AI hype vs. physical deep tech investing

Investor lessons from working at three billion-dollar companies and mentoring 200+ founders.

🎧 Episode Summary

Tom Chi, Founding Partner of At One Ventures, is also the author of a new book: Climate Capital: Investing in the Tools for a Regenerative Future. It includes insights on:

• Possibilities for our collective future using science and hard evidence, avoiding the extremes of unbridled optimism or complete doom and gloom

• The 4Cs (critical thinking, compassion, climate, and community) as a framework to design a sustainable, non-harmful approach to our global economy

• Using nature, the best-designed system out there, instead of economic pseudoscience, as a guide to move beyond fear for our future to a place of empowerment for individuals and communities alike

At One Ventures focuses on investing in breakthrough technologies that enable environmentally regenerative outcomes. They lead or co-lead seed and Series A investments with average company valuation around $20M.

Previously, Tom held senior product and leadership roles at Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google. At Google, he was a founding member of Google X, contributing to projects including Google Glass, Waymo, and Project Loon. 

After leaving Google, Tom worked extensively with entrepreneurs in emerging markets, mentoring 200+ founders and advising or investing in global-impact startups. He later served as a venture partner at Hack VC and an entrepreneur-in-residence at Crosslink Capital, specializing in deep tech diligence and portfolio support.

OK, here we go!

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About the host: Dr. Chris Wedding

Climate tech CEO coach, investor, serial founder, board member, professor, and occasional monk. For more on climate tech startups and leadership, follow frequent posts on LinkedIn:

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherwedding