How She Built a Global Climate Investor Network - Helena Wasserman (Investors For Climate)

How She Built a Global Climate Investor Network - Helena Wasserman (Investors For Climate)

Author: Hugo Rauch July 3, 2025 Duration: 25:04

This week, we sit down with Helena Wasserman, the co-founder of Investors for Climate, a global network of over 400 climate-focused investors across 24 cities. In this episode, we dive into the engine behind that momentum: a community that connects capital with founders at seed stage, and creates deep relationships between VCs, angels, and family offices worldwide.

***

Thank you to DealMaker for sponsoring this episode. 💚 

Big raises. No gatekeepers. DealMaker helps cleantech companies bypass traditional funding barriers and raise millions on their own terms, by going directly to investors online. Ready to fuel your vision? Visit DealMaker.tech to learn more.

***

⌛TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Investors For Climate

04:16 How the Community Started

06:43 The Community Playbook

09:58 Why Community Matters

14:28 Investor Preferences

17:56 City Expansion Strategy

19:18 Notable Investment Examples

20:36 You Need Strict Rules

21:45 Fire Questions

***

💚 LEAVE A REVIEW

Apple Podcasts - https://shorturl.at/HIDcg

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

New Wave.
Podcast Episodes
Lea Strumberger (KfW Capital): Inside Germany's $1B Fund of Fund [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:14
Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****Thanks you, Morning for hosting the podcast this week. Get 20% off your next meeting room (in Paris), just say you’re coming from Hugo at New Wave.****🌊 Ins…
[5/5] Energy Carriers | Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:55
Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 The Fuel Problem No One Talks AboutWhy replacing fossil fuels isn’t just about energy, it’s about how we carry it. We’re joined by Andy Lubershane, Partne…
Arnaud Tran (Voltaback): The Economics of Corporate EV Charging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:00
Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Decentralizing the Fuel StationWhy EV charging, not the car, is the real bottleneck to electrificationWe’re joined by Arnaud Tran, Co-founder & CEO of Vol…
Torsten Kolind (UGV): Can Geothermal Scale Beyond Iceland? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:44
Thanks you, Morning for hosting the podcast this week. Get 20% off your next meeting room (in Paris), just say you’re coming from Hugo at New Wave.****Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 Dri…
Abhi Desai (Desai Ventures): The Missing Link in Fixing Methane [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:33
Subscribe to the newsletter:New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack****🌊 The Methane Blind SpotWhy one of the most powerful climate levers stayed invisible, and what it takes to build around it.We’re joined by Abhi Desai, Solo…