Friends of ClimateHaven –
These cold temperatures have me thinking of winter and, therefore, hockey and one of my favorite sports quotes of all time:
“Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”
Wayne Gretzky’s infamous words are highly applicable to the climate tech community right now. We are embarking on a massive energy transition, and transitions, by nature, mean change—lots of it.
Climate tech startups can’t build for the world of 2023. Rather, they need to build for 2030, a world in which the energy transition is well underway. It seems simple enough, but building for 2030 requires startups to make several assumptions:
Case in point: The Grid. Our electric grid is the backbone of our economy. However, rapid electrification and decarbonization will put strains on the grid that could dampen the prospects for companies focused on renewable energy and electrification. Then, just when you start to despair, the U.S. Department of Energy awards $1.3 billion to three transmission projects, including one in New England. Talk about whiplash.
Simply put, climate tech startups need to guess where the puck is going and then skate there. It's not an easy feat, so we’ll cover that more in the weeks ahead.
But first, let’s talk about our grand opening.
In t-minus one week, we’ll host ClimateHaven's grand opening. Yes, we’re *technically* already open, as we began welcoming our members into the space a few weeks back. But we have this ribbon and pair of giant scissors, which means it’s grand opening time!
On Thursday, November 9, we will welcome friends, partners, and climate leaders at ClimateHaven to celebrate our community and, of course, express our gratitude to all the folks who helped us get here. We’ll start the day with a speaking program, startup pitches, and ribbon-cutting at 4:00 p.m. Then, we’ll open our doors at 5:30 p.m. for a networking event for the first day of the Yale Clean Energy Conference.
We look forward to celebrating with each of you. To request an invitation to the speaking program, startup pitches, and ribbon cutting, reply here.
To join the grand opening networking event, register for the Yale Clean Energy Conference here. The conference will span Thursday and Friday, so registration for Thursday night’s networking event at ClimateHaven will get you access to the entire conference. The agenda is packed!
We couldn't be more excited to launch the ReGen Accelerator in partnership with Kaplak Ventures. The Accelerator, which will run in two tracks in 2024, will provide a host of unique benefits to the participating startups, including capital investment, customer introductions, access to a network of world-class mentors, and in-person workshops that will take place at ClimateHaven (yes, pizza is included).
Each track is laser-focused to provide the exact, stage-specific help startups need. The first track, ReGen for Startups, will run from April – June 2024 and concentrate on pre-seed and seed-stage climate tech founders tackling the challenge of technology development. The second track will run next fall and focus on later-stage companies tackling commercialization.
Interested in applying to the ReGen for Startups track? The deadline has been extended to November 30. But no need to wait—apply now.
Thinking of applying to the 2024 ReGen Accelerator? Have questions about how Kaplak Ventures and ClimateHaven can help you scale your climate-tech startup? Join us for the webinar here.
It's time to talk startups. First, let’s get electric.
Matcha Electric delivers a high-quality, turnkey service to real estate building owners, supplying electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for their multi-tenant and mixed-use properties.
Compatible with all major EVs, Matcha’s software-backed, end-to-end solution creates the infrastructure necessary to supercharge our transition and adoption of EVs.
By streamlining the complexities of site selection, incentives, and installation, Matcha facilitates a seamless, hands-off operation with features like reservations, savings on off-peak charging, in-app payments, analytics, and more.
Join us in giving a big ClimateHaven welcome to co-founders Chris Kluesener and Jonathan F. Sobin!
It would be great to rely solely on electrification to propel us towards decarbonization, but carbon-to-value (C2V) technologies will undoubtedly play a role. Enter Earthos.
Earthos combats the adverse effects of climate change by capturing and recycling carbon dioxide (CO2), a major greenhouse gas, to provide net-zero carbon and carbon-negative solutions.
Their innovative approach harnesses the power of microalgae, transforming CO2 emissions into valued bioproducts like pet food.
A big welcome to Earthos co-founders Wangbiao Guo and Jenny Yao!
For introductions to the founders of Matcha, Earthos, or any of our members, reach out to ClimateHaven’s super connecter, Haley Lieberman!
Join me and my teammates at Connecticut Innovations on Wednesday, December 6, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. for a Climate Tech Social in Stamford, CT, at Third Place by Half Full Brewery.
We’ll highlight the future of electrification in Connecticut and showcase three companies in the ClimateTech Fund portfolio: AmpUp, Noteworthy AI, and Roundtrip EV Solutions.
And, of course, there will be plenty of drinks and climate-focused networking!
We know the energy transition will happen, but we don’t know how it will evolve and at what pace. Since none have a climate tech crystal ball handy, the next best thing we can do is communicate with one another.
Consider the role corporates and startups will play in decarbonizing our economy. It is easy to categorize the corporation as the incumbent and the startup as the disruptor, but then we’d pit the two sides against one another. Sometimes, it'll be necessary, but is there more value to be created and progress to be made through partnership?
That’s a tricky question, given the competitive nature of capitalism, but it is one worth asking. And the only way we can get the answer is by convening, connecting, and communicating with one another.
Convene, connect, and communicate, you say? Hello ClimateHaven!
Until next time,
Ryan
P.S. Follow ClimateHaven on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram to keep up on our progress between newsletters.
