Down to Zero’s Post

📚 If you thinking about founding a VC-backed company today, there is an incredible amount of collective wisdom out there that you can draw from. The common metrics are well-established, and everybody (for the most part) speaks the same language - at least in software, that is. For climate hardware founders, the picture looks different. Many VCs still shy away from CAPEX-heavy businesses as they are perceived as more complex. At the same time, the model of VC-backed hyper growth is particularly suited to have quick impact at scale and work towards reaching our net-zero goals - software alone is not enough. It was my great pleasure working together with our friends from Planet A Ventures and Speedinvest to disentangle what it means to build a VC-backed Climate Hardware Start-Up. Over the past months, we have spoken to founders, researchers, universities and investors to understand what is truly important on this journey. Today, we are excited to share our learnings on the topic by publishing our Climate Hardware Playbook. 📣 Huge shoutout to everybody involved, in particular Florian, Kim, Jessica and Sophia - you guys are the dream team! Also big thanks to Luke, Laura and Jeremy for all your help on really bringing the content alive. 🎯 For everybody who is interested to understand the intersection of start-ups, climate tech hardware and venture, make sure to check out our playbook: www.climate-hardware.com 📞 Also, I am in Paris this week for the Hello Tomorrow conference - if anybody is keen talking Climate Hardware, please reach out!

What's your true north? The simple company mission that guides your strategic decisions. At Growth Inflection it's: accelerating profitable growth of early stage climate tech and impact companies. It's easy to get distracted and pulled off track by opportunities that are not your true north. When evaluating your go/no go, just ask the true north question. If you or anyone on the team doubts that it aligns, then maybe it's not a priority for you right now. But you've got to ask yourself the tough question and be honest about it. You may not like the answer you get, but it'll keep you on track.

Scaling climate hardware is no picnic! Our very own Norrsken VC partnered with our friends at Speedinvest and Planet A Ventures for a first-of-its-kind playbook to answer the key questions and facilitate this important work. The impact potential of climate hardware is huge (and how I love collaborative work in the ecosystem!). This open source playbook is extensive. Insights are gathered from dozens of expert interviews, 250+ founder and investor surveys, data from Net Zero Insights and 3,600+ funding announcements. What you'll find in the playbook: ✅ The 6 key skill dimensions you need in your team ✅ How to circumnavigate the late-stage funding gap ✅ When you should start caring about patents ✅ Understanding Technology Readiness Levels ✅ Navigating EU climate policy ✅ How to measure your hardware’s impact ⏩ Link: https://shorturl.at/dfB17 Enjoy and tag/share with a founder friend who might find it useful.

Captivating Climate Investors: The Power of Visionary Storytelling In the dynamic realm of climate tech, early-stage founders often face the challenge of captivating the attention of potential investors. While business-centric narratives hold value, the ability to tell visionary and impassioned stories is paramount in order to resonate with climate tech investors who are driven by environmental passion. Early-stage founders can harness storytelling by crafting narratives that vividly portray the the significance and magnitude of the climate challenge(s) they are addressing and articulate a bold vision that connects with investors on an emotional level. Visionary storytelling can attract investors who share environmental passion, secure funding to bring transformative ideas to life and inspire broader action against challenges related to the environment. While the business aspects of a climate tech startup are undoubtedly crucial, neglecting the power of storytelling can have detrimental consequences. When founders become overly engrossed in technical details and financial metrics, they risk losing sight of the emotional connection that drives climate investors.

🚀 Excited to kick off 2024 with some investor wisdom of Siobhan Brewster on the state of climate tech. 💡"Through 2023, there have probably been many internal rounds propping up valuations. 2024 will be the chickens coming home to roost." - Siobhan Brewster 👉 Dive into the latest Business Insider Deutschland article for a glimpse into the trends shaping a sustainable future: https://lnkd.in/eve8jJcp (premium content) #ClimateTech #InvestingWisdom #FemaleInvestor

Tick-tock! Did you know that over the last 20 years, climate change has cost us $16 million per hour? 🚀 Welcome to Climate Hive, where we transform climate anxiety into climate ACTION! 🚀 🌿 Who Are We? 🌿 Think of us as your climate crusaders in the boardroom and beyond. We’re a blend of storytellers, entrepreneurs, networkers, and business growth experts, tackling the triple threat to climate innovation: ✅ Funding ✅ Sales ✅ Visibility Why? Because your brilliant tech idea needs more than just a pat on the back - it needs a robust runway to take flight. And for the climate tech vets? We’re here to ensure your solutions don’t just spark interest but ignite real commitment. Our unique "success-tied" business model means we’re all in this together- your win is the planet’s win, and it’s our win too. 🌱 Ready to join forces and make some real noise? Hit us up. 🌱 #ClimateHive #ClimateTech #ClimateAnxiety #SustainableBusinesses

🌍 What climate tech investors are looking for in 2024 | 4 key startup qualities Insights from two McKinsey & Company reports that explore what's needed to scale the climate tech industry ⬇️ #climatetech #blueeconomy #greentech

This is sure to be a dynamic conversation around policy and impact—where and how can we enact change at scale? Come to listen, question, and dive in!

The #Shapeshifting of Our World and the Necessity for a Commitment to #CriticalThinking. 2040’s Ideas and Innovations Newsletter, Issue 95 #soundbits #influence #consequences #foresight #techdominance #businessstrategy #strategy #transformation https://bit.ly/3GPrCTr

If you have an idea for a climate startup, check out the post below.