Earth First

🌱 Next up, let’s dive into the world of fusion energy with Brian Berzin, Co-founder and CEO of Thea Energy! Founded in 2022, Thea Energy is on a mission to revolutionize fusion energy by harnessing the latest breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering. They’re taking a faster, simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy, ditching the complex, modular magnets in favor of sleek, computer-controlled arrays of planar coils. Talk about a game-changer! Brian first set his sights on the fusion space in 2016, when there were only two VC-funded fusion startups in the U.S. Fast forward to today, and that number has skyrocketed to over 40! We’ll uncover what sparked Brian’s interest back then and how he’s continued to master this rapidly evolving field. 💡 Fun fact: Fusion energy boils down to largely two buckets- Magnetic confinement: Using powerful magnets to keep plasma in check. Inertial confinement: Using lasers or other techniques to quickly heat or compress plasma, creating the perfect fusion conditions. 💼 Quick Glance at Brian’s Journey: 👉 BS in Finance and Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University 👉 Founder of LUMENESSENCE 👉 Investment Banking Analyst at Houlihan Lokey 👉 VP Strategy at General Fusion 👉 Investor at Aeterna Capital Partners Brian shares some wisdom on building a successful company: “There’s always something to learn, and often, you can learn it from those who’ve been there before.” We love his growth mindset! And let’s not forget the powerful reminder: no matter how tough the problem you’re tackling, if you’re resourceful, you don’t have to go it alone. The magic of learning from others is real! Why do we think this so cool? Brian’s work is set to reshape the future—manufacturing energy without depending on natural resources. Talk about changing the way humanity functions! Tune in next week as we explore some of the most impactful tech set to shape the world for centuries, tackling climate change and the geopolitics of energy. Oh, and did we mention there’s a massive opportunity for #AI and #ML in this space too? 😉 Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/g2A9uNFY #climatetech #startups #earthfirst #innovation #technology #sustainability #leadership #climatechange #fusion #FusionEnergy

Calling all Bay Area Founders and Investors! This Thursday, 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM, we’re hosting an approval only Founder & Investor Happy Hour with 9Zero Climate Innovation Hub (Our new official Earth First HQ!)! Tickets are almost gone—don’t miss your chance to connect with top climate investors and discover your next big opportunity. 🧑💻 Feel free to cowork at 9Zero earlier in the day! https://lu.ma/4zxr4jc5

Last week, we hosted a Cracking Decarbonization Panel + Mixer with College to Climate and 9Zero Climate Innovation Hub. Big thanks to Paul Straub, Managing Partner & Co-Founder of Wireframe Ventures, and Mark Tomasovic, Principal of Energize Capital, for joining us. Thank you to everyone who attended! We had an awesome turnout of 80+ college students, young climate pros, those wanting to break into the field, investors, and founders. It was super cool to see the different approaches and focuses between #early-stage and #later-stage ventures. Some of our (many) takeaways: 🌿 Climate will soon become industry-agnostic. It’s not a question of if, but when. 🌊Adaptation tech is on the rise. As companies focus on adaptation, they’ll naturally shift towards more proactive mitigation strategies—solving root problems instead of just applying band-aids. 💻 Software is just as crucial as hardware. It’s essential for boosting efficiency and cutting soft-costs in mature industries like solar. 🚨 Question🚨 of the Hour: Founders, how can you leverage AI (as a dimension of your product) to speed up this transition? Special shoutout to Luiza Villela, CEO & Co-Founder of unClassic Foods Foods, for sharing your delicious specialty mushrooms! If you attended, what were your takeaways? Comment below! 💬

Last week, Energize Principal Mark Tomasovic joined Paul Straub, Managing Partner at Wireframe Ventures, to speak with young professionals about innovation in decarbonization and the energy transition. Hosted by Earth First at 9Zero Climate Innovation Hub and in collaboration with College to Climate, the event aimed to empower students to explore their roles in climate technology and sustainability. 🌎 The climate transition relies on the leadership and conviction of younger generations, and we're grateful to College to Climate for building bridges that connect these emerging leaders to careers in the industry.

🌱 Next up, meet Matt Verminski, Co-founder and CTO of Kodama Systems Kodama is pioneering technology for forest management operations that improve forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Based in Sonora, California, Kodama provides innovative solutions like remote-project internet connectivity, machine teleoperation, and waste biomass utilization to address critical challenges across the industry.   Have you ever wondered what forest tech looks like? Stay tuned for this edition to discover how Kodama’s solutions are shaping the future of #forest #management. 💡 Fun Fact: Healthy forests, with clean floors, a mix of different-aged trees, and diverse vegetation, can be up to 60% more resilient to wildfires, diseases, insects, and drought. 💼 A Snapshot of Matt: 👉 VP at Amazon Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics 👉 VP at Desktop Metal 👉 Co-founder Mimio / Virtual Ink 👉 Tufts University BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MS Inspired by his grandfather's advice to "move it or lose it," Matt says: “We embrace this at Kodama by developing action-oriented products to keep our forests healthy and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires." 🚀 Join us as we dive into Matt’s journey from co-founding Kodama to scaling innovative forestry technologies, such as semi-autonomous skidders, for safer and more productive forest-thinning. Being from California and living through wildfires, this hits home for us - We hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/g2A9uNFY #climatetech #startups #earthfirst #innovation #technology #sustainability #leadership  #climatechange

Check out what’s happening in SF tomorrow ? 👀 https://lu.ma/sf

Hey Earth First Fam! Come break down decarbonization with us on July 24th at 9Zero Climate Innovation Hub! We're beyond stoked to be co-hosting the Cracking Decarbonization Panel & Mixer with our awesome friends at College to Climate and 9Zero Climate Innovation Hub. 🏢 Where? San Francisco’s brand-new climate-centered co-working and event space, 9Zero Climate Innovation Hub Climate Innovation Hub (350 California St). 🎤 Who’s on the mic? Paul Straub, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Wireframe Ventures, and Mark Tomasovic, Principal at Energize Capital, m/c by Earth First 🍽️ What do I need? Nothing, but come hungry! Luiza Villela, Founder of unClassic Foods, will be handing out her Oyster Mushroom "Calamari," Crispy Specialty "Shroom-Chick," and Oyster Mushroom Strips. Guess what? They have 4x more protein than normal in order to replace beef/chicken! LINK TO REGISTER: https://lu.ma/mrkvtc7z Decarbonization is key to combating climate change, and we’ll be hearing from two climate investors who are leading the charge with innovative strategies and solutions. We'll explore what the future looks like #together. Whether you’re a student, young professional, founder, or seasoned industry pro, currently working in a ‘climate’ role or just curious about the climate space and innovative solutions, there’s a place for you at this (Oyster mushroom) dinner table. P.S.! Those attending can co-work from 9Zero for the day before joining us at 6 PM PST!🕕💼 Give us a shout if you have any questions. We can’t wait to see you there! 🙌

We are so excited to be hosting another event with our friends at 9Zero Climate Innovation Hub and College to Climate! Join us Wednesday, July 24th from 6-7:30 pm at 9zero in SF where we will talk about the future of decarbonization with Paul Straub from Wireframe Ventures and Mark Tomasovic from Energize Capital. + special food tasting from unClassic Foods! Register here to not miss out! : https://lu.ma/mrkvtc7z

🌱 Next up, meet Spencer Hall, Partner at Anglet and Co-Founder of LoneReport. Anglet is all about investing in high-impact, fast-growing climate companies worldwide. They are helping founders build transformative ventures and connecting top talent with the most impactful climate and sustainability startups. They jump in early at Seed or Pre-seed stages, and they’re not afraid to invest #pre-revenue if there’s a clear and compelling business pitch. Their initial checks range from $25K-$75K. 💡 Fun Fact: Some of Anglet’s investments include Recoolit, Muir AI, ElectricFish, and Pathways. 💼 Snapshot of Spencer: 👉 Earned his B.A. in Political Economy from University of California, Berkeley Berkeley 👉 Co-founded BetterClimate (acquired by Watershed) 👉 First 10 employees at Modern Health Anglet’s thesis revolves around Project Drawdowns practical climate solutions. They focus on accelerating meaningful decarbonization and approach investments with a cooperative and positive lens. This means they're upfront, honest, and supportive when advising companies on whether to seek venture capital, push for direct revenue, or apply for grants. Spencer explains: “We're very candid with some of the companies that apply to our program, or talk to us. We love what you're doing. We want to be a resource to you in any way that we can genuinely but, we don't think our model is a fit for you. We think of these grants, and we'll make these introductions, and we'll do whatever we can to help you be successful.” 🚀 Join us as we dive into Spencer’s story, exploring climate action and investment, the importance of scrutiny and diligence in climate projects, and various strategies for decarbonization and climate action. Spencer's #enthusiasm is infectious—which he truly believes is a choice and we agree! Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/g2A9uNFY #ClimateTech #Investor #EarthFirst #Innovation #Technology #Sustainability #Leadership #ClimateChange

🌱 Next up, meet Elliott Bennett, the Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Ecotone Renewables. Ecotone Renewables is on a mission to eliminate food waste through climate-smart practices. Founded in Pittsburgh, PA, Ecotone Renewables is scaling anaerobic digestion technology to sustainably process food waste and convert it into renewable hashtag #energy and organic liquid hashtag #fertilizer. Curious what a world without waste looks like? Tune into this edition to discover what carbon-negative fertilizer is, its impact, and its potential. 💡 Fun Fact: Globally, 30-40% of all produced food is wasted ($1.61B annually) 💼 Snapshot of Elliott: 👉 Earned his B.S. in Philosophy, Marketing and Finance from Boston College 👉 Worked as a Treasury Analyst at Bank of America This was a fun conversation, from hearing about his back-to-back summers leading sales at CUTCO Cutlery, forging a new path crowdfunding a startup with his childhood best friend, and his positive outlook on having an open climate conversation. Inspired by his mom, Elliott shares: “Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life.” 🚀 Join us as we delve into Elliott’s story of balancing passion projects with a corporate job, the internal dilemma of prioritizing one's passion, and the journey of building impact fertilizer that diverts 90 pounds of CO2 emissions with each gallon of carbon-negative organic fertilizer produced. This was full of many laughs—tune in! #EarthFirst #Startup #ClimateTech