Podcast · Business

Climate CEOs

by Chris Wedding — CEO Coach | CEO, Entrepreneurs for Impact · English · Business

The leading twice-weekly, ad-free podcast for entrepreneurs, investors, & executives in energy, infrastructure, & climate. Get practical insights on raising capital, commercialization, business strategy, scaling startups, project finance, M&A, corporate innovation, and executive leadership. Explore

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 45 min
Latest: 13 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026 · 50 minNew

The $440M Bet to Reinvent Climate Innovation | NY Climate Exchange

Climate change may be one of the biggest forces reshaping the global economy, yet we still treat climate collaboration like a pop-up event. The New York Climate Exchange wants to change that with a $440M first phase on Governors Island that brings business, universities, government, and innovators together year-round. Guest bio: Sanjayan Muttulingam is CEO of the New York Climate Exchange and former CEO of Conservation International. A scientist, conservation leader, and former CBS News contributor, he has spent his career connecting climate science, capital, business, and public engagement.…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

7 Oct 2026 · 47 min
What 45 Climate CEOs Are Teaching Me About Leadership
Today I’m sharing a conversation where the tables are turned: I was a guest on the Supercool podcast with my friend Josh Dorfman, the cofounder of climate tech startup Plantd. We get into: Why I built Entrepreneurs for Impact, and what I’ve learned from working closely with 45 investor-backed CEOs. What climate and energy CEOs are struggling with right now, from fundraising and customers to hiring and scaling. Why the leadership style that gets a company started often won’t get it through the next stage. What I learned from moving between environmental science, private equity,…
2 Oct 2026 · 12 min
The Climate Investments Unlocking the Next 100 Projects
Most climate investors ask which project offers the best return. A better question: Which investment makes the next 100 projects easier, cheaper, and faster? This episode explores the Transition Acceleration Framework developed by CalSTRS, Generate Capital, and Rhodium Group, and why catalytic capital can have an impact far beyond a single project. Seven things you’ll learn in this episode: Why the best climate investment may be the one that unlocks the next 100 projects. How catalytic capital can lower costs and risks for future projects. Why first-of-a-kind projects often fall between…
29 Sep 2026 · 45 min
70% of U.S. Substations Are Outdated...Here’s What's Next | NovaTech Automation
Roughly 70% of U.S. substations were built before modern digital technology. Now AI, renewables, batteries, and EVs are forcing a century-old grid to become something fundamentally different. Company bio: NovaTech Automation provides automation, monitoring, and control technology for electric utilities, with equipment in roughly 25% of U.S. substations. Founded in 1979, the family-owned company helps utilities modernize aging infrastructure while integrating increasingly complex power sources and loads. Guest bio: Conrad Oakey is CEO of NovaTech Automation and the second generation to lead…
25 Sep 2026 · 9 min
The 6 People You Should Never Hire
Hiring mistakes can cripple a startup in energy, infrastructure, or industrial technology. This simple three-trait framework helps CEOs spot great team players and six dangerous hiring archetypes before they join the company. The Frramework: Adapted from Patrick Lencioni’s "The Ideal Team Player," this episode applies three traits to climate tech hiring: humble, hungry, and smart, meaning emotionally intelligent. Even talented candidates can fail when one of these traits is missing. Seven things you’ll learn in this episode: Why humble + hungry + smart is a powerful hiring filter. Why…
22 Sep 2026 · 47 min
7 Lessons for Hard-Tech Startups | Vanessa Chan (Time100 List)
What kills hard-tech startups usually isn’t the technology. It’s everything surrounding it: unit economics, supply chains, customers, workforce, financing, and the long road from demonstration to deployment. Guest bio: Dr. Vanessa Chan is an entrepreneur, engineer, angel investor, and educator who works at the intersection of technology, commercialization, and business. She previously served as Chief Commercialization Officer at the U.S. Department of Energy and now leads innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania’s Engineering program. She was also a partner at…
18 Sep 2026 · 16 min
15 Rules for Building Billion-Dollar Projects On Time, On Budget
Big projects routinely blow their budgets, schedules, and sometimes the companies building them. But research across 16,000+ projects reveals surprisingly consistent rules for getting them right. In this solo episode, I translate lessons from How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner into practical strategies for entrepreneurs building factories, energy projects, infrastructure, and other capital-intensive businesses. Seven lessons for entrepreneurs: Assume your forecast is too optimistic. Compare your project with what actually happened on similar projects, not just your own…
15 Sep 2026 · 48 min
Can Microbes Replace $100B of Fertilizer? | Switch Bioworks
Nitrogen fertilizer feeds billions of people. But producing it consumes staggering amounts of energy. Switch Bioworks is engineering microbes that could replace industrial fertilizer with biological alternatives at a fraction of the cost. Company bio: Switch Bioworks is a biofertilizer company engineering programmable microbes that colonize plant roots and then switch from growth to producing ammonia, giving crops access to nitrogen without relying entirely on conventional fertilizer. Initially targeting the roughly 100 million acres of U.S. corn, Switch has raised nearly $24 million in…
9 Sep 2026 · 55 min
The 40-Year VC Lesson: Relationships Beat Transactions | Brad Feld
Legendary venture capitalist Brad Feld, co-founder of Foundry Group and Techstars and author of Give First, explains how founders can use resilience, mentorship, long-term thinking, and non-transactional relationships to build stronger startups and startup communities, especially in climate tech and turbulent markets. This podcast was so important when we recorded it last year that I'm republishing it now. Company bio: Foundry Group is a venture capital firm that invests in technology startups and venture funds across the U.S. Techstars is a global startup accelerator and entrepreneurial…
1 Sep 2026 · 48 min
The Climate Tech Map: Where Capital and Innovation Are Still Missing | Speed & Scale, Doerr Capital
Climate tech is scaling fast. But the data shows huge gaps in industrial decarbonization, carbon removal, energy storage, and the capital needed to turn breakthrough technologies into profitable businesses. Company bio: Speed & Scale is a climate action initiative built around measurable objectives and key results (OKRs) for reaching net-zero emissions, originating from John Doerr’s Speed & Scale framework. https://speedandscale.com Its Climate Tech Map, developed with partners including Breakthrough Energy, Elemental Impact, Energy Innovation, McKinsey Sustainability, and Stanford’s Doerr…
28 Aug 2026 · 6 min
The CEO Vulnerability Paradox | Strong ≠ Invincible
Climate CEOs are expected to project confidence. But acting invincible can make investors, employees, and customers trust you less. This minisode explores the "vulnerability paradox" and why selective candor can be a leadership advantage. Confidence and vulnerability aren’t opposites — CEOs need to project conviction, especially during fundraising, layoffs, missed milestones, and difficult customer negotiations. But pretending everything is perfect can undermine credibility. People connect through shared struggle — Investors, employees, and customers respond to leaders who acknowledge that…
25 Aug 2026 · 53 min
How to Get 30% More Power From Existing Nuclear Plants | Alva Energy
What if America could add gigawatts of nuclear power without building new nuclear plants? Alva Energy is upgrading existing reactors to produce 20–30% more power, potentially adding 200–300 megawatts per plant in just 3–5 years. Company bio: Alva Energy is developing technology to increase the output of existing nuclear power plants by upgrading their nuclear steam systems and adding a second turbine generator. The company is already working exclusively with six operating reactors, and estimates projects could add roughly 200–300 MW for around $1B, less than one-fifth the cost of new nuclear…
21 Aug 2026 · 11 min
How CEOs Hire A-Players (#326)
Most hiring mistakes don’t happen because CEOs can’t recognize talent. They happen because interviews reward candidates who are good at interviewing. This minisode explores a more rigorous method for hiring executives (topgrading), and how climate CEOs can uncover performance patterns before making an expensive mistake. Look for patterns, not polish — Walk through a candidate’s career job by job to understand what they accomplished, where they struggled, why they left, and what patterns repeat. Ask the same questions about every role — What were you hired to do? What did you accomplish? What…
19 Aug 2026 · 46 min
How to Buy Clean Energy Across 1,000 Buildings | VECKTA Energy (#325)
What if commercial businesses could cut clean energy project costs by up to 45%, all while someone else finds, buys, finances, and operates on-site systems on massive real estate portfolios? Company bio: VECKTA Energy is a technology platform that helps businesses design, procure, finance, and operate on-site energy systems, including solar, batteries, and generators. Its platform can analyze thousands of data points across large property portfolios, identify the best opportunities, and connect buyers with a network of 4,000+ suppliers, developers, equipment providers, and financiers.…
14 Aug 2026 · 12 min
Why Good Startup Acquisitions Go Bad (#324)
Most acquisitions don’t fail because the deal thesis was wrong. They fail because integration breaks exactly what made the company worth buying. This minisode explores why climate tech M&A goes sideways and four questions CEOs should ask before signing the deal. Why good deals go bad — The spreadsheet may show compelling synergies (ugh, that word!), but value disappears when key employees leave, customers defect, or bureaucracy slows down the acquired company. Protect the people who create the value — Identify which employees are essential to technology, customer relationships, and…
11 Aug 2026 · 50 min
The Half-Size Electric Truck Built to Replace Full-Size Pickups | TELO (#323)
Electric vehicles shouldn't just be gas trucks with batteries. They should be entirely different machines. That's the premise behind Tello Trucks' attempt to reinvent one of America's most iconic vehicles. Company bio: TELO Trucks is an electric vehicle company building a mini truck designed to deliver full-size truck utility in a much smaller footprint. The vehicle is engineered for city life, with easier parking, better maneuverability, and strong towing and payload capabilities. The company’s core idea is that electrification should enable completely new vehicle designs, not just “gas…
4 Aug 2026 · 44 min
The Ocean's Billion-Ton Carbon Removal Opportunity | Gigablue (#322)
What if the cheapest, largest carbon removal machine on Earth isn't a factory, but phytoplankton in the ocean? Company bio: Gigablue is building MCFS (Microalgae Carbon Fixation and Sinking), a marine carbon removal method that uses phytoplankton and carbon carrier pods to capture and store carbon in ocean sediment. They recently raised a $20M Series A to scale their work. Speaker bio: Ori Shaashua is the co-founder of Gigablue and a serial technology entrepreneur, investor, and executive with a multi-sector track record across artificial intelligence, climate tech, cybersecurity, digital…
29 Jul 2026 · 44 min
From OpenAI to $500M in Project Finance for Forests | Living Carbon (#321)
How do you turn degraded farmland into an investable climate asset? Living Carbon has raised $76M in equity and unlocked $500M in project finance by combining reforestation, biomass, and long-term infrastructure thinking. Living Carbon restores degraded agricultural and mine lands through reforestation while developing biomass supply chains for industrial customers.. Maddie Hall is the co-founder and CEO of Living Carbon. Before launching the company, she worked at OpenAI and Y Combinator. How to unlock project finance for climate startups — Why demonstrating repeatable execution, securing…
24 Jul 2026 · 7 min
Why Smart Founders Still Make Bad Decisions (#320)
Smart CEOs make bad decisions all the time. Often, the problem isn't intelligence; it's solving the wrong problem. This minisode explores the Double Diamond framework, a decision-making tool that helps climate CEOs avoid premature conclusions and improve strategic choices. The first diamond: discover and define the problem — Many leaders jump straight into execution mode. The Double Diamond encourages CEOs to first expand their understanding of the challenge before narrowing it to the real problem worth solving. The second diamond: develop and deliver solutions — Once the problem is clearly…
21 Jul 2026 · 50 min
The $230M Bet on Turning Homes Into Power Plants | Lunar Energy (#319)
What if your home could cut electricity bills by 60%, survive weeks without the grid, and earn money while you sleep? Lunar Energy is building an integrated home energy system combining solar, batteries, load controls, and AI-powered software. Its GridShare platform already manages 650+ MW across 150,000 homes, including third-party hardware. Founder and CEO Kunal Girotra previously led Tesla Energy from 2015 to 2020, helping bring Powerwall into residential energy storage. He has since raised more than $230 million to build Lunar. Here’s what we discussed: How to turn homes into distributed…
17 Jul 2026 · 6 min
When Founder Mode Becomes a Trap (#318)
The skills that help climate tech founders survive the early years can become liabilities as companies scale. This minisode explores the tension between founder mode and manager mode, and how CEOs can know when to optimize for speed versus systems. Founder mode creates momentum — Fast decisions, direct involvement, and relentless problem-solving are often essential in the earliest stages of a company. Manager mode creates scale — As teams grow, CEOs must shift from personally solving problems to building systems that solve problems repeatedly. The risk of staying in founder mode too long —…
14 Jul 2026 · 49 min
The Robot Crew Building Solar Farms Faster Than Humans | Luminous (#317)
4,000-pound robots are helping solar developers install panels faster, safer, and with fewer defects…without changing how construction sites operate. Luminous is building an AI-powered automation platform that could reshape how renewable energy infrastructure gets built. Its robotic fleets handle module installation and material logistics, helping developers reduce labor constraints while improving safety, quality, and project economics. Jay Wong is the founder and CEO of Luminous Robotics, an industrial automation company focused on critical infrastructure construction. Before founding…
10 Jul 2026 · 10 min
15 Energy Tech Startups to Watch (#316)
Most climate coverage focuses on companies that have already succeeded. This episode focuses on the next wave. From fusion and industrial heat to wildfire prevention, energy infrastructure, and climate adaptation, this minisode highlights 15 climate tech startups that could become important players in the years ahead. A broad view of climate innovation — Why the most interesting opportunities are emerging across energy, industry, software, infrastructure, and adaptation. AI's growing energy footprint — Startups helping support rising electricity demand from data centers and artificial…
7 Jul 2026 · 47 min
190% Net Revenue Retention: The Software Layer for the Power Grid | Texture (#315)
Most grid modernization discussions focus on hardware. Texture is building the operating system that connects utilities' fragmented software, meter data, DERs, and workflows into a single system of action . Guest Bio: Sanjiv Sanghavi is co-founder and CEO of Texture. Before founding Texture, he co-founded ClassPass , worked at Arcadia , and spent time in energy venture capital. Company Summary: ' Texture provides an operating system for utilities, co-ops, and energy companies. Its platform integrates data from disconnected systems and turns it into workflows for demand response, outage…
3 Jul 2026 · 7 min
How Urgency Makes CEOs Worse Decision-Makers (#314)
Climate change is urgent. That does not mean every decision should be. Many climate CEOs operate in a constant state of urgency. This minisode explores how urgency can improve execution, but also distort judgment, team dynamics, and long-term company building. Urgency versus importance — Why climate missions create pressure to move fast, and how leaders can confuse immediate action with meaningful progress. The hidden costs of perpetual emergencies — Constant urgency can degrade decision quality, create burnout, and cause teams to optimize for short-term wins. The fundraising and growth trap…
30 Jun 2026 · 29 min
4 Lessons on Career, Habits, Books + Building a Better Life (#313)
Special episode? Maybe. Some listeners asked me this... How about you answer the four final questions that you ask each podcast guest? So I did. Here they are: Give some advice to your younger self for building a career of impact. What habits or routines keep you healthy and sane while building EFI and Climate CEOs? Name three good books. (I listed eight. Overachiever, I know.) Who had a big impact on your life (that's not your family)? Why? How does it shape who you are as a leader? Let me know which answer resonates with you. Drop me a note on LinkedIn or reply to my Climate CEOs…
26 Jun 2026 · 12 min
10 Energy Tech Startups Raised Nearly $1B. Here's What They Have in Common (#312)
10 climate tech startups raised nearly $1B. But the bigger story is where capital is quietly concentrating across AI infrastructure, grid modernization, industrial decarbonization, and carbon removal. This Climate CEOs minisode breaks down ten notable climate tech financings from May 2026 and what they reveal about investor priorities, emerging market opportunities, and where founders may find tailwinds or headwinds in the years ahead. 👉Get the written summary: https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com/p/climate-tech-deal-roundup-may-2026 -- 1️⃣ Join our confidential CEO community. Private…
23 Jun 2026 · 56 min
The Man Who Invented Cradle to Cradle on AI + Industrial Design | William McDonough (#311)
William McDonough is one of the world's most influential sustainable design thinkers . His book, Cradle to Cradle , kick-started my career path. And I enjoyed working with him in environmental private equity for many years. Bill has advised companies, governments, and cities on regenerative design for decades and has won awards such as the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, the National Design Award, the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, and the title of "Hero for the Planet" from Time magazine. Climate tech often focuses on reducing harm. Bill McDonough argues…
19 Jun 2026 · 9 min
The CEO Sabbatical Test (#310)
I discuss insights from recent discussions with EFI Climate CEO peer group on sabbaticals, burnout, and building companies that can thrive without the founder in every decision. Plus, why utilities spend roughly $8 billion annually managing vegetation near power lines, yet many still rely on manual inspections and limited visibility. Wait, can't AI do this? -- 1️⃣ Join our confidential CEO community. Private CEO group for VC/PE-backed climate tech founders navigating capital, strategy, and scale. Capped at 45 CEOs. → entrepreneursforimpact.com 2️⃣ Join 40,000 professionals who get our…
16 Jun 2026 · 45 min
Can Nuclear Power Reach 3¢/kWh? | Aalo Atomics (#309)
Aalo Atomics is developing modular nuclear power plants designed for factory production . They seek to make nuclear energy scalable enough to support AI infrastructure, industrial heat, desalination, and synthetic fuels. Matt Loszak , founder and CEO of Aalo Atomics , discusses how his team is moving from software to nuclear, scaling from 2 to 165 employees in three years , raising $300M+, and pursuing a vision of abundant energy for AI, industry, and beyond. Prior to returning to his nuclear engineering roots, he founded Humi , a payroll and HR software company that grew to process roughly…

About Climate CEOs

Climate CEOs is a English business podcast from Chris Wedding — CEO Coach | CEO, Entrepreneurs for Impact. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Chris Wedding — CEO Coach | CEO, Entrepreneurs for Impact
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 45 min
Latest episode: 13 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1561411048
Rights: Chris Wedding — CEO Coach | CEO, Entrepreneurs for Impact

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