Inevitable

Anastasia Volkova is the CEO and Co-founder of Regrow, which was named Fast Company's number one most innovative company in agriculture in 2023. They empower the world's largest brands such as Kellogg's, Cargill and General Mills to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their supply chains. Their product began as a data and analytics offering to agronomists and farmers to help build a localized growing roadmap, identifying what crops to plant, what fertilizer and other inputs to use, how much of it to use, and an irrigation plan. By building this roadmap for growers, Regrow realized that it could then help food brands and processors have a much deeper knowledge of how the food they source is grown. Beyond expertise, Regrow's product helps companies proactively lower their supply chain emissions by incentivizing best practices across their grower network. In this conversation, Anastasia traces her journey from starting Regrow to the company it has become and discusses the agricultural practices that can make the biggest difference in emissions mitigation. The company raised a Series B of financing last year from Galvanized Climate Solutions among others, and is a leader in driving regenerative agriculture practice changes at scale.In this episode, we cover: [02:30]: Anastasia's personal climate journey[04:43]: Discovering the potential of satellite imagery for agriculture during her PhD[07:24]: Agronomists' crucial role as "crop doctors"[10:05]: Regrow's initial focus on providing agronomists with data[10:40]: How satellite imagery fits into Regrow's software[13:10]: Regrow’s product evolution[15:38]: Lack of visibility as the main challenge in understanding the agri-food supply chain[17:08]: Deep dive into the nuances of Regrow's product[19:30] Regrow's business model: Brands paying farmers for emission reductions[23:48]: The agri-food industry's significant contribution (31%) to global emissions[26:52]: Key emissions factors on farms, including machinery and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers[32:08]: Topsoil degradation and the regenerative agriculture movement[39:04]: Challenges with creating a carbon credit methodology around soil organic carbon[43:41]: Systemic challenges to scaling regenerative agriculture[45:09]: The need for financing the transition to regenerative practices[47:09]: Predictions for upcoming farm bills[48:04]: What's next for Regrow[49:34]: Who Anastasia wants to hear from and career opportunities at RegrowResources mentioned:Kiss the Ground DocumentaryGet connected: Anastasia Volkova LinkedInCody Simms Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on Jun 15, 2023 (aired Jun 28, 2023) Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by Jason Jacobs. This series explores a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Temple Fennell is the Co-founder and Managing Partner at Clean Energy Ventures, an early-stage venture firm that funds disruptive capital-light technologies and business model innovations that can reshape how we produce and consume energy.Temple has been investing in climate tech (or "Cleantech" as it used to be called) for a long time, and has the learnings to show for it. This episode covers the origin story of Clean Energy Ventures, their approach, the mix of limited partners that back their fund, and their criteria for investment from an impact standpoint and a financial standpoint. A broader discussion follows about the climate tech capital stack, some of the learnings from Cleantech 1.0, why Temple believes this time is different, the state of institutional capital as it relates to climate tech fund investing, as well as what it will take to get more capital flowing in this direction.In this episode, we cover: [02:56]: Origins and overview of Clean Energy Ventures[04:50]: Distinction between Clean Energy Venture Group (CEVG) and Clean Energy Venture Fund[07:20]: Temple's background, family investments, and the clean energy space in Charlottesville, VA [11:11]: Overview of CREO (Clean Energy Renewable Environment Opportunities) syndicate[13:25]: Key learnings from Cleantech 1.0 [18:15]: CEVG check sizes, portfolio, and support for entrepreneurs[20:01]: History of CEVG's fund one and their use of SPVs (special purpose vehicles)[22:12]: Current investment focus and fund status[25:59]: Approach to impact measurement[30:20]: Approach to financial returns and causal link to impact[31:19]: Approach to selecting LPs[34:15]: Pension fund hesitance due to previous losses in Cleantech 1.0[38:18]: Why Cleantech 1.0 failed and how this time is different[41:02]: How limited DPI (distributed paid-in capital) poses challenges in attracting institutional investors [43:23]: Pricing, exit analysis, and the need for top decile returns[46:17]: State of the broader market vs. climate tech market, risk assessments, and team dynamics [48:56]: Gaps and opportunities in the capital stack, preference for capital-light companies, and importance of milestones   [52:21]: Who Temple wants to hear from [54:58]: Closing thoughts on the differences between "Tech-tech" and CleantechResources mentioned:Simple Emission Reduction CalculatorVenture Capital and Cleantech: The Wrong Model for Clean Energy InnovationGet connected: Temple Fennell Twitter / LinkedInJason JacobsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on May 26, 2023 (released on June 28, 2023) Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Michael Liebreich is the host of the podcast Cleaning Up, focused on leadership in the age of climate change. Michael was previously the CEO and founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance. He has been involved with the organization for 20 years, still serving as a senior contributor. Michael also runs an advisory firm, Liebreich and Associates, focused on clean energy and sustainable development, and he's an advisor to the UK Board of Trade. All of this is just scratching the surface of Michael's background, which also includes having been a member of the British Ski Team and a participant in the 1992 Winter Olympics.This episode explores Michael’s accomplishments and how he came to focus on climate and clean energy topics, how he started New Energy Finance and the decision to sell the business to Bloomberg, as well as the legacy that he created with the business. Michael and Cody then cover a hit list of topics, including recent climate legislation in the US and the EU, the topic of green protectionism and Michael's “five horsemen” of big challenges the world faces as we try to decarbonize.This conversation merely grazes the surface of Michael's climate-related interests, including his deep focus on hydrogen. So, for more from Michael, you'll need to check out his conversations on the Cleaning Up podcast.In this episode, we cover: [01:58]: Michael's unique background[06:49]: Transitioning to journalism in the early internet era[08:48]: Michael's personal climate epiphany in the Swiss Alps[12:34]: Starting a data-driven media company to fill the clean energy information gap[18:05]: Pivoting to insight services[18:57]: Bloomberg's acquisition of New Energy Finance (NEF)[22:21]: Running Bloomberg NEF as CEO[25:27]: Stepping away from NEF and growing his professional network[26:53]: Paid speaking engagements and transitioning to podcasting during COVID[28:10]: Michael's approach to the Cleaning Up podcast[36:31]: The struggles and advantages of being generalists[38:34]: Europe's energy situation over the winter of '22-'23 and the urgent need to address dependence on Russian energy[40:54]: The role of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminals in Europe[42:58]: European response to the Inflation Reduction Act and "Green Protectionism"[48:08]: Caution around the practice of recycling and re-exporting items for credits[51:22] Michael's main concerns for clean energy deployment, including rare metals and recycling[52:38] Addressing the speed with which societies can approve and build transmission[56:43]: Limited access to capital in developing countries[01:00:41]: Resilience and intermittency issues[01:03:49]: Closing thoughts and how to follow Michael's workGet connected: Michael Liebreich Twitter / LinkedInCody SimmsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on May 10, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

John O'Donnell, Co-founder and CEO of Rondo Energy, talks about the massive emissions problem of industrial heat and how Rondo's heat battery solution aims to decarbonize heat. The episode explores the challenges of transitioning to renewable energy sources for industrial heat, the potential of using brick as a core material in heating technology, and the opportunities for enabling heat as a service and grid participation.

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by Jason Jacobs. This series explores a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Melissa Cheong is the managing partner of Blackhorn Ventures. Blackhorn Ventures funds companies that are using technology to create unprecedented resource productivity in areas like construction, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, water, and energy. In this episode, Melissa discusses her journey from being an LP in a private family office to a general partner in a venture firm. We also talk about her sustainability journey, how, and why, and when she came to care about this problem, and when that intersected with her professional pursuits.In this episode, we cover: [01:49]: Origins and overview of Blackhorn Ventures[08:31]: How Melissa thinks about climate and climate equity[12:58]: Joining Blackhorn as a GP after being an LP[18:29]: How Blackhorn evaluates opportunities: IMP Framework, ESG and DEI policies[21:12]: How the LP base has diversified over time[26:15]: Blackhorn's four primary verticals: transportation, built environment, energy, and supply chain logistics[28:36]: Considering impact in parallel to the commercial thesis[30:40]: Frustration with the market and institutional capital allocation[32:09]: Optimism about new market entrants, particularly from Europe and Asia[33:28]: How traditional investors evaluate climate opportunities[36:14]: Melissa's views on, and experience with, placement agents[39:27]: AI and other areas Melissa is particularly excited about right now[41:14]: Melissa's parting advice to LPs and companiesGet connected: Jason JacobsMelissa Cheong LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on June 5, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Narendra Taneja serves as chairman of the Independent Energy Policy Institute, a think tank based in New Delhi, and is a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. He presides over the World Energy Policy Summit and was president of the World Oil and Gas Assembly from 2001 to 2011. With expertise in energy policy, transition, geopolitics, governance, and energy security, Taneja is recognized as a powerful voice on energy and climate, especially in the context of the Global North and the Global South. Currently surpassing China as the world's most populous country, India is the world's fifth-largest economy and the third-largest electricity producer. Despite the country's vulnerability to climate change impacts, its historical cumulative emissions account for a relatively small portion, standing at 3.4%. This places India as the seventh highest emitter among nation states, according to Carbon Brief, with the United States and China leading at 20.3% and 11.4% of emissions, respectively. Taneja sheds light on India's energy landscape, leading our discussion from statistical insights to a dynamic exploration of global collaboration for the energy transition and climate change. His compelling arguments are highly engaging and thought-provoking, and will likely cause almost every listener of this podcast to stop and think.In this episode, we cover: [03:13]: Recent developments in India's energy economy[04:49]: How India views climate and energy as two sides of the same coin[07:02]: Overview of India's energy grid infrastructure[08:29]: India's energy mix and new government incentives[10:05]: The current grassroots solar revolution[12:52]: India's history with coal and energy security challenges[18:46]: The Global North bias in climate narratives[25:15]: Risks of excluding developing nations from global climate conversations[31:13]: The need for a new democratic climate governance order[33:45]: The risks and reasons for a lack of global energy governance[36:16]: The International Energy Agency (IEA)’s exclusion of India and China[39:59]: The need for a new global bank for climate finance[46:32]: What it takes to create a new global organization[48:01]: India and China's history and return to the global center of gravity[52:15]: The Global North’s resistance to change and how global power dynamics will shift in the next 30 years[54:42]: Narendra's thoughts on the European Union as a project[57:56]: India's investments in Russian oil[01:04:00]: Decentering the US and the "us or them" worldviewGet connected: Narendra TanejaCody SimmsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on May 12, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Kate Henningsen is Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Arcadia. Arcadia is a tech company empowering energy innovators and consumers to fight the climate crisis. Arcadia started as a way for consumers to gain access to premium renewable energy credits for their home energy consumption. They now claim to be the leading manager of community solar projects in the United States. They've expanded on that with the launch of the ARC platform in late 2021 and the acquisition of Urjanet in the spring of 2022, which together allow Arcadia to offer developer API access to data from over 10,000 utilities globally across electric, water, gas, and waste.Kate has scaled the business to hundreds of global employees, significant revenue, and hundreds of millions of dollars in capital raised. We talk about how she's managed her own transition from startup to scale and the advice she often gives to women looking to work in climate tech. We're thrilled to be multiple time investors in Arcadia via our MCJ Collective Venture funds. To us, they represent one of the standout success stories in terms of being a high growth digital company that's driving real impact on decarbonization.In this episode, we cover: [01:55]: Kate's background[05:08]: Arcadia's beginnings: Premium RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates)[07:48]: Arcadia's billing relationship with customers[09:41]: Arcadia's first core proposition: Matching everyone who wants it with clean energy[10:55]: Becoming the largest manager of community solar projects in the US[12:22]: Building relationships with utilities[14:40]: The popularity of community solar projects[16:46]: How the energy market has evolved in the last five years[18:34]: Sign-up process for community solar[23:00]: The savings benefits of community solar and its role in the market[26:16]: Origins and overview of the ARC platform and role of EV manufacturers[31:00]: Arcadia's acquisition of Urjanet[34:01]: How Kate manages as COO of two large businesses[36:47]: How to maneuver within the "monopoly system" of the energy market[39:31]: The need for humility and adaptability while scaling[41:12]: Kate's advice for women breaking into climate[45:42]: Advice for founders navigating today's market environment[49:33]: The future of Arcadia and how folks can get connectedGet connected: Kate HenningsenCody Simms Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on May 31, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Capital Series hosted by Jason Jacobs. This series explores a diverse range of capital sources and the individuals who drive them. From family offices and institutional LPs to private equity, government funding, and more, we take a deep dive into the world of capital and its critical role in driving innovation and progress. Sandy Guitar is the managing director of HX Venture Fund. HX Venture Fund is a fund investing in venture capital funds and they are seeking to transform Houston into a world-leading hub for innovation by bringing together key players in the ecosystem, linking investors to startups and startups to capital. In this episode, Jason and Sandy discuss Sandy’s background and the origin story of HX Venture Fund. They delve into the fund's inspirations from various regions, highlighting the key factors contributing to its success elsewhere and the rationale behind applying their model to Houston. They also talk about the current standing of the firm, their investment criteria, and notable examples of their investments. Looking ahead, Sandy provides insights into the future direction of HX Venture Fund and her aspirations for Houston's future.In this episode, we cover: [3:03] An overview of HX Venture Fund [5:00] The firm's origin story [10:17] Sandy's background in venture capital [15:03] HX Venture Fund's portfolio split [15:47] Key learnings from the firm's first fund[18:52] Early VC focus on strategy compared to returns [20:20] How HX sources deals [21:28] The firm's energy transition investments [23:39] Venture Houston event on September 7, 2023[25:20] Houston's role in the energy transition and major players in the city [31:10] Criteria for evaluating funds in energy transition vs other categories [33:41] Traditional vs non-traditional portfolio construction and HX's position on the two [34:51] Generalists vs specialists in the energy transition category [36:34] Importance of impact tracking [39:12] How strategic LPs engage with HX Venture Fund and its portfolio companies [46:45] Sandy's thoughts on growth vehicles [51:13] Advice for emerging funds working with fund of funds vs directly with strategics [56:55] What success looks like for HX Venture Fund and measuring it beyond financial returns [59:43] How HX Venture Fund sets itself apart [01:03:29] Who Sandy wants to hear from and where HX needs helpGet connected: Jason JacobsSandy Guitar / HX Venture FundMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on May 18, 2023. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Brandon Smith is a wildland firefighter and the co-founder and CEO of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program. Brandon graduated with a Bachelor's from UC Berkeley in Interdisciplinary Studies and Black Studies. After graduation, he worked in education and eventually found his way to wildland firefighting. We previously talked with a hotshot firefighter named James Sedlak to understand the day-to-day details of the job itself. In this episode, Yin and Brandon's discussion focuses on building the firefighting talent pipeline, bringing more awareness to this field of work, and getting more people into it.  In this episode, we cover: Brandon's background and experience at “fire camp” while incarceratedFounding the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP)The recruitment processThe challenges FFRP facesFire prevention vs. suppression and indigenous burning practicesRecertification after incarcerationHistory of incarcerated people in firefightingThe skilled labor shortageHow folks can support FFRPCross-functional partnerships and breaking down silosGet connected: Brandon SmithYin Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on Feb 3, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Dr. Julie Pullen is founding partner and chief scientist at Propeller, an early-stage venture fund focused on the intersection of the oceans and climate change. It recently announced that it had raised $100 million for its first fund. Coincidently, today (June 8) is also World Oceans Day, globally recognized by the UN as a day to foster public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources.Today's conversation is about the ocean, its critical role in regulating our climate, how humans have been damaging this balance, and what we can do about it. Julie's work is at the intersection of humanity and the oceans, and her expertise spans climate, weather, and hydro science, with a particular focus on high-resolution coastal urban prediction for flooding, heat waves, and other perils.Prior to her role at Propeller, Julie was most recently the climate strategist at Jupiter Intelligence, a startup delivering hyper-local projections of climate impact and business risk. And she's an adjunct research scientist at Columbia's Climate School. She was previously an associate professor in civil, environmental, and ocean engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, where she organized field studies globally to improve our understanding and prediction of the Earth's system. And we could go on further about her amazing credentials at the Naval Research Laboratory and more, but let's jump into learning from her about our oceans.In this episode, we cover: [2:39] World Ocean Day activities and awareness[4:22] An overview of Propeller and Julie's work[6:16] The reason behind the firm's ocean focus and its scope[8:00] Propeller's ocean investment categories including,  carbon, organics, and industrials[10:04] Major challenges and concerns with oceans today[13:00] Implications of warming ocean waters[15:43] Transition points in ocean health that could lead to cascading effects[19:09] The role of venture capital in supporting ocean-based solutions[20:53] A brief overview of marine biogeochemistry[22:52] Solutions aimed at ocean carbon sequestration[25:36] Challenges with measurement and verification[28:43] The role of data simulation[34:13] Fisheries and food security solutions[35:40] Alternative proteins on the market[38:44] Julie's time at Jupiter Intelligence[41:32] Emissions reductions as a wedge to drive necessary change for our oceans[43:30] Ocean-specific pledges like 30x30[44:39] The importance of benthic environments and vital ecosystems[45:59] What Julie's excited for in the ocean industrials space[47:53] How people can get informed and involved in ocean preservationGet connected:Dr. Julie Pullen LinkedIn / TwitterCody SimmsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on June 1, 2023 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant