Carbon Removal in 2025: What You Need to Know - Andrew Shebbeare (Counteract)

Carbon Removal in 2025: What You Need to Know - Andrew Shebbeare (Counteract)

Author: Hugo Rauch May 7, 2025 Duration: 51:00

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Thank you to BioEsol for sponsoring this episode. šŸ’š

BioEsol is an AI-powered energy company bringing Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) to industrial and SME clients, enabling energy autonomy, cost savings, and sustainability - with no upfront investment. In April, the company will open its Series A round to accelerate its expansion in France & Europe.

This week, we’re joined by Andrew Shebbeare, co-founder of Counteract, to unpack the state of carbon removal in 2025, what's broken, what's working, and what needs to change. From LP dynamics to resilient startup models, we cover it all.

In this episode, we discuss:

* Why raising capital for CDR is harder in 2025

* The shift from hype to fundamentals in CDR

* Carbon credits vs. carbon-negative business models

* Advice for both investors and founders in the carbon space

* Why MRV and ecosystem enablers matter more than ever

* … and more!

Watch this episode on YouTube. šŸ‘‡

āŒ›TIMESTAMPS

* 00:00 Introduction to the episode

* 03:45 A sci-fi take on the current political/economic moment

* 08:30 What founders are experiencing on the ground in 2025

* 11:09 The carbon credit myth: what startups really sell

* 14:35 Business models from the Counteract portfolio

* 21:00 Has the hype died? What Hello Tomorrow 2025 revealed

* 25:19 Headwinds vs tailwinds for carbon removal

* 29:52 How much COā‚‚ has Counteract catalyzed so far?

* 33:40 What LPs are now looking for in climate funds

* 39:03 How to identify resilient carbon removal startups

* 42:24 The role (and limits) of storytelling in CDR

* 45:11 šŸ”„ Fire Questions

šŸ“š STARTUPS MENTIONED

* Chloris Geospatial (trees from space)

* Seqana (soil MRV)

* AgriCarbon (robotic soil sampling)

* Adaptavate (carbon-negative wallboards)

* Concrete4Change (COā‚‚ in concrete)

* Crew Carbon (alkaline wastewater)

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* Spotify - https://shorturl.at/yDTfR



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

Hugo Rauch hosts New Wave, a podcast that lives at the intersection of business ambition and scientific reality. This isn't about distant predictions or abstract science; it's a grounded exploration of the technologies and companies being built right now to address our environmental future. Each episode focuses on the practical journey, dissecting the models, the breakthroughs, and the hard decisions that define the climate tech landscape. You'll hear from founders, researchers, and investors who are actively shaping this space, getting into the specifics of what works, what doesn't, and why. The conversations move beyond hype to examine the tangible mechanics of creating viable solutions, from energy storage and sustainable materials to carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. It’s for anyone who thinks about the climate challenge not just as a crisis, but as a complex and urgent field of innovation. By tuning into this podcast, you gain a clearer understanding of the economic forces and scientific principles driving the next generation of environmental solutions. New Wave connects the dots between the lab, the boardroom, and the impact we need to see in the world, offering a sober yet optimistic look at where substantive progress is truly being made.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

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