, previously behind Volta Trucks, one of Europe’s most ambitious electric truck startups.In this episode, we dive into why electrifying transport isn’

#89 - Lea Strumberger - KfW Capital - The LP Perspective on Raising a Climate Fund Apr 21, 2026 2894 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Thanks you, Morning for hosting the podcast this week. Get 20% off your next meeting room (in Paris), just say you’re coming from Hugo at New Wave.****🌊 Inside an LP’s MindWhat it really takes to raise climate-tech funds.We’re joined by Lea Strumberger, investor at KfW Capital, where she focuses on climate tech, impact, and deep tech

#88 - Andy Lubershane - Energy Impact Partners - Energy Carriers and the Future of Fuel [5/5] Apr 19, 2026 2515 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 The Fuel Problem No One Talks AboutWhy replacing fossil fuels isn’t just about energy, it’s about how we carry it. We’re joined by Andy Lubershane, Partner at Energy Impact Partners and author of Steel For Fuel. In this episode, we dive into energy carriers, and unpack what it really takes to replace fossil fuels not just as energy

#87 - Arnaud Tran - Voltaback - Charging Is the Real Bottleneck to Electrification Apr 14, 2026 2640 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Decentralizing the Fuel StationWhy EV charging, not the car, is the real bottleneck to electrificationWe’re joined by Arnaud Tran, Co-founder & CEO of Voltaback, a company building the software layer for charging corporate electric vehicles at home.In this episode, we dive into the hidden infrastructure problem behind EV adoption, a

#86 - Andy Lubershane - Energy Impact Partners - Drilling for Hydrogen and Heat [4/5] Apr 10, 2026 2246 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Drilling for the Future of EnergyCan geologic hydrogen and deep geothermal actually power the world?We’re joined by Andy Lubershane, Partner at Energy Impact Partners and author of Steel For Fuel. In this episode, we go deep underground, into geologic hydrogen and geothermal, and unpack what it really takes to unlock planet-scale, z

#85 - Torsten Kolind - Underground Ventures - What It Takes to Make Geothermal Global Apr 7, 2026 3104 Thanks you, Morning for hosting the podcast this week. Get 20% off your next meeting room (in Paris), just say you’re coming from Hugo at New Wave.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Drilling the Future, Can Geothermal Power Everything?From 0.01% to 8%, what it takes to unlock next-gen geothermal at scale.We’re joined by Torsten Kolind, Co-founder of Underground V

#84 - Andy Lubershane - Energy Impact Partners - The Economics of Ultra-Cheap Solar [3/5] Apr 3, 2026 2038 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Crazy Cheap RenewablesWhat if solar becomes the cheapest energy source on Earth?We’re joined by Andy Lubershane, Partner at Energy Impact Partners and author of Steel For Fuel. In this episode, we dive into the future of ultra-cheap solar, and unpack what it really takes to push renewables into a new cost paradigm that reshapes glob

#83 - James Gutman - Why Geopolitics Is Europe's Strongest Climate Accelerator Mar 31, 2026 2186 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Energy Security Is Climate StrategyWhy geopolitics may become the strongest accelerator of Europe’s energy transition.We’re joined by James Gutman, strategist at The Carlyle Group and a longtime commodities and energy expert with experience spanning Ford, Goldman Sachs, and hedge funds.In this episode, we dive into the collision bet

#82 - Andy Lubershane - Energy Impact Partners - Can Fusion Ever Be Cheap Enough? [2/5] Mar 26, 2026 1490 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Fusion, and Other Fusion-Level BetsWhy the dream of limitless clean energy is still alive, and why the real question is cost, not physics.We’re joined by Andy Lubershane, Partner at Energy Impact Partners and author of Steel For Fuel. In this episode, we dive into nuclear fusion, the most ambitious energy technology on the table, an

#81 - Andy Lubershane - Energy Impact Partners - Nuclear's Second Act [1/5] Mar 19, 2026 2035 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 The Case for a Nuclear RenaissanceWhy fission might be the most under appreciated climate bet of our time.We’re joined by Andy Lubershane, Partner at Energy Impact Partners and author of Steel For Fuel. In this first of five episode, we dive into nuclear fission as a “fusion-level bet”, and unpack what it really takes to build a sca

#80 - Abhi Desai - Desai Ventures - The Missing Link in Fixing Methane Mar 17, 2026 2073 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 The Methane Blind SpotWhy one of the most powerful climate levers stayed invisible, and what it takes to build around it.We’re joined by Abhi Desai, Solo GP at Desai Ventures (an Indian family office), an early-stage investor focused on deep tech solutions across methane detection, satellites, and climate infrastructure.In this epis

#79 - Jared O'Leary - SirenOpt - Real-Time Sensing for the Factory of the Future Mar 10, 2026 1976 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 The Invisible Problem Inside Every FactoryWhy advanced manufacturing is still wildly inefficient — and how real-time sensing could unlock the next wave of climate tech.We’re joined by Jared O’Leary, Co-founder of SirenOpt, a deep-tech company building real-time sensing systems for advanced manufacturing.In this episode, we dive into

#78 - Otto Birnbaum - Revent - Conviction, Follow-Ons and 100x Outcomes Mar 4, 2026 2541 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Obsession, Timing & the 50x DecisionWhat it really takes to back, and double down on, a climate breakout.We’re joined by Otto Birnbaum, Founding Partner at Revent, an early-stage fund backing companies at the intersection of climate, demographic, and technological change. Revent was an early investor in tem, which recently raised a

#77 - Thor Gutierrez - Sirona - Is Direct Air Capture a Distraction? Feb 26, 2026 3120 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Removing CO₂ at 420 ppmIs direct air capture a distraction, or a necessity for net zero?We’re joined by Thor Gutierrez, Founder & CEO of Sirona Technologies, former Tesla engineer now building one of Europe’s most ambitious direct air capture (DAC) companies.Direct air capture fascinates as much as it divides.Some see it as essentia

#76 - Fabian Heilemann - AENU - "If you ask for green premium, go home." Feb 18, 2026 2628 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 No Green Premium, The 2026 Climate VC PlaybookWhy price parity, resilience, and market-rate returns are the only strategy that works now.In 2022, climate was hot. Capital was cheap. ESG was mainstream.Today? The pendulum has swung.In this episode, with Fabian Heilemann, General Partner at AENU, we dive into what has fundamentally ch

#75 - Sarah Sclarsic - Voyager Ventures - Electrification Is the New Default Feb 12, 2026 2343 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Listen now:Apple // Spotify // YouTube🌊 The Inflection Point Nobody NoticedWhy electrification, materials innovation, and better unit economics are reshaping climate VC.We’re joined by Sarah Sclarsic, General Partner & Co-Founder at Voyager Ventures, a transatlantic VC firm backing foundational innovations across energy, materials, an

#74 - Fabien Koutchekian - Genomines - Can Plants Replace Mines? Feb 5, 2026 3500 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Mining Without MinesHow plants could unlock the next wave of critical metals.We’re joined by Fabien, Co-Founder & CEO of Genomines, a company rethinking how the world sources nickel, not by digging deeper, but by growing smarter.In this episode, we dive into a radical idea at the heart of the energy transition: what if we could prod

#73 - Katie Marsh - Recupere - Copper Is the Bottleneck No One Talks About Feb 2, 2026 2012 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Building a Sovereign Copper SupplyWe’re joined by Katie Marsh, Co-Founder & CEO of Recupere Metals, a next-gen industrial company rethinking how copper is produced for electrification.Fresh off a €5M seed round closed in just 30 days, Katie shares how Recupere is turning scrap copper into high-performance electrical wires, without s

#72 - Jacob Bro - 2150 - €210M to Decarbonize Cities Jan 26, 2026 2205 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Building Cities Without Breaking the SystemWhy urban climate tech must be faster, better, and cheaper to truly scale.We’re joined by Jacob Bro, General Partner at 2150, one of Europe’s most thoughtful urban climate investors, fresh off the close of €210m Fund II.In this episode, we dive into what it really takes to fund the next gen

#71 - Joško Bobanović - Sofinnova Partners - Turning Great Biology into Scalable Companies Jan 22, 2026 3248 Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 A VC Playbook for Industrial BiotechWhat it really takes to turn great biology into scalable, venture-backable companies.We’re joined by Joško Bobanović, Partner in Industrial Biotech at Sofinnova Partners, one of Europe’s most experienced investors at the intersection of biology, industry, and climate.In this episode, we dive into

#70 - Martijn Lopes Cardozo - Regeneration VC - Rethinking How We Design, Use and Reuse Everything Jan 18, 2026 3199 Subcribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.****🌊 Why Circularity Is the Real Climate LeverWhy staying within

#69 - Jahed Momand - Cerulean Ventures - AI, Nature and Pre-Seed Bets Jan 14, 2026 3098 Subcribe to the newsletter: New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Pricing Nature As An AssetWhy the next wave of climate returns will be built on data, ecosystems, and riskWe’re joined by Jahed Momand, General Partner at Cerulean Ventures, a pre-seed fund backing founders applying AI and software to the physical world, from nature and oceans to grids, steel, and supply chains.In this episode, we d

#68 - Jessica Burley - Planet A - The Hard Truth About Funding Hard Tech Jan 9, 2026 1677 Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***🌊 Hardware Is Hard. That’s the Point.What it really takes to fund, build, and scale climate hardware in EuropeWe’re joined by

#67 - Erik Engellau - Norrsken Launcher - Turning World-Class Research into World-Class Companies Jan 6, 2026 3232 Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***🌊 How To Commercialize ScienceWhy Europe’s world-class research rarely becomes global companies, and how to fix it.We’re joine

#66 - Robina, Matthew, Vera - Contrarian, Voyager Ventures & Apex Ventures - AI for Materials: Breakthrough or Illusion? Dec 19, 2025 2728 Sign up to New Wave's newsletter. ***This week on New Wave Weekly:👉 AI won’t magically invent new materialsAlphaFold worked because biology had great data. Inorganic materials don’t. Sparse datasets, missing thermodynamics, and poor characterization remain the biggest blockers.👉 The real moat is synthesis, not modelsFrom rare-earth-free magnets to catalysts, value is created in the lab: making, ch

#65 - Anna Finizio - EIF - Inside Europe's Largest LP Dec 17, 2025 2703 Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***🌊 A New Swell Has ArrivedHow the European Investment Fund is shaping the next generation of climate VCs.We’re joined by Anna F

#64 - Simon Belka - Shifted - Microgrids, Storage and the Grid Bottleneck Dec 14, 2025 1290 🌊 Simon Belka on fixing the grid.Why long-duration storage and microgrids may define the next energy system.We’re joined by Simon Belka, Co-Founder of Shifted Energy, a long-duration energy storage startup building compressed-air systems for the decentralized grid.In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest paradoxes in clean energy: we’re producing more cheap renewable electricity than ever,

#63 - Eglantine Dupuy - Dealroom - The State of European Climate Tech Dec 14, 2025 1249 🌊 Eglantine Dupuy on what the data says about European climate tech.Why deep tech is winning, VC is retreating, and corporates are stepping in.We’re joined by Eglantine Dupuy, Research Associate at Dealroom.co, where she tracks Europe’s climate and deep tech ecosystem through one of the most comprehensive data platforms in venture.In this episode, we take a hard look at European climate tech in 20

#62 - David Ferguson - EDF - From Pilot to Scale: How Corporates Work with Startups Dec 14, 2025 1612 🌊 David Ferguson on pilot-to-scale partnerships.Why corporate-startup partnerships fail and how to design the ones that actually work.We’re joined by David Ferguson, Head of Innovation (UK) at EDF, a 20-year energy veteran working at the intersection of climate, technology, and large-scale infrastructure.In this episode, we dive into why corporates love pilots but struggle to scale them, and unpac

#61 - Marc Lechantre - Axeleo - Can Europe Re-Industrialize and Decarbonize at Once? Dec 14, 2025 2153 🌊 Marc Lechantre on industrial decarbonization.We’re joined by Marc Lechantre, Partner at Axeleo Capital’s Green Tech Industry Fund. After 15 years in the automotive industry, Marc now backs the founders building the factories, materials, and energy systems that actually move the climate needle.In this episode, we dive into industrial climate tech, and unpack what it really takes to finance, scale

#60 - Sam Goodall - Cambridge Cleantech - Building a Pan-European Climate Tech Ecosystem Dec 14, 2025 1560 Sam Goodall on Europe’s Climate Tech “Supercluster”In Paris, I sat down with Sam Goodall, CEO of Cambridge Cleantech and co-founder of the Climate Tech Supercluster.We unpacked a question I kept hearing:Why does Europe lead in climate innovation, but fall behind on scale?Sam’s take is refreshingly clear: Climate tech is spread too thin. We miss an obvious “Silicon Valley” to go to.That’s why he cr

#59 - Marion Schuppe - makesense - Launching a €25M Pre-Seed Impact Fund Dec 11, 2025 1316 Makesense just closed its €25M pre-seed fund:So we sat down with Marion Schuppe to unpack what it really takes to build an impact-first VC from a nonprofit DNA.👉 Fundraising: fun, exciting.. exhaustingWhat does it take for a nonprofit-rooted team to win over LPs and triple their fund size? More trust-building, cooperation, and resilience than most people think.👉 Why pre-seed impact investing needs

#58 - Nadine, Fabio, Gil - Zintinus, World Fund & Flora VC - The Investor's Guide to Food Tech Dec 5, 2025 2742 This week on New Wave Weekly:👉 Why food & ag still scare generalist VCsDespite being a $8T industry employing more people than any other, exits are small, timelines are long, and the science is heavy. So why does capital hesitate? And what are they missing?👉 Where the real opportunities are in food techFrom ingredients with 1% inclusion rates, to functional foods, to GLP-1 alternatives, to sugar-f

#57 - Sid Khullar - Aris Machina - Can AI Fix Advanced Manufacturing? Dec 4, 2025 2253 🌊 The Excellence of Machines, Inside Aris Machina’s $10.7M Pre-SeedHow do you build an agentic operating system for manufacturing, and why now?We’re joined by Siddharth “Sid” Khullar, Co-Founder & CEO of Aris Machina, the company building an agentic OS for complex manufacturing, starting with batteries. Sid previously led Software & AI at Northvolt, where he experienced firsthand the success and f

#56 - Douglas Sloan - Better Society Capital - What Gets You Backed by an Impact LP Dec 2, 2025 2893 Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***🌊 A New Swell Has ArrivedInside Better Society Capital’s approach to returns, impact, and the next gen of funds.We’re joined b

#55 - Yair, Jonny & Matthew - Extantia, Marble & Voyager Ventures - Can AI Agents Run a Factory? Nov 28, 2025 2942 This week on New Wave Weekly:👉 Aris Machina lands a monster “pre-seed”Founded by two former Northvolt leaders — including Peter Carlsson — Aris Machina wants to build the agent OS for manufacturing, unifying messy factory data into a global optimization layer. But can you really standardize manufacturing when every plant is different?👉 AI for Manufacturing: hype cycle or real inflection?Europe and

#54 - Alex Bakir - Norrsken Evolve - Fixing the Pre-Seed Sophistication Gap Nov 26, 2025 2210 We’re joined by Alex Bakir, Partner at Norrsken Evolve, an operator-turned-investor who has built and scaled companies across Silicon Valley and Europe before launching one of the continent’s most distinctive early-stage climate funds.In this episode, we dive into why Europe’s climate tech story needs a new foundation, one rooted in productive capacity, supply-chain sovereignty, and operator-led s

#53 - Craig, Hampus, Julia - World Fund, Pale Blue Dot & Sightline - Einride's $1.8B IPO: Hype, Hope and Heavy Trucks Nov 21, 2025 2261 This week on New Wave Weekly: 👉 Einride’s $1.8B IPO: A look inside the priceThe Swedish freight-tech giant is heading to the NYSE via SPAC at a 40× revenue multiple. Is the market ready for a Tesla-for-freight, or is this déjà vu of the SPAC boom? 👉 Vertical integration vs. “just pick a lane” Einride builds hardware, software, autonomous systems, logistics optimization, everything. Too much stack

#52 - Julia Attwood - Sightline Climate - Globalization in Climate Tech Nov 20, 2025 1002 Today on New Wave Weekly: Sightline Climate just released the Globalization in climate tech report (download it here). I sat down with Julia Attwood, Head of Research at Sightline, to chat about the key takeaways for European investors. 👉 Europe is committed to climate tech, but still missing the big checksEurope matches the US in number of deals and early-stage activity… so why are growth-stage r

#51 - Hampus Jakobsson - Pale Blue Dot - Extreme Agency and Climate Conviction Nov 18, 2025 4450 We’re joined by Hampus Jakobsson, Partner at Pale Blue Dot, longtime founder, operator, and one of Europe’s most prolific early-stage investors.In this episode, we dive into what it means to be a “five” in agency, how great teams form, why climate became unavoidable for him, and how Pale Blue Dot built an unconventional fund model that actually works for founders.In our conversation, we covered:→

#50 - Maxi, Jordan, Jake - HV Capital, IQ Capital & Voyager Ventures - How to Underwrite Deep Tech Risk Nov 14, 2025 2458 This week on New Wave Weekly: 👉 Why chip cooling is becoming a climate storyData centers are hitting thermal limits. Nvidia says liquid cooling is inevitable. Is cooling the hidden bottleneck of the AI revolution?👉 How to actually diligence deep techFrom techno-economic models to hyperscaler roadmaps, Maxi, Jordan, and Jake break down how investors separate real breakthroughs from nice demos.👉 Eur

#49 - Maex Ament & Philip Stehlik - Anti Ordinary Ventures - Two unicorn exits, one climate mission Nov 12, 2025 2752 How two founders turned a decade of building too-early ideas into a climate investment thesis for the next industrial wave.We’re joined by Maex Ament and Philip Stehlik, co-founders of two unicorns (Taulia and Centrifuge) and now founding partners at Earth, a new European climate fund investing across the industrial stack.In this episode, we dive into how being “too early” became their edge, what

#48 - Thibaud Martin - Altrove - The End of Trial and Error in Materials Science Nov 10, 2025 1380 Today on New Wave: Altrove just raised $10M to reinvent how new materials are discovered, using AI and robotics to replace the world’s rarest elements. This week, I sat down with Thibaud Martin, Altrove’s co-founder and CEO, to unpack:👉 AI Meets Material ScienceAltrove just raised $10M to accelerate the discovery of new materials that can replace rare earths - a mission that could redefine global

#47 - Carbon Equity, Ferd & Aurum Impact - How LPs Pick Climate Funds Nov 7, 2025 3181 This week on New Wave Weekly: 👉 How LPs really select climate fundsFrom 500 decks to a handful of checks, LPs reveal how they go about screening and selecting funds at the top of the funnel.👉 What due diligence really looks likeThe invisible marathon: deep dives, and months of follow-ups. Here’s how to keep momentum alive until the check lands.👉 Impact vs. Returns: Can you have both?Ferd, Carbon E

#46 - Guillaume Gras - ECBF - Investing in Growth-Stage Circular Startups Nov 5, 2025 3121 🌊 The Fifth Swell Has ArrivedWhat does circularity really look like when the hype fades?I sat down with Guillaume Gras, Investment Director at ECBF and former Innovafeed co-founder (raised over €250M), to unpack how climate VCs think about circularity, and what truly drives growth and resilience.In this episode, we explore what circularity means beyond buzzwords and regulation, and how founders ca

#45 - Hampus & Matthew - Pale Blue Dot & Voyager Ventures - The Case for "Boring" Industries Oct 31, 2025 1723 This week on New Wave Weekly: 👉 The case for “boring” industriesWhy old-school sectors like steel, cement, mining, and logistics may be the best places for climate founders to win (if you can crack GTM and avoid CapEx traps).👉 Product vs. commodity: know your fightIf you’re selling into consolidated commodity markets with decade-long relationships, how do you build venture-scale outcomes?👉 Market

#44 - Laura Fox - Streetlife Ventures - Adaptation, Cities and the Built Environment Oct 28, 2025 3084 Supported by:Accelerating Impact - an independent non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital toward sustainable development and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers (ICFA, ISFA). Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong peer community. Apply here.***🌊 The Fourth Swell Has ArrivedToday, we’re joined by Laura Fox, Streetlight Ventures

#43 - Jonny, Maxi & Yair - Marble, HV Capital & Extantia - What Stegra Tells Us About Climate Scale-Ups Oct 24, 2025 2928 This week on New Wave Weekly: 👉 Stegra and the Billion-Euro GapSweden’s Stegra (formerly H2 Green Steel) raised €6.5 billion to build Europe’s largest green-steel plant, then the FT called it a “funding crisis.” Is this media clickbait, or is Europe’s gigascale model showing cracks?👉 All Aboard: The Collaborative Fund MovementA new US initiative is pooling $300M from top VCs to de-risk first-of-a-

#42 - Peter Platan - TESI - Inside Finland's $3B LP Oct 21, 2025 2344 Brought to you by:Accelerating Impact - an independent non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital toward sustainable development and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers (ICFA, ISFA). Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong peer community. Contact them here.***🌊 The Third Swell Has ArrivedWe’re joined by Peter Platan, Investment Di

#41 - Jonny, Julia & Hampus - Marble, Sightline Climate & Pale Blue Dot - Mega Funds, Base Power and Germany's CCS Push Oct 17, 2025 3375 Brought to you by:D-CRBN - a Belgian startup turning industrial CO₂ emissions into valuable feedstock using cutting-edge plasma technology. If you want to learn more, reach out directly to David Ziegler or Gill Scheltjens.***🌊 This week on New Wave: 👉 Base Power’s $1B Series CThe fastest-growing energy startup in America raises $1 billion at a $3 billion pre-money valuation. Is this a pure executi

#40 - Terhi Vapola - Greencode VC - AI, Efficiency and the Future of Green Software Oct 14, 2025 2475 Brought to you by:Accelerating Impact - an independent non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital toward sustainable development and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers (ICFA, ISFA). Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong peer community. Contact them here.***🌊 The Second Swell Has ArrivedWe’re back with Terhi Vapola, Founding Par

#39 - Carolina Echecopar - Carbon Equity - What LPs Really Want from Climate Funds Oct 7, 2025 2444 Brought to you by:Accelerating Impact - an independent non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital toward sustainable development and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers (ICFA, ISFA). Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong peer community. Contact them here.***🌊 The First Swell Has ArrivedWe’re kicking off with Carolina Echecopar,

#38 - Jonny, Julia & Julien - Marble, Sightline & Honda - Growing Nickel from Plants and Other Bold Bets Oct 3, 2025 2717 Brought to you by:D-CRBN - a Belgian startup turning industrial CO₂ emissions into valuable feedstock using cutting-edge plasma technology. If you want to learn more, reach out directly to David Ziegler or Gill Scheltjens.***This week on New Wave Weekly: 👉 $45M for Genomines: Plants vs MinesThe French startup growing nickel from plants just raised $45M, one of the largest Series A in Europe for cl

#37 - Hampus & Matthew - Pale Blue Dot & Voyager Ventures - Fusion, Grids and the Energy Bottleneck Sep 26, 2025 3027 Brought to you by:D-CRBN - a Belgian startup turning industrial CO₂ emissions into valuable feedstock using cutting-edge plasma technology. If you want to learn more, reach out directly to David Ziegler or Gill Scheltjens.***This week on New Wave Weekly: change is no longer a scientific forecast.👉 Fusion Energy: Is It Around The Corner?Proxima Fusion raises $200M, U.S. players pull in mega-rounds

#36 - Damien Didier - Daphni - Does ESG Actually Add Value in VC? Sep 18, 2025 2146 ESG is under fire. Some say it’s “good for the brand” but not foundational to the strategy. Others call it flat-out fraud.So I wanted to find out:Is ESG in venture capital just a PR exercise, or can it actually create value?To unpack this complex topic, I invited Damien Didier, Head of ESG at Daphni, a French VC firm with over €500M AUM and one of the funds that truly walks the talk.And I’ll be ho

#35 - Sir Ronald Cohen - Is Venture Capital the Right Tool for Climate? Sep 13, 2025 2151 Sir Ronald Cohen is not your average climate investor. In 1972, he co-founded one of Europe’s first VC funds, which became Apax Partners, now with €80B+ deployed in private equity and venture capital.At 60, he had a realization:“I didn’t want my epitaph to read: ‘He delivered a 30% annual return.’ I had always known that life should have a greater purpose.”Since then, he’s spent two decades reima

#34 - Timothy Rann - Mercy Corps Ventures - Climate Resilience as an Investment Thesis Sep 11, 2025 3027 Brought to you by:Accelerating Impact - an independent non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital toward sustainable development and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers (ICFA, ISFA). Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong peer community. Contact them here.***Climate change is no longer a scientific forecast. It's a daily reality

#33 - Nic Gorini - Spin Ventures - Circularity as the Next Unicorn Play Sep 4, 2025 2053 Can circularity deliver on both carbon reduction and financial performance?Today, we’re joined by Nic Gorini, Managing Partner at Spin Ventures, a fund dedicated to the circular and regenerative economy. In this episode, Nic reframes circularity as a path to business efficiency, not just environmental good. Forget the “waste = trash” mindset. Circularity is about designing smarter systems that cut

#32 - Hampus, Pippa & Matteo - Pale Blue Dot, Zero Carbon & Kora Labs - Is AI Killing the Planet? Aug 21, 2025 2912 Artificial Intelligence is seen as a critical tool for solving climate change. We talk about optimizing grids, accelerating material discovery, and predicting extreme weather.But can AI really help us solve the climate crisis faster than it contributes to it?Today I’m joined by three sharp thinkers in the world of climate:- Hampus Jakobsson: founding partner at Pale Blue Dot and a bullish believer

#31 - Dave Borlace - Just Have a Think - Batteries, Climate and the Tech That Matters Aug 7, 2025 3183 Batteries are the backbone of the energy transition. From grid-scale storage to next-gen chemistries, the world is racing to shape a trillion-dollar industry.But what are the fundamental differences between battery types? And which are actually game-changers?To explore the battery market, I’m joined by Dave Borlace, the voice behind Just Have a Think, a YouTube channel trusted by 600,000+ people f

#30 - Hampus, Andreas & Jonny - Pale Blue Dot, Prototype Capital & Marble - Who Writes the First Check in Climate? Jul 24, 2025 4738 How do you secure that first yes from a climate investor?And how do you build the conviction needed to write the first check?***Co-hosted by Climate Drift and VCo2, this brutally honest conversation features three of the sharpest minds in early-stage investing, Hampus Jakobsson (Pale Blue Dot), Jonny Everett (Marble), and Andreas Klinger (Prototype Capital), to lift the curtain on how decisions ar

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