Who Writes The First Check in Climate?

Who Writes The First Check in Climate?

Author: Hugo Rauch July 24, 2025 Duration: 1:18:58

How do you secure that first yes from a climate investor?

And how do you build the conviction needed to write the first check?

***

Co-hosted by Climate Drift and VCo2, this brutally honest conversation features three of the sharpest minds in early-stage investing, Hampus Jakobsson (Pale Blue Dot), Jonny Everett (Marble), and Andreas Klinger (Prototype Capital), to lift the curtain on how decisions are made when there’s barely a product, let alone traction.

You’ll learn:

→ Why traction isn’t what gets deals done

→ What “founder-problem fit” really means

→ The checklists behind venture decisions

→ How to cut through the noise and get noticed

→ … and more!

This conversation is gold if you’re raising a first round, backing pre-seed startups, or trying to figure out how to stand out in a crowded fundraising market.

***

⌛TIMESTAMPS

00.00 Introduction

01:28 What Hampus Looks For

02:31 Investors Can Be Fast

04:11 Checklist to Build A Startup

06:25 An Investor's Checklist

17:27 Matching People and Ideas

22:50 Market Shifts 2025

35:19 Getting Investor Attention

40:48 Planning for Returns

42:19 What is a Good Investor?

47:38 Planning Future Rounds

52:35 The Dynamics of Fundraising

56:02 Honesty in Rejections

1:02:04 Engineering Momentum

1:05:09 Seek a No

1:10:06 Building Real Relationships

1:13:35 Getting Noticed by Marble

1:16:22 The Upside of Failure

1:17:52 Closing Thoughts

***

Pale Blue Dot: https://paleblue.vc/

The Drop: https://thedropconf.com/

Prototype: https://www.prototypecap.com/contact/

Andreas' Channel:  ⁨@prototypecap⁩ 

Marble: https://marble.studio/about

Climate Drift: https://www.climatedrift.com/

VCo2: https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com/

***

📚 STARTER PACK

We have prepared this Starter Pack as your crash course in early-stage climate investing, the people doing it, the psychology behind it, and the playbook that gets the first check over the line. Enjoy!

***

💚 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

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