CleanTechies Podcast

• #260 How to Get the Most Out of NY Climate Week 2025 w/ Nick Van Osdol & Steven Zhang

  Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket CastsHey folks! It’s that time of year again. Prepare for NY Climate Week 2025! Last year, one of our most popular episodes was our “Pre climate week podcast” on how to get the most out of climate week. We are back this year, but with two incredible (and popular) guests! Nick van Osdol — creator of the Keep Cool newsletter & podcast, and climate investor at Climate Capital. ANDSteven Zhang — creator of ClimateTechList.com and now his new project Interconnection.fyi We cover what we are looking forward to — what to avoid — what topics we want to see discussed — what events we are excited for — and much more! Don’t forget to sign up for the live podcast — “How to Win in the Anti-Climate Era”Register TodayShout Out To Our Sponsors! Goodwin For all your legal needs, turn to Goodwin. They were the first major practice to create a dedicated climate practice. We are big fans of their work. Goodwin.comErthTech TalentWhen it comes time to find top talent for your clean tech startup, reach out to ErthTech Talent. We’ll save you a fortune. ErthTechTalent.comLinksNick van Osdol:Keep Cool NewsletterKeep Cool PodcastClimate CapitalEvents: Climate Proof X Keep Cool Adaptation Happy HourClimate Adaptation: Moving to ActionSteven Zhang: Climate Tech List (job board of all public jobs in climate) Interconnection.FYI Climate Week DirectorySomil Aggarwal:Schmidt FuturesSilas Mähner:ErthTech Talent Events: Climate Capital SummitNew Climate FuturesThis podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

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• NYCW Event: How to Win in the Anti-Climate Era (Live Podcast)

  Winning as a Climate founder has always been tough. It’s even tougher with the current administration.Despite that, there are many founders and investors who are winning. We’re bringing some of those together for our live podcast during NY Climate Week. When: Tuesday, September 23rd, from 2:00 to 4:30 pm Where: Chelsea (address revealed upon accepted registration) Panelists: Augustus Doricko (Rainmaker Technologies) | Liz Dennett (Endolith) | Grant Brown (8090 Industries) | Joel Armin-Hoiland (Climate Finance Solutions)Who: Climate Founders, Investors, and Ecosystem SupportersFormat: * 2:00 pm — Welcome and Refreshments * 2:30 pm — Live Podcast Begins * Networking / Hangout After Pod* 4:30 Depart Shoutout to our SponsorsThis event is made possible by: Goodwin: your go-to for all legal needs. They were the first major law firm to develop a climate-specific practice. As a result, they have a huge number of resources specific to climate founders. ErthTech Talent: hire the best talent in the market and save time without it costing you a fortune. See you all there! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

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• #259 University-Led Climate Innovation | Austin Evarts (NYU Urban Future Lab)

  University Climate Incubators: Can They Really Drive the Next Wave of Innovation?Are universities just ivory towers—or can they actually launch climate startups that scale? At NYU’s Urban Future Lab, the answer is clear: yes.In this episode, we sit down with Austin Evarts, Director of the Acre Incubator, the longest-running cleantech incubator in New York. Austin has mentored hundreds of founders, raised billions in follow-on funding through UFL’s programs, and seen firsthand what separates the winners from the rest.He shares why adaptation startups are suddenly outpacing mitigation, how universities give founders an unfair advantage, and why “anti-hustle culture” might be the smartest path to scale.💥 Key TakeawaysAdaptation Rising: Year-over-year, adaptation startups in UFL’s pipeline grew 33%, and are showing 2× the revenue of mitigation peers.Founder First: Austin breaks down what traits he looks for most—coachability, passion, and commercial muscle.The Anti-Hustle Incubator: Why working smarter, not harder actually produces more resilient founders.NYU’s Edge: Access to labs, researchers, and grants gives climate startups non-dilutive R&D and real validation.NYC as the Testbed: Utilities, real estate giants, and state agencies make New York a launchpad for pilots.Listen to the full episode now to understand how universities can be the hidden powerhouse behind the next generation of climate tech.Episode Topics:(00:44) What the Acre Incubator Does(05:32) How Skiing Shaped Austin’s Entrepreneurial Mindset(09:37) Anti-Hustle Culture & Founder First Lessons(15:16) UFL’s Programs Beyond the Incubator(20:36) The Shift Toward Adaptation Startups(26:22) Novel Startups: Aquaria & Levitree(28:32) Mapping the Adaptation Landscape (Flood, Fire, Heat)(32:58) Common Misconceptions About Incubators(39:06) The Power of NYU Partnerships(43:40) Why New York Is Becoming the Climate Commercialization Capital(45:34) Skills for Program Managers & Future of UFLSPONSOR:ErthTech Talent: Fast, Accurate, and Affordable Headhunting for your CleanTech Startup.👉 Get Started TodayDisclosures: This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your own due diligence. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

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• #258 How to Land a DOE Grant For Critical Minerals w/ Joel Armin-Hoiland (Climate Finance Solutions)

  The Trump Administration's Critical Minerals Grant: What's the Real Story?Is the Trump administration really putting a billion dollars into critical minerals? Not exactly. Most of it is just a re-packaging of existing funds.But this isn't about politics—it's about opportunity.In this episode, we sit down with Joel Armin-Hoiland, founder of Climate Finance Solutions, who has secured over $1.6 billion in grants for climate tech companies. He's here to reveal where the real grant money is, how to get it, and what language you absolutely must avoid in your applications.💥 Key TakeawaysThe "Billion Dollar" Announcement: We break down what's really behind the headlines and where this funding is coming from.The Control-F Problem: Joel shares a shocking insight: grant applications are being rejected for using certain "trigger words." Find out what to avoid.Strategic Partnerships: Learn why a startup's best move might be to partner with an established company to unlock government funding.A-to-Z Funding: Discover a surprising list of energy and tech sectors the current administration is actively funding, from nuclear to AI.Meet Joel! He'll be at our NY Climate Week Event on Sep 23rd, 2-4:30 pm. Space is limited, so grab your spot now!➡️ Register for the NY Climate Week EventListen to the full episode now to get a competitive edge in securing your next grant!Episode Topics:(07:00) What Climate Finance Solutions Does(12:30) Overview of the Five Notices of Intent (NOIs)(23:30) The Rationale for US Onshoring Supply Chains(25:20) The Importance of Language in Grant Applications(29:40) The Likelihood of Funding Going Through(49:10) Future Funding Predictions and PrioritiesSPONSOR:ErthTech Talent: Fast, Accurate, and Affordable Headhunting for your CleanTech Startup. Get Started TodayConnect with Us:Connect with Silas on LinkedInConnect with Somil on LinkedInDisclosures: This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your own due diligence. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe

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• #257 Betting on $2 Trillion in Climate Infrastructure & Lessons from the DOE Loan Programs Office | Brendan Bell (Aligned Climate Capital)

  This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit cleantechies.substack.comToday’s episode dives into the nuanced world of climate finance and infrastructure with Brendan Bell, Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Align Climate Capital. Unlike most investors who play in either venture or infrastructure, Align straddles both worlds—backing early-stage companies while also owning and operating clean energy assets.Brendan shares his unusual path from the Sierra Club to the U.S. Senate, the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, and now into the private sector. Along the way, he offers candid insights into what makes a strong infrastructure investment, how venture-backed technologies eventually scale into bankable assets, and why understanding both sides of the capital stack is critical to accelerating the clean energy transition.This is a masterclass on the interplay between policy, venture innovation, and hard infrastructure. If you’ve ever wondered how moonshot technologies meet the realities of capital markets and project finance, this conversation will give you the inside view.

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