Jahed Momand (Cerulean Ventures): AI, Nature & Pre-Seed Bets

Jahed Momand (Cerulean Ventures): AI, Nature & Pre-Seed Bets

Author: Hugo Rauch January 14, 2026 Duration: 51:38

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🌊 Pricing Nature As An Asset

Why the next wave of climate returns will be built on data, ecosystems, and risk

We’re joined by Jahed Momand, General Partner at Cerulean Ventures, a pre-seed fund backing founders applying AI and software to the physical world, from nature and oceans to grids, steel, and supply chains.

In this episode, we dive into what “investing in nature” actually means, and unpack how turning ecosystems into measurable, investable assets could unlock entirely new markets, business models, and venture-scale returns.

Jahed shares how Cerulean thinks about pre-seed conviction, why data gaps in the physical world are the biggest opportunity in climate, and what it really takes to back founders before the story is obvious.

In our conversation, we covered:

→ Why nature is the most underpriced input in the global economy

→ How environmental data becomes an investable asset

→ The real business models behind “nature tech” (beyond carbon credits)

→ Why insurance, supply chains, and pharma are early buyers

→ How AI in the physical world creates defensibility most startups miss

→ What pre-seed investing actually optimizes for (and why Cerulean sometimes overpays)

→ How to build a contrarian thesis that later-stage funds will follow



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.
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