Earth First

🌱 Next up, let’s meet Michael Smith, Co-Founder and General Partner of Regeneration.VC VC. Regeneration.VC is all about tackling the 45% of emissions tied to materials and supply chains through ClimateTech solutions in areas like apparel, packaging, and food. Their mission? Creating abundance within planetary boundaries through regenerative consumer value chains. 💡 Fun Fact: Their portfolio is packed with groundbreaking companies like Cruz Foam, Greyparrot, VitroLabs Inc, CleanO2 Carbon Capture Technologies, PANGAIA, and TULU. 💼 A quick look at Michael: 👉 Earned his B.S. in Communication and Media Studies from Northwestern University 👉 Founded Michael Smith Event Music 👉 Founded Creative Space® 👉 Chair of the Shared Mission 👉 Founded The Playlist Generation 👉 Mentor to grad students at UC Santa Barbara 👉 Advisor for the Harnessing Plants Initiative at Salk Institute for Biological Studies 👉 Principal at Ponvalley Michael hit us with this gem of advice: “There is a role and need for you that no one else is working on, and can make you a ton of money and be incredibly rewarding, So find it and go for it. All in.” 🚀 So let’s dive into Michael’s story—from TV, DJing, and building a music streaming service to going all in on climate tech investing. He’s all about adding value beyond just the cash, and he shows us why climate tech is where the future (and rewards) are. P.S. This chat was so fire we have to drop it on Spotify/Apple Podcast. Details to come! Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/g2A9uNFY #climatetech #investors #earthfirst #innovation #sustainability #leadership #climatechange

🌱 Next up, meet Peter Godart, CEO and Co-founder of Found Energy Found Energy is on a mission to decarbonize heavy industry by tapping into a powerful and abundant resource: aluminum. They’ve developed rechargeable aluminum fuel power systems that extract energy from aluminum, offering a strong alternative for energy transport and storage. These systems initially target industrial heating (7% of global CO2 emissions), with plans to grow into maritime shipping (3% of global CO2 emissions) and other difficult to decarbonize sectors. Their tech is honestly game-changing—combining storage, transport, and energy generation into one system, addressing some of the biggest pain points in renewable energy storage and transmission! 💡 Fun Fact: Aluminum is the most abundant metal in Earth’s crust. 💼 Snapshot of Peter: 👉 Master's of Science and PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology 👉 Former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist, worked on robotics and aluminum-fueled Europa lander concepts 👉 Fellow at Activate We loved Peter’s take on ‘climate jobs’—because honestly, we’re all in one: “Climate is overarching. Everyone is working in climate. If you're an engineer working for a petroleum company, you’re working in climate. If you're working for Nike and designing shoes that get manufactured and have to be shipped around the world and made with different materials, you’re working in climate. It’s whether you’re doing something positive, negative, or neutral.” Peter’s point hits hard. Climate change touches every industry, every job. It’s not just people working directly on climate solutions who are involved—everyone plays a role. Even those in “climate-negative” industries are part of the climate equation. That’s real talk. We’re all in this together, and we all have a part to play. 🚀 Join us as we dive deeper into Peter’s story—from crushing it at MIT and working on space tech at NASA, to his shift toward tackling climate change head-on. We also touch on his research into using aluminum as a high-energy-density fuel and how that led to the formation of Found Energy. Plus, we talk #policy and the need for government support to level the playing field with fossil fuels. It’s an inspiring and timely convo—don’t miss it! Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/g2A9uNFY

🌱 Next up, meet Vicky Regan, Ecosystem Lead at Unruly Capital in England! Unruly is investing in the crazy before it becomes normal. They back founders building at the frontiers of what’s possible today - investing in important-tech - any breakthrough technology that has the potential to solve the world’s most crucial issues. They invest across pre-seed and seed with tickets from $250k to $500k. Their strategy is investing in deeptech, e.g. biotech, computing, space, quantum etc, but Climate is a major component. They invest early, when it's all about the potential of the founders and their raw vision of what the world might look like. 💡Fun Fact: Some of Unruly’s investments include Seabound, Beyond Aero, Global OTEC, Renaissance Fusion, Volteras, Ecosafi, the Better Cooking Company , and more! 💼 Snapshot of Vicky: 👉 Masters in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bath 👉 Engineering Leaders Scholar at the Royal Academy of Engineering 👉 Research Assistant at the The University of Queensland focusing on wastewater treatment 👉 Project Engineer at The Panacea Group 👉 Head of Accelerator at Acceler8 Talent, supporting student entrepreneurs 👉 Sustainability & Operations Associate at Infyos 👉 Part of the FIND cohort with Entrepreneur First Discovering science at a young age, Vicky became infatuated with the design process and improving new industries. Her proactive career journey, from working on deep tech hardware to networking in London, is a testament to her belief: “Anyone can make a difference, you just have to start.” 🚀 Join us as we dive into the climate tech ecosystem in Europe, exploring the importance of technical and scientific components in investment decisions, and the long-term thinking (and patience!) required for climate tech investments! Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/g2A9uNFY

🌱 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! 🙌