We’re back with another episode in our series on the Missing Middle in Climate Tech in partnership with Spring Lane Capital. This is the fifth episode in the series. If you didn’t catch the others, check out InvestedinClimate.com/series and you’ll find our other episodes. If you have ideas for other series and would like to partner, get in touch through the website as well.

The missing middle is a structural problem – a lack not only of available capital for climate companies, but also of the kinds of firms able to invest in them. New firms with new types of investment mandates are needed, and so I was thrilled to learn about a new fund called All Aboard. It’s a truly innovative firm developed by someone who has long had his finger on the pulse of the world’s biggest problems and boldest solutions. If you’ve ever watched a TED Talk you probably know Chris Anderson, who has led TED for the last 25 years. Chris is probably one of the best networked people on the planet, and that he decided to focus on building a new fund designed to address the missing middle in climate finance speaks volumes.

Spring Lane Capital Partner and Entrepreneur in Residence Jason Scott gets credit for putting together this episode and joins us in what was a truly fascinating conversation. All Aboard reflects the type of creativity and ambition needed to fill a critical climate finance gap, and I think we all hope their model inspires you in some way. Enjoy.

• 0:03:31 – Chris explains his shift to climate investing and TED’s climate initiatives
• 0:04:53 – Setting the stage: The funding gap in climate tech
• 0:05:23 – Jason describes the three buckets of the "missing middle" and All Aboard fund’s mission
• 0:09:33 – Exploring the structural capital problem in the energy transition and limitations of current financial markets
• 0:11:16 – Chris & Jason discuss scale challenges and why current investment models fall short for climate solutions
• 0:14:12 – Impact of collaboration in the climate investing community, with examples from Spring Lane and All Aboard
• 0:16:57 – Chris describes All Aboard: how convening and pooling investors can solve the missing middle
• 0:22:42 – The role of “social proof,” building momentum and ecosystems around climate ventures
• 0:25:12 – Fundraising goals for All Aboard and the scale of opportunity in climate tech
• 0:29:00 – Recognizing growth and potential exits for climate companies; learning from historical performance
• 0:31:14 – How companies may become eligible for All Aboard, criteria for selection, and the practical mechanics of funding
• 0:34:51 – The necessity of both capital and sustained support for scaling climate solutions
• 0:36:30 – Vision for the future: If All Aboard succeeds, expectations for climate tech and financial markets
• 0:37:54 – Other approaches and financial innovations to address the missing middle
• 0:40:24 – The role of government and public-private partnerships in de-risking and scaling clean tech
• 0:42:56 – Closing remarks

• All Aboard
• Spring Lane Capital
• Invested in Climate – Missing Middle series
• TED and TED Countdown

There’s been a lot of news in recent years about the risks within carbon markets. Companies buying carbon credits to offset their emissions have struggled with the uncertainty that a carbon project might not reduce as much carbon as they project. A forest could burn or a technology could fail to work properly and the project will underdeliver. Yet, hundreds of billions of dollars are spent on carbon credits, a figure that could grow well into the trillions.

Bilal Hussain is targeting this uncertainty in this market by offering insurance through his company Artio. Fun fact: Bilal actually saw the need for insurance while working at Sylvera – a carbon market sourcing and diligence platform and recent guest on our show – when he realized that investors were asking for collateral that no one had. Artio enters early – before the first tree is planted – to help more carbon reducing projects become viable. If you consider the size of the carbon market and the shortage of ways to insure new projects, the opportunity for Artio is quite significant.

Bilal makes this complex space rather simple and easy to understand. We spoke about his background, the need for insurance, the risks different types of projects face, the growth he’s anticipating and much more. If you’ve long wondered about the risks of carbon projects, this conversation will shed some light on the space and one approach to unlocking its potential.

• 00:58 — Introduction to carbon market risks and Artio’s approach
• 02:40 — Bilal’s background and transition into carbon insurance
• 04:25 — The creation of Artio and addressing insurance needs in carbon markets
• 07:52 — Artio’s impact on financial and climate markets, and market sizing
• 11:13 — Early-stage risk phases and insurance for carbon projects
• 14:05 — Types of projects Artio insures; afforestation, biochar, rock weathering
• 15:25 — Risk assessment by project type and key differences
• 17:14 — Artio’s market positioning, product traction, and offering insurability assessments to developers
• 20:41 — How Artio’s workshops educate insurers and demonstrate risk modeling
• 22:46 — Case study: How coverage and claims/settlements work in practice
• 27:25 — Market challenges: Standing out in a crowded space, growth ambitions, and automation
• 29:10 — Key surprises about the carbon market and importance of policy
• 31:47 — The role of data transparency and risk assessment in broader climate domains
• 34:59 — Other insurance use cases for managing climate transition risk
• 38:10 — Artio’s roadmap: expanding coverage, supporting developers, and scaling up

• Artio
• Sylvera
• Maya Climate
• Asia Climate Summit
• SF Climate Week
• CORSIA Insurance

• Bilal Hussain

The vast majority of my interviews have focused on innovations, investing and advocacy related to climate mitigation – that is, what we can do to cut greenhouse gases and minimize the rise in global temperatures. What we do or don’t do now, will have lasting consequences and it is climate mitigation that is driving the transformation of the global economy. So it’s not surprising that mitigation dominates climate investing.

Adaptation and resilience, meanwhile, focus not on limiting or reversing climate change but rather on improving quality of life in a warmer world. Adaptation ventures receive only a small fraction of climate investments, but rising temperatures are creating tremendous demand for a new category of products. In a joint report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Temasek, it’s estimated that between $500 million and $1.3 trillion could be spent annually by 2030 on technologies that help people adapt to a changed climate.

That’s the opportunity Darren Clifford is targeting with a new fund called Adapt[us]. Darren has worked for two decades on new markets as a founder, consultant at McKinsey & Co, and as an angel investor, and I found his perspective on the climate adaptation market to be packed with nuance and insight. We spoke about his background, three different categories of adaptation tech, the unique challenges they face, how they’ll make the future more livable, and much more.

• [02:45] Darren’s Background & Career Journey
• [06:39] Why Focus on Climate Adaptation?
• [08:07] Insights from Angel Investing & Supporting Founders
• [12:14] Why Adaptation is Underfunded; Adapt[us] Fund Overview
• [16:19] Challenges in Scaling Adaptation Solutions
• [17:31] Adapt[us] Fund: Focus & Stage, Why For-Profit
• [18:53] Measuring Impact & Third-Party Well-being Validation
• [23:10] Market Segmentation: Resilience, Repair & Recovery, Demand Adaptation
• [25:38] Market Size and Investment Allocation
• [27:50] Business Model Challenges for Adaptation Startups
• [30:23] Concrete Examples of Target Companies
• [32:59] Adapt[us] Venture Building Approach & Founder Support
• [36:42] The Venture Builder/Capital Model: Criteria & Structure
• [38:27] Norwegian Talent & Global Competitive Advantages
• [41:03] Building a Movement, Not Just a Fund
• [42:06] Short-Term Goals for Adapt[us] & Team Building
• [44:41] Closing Remarks

• Adapt[us]
• BCG x Temasek Report: The Private Equity Opportunity in Climate Adaptation and Resilience
• Toronto Climate Week
• GIC Report: Sizing the Inevitable Investment Opportunity: Climate Adaptation
• WRI Study: Strengthening the Investment Case for Climate Adaptation: A Triple Dividend Approach

In case you missed it, last week was NY Climate Week. There were well over 1,000 events — from summits with CEO and heads of state, to film screenings, concerts, parties, boat cruises, pitch sessions, hackathons and much more. I tried to sum up my experience at New York climate week in a special episode two years ago. This year, of course, the context was different with a US administration no longer interested in climate, and a lot of green hushing, hand wringing and new language that aims to be less politicizing.

To me, one of the most interesting things about NY Climate Week is that it's not the only one. Climate weeks are spreading. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington DC, San Diego, Shanghai, Bangkok, Panama City all have climate weeks. There might be dozens more in the works. No city on the planet is immune from the impact of climate, and most cities have thriving ecosystems of organizations, innovators, investors, policymakers, researchers and more working to advance climate solutions and adapt to a changing planet.

In this conversation I’m joined by Nishant Mani and Dan Thorman, co-founders of the LA Climate Week. Nishant and Dan saw a need to bring together their community. They volunteered to lead and have built LA Climate Week into a successful example that people anywhere can follow to create their own week of solidarity, learning and action. We talk about their backgrounds, the founding story of LA Climate Week, the impact of the LA wildfires on last year’s event, lessons they’ve learned and much more. So whether or not you were in New York last week, I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation and consider how you can help your local climate community wherever you are.

• 1:22 – Recap of New York Climate Week & Spread of Climate Weeks
• 3:43 – Nishant’s Personal & Professional Background
• 6:19 – Dan’s Personal & Professional Background
• 10:16 – The Origin Story of LA Climate Week
• 14:40 – The Role of Entertainment & Culture in LA Climate Week
• 17:08 – Entertainment Industry’s Role in Climate Movement
• 18:33 – Impact of Wildfires on LA Climate Week
• 24:47 – The Broader Role of Climate Weeks & Local Collaboration
• 27:51 – Lessons Learned from Organizing LA Climate Week
• 32:20 – Evolving the Structure and Infrastructure Involvement
• 33:02 – Measuring Success and Growth of LA Climate Week
• 36:44 – Community Engagement & Accessibility
• 39:32 – Aspirations for the Future: Magic Wand Scenario
• 42:21 – Future Planning and Event Announcement
• 44:14 – Closing Remarks and Call to Action

• LA Climate Week
• Climate Capital
• Terra.do
• Reunion
• Collidescope Foundation
• Jane Goodall Institute

• Nishant Mani
• Dan Thorman
• Jason Rissman

Climate tech companies face a range of structural challenges to securing the mid stage investment needed to scale their solutions. The lack of capital at this stage prevents many viable, potentially transformative technologies from going mainstream and eliminating gigatons of emissions. That’s why we’ve been running a series of episodes on the Missing Middle in Climate Tech in partnership with Spring Lane Capital.

If you haven’t heard our previous three episodes in this series, check them out at investedinclimate.com, and if you have ideas of other topics that warrant a Deep Dive series please reach out through the contact form on our website.

For the fourth episode in our series, I’m joined by Spring Lane Capital Co-Founder and Partner Rob Day who guest hosts the conversation with Blackhorn Ventures Managing Partner Melissa Cheong.

• 2:23 – Introducing Blackhorn Ventures & Melissa Chong
• 3:31 – Melissa’s Path to Venture Capital & Impact Investing
• 8:44 – Surprises & Learnings in Venture Capital
• 10:13 – Overview of Blackhorn Ventures’ Investment Focus & Strategy
• 13:55 – Addressing the Missing Middle: Digital vs. Hardware Solutions
• 17:18 – Leveraging Accepted Hardware & Digital Solutions
• 19:09 – The Role of Vertical Data Pools in Construction and Energy
• 21:03 – AI, Utilities, and the Urgency for Digital Solutions
• 25:10 – Building Resilience & Anti-Fragile Mindsets in Climate Tech
• 28:14 – Exploring New Financing Instruments & Insurance
• 32:21 – Portfolio Example: Formic – Robotics as a Service
• 36:37 – Portfolio Example: King Energy – Solar for Multi-Tenant Properties
• 38:55 – Lessons from Community Solar & Smart Billing
• 40:00 – Takeaways: The Evolving Role of Venture Capital in Climate Impact
• 43:24 – Closing Remarks

• Spring Lane Capital
• Blackhorn Ventures
• Formic
• King Energy

• Rob Day
• Melissa Cheong
• Jason Rissman

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I’ll admit it’s not often these days that I’m talking to climate leaders, particularly those working on policy, who say it’s an exciting time. This conversation was like a breath of fresh air. It’s not getting the headlines it deserves, but innovation is literally electrifying our country. Sector by sector, state by state, our economy is being transformed by electric technology replacing outdated fossil fuel applications.

To elevate and accelerate this wave of innovation, Hawaii State Senator Chris Lee and California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild have teamed up to launch the Electric Innovation Initiative. The Initiative is starting with an awards event during NY Climate Week, recognizing breakthrough electrification projects with $10,000 cash awards. But beyond this event, the Initiative is a 10-year campaign to showcase innovation, advance learning and shape policy.

In this conversation, we go deep into the context of why the Electric Innovation Initiative is needed, what sort of progress is happening at the state level, how states are learning from one another, the many benefits of electrification and much more. I learned a lot in this episode and was thrilled to hear there’s much to celebrate in a still growing electrification movement.

• [03:27] David Hochschild & His Role at the California Energy Commission
• 04:09] Chris Lee & His Energy work as a Hawaii State Senator
• [05:05] Details of the Electric Innovation Initiative
• [07:07] State Legislators Collaboration: Sharing best practices and policy replication
• [09:09] Why electrification progress needs more attention
• [10:52] State and local responses to federal rollbacks
• [13:18] Policy Options for States: Connecting policymakers with electrification leaders
• [15:44] Fast-Tracking Projects: Permitting and financing challenges
• [17:01] California’s Permitting Reforms: Fast-track permitting for clean energy
• [18:49] California’s approach to stable, long-term programs
• [21:01[ Hawai'i’s 100% Renewable Mandate
• [23:05] Lessons from Hawaii and California: State leadership and policy replication
• [25:24] Legislator Network: Supporting new lawmakers and advancing innovation
• [28:54] State and local opportunities despite federal gridlock
• [32:57] Equity in Electrification: Directing investments to underserved communities
• [35:27] Vision for 2035: What a fully electrified future could look like
• [37:27] How listeners can support electrification
• [39:45] Optimism for the future and bipartisan collaboration

• Electric Innovation Initiative
• California Energy Commission
• Hawai'i State Legislature
• Climate Week NYC
• National Caucus of Environmental Legislators

• Hawaii Senator Chris Lee
• California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild
• Jason Rissman

We’re back with the third installment in our Missing Middle in Climate Tech series, created in partnership with Spring Lane Capital. If you haven’t yet heard the earlier episodes, head to our website for conversations exploring research from CREO and S2G on the financing gap facing climate tech companies caught between early-stage venture and large-scale project finance. And if you have ideas for future series or want to explore a partnership, we’d love to hear from you—reach out via our site (investedinclimate.com/contact).

In this episode, we’re joined by Jason Scott, Partner and Entrepreneur in Residence at Spring Lane Capital, and Mark Berryman, Partner at Capricorn Investment Group. Capricorn is one of the OGs of sustainable investing, with over two decades of leadership in the space and more than $12 billion in assets under management. This conversation brought together two distinct perspectives: a large, established asset allocator and a nimble firm specializing in project finance and growth-stage venture capital.

Mark, recently named LP of the Year by Impact Capital Managers, offered nuanced insights into the challenges and opportunities of bridging the missing middle. Jason’s decision to bring him into the conversation sparked a rich dialogue on what it will take to close this critical funding gap. Lots to unpack and learn in this one. Enjoy!

• [03:08] Series recap and context on the “Missing Middle"
• [07:03] Mark’s background & experience in climate investing
• [11:09] Mark’s perspective on the "missing middle" & its evolution
• [14:08] Why mid-sized funds are suited to fill the climate financing gap
• [17:45] Capricorn’s approach to climate portfolios & supporting the ecosystem
• [21:46] What Mark looks for in emerging fund managers
• [25:07] Building a fully climate-aligned portfolio & impact reporting
• [28:45] Where to categorize Spring Lane’s investment approach
• [32:10] The need for more innovative, category-defying climate funds
• [33:33] Macro context: tariffs, market volatility & long-term climate investing trends
• [41:33] Three-to-five year outlook for climate investing & the missing middle
• [44:15] Industry consolidation & future innovations
• [46:34] Closing remarks

• Spring Lane Capital
• Capricorn Investment Group
• The Role of Family Offices with Spring Lane Capital & CREO, Ep #114
• Rethinking Climate Finance with Spring Lane Capital...

As you know, with government funding cuts slowing climate progress across the board, philanthropy is more important than ever. Private foundations offer just a drop in the bucket compared to government funding, but they can still play an important role and catalyze other forms of capital.

That’s why I’m doing a series of episodes on climate philanthropy. If you have ideas of other foundations that should be part of this series, please reach out through InvestedinClimate.com

We spoke recently with Pisces Foundation President David Beckman on the importance of funding movement infrastructure.

Today’s episode considers a totally different perspective.

Alex Honnold is perhaps the world’s most famous professional rock climber. He’s also a true climate leader. He decided years ago to donate one-third of his income to address climate change, and he uses his platform to raise awareness and money to help people in remote communities develop solar projects. Alex brings a no-nonsense, pragmatic approach but also one that is deeply compassionate, prioritizing projects that change people's lives.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Alex, as well as Emily Teitsworth, Executive Director of the Honnold Foundation. We, of course, talk about Alex’s history, his climbing, and how it’s influenced his climate philanthropy. We go deep into the foundation’s theory of change, some tangible examples of projects they’ve supported, and the broader impact they have in elevating a portfolio of worthy projects for other funders to consider.

Alex’s resources are not vast. His dedication runs deep, however, and even with modest resources, he’s been able to support over 100 projects that have impacted thousands of people. I find Alex’s example truly inspiring. And, I hope this episode inspires you to move past the feeling that we sometimes all feel – that our resources or influence are too small to have an impact – and just do what you can.

• [03:48] Alex Discusses Founding the Honnold Foundation
• [04:13] Alex's Environmental Motivation
• [06:18] Emily's Background and Journey
• [08:30] Honnold Foundation's Mission and Strategy
• [10:10] Reasons for Focusing on Community Solar
• [12:52] Importance of Community-Led Projects
• [14:38] Examples of Supported Projects
• [17:11] Foundation's Focus Areas
• [19:27] Specific Project Highlights
• [24:26] Philanthropic Opportunities
• [26:53] Storytelling and Media Exposure
• [30:42] Cultural Impact Discussion
• [35:20] Alex's Perspective on Impact
• [37:00] Persistence and Motivation in Climate Work
• [38:43] Alex's Recent Climbing Experience
• [39:32] Future Plans for the Honnold Foundation
• [40:24] Closing Remarks

• Honnold Foundation
• Honnold Foundation: Partners
• Ceibo Alliance
• Adjuntas
• Honnold Foundation: Featured...